Media release: Support for Swiss-style dual education and GST for the regions
Wellington, 12 September 2017 - The New Zealand Initiative welcomes the results of the Mood of the Boardroom 2017 survey. New Zealand business leaders gave their view on policies to address critical issues like housing, immigration, the environment and taxation.
Following the Initiative’s business delegation trip to Switzerland earlier this year, one survey-question revealed that 94 percent of the business leaders support the introduction of a Swiss-style dual education system for New Zealand. Another revealed that 76 percent want to see the government return GST to local councils. The Initiative has advocated for both dual education and more localism.
Dual education
Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative says: “The idea of a question about dual education in the survey came out of our trip to Switzerland. Dual education is a combination of learning-on-the-job and further school studies at dedicated education institutions. Time is spent in almost equal measure between theory and practice. Our delegation members were impressed with this system and individually promoted the idea on their return.”
The New Zealand Initiative will release the Go Swiss report with more learnings from The Initiative’s visit to Switzerland in October 2017.
More localism
In 2013, The Initiative saw a housing crisis looming. Its report Free to Build argued that central government should encourage local councils to allow more housing development by giving local councils the GST from new construction.
The Initiative’s 2015 report In the Zone made the case for greater localism attuned to local circumstances. Local councils ready and able to take on greater devolved authority should be given the tools, and the funding, to do so. The Initiative’s series of reports on local government, The Local Formula, The Local Benchmark, and The Local Manifesto further developed The Initiative’s recommendations around greater devolution.
Oliver Hartwich’s Manifesto 2017 compiled our recommendations for local government reform, showing it to be an important part of enabling stronger economic growth and solving the country’s housing crisis.
For the Initiative’s previous work and recommendations on housing and local government reform, please read:
Free to Build: Restoring New Zealand's Housing Affordability
In the Zone: Creating a Toolbox for Regional Prosperity
The Local Formula: Myths, Facts & Challenges
The Local Benchmark: When smaller is better
The Local Manifesto: Restoring local government accountability
Manifesto 2017: What the next New Zealand government should do (Chapter 7, page 55)
ENDS
Dr Oliver Hartwich is available for interviews, please contact:
Linda Heerink, Communications Officer
The New Zealand Initiative
Phone: +64 4 494 9109
Mobile: +64 21 172 8036
Email: linda.heerink@nzinitiative.org.nz