Eric Crampton
@ericcrampton.bsky.social
Chief Economist at the NZ Initiative.
Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Department of Economics at @ucnz
Squatting here and at @[email protected] in case Twitter ever finally sinks.
Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Department of Economics at @ucnz
Squatting here and at @[email protected] in case Twitter ever finally sinks.
1. I didn't know this;
2. This guy should have been named Ransom E.O. Speedwagon, not Robert.
2. This guy should have been named Ransom E.O. Speedwagon, not Robert.
November 2, 2025 at 10:22 PM
1. I didn't know this;
2. This guy should have been named Ransom E.O. Speedwagon, not Robert.
2. This guy should have been named Ransom E.O. Speedwagon, not Robert.
This week's column in The Post gave me an excuse to email Joe Bennett for comment.
An illicit cigarette vendor on Facebook Marketplace is purporting to be selling cartons of Bennett's book about bullshitting.
"That's wonderful. Double Happiness as double irony."
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
An illicit cigarette vendor on Facebook Marketplace is purporting to be selling cartons of Bennett's book about bullshitting.
"That's wonderful. Double Happiness as double irony."
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
November 2, 2025 at 9:33 PM
This week's column in The Post gave me an excuse to email Joe Bennett for comment.
An illicit cigarette vendor on Facebook Marketplace is purporting to be selling cartons of Bennett's book about bullshitting.
"That's wonderful. Double Happiness as double irony."
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
An illicit cigarette vendor on Facebook Marketplace is purporting to be selling cartons of Bennett's book about bullshitting.
"That's wonderful. Double Happiness as double irony."
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
My piece in today's Herald goes through one on the lessons from Canada's path to greater First Nations autonomy: starting small and learning as you go can have a lot of merit.
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/the...
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/the...
October 1, 2025 at 10:06 PM
My piece in today's Herald goes through one on the lessons from Canada's path to greater First Nations autonomy: starting small and learning as you go can have a lot of merit.
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/the...
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/the...
I simply cannot believe that any hapū signing onto the Treaty could have imagined that their descendants would wind up needing to travel to a council office miles away to beg permission to build things on their own land.
Canada shows a path to this kind of rangatiratanga.
Canada shows a path to this kind of rangatiratanga.
September 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I simply cannot believe that any hapū signing onto the Treaty could have imagined that their descendants would wind up needing to travel to a council office miles away to beg permission to build things on their own land.
Canada shows a path to this kind of rangatiratanga.
Canada shows a path to this kind of rangatiratanga.
The process also built guardrails that help build capacity and accountability.
September 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM
The process also built guardrails that help build capacity and accountability.
Sen̓áḵw is very obviously big-city.
Ch'íyáqtel is next door to a town the size of Palmerston North.
And a lot of Reserves are far more remote.
But really neat things are happening elsewhere.
First Nations can buy land near town and bring it under their jurisdiction.
Ch'íyáqtel is next door to a town the size of Palmerston North.
And a lot of Reserves are far more remote.
But really neat things are happening elsewhere.
First Nations can buy land near town and bring it under their jurisdiction.
September 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Sen̓áḵw is very obviously big-city.
Ch'íyáqtel is next door to a town the size of Palmerston North.
And a lot of Reserves are far more remote.
But really neat things are happening elsewhere.
First Nations can buy land near town and bring it under their jurisdiction.
Ch'íyáqtel is next door to a town the size of Palmerston North.
And a lot of Reserves are far more remote.
But really neat things are happening elsewhere.
First Nations can buy land near town and bring it under their jurisdiction.
And it just works. In part, I think, because they started small and learned along the way.
September 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM
And it just works. In part, I think, because they started small and learned along the way.
Other bits are similarly pragmatic.
Municipalities are creatures of provinces. Reserves are not. First Nations can adopt provincial rules, like building codes, by reference - if they want. Or choose others.
Municipalities are creatures of provinces. Reserves are not. First Nations can adopt provincial rules, like building codes, by reference - if they want. Or choose others.
September 30, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Other bits are similarly pragmatic.
Municipalities are creatures of provinces. Reserves are not. First Nations can adopt provincial rules, like building codes, by reference - if they want. Or choose others.
Municipalities are creatures of provinces. Reserves are not. First Nations can adopt provincial rules, like building codes, by reference - if they want. Or choose others.
I love the pragmatism here.
The City has no jurisdiction on-reserve. But they can't provide services unless the Reserve has by-laws around utilities access. So the Nation sets mirror by-laws.
