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This report shows the government owns $571 billion in assets - equivalent to $275,000 for every Kiwi household. "The returns from these government-owned assets don't even cover the interest costs on the money borrowed to buy them," says Dr Bryce Wilkinson, author of The People's Portfolio: A $571 Billion Question. Read more

1 INTRODUCTION AND MAIN POINTS 1.1 This submission on the Ministry for Regulation’s Discussion Document on the proposed Regulatory Standards Bill is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. In combination, our members employ more than 150,000 people. Read more

New Zealand’s local government problems stem from a fundamental flaw that can be fixed, research released today reveals. “We have identified the root cause of council dysfunction: mayors and councillors lack the power to deliver what they promise voters. Read more

1. Introduction and Summary 1.1 This submission is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative) in response to the Government's consultation document "Have your say on Work Health and Safety," released in June 2024. Read more

This report warns of a looming constitutional crisis in New Zealand, as the Supreme Court increasingly oversteps its bounds, threatening the balance of power between the courts and Parliament. The report, "Who Makes the Law? Read more

1.1 This submission to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) on the 2024 ACC Levy Consultation is made by The New Zealand Initiative (The Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. In combination, our members employ more than 150,000 people. Read more

This report challenges common perceptions of New Zealand's state sector and calls for fundamental reforms to improve its performance. The report "Demystifying the State", authored by Dr Tony Burton, provides an in-depth analysis of how the state sector functions, moving beyond idealistic portrayals to examine its real-world limitations and potential for improvement. Read more

A new survey reveals that local councils across New Zealand want more power to make decisions for their communities, rather than having rules set by the central government in Wellington. The New Zealand Initiative, an independent think tank, surveyed New Zealand's mayors, councillors, and council chief executives. Read more

Canada’s devolution of health services to First Nations provides a strikingly different way of thinking about localism, according to Dr Eric Crampton, Chief Economist with the New Zealand Initiative. “Canada’s central government has long provided, under treaty, a ‘medicine chest’ of funded services to First Nations peoples. Read more

The New Zealand Initiative has released a new research note examining how to implement revenue-sharing between central and local government, a policy the think tank has advocated for since 2013 and which the Government has now committed to pursue. The research note, titled 'Revenue Share' for Housing, explores options for councils to receive a portion of tax revenue from new housing developments, addressing New Zealand's persistent housing shortage. Read more