Government response

In our follow-on review, we assessed the Government’s policies and programmes relating to the Frontier Firms inquiry, and to lifting New Zealand’s productivity against the recommendations made in our final report. We undertook a “helicopter-level assessment” of whether the Government’s reform agenda is having the intended effects – to assess what progress has been made and look at the development and implementation of policy to lift New Zealand’s productivity performance. 

The Government response notes that the “follow-on report provides useful insight into New Zealand’s progress towards a more sustainable, inclusive and productive economy.” 

Our report focused closely on the Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways reform programme and in particular the National Research Priorities (NRPs) and the Government agreed with our finding that “the NRP process should not be a top-down exercise led by government, but rather a broad and collaborative process where we partner with industry, researchers, workers, Māori, and education and training providers to understand emerging innovation possibilities.” 

Minister Grant Robertson noted “the Commission’s useful advice on a range of other programmes and will continue to take this advice into account in future work. We appreciate the Commission’s considered approach and the evidence it brings to support its recommendations.”

As an independent research and advisory body that does not run nor implement any policies or programmes, the Government is under no obligation to implement recommendations made in our reports. However, by carrying out high quality, innovative research and evidence-based inquiries, we aspire to inform decision making and influence behaviours of government, industry and communities. 

See Government response here.