Public Good

As a not-for-profit incorporated society, NZIER undertakes economic research and thinking in the public interest to promote a better understanding of New Zealand's important economic challenges.

As an independently constituted think tank, our work is free from any political or commercial influence. Our work is designed to provoke reactions and advance New Zealand's understanding of economic challenges and opportunities.

We regularly publish think pieces and offer presentations and webinars on topical issues. Our annual Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List aims to promote discourse on a broad range of policy and economics issues.

We've established the biennial NZIER Ed Hearnshaw Environmental Economics Award with the Hearnshaw family to recognise and encourage the advancement of environmental economics and its applications.

We've partnered with Victoria University of Wellington and established a Scholarship in Māori Economics. We've also established the Women in Economics Scholarship, which aims to encourage more women to study and pursue a career in economics. These are awarded through the University of Canterbury and the University of Otago. 

We support Data1850, an interactive website that allows you to explore, visualise, compare and download long-term economic data for New Zealand.

We previously sponsored the biennial NZIER Early Career Economics Leader Award.

NZIER's Public Good Fund also helps inform young learners, visiting diplomats, and officials from international bodies about the New Zealand economy as part of a global network of economics and policy think tanks.