2017 was an extra special year for The New Zealand Initiative. We celebrated our fifth anniversary by producing more high-quality research. We organised well-attended events and had a strong presence in the media. Most satisfyingly, we saw some of our recommendations implemented by the government.

This Annual Report summarises our achievements over 2017.

"It’s all too easy to think that because things are going well in New Zealand we don’t need challenge and debate. But this is not the time for complacency. This is the time to stretch and improve our global position on a range of metrics critical to our sustainable future – educational achievement, governance, and water quality to name three. We need the New Zealand Initiative to stay restless and continue to stimulate these important conversations.”

- Barbara Chapman, Former ASB Bank CEO 2011–2018

"The New Zealand Initiative plays a vital role in challenging, and resetting, the boundaries of public debate on economics and social policy in this country. It hasn’t been afraid to challenge Government thinking and champion ideas which are not familiar to many New Zealanders. Its ability to work across a wide range of topics and with people from different perspectives means its research reports are always interesting for media.”

- Liam Dann, NZ Herald Business Editor at Large