About our events

The New Zealand Initiative holds events throughout the year to promote debate, disseminate ideas, and connect with our supporters. Our events include public forums, conferences, and debates. We also organise outreach activities with secondary schools, universities, and young professionals.

Public Forums: The Initiative occasionally hosts larger public events with prominent international speakers. These events are a great opportunity to discuss ideas and meet new people in an informal setting.

Member-only Events: Exclusive to members to the Initiative.

GrantRobertson feature

Members' Lunch - Hon Grant Robertson

Fiscal policy has been at the core of the Government’s agenda this year, not least through the recommendations of the Tax Working Group and the first so-called Wellbeing Budget. We are delighted that Minister of Finance Grant Robertson has accepted our invitation to discuss his policy agenda with our members. Read more

15 July, 2019
Wellington
  Member only event
DiscoverDenmark2019 feature

Discover Denmark: Business Delegation

Denmark is the destination for The New Zealand Initiative’s next business delegation. It follows in the footsteps of our 2017 mission to Switzerland, and it will once again provide opportunities to learn, to be surprised and to connect. Read more

23 June, 2019
Denmark
  Member only event
BarbaraOakley feature

Lecture with Professor Barbara Oakley

Professor Barbara Oakley is the co-creator of the world’s most popular online course: Learning How To Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects, which has helped over 2 million people to improve the way they learn new things. In this event she will be discussing the science behind how we learn, and how we can apply this research in the classroom. Read more

1 May, 2019
Auckland
tomorrows schools feature

Tomorrow's Schools panel discussion

The Faculty of Education at Victoria University of Wellington and the New Zealand Initiative invite you to a moderated discussion involving representatives from the Tomorrow’s Schools Independent Taskforce, academia, schools and boards of trustees. Together we will explore some of the assumptions on which the taskforce has based its findings and some possible consequences of its recommendations, intended and otherwise. Read more

1 April, 2019
Wellington
retreat2019 feature

Members' Retreat 2019

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. Please contact Chelsy at chelsy.blair@nzinitiative.org.nz for further information. Read more

21 March, 2019
Auckland
  Member only event
retreatdinner2019 feature

Members' Retreat Dinner 2019

In conjunction with Air New Zealand, we will be hosting a dinner with Rt Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, 2006 - 2015 in Auckland on 21 March 2019. Read more

21 March, 2019
Auckland
  Member only event
Simon Bridges feature

Members' Lunch with Hon Simon Bridges

Having won the leadership of the National Party in March this year, Hon Simon Bridges has begun a process of policy renewal. We are hosting a lunchtime discussion with the Leader of the Opposition to find out where he wants to take his party and the country. Read more

13 September, 2018
Auckland
  Member only event
PhilippeLegrain feature

Workshop Session with Philippe Legrain

There is a powerful business case for employing hard-working, talented and loyal refugees - it's much more than just corporate social responsibility. Philippe Legrain will present the findings of his ground-breaking international research that demonstrates the economic value of employing refugees, both for individual employers and for society as a whole. Read more

7 August, 2018
Auckland
  Member only event
NicolaWillis feature1

Members' Lunch with Nicola Willis

Nicola Willis will discuss her new portfolio of early childhood education. About the speaker Nicola Willis is a List MP based in Wellington and is National’s spokesperson for Early Childhood Education, having entered Parliament in April 2018. Read more

6 July, 2018
Wellington
  Member only event
researchED Feature6

research-ED Festival of Education

We partnered with researchED to reignite evidence-based education in New Zealand. On Saturday 2nd June, over 240 passionate educators, parents, researchers and school trustees gathered at Auckland Grammar School to discuss the evidence on effective education. Read more

2 June, 2018
Auckland
KatharineBirbalsingh feature2

Dinner lecture with Katharine Birbalsingh

On Thursday 31 May 2018, The New Zealand Initiative hosted Katharine Birbalsingh for a dinner lecture in Auckland. New Zealand-born Katharine Birbalsingh studied at Oxford University before becoming a teacher. Read more

31 May, 2018
Auckland
David Parker Feature

Members' Lunch with Hon David Parker

As Minister for Economic Development, the Environment, Trade and Export Growth as well as Attorney-General and Associate Minister of Finance, Hon David Parker has one of the widest portfolios in the coalition Government. We have invited him to speak on the Government’s economic strategy. Read more

11 May, 2018
Auckland
  Member only event

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