Kia ora koutou, nau mai haere mai. Another week, another newsletter full of interesting reads about New Zealand and the world.

From Berlin to New York to Wellington - people have shown that it is possible to get governments to make affordable housing a priority. The rapid growth of property prices in cities is shutting many people out of home ownership and driving up inequality. But as UCL urban infrastructure expert Jenny McArthur writes, there are ways for governments to deliver more affordable housing, but their responses often fall short. She says one notable failure was the New Zealand government’s backtracking on a proposed capital gains tax.

Last month, Victoria University of Wellington public policy expert Arthur Grimes explained that New Zealand’s well-being approach to the budget is not new, and this week, Richard Holden, at UNSW, looks at the history of well-being measures and living standards in Australia.

And earlier this month, the alleged perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque attacks has pleaded not guilty to a total of 92 charges of murder, attempted murder and terrorism. AUT legal expert Kris Gledhill writes that if a person expects a life sentence without any prospect of parole, even if they pleaded guilty, there was no incentive to do so.

You’ll find many more articles on the New Zealand page. It’s been great to see the steady increase in subscriptions to this newsletter, so if you know somebody who might enjoy it, feel free to forward this email. They can sign up here. Thank you for reading. Ngā mihi mahana.