The New Zealand Initiative
1. Business / Trading Name: The New Zealand Initiative Limited (trading as “The New Zealand Initiative”).
2. Company Number: 499215.
3. NZBN (New Zealand Business Number): 9429039133779.
4. Entity Type: NZ Limited Company
5. Business Classification: S955110 – Business association (ANZSIC code).
6. Industry Category: Professional business membership organisation (public-policy think tank).
7. Year Founded: 2012 (formed by merger of NZ Business Roundtable and NZ Institute). (Legal entity originally incorporated in 1991).
8. Addresses:
• Registered Office: c/o Bell Gully, Deloitte Centre, Level 14, 1 Queen Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
• Physical Office: Level 12, Bayleys Building, 36 Brandon Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand.
• Postal Address: PO Box 10147, Wellington 6143, New Zealand.
9. Website URL: www.nzinitiative.org.nz.
10. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-zealand-initiative.
11. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429039133779.
12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/co/499215
13. Social Media URLs:
• Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/nzinitiative
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NZInitiative
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNZInitiative
14. Ultimate Holding Company: None (independent entity – not owned by a parent company).
Roger John Charles PARTRIDGE (50%)
Barbara Joan CHAPMAN (25%)
Christopher John QUIN (25%)
16. Leadership:
Directors:[1]
Neil PAVIOUR-SMITH (Managing Director, Forsyth Barr)
Roger John Charles PARTRIDGE (former Chairman of law firm Bell Gully)
Scott Redvers PERKINS (company director, ex-Deutsche Bank, director of Woolworths/Origin Energy)
Barbara Joan CHAPMAN (former CEO of ASB Bank; Chair of Genesis Energy; director at NZME & Fletcher Building)
Christopher John QUIN (CEO, Foodstuffs North Island)
Oliver Marc HARTWICH (economist, joined from UK/Australian think tanks)
Matthew Gary COCKRAM (CEO, Cooper and Co.)
Sara Jane TUCKER (External Relations Director, Lion NZ)
Mark Joseph SYNNOTT (Executive Chairman, Colliers NZ)
Carrie Lynn HURIHANGANUI (CEO, Auckland Airport)
17. Staff: (Selected current staff and roles)
Dr. Eric Crampton – Chief Economist (public commentator, former academic).
Chelsy Killick – Deputy Director (Operations).
Jamuel Enriquez – Marketing & Communications Manager.
Nick Clark – Senior Fellow (Economics & Advocacy) (joined 2023 from Federated Farmers).
Dr. Michael Johnston – Senior Fellow (education expert, ex-NZQA official).
Prof. Barbara Oakley – Senior Fellow (visiting academic, international expert).
Dr. Bryce Wilkinson ONZM – Senior Fellow (economist, former Treasury director).
Dr. Tony Burton – Research Fellow (economist, former NZ Treasury and MSD official).
Research and Adjunct Fellows - Dr. James Kierstead, Jemma Stevenson, Dr. Prabani Wood, Dr Matthew Birchall, Emeritus Professor Des Gorman, Dr Murray Horn, Briar Lipson, Stephanie Martin, Professor Christoph Schumacher, Dr Dennis Wesselbaum
18. Staff with Prior Government Roles:
Dr. Michael Johnston – former Senior Statistician at NZ Qualifications Authority (2005–2011)
Dr. Bryce Wilkinson ONZM – former Director at NZ Treasury
Dr. Tony Burton – ex-Principal Adviser at NZ Treasury and Ministry of Social Development.
Dr. Murray Horn (Adjunct Senior Fellow) – former Secretary to the Treasury (1993–1997)
Professor Christoph Schumacher
19. Past Employees: (Notable former staff and alumni)
Jason Krupp – Former Research Fellow (2013–2017) – went on to government relations roles.
Dr. Rachel Hodder – Former Research Fellow.
Dr. Randall Bess – Former Research Fellow (fisheries policy specialist).
