Submission: Electoral Amendment Bill
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This submission on the Electoral Amendment Bill (the Bill) is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative). Read more
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1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This submission on the Electoral Amendment Bill (the Bill) is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative). Read more
Every day, New Zealand workers clock longer hours than their peers in most developed nations yet produce far less value per hour worked. This productivity paradox has haunted our economy for decades, condemning workers to lower wages and longer working days. Read more
The United Nations Environmental Programme’s latest Emissions Gap Report was called “No more hot air … please!” Yesterday, I joined a panel at the Climate Change & Business Conference to talk about New Zealand’s Nationally Determined Contribution – our NDC. Under the Paris Agreement, countries must produce targets for emission reductions, set policies consistent with their targets, and report on their progress. Read more
In November 2023, National, Act, and New Zealand First announced the coalition agreements that formed their government. One item stood out, at least for me. Read more
Tell someone in an Auckland café that the economy is booming and they will laugh. Unemployment in the city is 6.1 per cent. Read more
When housing policy is split among more than six ministers, who is responsible when the affordability crisis drags on year after year? The Minister of Housing? Read more
Roger Partridge talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about The New Zealand Initiative's report proposing consolidating New Zealand's fragmented public service structure. Partridge outlined a three-step plan to streamline government by reducing ministerial portfolios from 81 to 15-20, creating junior minister roles, and consolidating departments from 43 to around 20, similar to peer nations like Ireland and Norway. Read more
Nick Mills discussed The New Zealand Initiative's report on government reform with Rt Hon Chris Hipkins on Newstalk ZB, focusing on our recommendations to reduce the number of government departments and ministerial portfolios. The Leader of the Opposition expressed sympathy for the Initiative's main point about convoluted relationships between departments and ministers, acknowledging merit in their research despite often disagreeing with their reports, and indicated he would consider such restructuring if Labour wins the next election. Read more
Roger Partridge talked to Wallace Chapman on RNZ's "The Panel" about his report "Unscrambling Government" which calls for reducing New Zealand's 81 ministerial portfolios to improve government efficiency. He argued that New Zealand's fragmented structure, with three times as many portfolios as comparable countries like Norway, creates accountability issues and inefficient decision-making compared to more streamlined international models. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Roger Partridge about his new report "Unscrambling Government," which proposes consolidating New Zealand's extraordinarily complex government structure from 81 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers, and 43 departments down to a more manageable 15-20 portfolios with corresponding departmental consolidation. They discuss how New Zealand's fragmented ministerial system creates accountability problems, increases fiscal costs, and hampers effective decision-making on critical issues like housing affordability, comparing unfavourably to other small advanced economies that operate with far simpler structures. Read more