The City has no jurisdiction on-reserve. But they can't provide services unless the Reserve has by-laws around utilities access. So the Nation sets mirror by-laws.
September 30, 2025 at 9:47 PM
I love the pragmatism here.
The City has no jurisdiction on-reserve. But they can't provide services unless the Reserve has by-laws around utilities access. So the Nation sets mirror by-laws.
The City has no jurisdiction on-reserve. But they can't provide services unless the Reserve has by-laws around utilities access. So the Nation sets mirror by-laws.
The BC Supreme Court confirmed that the Reserve is under its own jurisdiction, not subject to City by-laws, and that the City had no duty to consult with NIMBYs about the service agreement.
September 30, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The BC Supreme Court confirmed that the Reserve is under its own jurisdiction, not subject to City by-laws, and that the City had no duty to consult with NIMBYs about the service agreement.
Phase 1 of the Sen̓áḵw project is nearing completion.
The pictures here are from July.
They didn't need Vancouver's permission to build.
But they did need to come to an agreement with the City for services.
There is no free-ride here.
The pictures here are from July.
They didn't need Vancouver's permission to build.
But they did need to come to an agreement with the City for services.
There is no free-ride here.
September 30, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Phase 1 of the Sen̓áḵw project is nearing completion.
The pictures here are from July.
They didn't need Vancouver's permission to build.
But they did need to come to an agreement with the City for services.
There is no free-ride here.
The pictures here are from July.
They didn't need Vancouver's permission to build.
But they did need to come to an agreement with the City for services.
There is no free-ride here.
In 2002, a little over a century after Squamish land was taken for the railway, it was returned - and came under Squamish jurisdiction. Kitsilano 6, on the map below. Stephanie Wood explains what happened next.
September 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
In 2002, a little over a century after Squamish land was taken for the railway, it was returned - and came under Squamish jurisdiction. Kitsilano 6, on the map below. Stephanie Wood explains what happened next.
The First Nations Finance Authority (a bit like NZ's Local Government Finance Authority) lends to First Nations, with debt backed by those Nations' revenues.
It's bankable.
It's bankable.
September 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
The First Nations Finance Authority (a bit like NZ's Local Government Finance Authority) lends to First Nations, with debt backed by those Nations' revenues.
It's bankable.
It's bankable.
And you can see today how many First Nations have operational Land Codes - opting out of the Indian Act's management and opting into stronger self-governance.
It started slowly, but then spread.
It started slowly, but then spread.
September 30, 2025 at 9:45 PM
And you can see today how many First Nations have operational Land Codes - opting out of the Indian Act's management and opting into stronger self-governance.
It started slowly, but then spread.
It started slowly, but then spread.
It didn't happen everywhere all at once.
I think critical to success here was that it started small, learned along the way, and built institutions to help followers succeed.
Success spread outward from Kamloops over time.
I think critical to success here was that it started small, learned along the way, and built institutions to help followers succeed.
Success spread outward from Kamloops over time.
September 30, 2025 at 9:45 PM
It didn't happen everywhere all at once.
I think critical to success here was that it started small, learned along the way, and built institutions to help followers succeed.
Success spread outward from Kamloops over time.
I think critical to success here was that it started small, learned along the way, and built institutions to help followers succeed.
Success spread outward from Kamloops over time.
The Kamloops Amendment allowed greater tax authority.
Subsequent changes enabled better access to finance, and opting-out of the Indian Act's land micromanagement.
Here's how that works in practice.
Subsequent changes enabled better access to finance, and opting-out of the Indian Act's land micromanagement.
Here's how that works in practice.
September 30, 2025 at 9:45 PM
The Kamloops Amendment allowed greater tax authority.
Subsequent changes enabled better access to finance, and opting-out of the Indian Act's land micromanagement.
Here's how that works in practice.
Subsequent changes enabled better access to finance, and opting-out of the Indian Act's land micromanagement.
Here's how that works in practice.
Kamloops argued for greater devolution.
"We feel we are in a better position to judge the needs of our people than officials of the Department located in Ottawa. Much of the dissatisfaction with the present Act arises from the lack of power and authority to Band Councils."
"We feel we are in a better position to judge the needs of our people than officials of the Department located in Ottawa. Much of the dissatisfaction with the present Act arises from the lack of power and authority to Band Councils."
September 30, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Kamloops argued for greater devolution.
"We feel we are in a better position to judge the needs of our people than officials of the Department located in Ottawa. Much of the dissatisfaction with the present Act arises from the lack of power and authority to Band Councils."
