The New Zealand Initiative invites you to a members’ lunch with Hon Steven Joyce.Hon Steven Joyce has been a key minister in the National-led government for many years. As Minister of Finance, he just delivered his budget and is responsible for the government’s fiscal strategy.Please join us for a discussion of National’s plans for the economy ahead of the September election. Read more

Parents want good schools and good teachers for their children, and most educators want to pass their knowledge to their students. The New Zealand Initiative’s analyses discovered that too many students leave school unqualified, and many others languish in low performing schools. This is why parents deserve better information to assist them to make critical schooling decisions instead of relying on current league tables. Join the NZ initiative for the launch of “Amplifying Excellence” as we propose new pathways towards a more transparent,... Read more

Ranked #1 in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index for the seventh consecutive year, Switzerland is one of the most successful countries in the world. Read more

After the December reshuffle, the New Zealand government includes, for the first time, a Minister for Social Investment. In Hon Amy Adams, the Investment Approach now has a prominent seat at the cabinet table - she is ranked 6th in Prime Minister English's administration. Read more

Following its decision to withdraw from the European Union, Britain will regain control over its trade policies. This opens new opportunities for the UK but also for its traditional trading partners such as New Zealand. Read more

Our Retreat is the chance to discuss social and economic issues with members and bring those issues to the attention of New Zealand’s leading politicians. Read more

Trade after Brexit: The future of UK/NZ relations with guest speaker: The Rt. Hon. Peter Lilley MP, former UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Read more

Proponents of regulations and taxes on products increasingly justify interventions as “nudges” – intended to prod consumers to take better decisions. But do consumers really need government to nudge them? Are there more effective ways to enable consumers to make better decisions? Read more

Dr Jonathan Coleman is the Minister of Health and Minister for Sport and Recreation. He was elected to Parliament in 2005 and is the MP for Northcote which he holds with a 9664 majority.He has been a Cabinet Minister since 2008, and has previously held the portfolios of Immigration, Broadcasting, Associate Tourism, Associate Health, Defence, State Services, and Associate Finance.Prior to entering Parliament, Dr Coleman studied medicine at Auckland University. Read more

Local government plays an important role, one that is often overlooked. When things like roading and recycling work well, they are barely noticed. But when it goes wrong, it can have national consequences – like Auckland’s housing crisis.That is why it is important to have the right policy settings in place to ensure that councils operate in an accountable, open and efficient manner. A sober assessment of New Zealand suggests that our highly centralised system strays wide of the mark, amid... Read more

Andrew Little was elected to Parliament in 2011, and Labour Party leader in 2014. His first job was as a solicitor for the Engineers Union (later EPMU), working on employment law and ACC issues. Andrew was appointed national secretary of the EPMU in 2000. He was elected president of the Labour Party in 2009 and has served on the boards of VUW, TEC, and WITT (Taranaki Polytechnic). Since becoming an MP he has held the ACC, Tourism, Justice and Labour portfolios. Read more

"In a connected world no man is an island and neither is his country” Economies and workforces are now globalised with wealth generation determined by the connectivity of national infrastructures, industrial investment and workforce adaptability. Read more

Come along and listen to some of New Zealand’s top university debaters battle over the moot: This house believes New Zealand should accommodate 60,000 refugees per year. We have panellists Hon Paul Goldsmith, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (National) and Denise Roche, Spokesperson for Immigration, Pacific Peoples, and Ethnic Affairs (Green Party) Read more

On 8 November, Americans will elect their 45th President. But this time will not be like any other Presidential election. The two main candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, are both lacking popularity. One is seen as the embodiment of the Washington establishment, resented by a large part of the public. The other hopes to ride a wave of populism to the White House, and is resented by another large part of the public. Read more

Come along and listen to some of New Zealand’s top university debaters battle over the moot: This house would ban religious symbols in public. We have panellists Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy and former TV journalist Lindsay Perigo. Read more