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The Long-Run Impact of New Zealand's Structural Reform on Local Communities

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  • Steven Stillman

    (Motu Economic and Public Policy Research)

  • Malathi Velamuri

    (Victoria University of Wellington)

Abstract

New Zealand underwent a period of comprehensive market-oriented economic reforms from 1984-93. In this paper, we use data from the 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001 Censuses to examine the long-run impact that these reforms had on local communities. We analyse the adjustment process in 140 local labour market areas (LMAs) by creating three measures of the impact of structural reform on local communities - an employment-based measure, a population measure and a housing price measure - and examine the persistence of these shocks over time. We find that communities which experienced smaller employment shocks have higher employment rates, higher average incomes and a more skilled workforce in the medium and long-term. Population shocks also have positive, sizeable and persistent effect on average incomes and population in the future. Overall, the initial impacts of the reforms undertaken in New Zealand on local communities appear to still endure more than a decade later.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven Stillman & Malathi Velamuri, 2008. "The Long-Run Impact of New Zealand's Structural Reform on Local Communities," Working Papers 08_11, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:mtu:wpaper:08_11
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    Cited by:

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    2. Eugenio Levi & Isabelle Sin & Steven Stillman, 2021. "Understanding the Origins of Populist Political Parties and the Role of External Shocks," CESifo Working Paper Series 9036, CESifo.
    3. Michael Ryan, 2020. "An Anchor in Stormy Seas: Does Reforming Economic Institutions Reduce Uncertainty? Evidence from New Zealand," Working Papers in Economics 20/11, University of Waikato.
    4. Gani, Azmat & Scrimgeour, Frank, 2016. "New Zealand's trade with Asia and the role of good governance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 36-53.
    5. Nolan, Matt, 2018. "Did tax-transfer policy change New Zealand disposable income inequality between 1988 and 2013?," Working Paper Series 7661, Victoria University of Wellington, Chair in Public Finance.
    6. Eugenio Levi & Isabelle Sin & Steven Stillman, 2024. "The lasting impact of external shocks on political opinions and populist voting," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(1), pages 349-374, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Structural Reform; New Zealand; Communities; Local Labour Markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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