Treasury lecture: NZ’s systems challenges

Sir Peter Gluckman has examined some of the major long-term challenges facing New Zealand at a Treasury guest lecture held on 25 August.

Sir Peter, Director of Research and Policy at Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures, covered what he sees as a persistent short-term focus in New Zealand policymaking, and some of the major issues that require longer-term and more integrated thinking.

These include New Zealand’s changing population and the need for a more comprehensive population strategy; the implications of rapid developments in digital technology, artificial intelligence and the life sciences; the future of higher education; Auckland’s economic performance; New Zealand’s international partnerships; and the country’s approach to science, research and innovation.

Sir Peter also spoke on how greater use of tools such as anticipatory foresight and formative evaluation could support better policymaking, and how structural short-termism and siloed decision-making can be addressed.

The lecture was part of the Treasury’s Navigating Global Shifts: Resilience, Challenges and Opportunities for New Zealand guest lecture series, which explores the global forces shaping New Zealand’s economic and policy environment and how the country can build resilience, respond to uncertainty and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Watch Sir Peter’s lecture below: