MEDIA

The Local Government Business Forum has today released a report calling for binding referendums on major council spending projects, giving ratepayers a way of saying yes to projects that they support. “Council rates increased an average of 12% last year and are estimated to rise another 9% this year. Read more

Roger Partridge talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about The New Zealand Initiative's report proposing consolidating New Zealand's fragmented public service structure. Partridge outlined a three-step plan to streamline government by reducing ministerial portfolios from 81 to 15-20, creating junior minister roles, and consolidating departments from 43 to around 20, similar to peer nations like Ireland and Norway. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston talked to Michael Laws on The Platform about grade inflation at New Zealand universities, explaining how A-grade rates have increased from 22% to 35% since 2006 and pass rates now exceed 90%. Dr Johnston argued that this trend stems from universities' commercial focus on retaining students for fee income, creating pressure to pass students regardless of assignment quality. Read more

Nick Mills discussed The New Zealand Initiative's report on government reform with Rt Hon Chris Hipkins on Newstalk ZB, focusing on our recommendations to reduce the number of government departments and ministerial portfolios. The Leader of the Opposition expressed sympathy for the Initiative's main point about convoluted relationships between departments and ministers, acknowledging merit in their research despite often disagreeing with their reports, and indicated he would consider such restructuring if Labour wins the next election. Read more

Wellington (Tuesday, 2 September 2025) - New Zealand has one of the most complex systems of executive government in the developed world. With 81 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers and 43 departments, we have three times as many portfolios and nearly twice as many departments as comparable countries. Read more

This webinar launches Unscrambling Government: Less Confusion, More Efficiency, a report by Roger Partridge proposing practical reforms to New Zealand’s fragmented executive of 81 portfolios, 28 ministers, and 43 departments. Hosted by Dr Oliver Hartwich with commentary from Dr Murray Horn (former Treasury Secretary; ex-ANZ CEO), the discussion explores how consolidating portfolios into 15–20 senior ministers supported by junior ministers, and aligning departments to around 20, could restore clarity, speed up decisions, and sharpen accountability—drawing on lessons from Ireland, Norway, Singapore, and Australia’s Hawke-era reforms. Watch below. Read more

Roger Partridge talked to Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB about his latest report calling for a major overhaul of government structure. Partridge argued that New Zealand's complex system of 81 ministerial portfolios across 28 ministers and 43 departments creates fragmented decision-making and higher costs, advocating for consolidation to around 15-20 policy areas and 20 departments similar to other developed countries. Read more

Mike Hosking and Andrew Dickens discussed The New Zealand Initiative's report on public service accountability on Newstalk ZB. Dickens noted that when he interviewed the Public Service Association they were defensive about the report, which prompted listeners to disagree with the PSA's stance (and support the Initiative's findings). Read more

Roger Partridge's report on New Zealand's ministerial portfolios was featured in Newstalk ZB's news bulletin. His research found that New Zealand has 81 ministerial portfolios compared to just 17 in Norway and 16 in Singapore, with The Initiative calling for a culling of ministers and the creation of junior ministerial roles to improve decision-making efficiency. Read more

Nick Mills discussed Roger Partridge's report "Unscrambling Government: Less confusion, more efficiency" on Newstalk ZB, criticising New Zealand's bloated public service structure of 81 ministerial portfolios and 43 departments. Mills argued that The New Zealand Initiative's recommendations to consolidate portfolios and create mega-ministries represent common sense reforms that the government should have implemented already. Read more

Wellington (Wednesday, 27 August 2025) – The Government’s supermarket package adopts the right strategy for competition – remove barriers to entry and open the door to investment. That is the core approach The New Zealand Initiative has championed for years, including in a May 2025 research note, A Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion Omnibus Bill, setting out a rules‑based alternative focused on planning, consenting and overseas investment. Read more

Roger Partridge talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about Radio New Zealand's recent internal review, which revealed the broadcaster has lost touch with its audience and become complacent since the pandemic. Partridge argued that while the review identified many problems, it failed to address what he sees as the elephant in the room - Radio New Zealand's political and cultural bias that has developed over the past decade. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talked to Paul Brennan on Reality Check Radio about his report "Amazing Grades", which exposes how New Zealand universities have become increasingly generous with their grading over recent years. Dr Kierstead explained that the surge in high grades stems from academics adopting more lenient assessment practices rather than any genuine improvement in student ability, a pattern that became starkly evident during the pandemic. Read more

Wellington (Tuesday, 26 August 2025) - Nearly half of all grades at the University of Auckland were As during COVID-19, part of a dramatic rise in top marks that cannot be explained by academic improvement, according to a new report released today. Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities, published by The New Zealand Initiative, is the first analysis of grading patterns across all eight New Zealand universities. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talked to Ryan Bridge on Herald Now about grade inflation at New Zealand universities, revealing that A grades have increased by 13 percentage points since 2006, with pass rates now above 90% at most institutions. Dr Kierstead argued this isn't due to students getting smarter but rather an "ethic of kindness" where academics give more accommodations, particularly highlighted during COVID when 49% of University of Auckland grades were A-range. Read more