About our events

The New Zealand Initiative holds events throughout the year to promote debate, disseminate ideas, and connect with our supporters. Our events include public forums, conferences, and debates. We also organise outreach activities with secondary schools, universities, and young professionals.

Public Forums: The Initiative occasionally hosts larger public events with prominent international speakers. These events are a great opportunity to discuss ideas and meet new people in an informal setting.

Member-only Events: Exclusive to members to the Initiative.

AI event with Microsoft Copy

Artificial intelligence and the future of education

Artificial Intelligence in Education Forum This forum will provide an opportunity to discuss and debate the implications of generative AI for education. We will explore opportunities that AI offers and potential policy initiatives to make the most of those opportunities. Read more

8 June, 2023
Auckland
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Members' Retreat 2023

Our annual members' retreat is a chance to cover the major aspects of New Zealand politics and economics, and will provide plenty of room for discussion, engagement and networking. Please contact Chelsy at events@nzinitiative.org.nz for further information. Read more

23 May, 2023
Auckland
  Member only event
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Save our Schools: A public webinar

Webinar: A Turning Point for New Zealand’s Education System Join us for a webinar as we launch “Save Our Schools: Solutions for New Zealand's Education Crisis.” Our webinar, and our publication, come at a critical moment. New Zealand faces the choice between reform and decline in our education system. Read more

27 April, 2023
Webinar
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Members' Pre-Budget lunch with Nicola Willis

Members' lunch with Nicola Willis, Deputy Leader of the National Party, kindly hosted by KPMG Nicola Willis is a List MP based in Wellington, having entered Parliament in April 2018, and being re-elected in October 2020. She is currently National’s Deputy Leader, Spokesperson for Finance, and Social Investment. Read more

21 April, 2023
Auckland
  Member only event
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Covid-19 management: A public webinar

Webinar: A critical analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic management in New Zealand A pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) continues both worldwide and in New Zealand. Although estimates are that half the New Zealand population have been infected, more likely almost every citizen has come into contact with the virus in some way. Read more

20 April, 2023
Webinar
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Members' Pre-Budget lunch with Nicola Willis

Members' lunch with Nicola Willis, Deputy Leader of the National Party, kindly hosted by KPMG Nicola Willis is a List MP based in Wellington, having entered Parliament in April 2018, and being re-elected in October 2020. She is currently National’s Deputy Leader, Spokesperson for Finance, and Social Investment. Read more

18 April, 2023
Wellington
  Member only event
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Members' lunch with Mayor Wayne Brown

Having been elected Mayor of Auckland, Wayne Brown set out to change the way the city works. With changes to council-controlled bodies, his alternative proposal to the Government’s Three Waters project and the initiative to move the port, Brown has already made his mark – just after about a month in the job. Read more

23 November, 2022
Auckland
  Member only event
Peter Square

Members' dinner with Peter Williams

We invite you to join us for a members' dinner with Peter Williams. He will be talking about Three Waters and the future of democracy. Since co-governance and the health of our democracy are of such paramount importance, we appreciate Peter's openness to talk about them. Read more

27 September, 2022
Auckland
  Member only event
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Report launch: No evidence, no evaluation, no exit

In 2011 New Zealand’s Ministry of Education decided that large, open plan classrooms are the way of the future. They embarked on a policy to replace the country’s classrooms with these Modern Learning Environments in which children are expected to learn in a ‘self-directed’ way. Read more

20 September, 2022
Wellington
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Literacy Workshop

The ongoing fall in the literacy capability of New Zealand’s school students and school leavers is a national scandal. New Zealand needs a fresh start for literacy education. Read more

12 May, 2022
Wellington

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