Sam Warburton – Former Research Fellow (transport economist).
Toby Fitzsimmons – Former Research Intern.
Nathan Smith – Former Chief Editor (2019–2020), resigned amid scandal (see Controversies).
Jenesa Jeram – Former Policy Analyst (health/welfare specialist)
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/20-02-2017/sweet-disorder-why-new-zealand-needs-a-sugar-tax-now
20. Clients – (none)
2CheapCars
Accordant
Acumen
AIA
ANZ
ASB
Auckland Airport
Avanti Finance
Ballance agri-nurients
BAT (British American Tobacco)
Bell Gully
BNZ
Cameron Partners
Channel – Infrastructure NZ
Chapmann Tripp
Chorus
Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand
Colliers
Contact
Cooper and Company
Daniel Foggo
Deloitte
Direct Capital
Douglas
Downer
Firwst Mortgage Trust
Fletcher Building
Fonterra
Foodstuffs North Island
Forsyth Barr
Freightways
Gallagher
Genesis
Greymouth Petroleum
Gubb & Hardy
HWM Holdings (NZ)
IAG
Imperial Brands
Infratil
Jolly Good Software
Kiely Thompson Caisley Barrister and Solicitors
KPMG
Krukziener Properties
Lightforce Solar
Lion
Mainfreight
Mastercard
Mercury
Meridian
Michelle Boag Ltd
Microsoft
NIB
NZX
Portfolio Construction Forum
PWC
Rank Group
Russell Group
Russell McVeagh
Sherson Willis
Southern Cross Health Society
St Cuthberts College
Stephen Jennings
Stobo Group
Summerset
Suncorp
Swiss-Belhotel International
Tappenden Holdings
THL (Tourism Holdings Limited)
Toyota
Uber
UP Education
The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
Vector
Vulcan
Waterstone
• Major supermarket chains (e.g. Foodstuffs North Island and Woolworths NZ (Countdown) are members).
• Banks: All five largest NZ banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, Kiwibank) are listed as supporters.
• Global tech & consumer companies (e.g. Google and British American Tobacco).
• Large NZ corporates: Fletcher Building, Mainfreight, Contact Energy, Genesis Energy, Vodafone NZ, etc..
• Universities & public bodies: e.g. University of Auckland, University of Waikato, and Wellington City Council have been members.
21. Industries/Sectors Represented: The Initiative’s membership base encompasses a broad array of sectors:
• Banking & Finance (major banks, credit card networks)
• Retail & Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (supermarkets, alcohol/beverage, tobacco)
• Technology & Telecommunications (global tech firms, telecom operators)
• Energy & Utilities (electricity generators, petroleum, etc.)
• Transport & Logistics (freight and transport companies)
• Property & Construction (infrastructure and building firms)
• Education & Academia (universities as institutional members)
• Public Sector/Local Govt (city council engaging as member)
(This diversity reflects the Initiative’s positioning as a cross-industry business policy coalition.)
22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements:
• Policy Submissions to Government: The Initiative regularly makes formal submissions on bills and inquiries (e.g. submissions on the Fast-Track Approvals Bill in 2020, on grocery market competition in 2021, on retail payment fees in 2024, etc., all publicly available).
• Select Committee Appearances: Senior staff have appeared before parliamentary committees to present research (e.g. on regulatory reforms).
• Meetings with Ministers: Official ministerial diaries reveal meetings (for example, on 17 Oct 2024 the Local Government Minister met with Executive Director Oliver Hartwich and Senior Fellow Nick Clark of NZ Initiative).
• Events with Policymakers: The Initiative hosts events featuring Prime Ministers, Opposition Leaders and ministers (see Events section), providing forums for dialogue. It also partners on policy roundtables (e.g. a joint Covid-19 economic response briefing with BusinessNZ in March 2020).
• Transparency Outputs: It publishes all research reports, media releases, and an “Insights” newsletter openly on its website, ensuring its policy positions are publicly documented.
