Popular Episodes

I talk with James Viggiano about recent comments made by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Not soon after we spoke, James shared a clip that went viral of the governor talking frankly about the exorbitant privilege of money printing that the central banks and governments have. James and I talk about some of the game theory from the perspective of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to defend the Kiwi Dollar and their attempts to talk down inflation, and shift the narrative even as the cost of living crisis continues. We also talk about the opportunity for what New Zealand could look like on a Bitcoin standard and how that could interface with the legacy financial system.

Don Brash was the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand from 1988 until 2002. Don was also a Member of Parliament, and leader of the New Zealand National Party. We discuss Don’s work at the Reserve Bank, which came at a pivotal time alongside the economic reforms of the late 80s. Don shares the history of the famous 0 - 2% inflation target that he helped implement, and we talk more broadly about the state’s understanding of inflation, its causes, and the role of Central Banking. We go on to talk about Don’s current focus looking at both the geopolitical situation New Zealand faces in-between the US and China, as well as his work with Hobson’s pledge looking at democracy issues closer to home.

I talk with Dash of the Tokyo Citadel Builders Podcast & Community. We dive deep into some of the game theory and scenarios that Bitcoin and hyperbitcoinisation presents, as well as what the broader economic landscape may look like in the future. Just as the internet has become far more than merely digital version of letters and newspapers, Bitcoin may not just be digital money as we know it, but an entirely new paradigm of value transfer and wealth storage that is difficult to fathom while we still exist within in the current system. Thus it is important to broach these ideas and have creative discussions to try and paint a picture of what may come to pass. I also talk with Dash about the role of faith, and purpose and meaning more broadly in these trying and changing times.

I talk with SJF, a Sound Artist based in the U.K. We explore questions about privacy and the panopticon of surveillance as we move on from the chaos of 2022, and how Bitcoin's Proof of Work ethos can help inspire and enable creative endeavours.

Dr Matthew Birchall is a Research Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative. The New Zealand Initiative is a policy think tank conducting independent research on a wide range of issues. We talk about Matthew's report “Paving the Wave: Learning from New Zealand past to Build a Better Future.” The report explores how the country effectively tackled infrastructure projects in the past, and offers guidance on how the country can rediscover this talent.