New Zealand has more information about emerging security threats than ever before, but Cabinet is still too slow to turn warnings into action, a research note released today by The New Zealand Initiative finds. Major General (Ret) John Howard MNZM and Dr Reuben Steff say the problem is speed, not information. Read more
To the leaders of New Zealand’s political parties New Zealand needs investment from both here and overseas to build businesses and create jobs. Investors need confidence that the law will protect what they own and the agreements they make. Read more
National wants to pass a law forcing Foodstuffs to split in two if the Commerce Commission signs off. PAK'nSAVEs and New Worlds would become members of separate nationwide co-operatives. Read more
New Zealand's prosperity depends on open sea lanes and a stable Pacific. The country cannot secure either without a defence force able to contribute alongside its partners. Read more
At its campaign launch in Gisborne on Sunday, Te Pāti Māori told its supporters to split their votes: candidate votes for the party, party votes for its allies on the left. A new research note by The New Zealand Initiative warns this call could set off a chain of tactical voting that kills MMP. Read more
Two weeks ago, New Zealand by Numbers asked whether New Zealand was improving. Our latest report asks a harder question: is it keeping up? Read more
New Zealand's two main warships will reach the end of their working lives within about a decade, and Cabinet must decide by 2027 what should replace them. The choice will shape the country's ability to help keep its trade routes open for a generation. Read more
Is New Zealand a country in decline or a quiet success story? A new report from The New Zealand Initiative argues it is neither. Read more
The Government wants to merge New Zealand’s councils into a smaller number of big councils. A new report from The New Zealand Initiative says this is the wrong fix. Read more
If re-elected, National would make KiwiSaver contributions compulsory from 2028, with employers and employees each contributing 6 percent by 2032. That compulsion requires guardrails, according to a Research Note published today by The New Zealand Initiative Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton. Read more
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), which funds injured New Zealanders’ care and recovery, has halted a decade of decline. But a New Zealand Initiative report warns its recovery rests on tighter decisions and exits, not proven rehabilitation. Read more
New Zealand cannot build enough houses because councils cannot afford the pipes and roads that new suburbs need. That is the conclusion of a new report by The New Zealand Initiative. Read more
This is The New Zealand Initiative’s 2026 Prescription for Prosperity. Since 2017, the Initiative has prepared a briefing for the incoming government. Read more
Housing targets have long been a political football. They are also an emotional political subject. Read more
The Martian Audit is a satirical novella. Two Martian auditors land in the Wairarapa expecting to assess humanity at its best. Read more