23. Affiliations:
• Atlas Network: The New Zealand Initiative is an official partner in the Atlas Network, a global alliance of free-market think tanks. (The Initiative and the Taxpayers’ Union are Atlas’ New Zealand affiliates.)
• NZ Taxpayers’ Union: While independent, the Initiative shares an ideological alignment and international network (Atlas) with the Taxpayers’ Union, occasionally coordinating (e.g. co-hosting events, joint letters).
• Mont Pelerin Society: Chairman Roger Partridge is a member of this international neoliberal scholarly society, reflecting intellectual affiliation (though the Initiative itself is not a formal member, staff involvement links it to this network).
• BusinessNZ and Chambers of Commerce: The Initiative collaborates informally with mainstream business lobbies (e.g. issuing joint statements with BusinessNZ, speaking at regional chamber events) to advance pro-business policy discussions.
• Former Entities: It carries forward the legacy of its predecessors – the NZ Business Roundtable and NZ Institute – maintaining those networks of corporate and academic contacts.
24. Sponsorships / Collaborations:
• Policy Events & Conferences: The Initiative partners with other organisations for events (e.g. co-hosting public debates, sponsoring student policy competitions). It runs an annual University Debating Tournament with sponsorship from corporate members to engage young leaders.
• Study Tours: In May 2017 it organised a study tour of Switzerland for 30+ NZ business leaders, working with Swiss counterparts and sponsors to learn about federalism – an example of collaborative educational sponsorship.
• Research Collaborations: The Initiative occasionally co-publishes research or discussion papers with aligned bodies (e.g. joint publications with local government associations on economic zones, or taskforce reports with academics like former Minister Michael Bassett in 2013).
• Community Outreach: It does not typically sponsor external charities or sports, but it collaborates with universities (via internships, events) and think tank networks (e.g. hosting international speakers via Atlas Network support).
25. Events: (Key events organised or hosted by the Initiative)
• Public Policy Forums & Panels: Regular public panel discussions and lectures on major policy issues (economy, housing, education, etc.), often featuring government ministers or international experts.
• Annual Next Generation Debate Tournament: A flagship annual debating championship for university students nationwide, sponsored by the Initiative to foster public debate skills.
• Member-Only Meetings: Private roundtables and retreats for its member CEOs to discuss policy with invited officials and scholars (e.g. annual Chairmans’ Retreats, CEO forums – typically closed-door).
• High-Profile Speaker Events: The Initiative has hosted speeches by Prime Ministers John Key and Bill English, Labour Party leaders (David Shearer, David Cunliffe, Andrew Little), former Australian PM John Howard, UK’s Rt Hon Peter Lilley, and MPs from all major parties. These talks (often keynote addresses or Q&A sessions) serve to connect policymakers with business leaders in a semi-public setting.
• Policy Report Launches: Launch events for major Initiative reports, often with media present – e.g. the 2017 “Manifesto” launch before the election, or the 2024 “Prescription” manifesto event featuring political figures.
26. Political Donations: None reported. The New Zealand Initiative itself does not donate to political parties or candidates (consistent with its non-partisan think tank status).
27. Controversies:
• 2020 Editor Scandal: In Dec 2020, Initiative Chief Editor Nathan Smith resigned after media exposed his anonymous blog containing racist, anti-Semitic and misogynist content. The Initiative condemned his writings as “abhorrent” and scrubbed his work from their site. This raised questions about the think tank’s vetting and internal culture.
• Opaque Lobbying vs. Public Interest: Critics (especially on the left) have lambasted the Initiative as a “corporate lobby group” masquerading as a neutral think tank. Because it represents CEOs of major companies, detractors argue it pushes members’ business interests (low taxes, deregulation) under the guise of objective research. The Initiative defends its integrity, noting it is transparent about its membership and research.
