Ever since its progressive implementation between 2002 and 2004, NCEA has been under nearly constant revision. Its first major crisis came in 2005. Read more
Wellington (Monday, 4 August 2025) – The New Zealand Initiative welcomes the Government’s announcement to replace NCEA with a more rigorous qualification system, marking a crucial turning point for New Zealand education. The proposed reforms – including compulsory English and Mathematics at Year 11, structured subject requirements and clearer A-E grading – directly address the fundamental flaws The New Zealand Initiative has identified through years of research. Read more
The government is worried about the harms some youths experience on social media. The Prime Minister has announced his support for age limits. Read more
Minister Chris Bishop delivered an unprecedented message to local government leaders last month. At the LGNZ conference, he declared that New Zealanders question councils’ “licence to lead.” But his speech went further than typical government criticism of local authorities. Read more
On his show on Newstalk ZB, John MacDonald discussed the New Zealand Qualifications Authority's report on NCEA's limitations in preparing students for career pathways, specifically highlighting the system's over-emphasis on university education. He referenced Dr Michael Johnston's research that 44% of school leavers aren't enrolled in tertiary education and only 6% end up in work-based training. Read more
Woolly-headed regulations about farm kids feeding small animals, collecting eggs, and watering plants are up for review, but not before two months of chewing the cud. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is holding a targeted consultation on agricultural health and safety, including whether little Johnny can safely help Mum with light chores on the farm. Read more
“These days, ESG means Energy, Security and Geostrategy.” René van Vlerken, CEO of Euronext Amsterdam, was explaining to our delegation how Europe’s largest stock exchange operator had expanded sustainable investing orthodoxy. He was matter-of-fact about this remarkable shift. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Professor Barbara Oakley about her six-month stint as a visiting senior fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, marking her farewell to her time here in New Zealand. Reflecting on her work here, Barbara shares insights into education, discussing the challenges of student-centred learning, her work with the Initiative, and the video project she's created with Michael Johnston to help transform teaching approaches. Read more
Finance Minister Nicola Willis described last week’s meeting with Fonterra’s chief executive as “routine.” But routine meetings do not usually begin with public promises that a CEO will “front up” over pricing. Nor do they require clarification in Parliament, a prime-time media round, and a CEO pursued up the steps of Parliament by a television news crew. Read more
Some things are legitimately confusing. Canada’s low-risk drinking guidelines are not confusing. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission responds to the Ministry for the Environment's public consultation on proposed changes to National Policy Statements (NPSs) and National Environmental Standards (NESs) under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Read more
In this episode, Eric talks to Michael Simcock, a structural engineer and recent MBA graduate, about the complex challenges preventing the introduction of cheaper building materials in New Zealand. They dive deep into the regulatory, technical, and economic barriers that make it difficult to use alternative building products, exploring how unique building codes, testing requirements, and the small scale of the New Zealand construction market create obstacles to reducing building costs. Read more
When our New Zealand Initiative delegation visited Amsterdam last month, officials from the Advisory Board on Regulatory Burden shared something striking. Before talking to us, this government agency had researched New Zealand’s approach – and they were astonished. Read more
Dr James Kierstead talked to Michael Laws on The Platform about the decline of academic freedom in New Zealand universities. Drawing from his report "Unpopular Opinions", Dr Kierstead highlighted numerous instances of free speech suppression, arguing that university managers have been instrumental in deep-platforming speakers and that legislative intervention is necessary to protect freedom of expression on campuses. Read more
Imagine asking your accountant to explain their calculations – and they respond by demanding triple their fee and warning you will be embarrassed by what they find. That is roughly what happened when New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) was asked about new transparency requirements. Read more