"We feel we are in a better position to judge the needs of our people than officials of the Department located in Ottawa. Much of the dissatisfaction with the present Act arises from the lack of power and authority to Band Councils."
All of this has been decades in the making. 1951 Amendments led to greater on-reserve authority, and then finding where the legislation needed to be improved.
The Kamloops Amendment began the modern era.
The Kamloops Amendment began the modern era.
September 30, 2025 at 9:44 PM
All of this has been decades in the making. 1951 Amendments led to greater on-reserve authority, and then finding where the legislation needed to be improved.
The Kamloops Amendment began the modern era.
The Kamloops Amendment began the modern era.
Shifting from dependence to real autonomy - something that looks a lot like rangatiratanga - has been a decades-long process of learning and institution-building.
Chief Derek explains how those institutions helped:
Chief Derek explains how those institutions helped:
September 30, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Shifting from dependence to real autonomy - something that looks a lot like rangatiratanga - has been a decades-long process of learning and institution-building.
Chief Derek explains how those institutions helped:
Chief Derek explains how those institutions helped:
Ch'íyáq means fish weir and tel means place.
So Ch'íyáqtel means place of fish weir.
They're buying back land to be able to restore the fish weirs.
So Ch'íyáqtel means place of fish weir.
They're buying back land to be able to restore the fish weirs.
September 30, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Ch'íyáq means fish weir and tel means place.
So Ch'íyáqtel means place of fish weir.
They're buying back land to be able to restore the fish weirs.
So Ch'íyáqtel means place of fish weir.
They're buying back land to be able to restore the fish weirs.
Ch'íyáqtel has less than 800 people. They're next to Chilliwack, BC.
They are using their autonomy to build housing, and to build economic independence.
They run their own taxes, have their own zoning, and are buying back land to add to their jurisdiction.
They are using their autonomy to build housing, and to build economic independence.
They run their own taxes, have their own zoning, and are buying back land to add to their jurisdiction.
September 30, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Ch'íyáqtel has less than 800 people. They're next to Chilliwack, BC.
They are using their autonomy to build housing, and to build economic independence.
They run their own taxes, have their own zoning, and are buying back land to add to their jurisdiction.
They are using their autonomy to build housing, and to build economic independence.
They run their own taxes, have their own zoning, and are buying back land to add to their jurisdiction.
Something as simple as moving a watertank on a marae can mean having to beg council permission.
Meanwhile, Canadian First Nations are building on their own land, under their own jurisdiction, needing the permission of no one but themselves.
I think we have something to learn.
Thread:
Meanwhile, Canadian First Nations are building on their own land, under their own jurisdiction, needing the permission of no one but themselves.
I think we have something to learn.
Thread:
September 30, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Something as simple as moving a watertank on a marae can mean having to beg council permission.
Meanwhile, Canadian First Nations are building on their own land, under their own jurisdiction, needing the permission of no one but themselves.
I think we have something to learn.
Thread:
Meanwhile, Canadian First Nations are building on their own land, under their own jurisdiction, needing the permission of no one but themselves.
I think we have something to learn.
Thread:
You know that it's an Atlas Partner outfit that keeps getting Trump's tariffs struck down in court right? The Liberty Justice Center. They're great.
September 8, 2025 at 11:42 PM
You know that it's an Atlas Partner outfit that keeps getting Trump's tariffs struck down in court right? The Liberty Justice Center. They're great.
What is up with the NZ left characterising anyone they disagree with as "extreme"?
Epstein is one of the Top 10 most-cited US legal scholars. "Extremists" don't get that citation count.
Real extremists exist. Probably best to save the term for actual extremists.
Epstein is one of the Top 10 most-cited US legal scholars. "Extremists" don't get that citation count.
Real extremists exist. Probably best to save the term for actual extremists.
September 8, 2025 at 8:51 PM
What is up with the NZ left characterising anyone they disagree with as "extreme"?
Epstein is one of the Top 10 most-cited US legal scholars. "Extremists" don't get that citation count.
Real extremists exist. Probably best to save the term for actual extremists.
Epstein is one of the Top 10 most-cited US legal scholars. "Extremists" don't get that citation count.
Real extremists exist. Probably best to save the term for actual extremists.
She did. Those bits wind up a bit buried in the reporting. For whatever reason.
August 19, 2025 at 3:23 AM
She did. Those bits wind up a bit buried in the reporting. For whatever reason.