• Atlas Network Links: The Initiative’s membership in the Atlas Network – a global network of right-wing think tanks – has drawn scrutiny in media and blogs. Commentators like George Monbiot and local analysts suggest Atlas-affiliated groups coordinate “shadowy” policy agendas worldwide. The Initiative’s Atlas ties have been cited to question if foreign funders or cookie-cutter ideologies influence NZ policy debates.
• Regulatory Standards Bill (“Trojan Horse”): The Initiative (via its NZBR lineage) was the architect of the proposed Regulatory Standards Bill, seen by opponents as an ideological attempt to constrain government power. Critics branded the Bill a “Business Roundtable project” to entrench pro-market rules. When ACT Party pushed the bill in Parliament, some legal experts and politicians fiercely opposed it as undermining democratic law-making – a controversy reflecting on the Initiative’s influence behind the scenes.
• Funding Conflicts: Revelations in 2020 about the Initiative’s funders raised conflict-of-interest concerns. Media reported the think tank is funded by industries it often advocates for, including tobacco (BAT), alcohol, and all big banks. Health advocates have questioned its vigorous opposition to certain regulations (e.g. vaping laws) while receiving money from tobacco and alcohol companies. Similarly, its criticism of Reserve Bank policies favoring tighter bank regulations drew fire given its bank sponsors (the RBNZ Governor publicly suggested the Initiative’s critiques were aligned with bank interests). These perceived conflicts fuel ongoing debate about its objectivity.
• Public Sector Membership: The disclosure that a city council and public universities joined the Initiative sparked discussion about appropriate use of public funds. Some taxpayers questioned why a council (Wellington) should pay to belong to a business lobby think tank, fearing undue private influence on public institutions. The Initiative responded that having public-sector members broadens dialogue, but the optics have been contentious in local media (no formal inquiry was launched).
28. Other Information of Note:
• Predecessor Legacy: The Initiative was born from the New Zealand Business Roundtable (1986–2012) – a highly influential pro-market lobby in the 1980s/90s – and the New Zealand Institute (2004–2012), a centrist business think tank. This heritage gives the Initiative an extensive back-catalogue of research and contacts. Many publications on economic reform in the 1980s–2000s credited to NZBR are now archived under the Initiative’s umbrella, preserving an intellectual lineage.
• Manifesto 2017: The Initiative published a comprehensive reform agenda “Manifesto 2017: What the next New Zealand Government should do” ahead of the 2017 election. This 200-page document distilled its first five years of policy recommendations across tax, welfare, education, housing and more. It signaled the think tank’s broad ambition and was noteworthy for receiving cross-party engagement (several recommendations later appeared in party policies or government programs).
• Think Tank Rankings: With ~70 corporate members and a multi-million dollar budget (unstated but implied by membership scale), the New Zealand Initiative is considered one of NZ’s top three think tanks by size, alongside the economic consultancy-style NZIER and the Māori-owned BERL. Unlike those, the Initiative is unabashedly advocacy-driven. Its reports and staff often feature prominently in media, making it arguably the country’s most publicly visible think tank on business policy issues.
• Non-partisanship Pledge: The Initiative maintains a formal stance of being “strictly non-partisan”. It does not endorse political parties, and staff occasionally brief both government and opposition. While its values align more with center-right economics, it has collaborated with left-leaning politicians on common-ground issues (e.g. co-authoring a housing op-ed with Labour’s Phil Twyford in 2015). This ability to occasionally bridge ideological divides is an interesting facet of its operating style.
• Wage Subsidy Stance (COVID-19): The Initiative did not appear on the official list of wage subsidy recipients during the 2020 COVID crisis (unsurprising given its corporate backing). Instead, it contributed analysis comparing wage subsidy schemes internationally and urged the government to design subsidies prudently. Its choice not to take a subsidy itself (if eligible) went uncommented, but it consistently advocated for fiscal responsibility and targeted support during the pandemic.
29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No.
[1] https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429039133779
Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz