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Working Knowledge: Designing industry-led subjects for students and schools

Current Topics

Submission: Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill

Research Note Cover Working Knowledge FINAL with outline

Working Knowledge: Designing industry-led subjects for students and schools

A heavy diesel mechanic earns roughly the same as a policy analyst, qualifies in the same time and graduates with little or no debt. Yet most New Zealanders still regard university as superior to industry training and our school qualifications system has quietly reinforced that bias for decades. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

Research Note

28 April, 2026

Submission: Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill

1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission on the Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill (the Bill) is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. Read more

Roger Partridge

Submission

28 April, 2026

Universities’ approach to Treaty at odds with academic freedom

New Zealand’s university leaders seem restless. In recent months, Massey, Victoria, Canterbury and Auckland Universities have all advertised for new Vice Chancellors (VCs). Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

The Post

25 April, 2026

Buying readiness or buying time?

The Government's 2025 Defence Capability Plan allocates $12 billion over the next four years—the biggest outlay in generations and long overdue. The challenge is that the defence acquisition machinery was built for a slower, steadier world and has not been rebuilt for this one. Read more

Major General John G. Howard, MNZM (Ret)

Insights Newsletter

24 April, 2026

Browse more Insights

GDP Quarterly Change:	0.74%
Inflation:	2.73%
Optimal OCR:	2.00%
Optimal OCR Gap:	-0.50%
Forecasted OCR Change:	0.00%

GDP Quarterly Change:

0.74%

Inflation:

2.73%

Optimal OCR:

2.00%

Optimal OCR Gap:

-0.50%

Forecasted OCR Change:

0.00%

Working Knowledge: Designing industry-led subjects for students and schools

Current Topics

Submission: Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill

God Defend New Zealand

Who runs the country? Restoring democratic control of New Zealand's public service

RMA Reform: Getting the new system right

Road vesting, private covenants and The Planning Bill 2025

Renovating the Nation: How Asset Recycling Can Help Solve the Infrastructure Deficit

In the Meantime

Submission: Simplifying Local Government

Submission: Infrastructure Funding and Financing Amendment Bill 2025

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Working Knowledge: Designing industry-led subjects for students and schools

Submission: Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill

Universities’ approach to Treaty at odds with academic freedom

Buying readiness or buying time?

Live economic data

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Upcoming Events

Meet the team

Working Knowledge: Designing industry-led subjects for students and schools

Submission: Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill

Universities’ approach to Treaty at odds with academic freedom

Buying readiness or buying time?

Live economic data

Health Innovators Summit: Designing a World-Class Health System: A Global Blueprint for New Zealand

Media release: A tradie can earn as much as a policy analyst, so why does New Zealand still treat university as the gold standard?

Podcast: An operational pause is not peace

Podcast: Thanked Once a Year: An Anzac Day Conversation with Bob Davies

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