Reports & Media

In the rugged landscapes of Thingvellir National Park, just outside Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, lies a reminder of a simpler time in governance. During a visit many years ago, I was struck not just by Thingvellir’s natural beauty but by its historical significance: Thingvellir was the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to the 18th century. Read more

Every three years since 2000 - except during the Covid-19 pandemic - the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) has assessed the reading skill of 15-year-olds from an ever-increasing range of countries. From 2003, mathematics was assessed as well. Read more

The New Zealand Productivity Commission was borne of the 2008 coalition agreement between National and Act. And it was ended by the 2023 coalition agreement between the same two parties. Read more

After six years of a Labour-led Government, the newly sworn-in Government’s policies were always going to shock its opponents. Despite the centre-left and the centre-right parties all pitching their policies to the median voter, profound philosophical differences divide them. Read more

The Coalition Agreement between National and ACT includes a commitment to pass the “Regulatory Standards Act as soon as practicable”. How fast is that? Read more

Are you suffering from post-election fatigue? Did you feel the whole campaign was overly long and protracted, and a little boring? Read more

New Zealand’s infrastructure is under intense scrutiny. From Three Waters to Cyclone Gabrielle, from ruptured pipes in Wellington to growing traffic congestion in Auckland, vulnerabilities in New Zealand’s infrastructure network are glaringly apparent. Read more

Those of you who remember your school days and those who currently have kids at school, may be aware of streaming – the practice of separating students into classes based on their stage of learning. Streaming is very common in our secondary schools. Read more