Save our values, not Government Hill

Public opinion polls are a poor way to run government policy. Polls are especially ill suited for policies about land use and development. If every separate development is subject to a vote, it undermines property rights and the ability to develop a diverse and vibrant city that caters to manyContinue reading>

Strengthening the middle

Salaries and income taxes are less inevitable than the old canard about death and taxes would have you believe. Historically, income taxes were usually introduced to finance war. Similarly the salaries tax in Hong Kong was not introduced until 1940. Whilst suspended during the Japanese occupation, it resumed in 1947.Continue reading>

Use the noodle on competition law

Peter Wong and Wong King Ming (The Standard, 26 February 2008) Attempts to fix prices have led to a government proposal for legislation. But beware: regulations of that nature are a double-edged sword Peter Wong and Wong King Ming Because of government efforts, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Vermicelli andContinue reading>

Opinions about 'Fair Competition Law'

Dave Werner (Opinions about ‘Fair Competition Law,’ 1 February 2007) Please let us know what you think about the proposal of implementing the ‘Fair Competition Law’.  You may email your opinions to us at info@lionrockinstitute.org ‘HK Govt should glean some wisdom from observing that the SMEs that power Hong Kong—theContinue reading>

Healthcare: Our Thinking Must Change

(Apple Daily, August 1 2005)   Synopsis Public debate on healthcare reform leads to nowhere because there are 3 key misperceptions with regard to the role of public healthcare:  3 key misperceptions Private healthcare is expensive and inaccessible yet there is no guarantee of quality of service, Government has allContinue reading>