Think pieces
Think pieces are publications that explore ideas that could shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s future, or gather thoughts on an issue at a specific point in time.
These publications are authored either by Institute staff or invited external parties. The titles of upcoming think pieces currently in progress are available in the 2026 Work Programme here.
Think Piece 51 – Mapping New Zealand's Critical Maritime Supply Chains
July 2026
(PDF coming soon)
Think Piece 50 – What about ‘Unleashing’ Public Servants?
June 2026
Download (PDF, 463 KB)
Think piece 49 – Dronathon’s: Bridging security, education and entertainment
June 2026
Download (PDF, 1 MB)
Think piece 48 – Signals from Space: Why we need a space-first strategy for New Zealand.
June 2026
Download (PDF, 391 KB)
Think Piece 45 – Prime Minister’s summer reading list 2025/26
December 2025
Download (PDF, 1 MB)
Think Piece 44 – Building an integrated and interconnected AI drone system
August 2025
Download (PDF, 1 MB)
Think Piece 43 – Unlocking Government documents with AI
May 2025
Download (PDF, 1 MB)
Supporting screenshots – LTIBs
Download (PDF, 233 KB)
Supporting screenshots – GDSs
Download (PDF, 298 KB)
Google NotebookLM mindmaps of LTIBs and GDSs
Download (PDF, 298 KB)
Google NotebookLM generated podcast – LTIBs
Download (audio/mpeg, 6 MB)
Google NotebookLM generated podcast – GDSs
Download (audio/mpeg, 6 MB)
Think Piece 40 – The time is right! Why MPs need a code and oath fit for the 21st century
October 2022
Download (PDF, 2 MB)
Think Piece 38 – The end of the beginning
Dr David Skilling, February 2022
Download (PDF, 1 MB)
Think Piece 35 – Where next? A Garden of Eden or a Slough of Despond?
Sir Michael Cullen, June 2020
Download (PDF, 1 MB)
Think Piece 34 – I am hungry for a vision for our country
Phil Royal, April 2020
Download (PDF, 780 KB)
Think Piece 33 – The Long Normal: Preparing the National Reserve Supply (NRS) for pandemic cycles
Wendy McGuinness, April 2020
Download (PDF, 730 KB)
Appendix 1 and references
Download (PDF, 57 KB)
See the OIA request letters to DHBs and MoH.
Think Piece 31 – Navigating the Future With Foresight
Wendy McGuinness, December 2018
Download (PDF, 2.3 MB)
Think Piece 30 – Package of Climate Change Reporting Recommendations
Wendy McGuinness, October 2018
Download (PDF, 170 KB)
Think Piece 27 – The Family So’otaga: connection between home and school
Wendy McGuinness and Caitlin Salter, February 2018
Download (PDF, 2.4 MB)
Think Piece 26 – Doing Something About Poverty in New Zealand
Conal Smith, May 2017
Download (PDF, 2 MB)
Think Piece 25 – The changing purpose of tertiary education
Wendy McGuinness, May 2016
Download (PDF, 906 KB)
Think Piece 24 – Self-aware cities
Nick Roberts, March 2016
Download (PDF, 653 KB)
Think Piece 23 – The Future of Talent: Reflections from the World Future Society Conference
Hannah Steiner-Mitchell, December 2015
Download (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Think Piece 22 – Proposal for the Creation of an Oceans Institution
Wendy McGuinness and Sally Hett, November 2015
Download (PDF, 419 KB)
Think Piece 21 – Strategy Stewardship Matters: Utilising the Government Department Strategies Index
Wendy McGuinness and Madeleine Foreman, April 2015
Download (PDF, 364 KB)
Think Piece 20 – Towards a Strategy of Freedom
Wendy McGuinness, September 2014
Download (PDF, 160 KB)
Think Piece 19 – I would rather New Zealand be smart than lucky
Wendy McGuinness, August 2014
Download (PDF, 240 KB)
Think Piece 18 – 'For me ... it is not enough'
Wendy McGuinness, September 2013
Download (PDF, 800 KB)
Think Piece 16 – New Zealand King Salmon: Was it a good decision for New Zealand?
Wendy McGuinness, March 2013
Download (PDF, 1.4 MB)
See also Working Paper 2013/01: Notes on the New Zealand King Salmon Decision
Think Piece 7 – What is a National Sustainable Development Strategy?
Wendy McGuinness and Willow Henderson, October 2008
Download (PDF, 159 KB)
Think Piece 5 – Hard Work
Wendy McGuinness, September 2008
Download (PDF, 157 KB)
Think Piece 4 – Weak Signals and Wild Cards
Wendy McGuinness, August 2008
Download (PDF, 215 KB)
Think Piece 3 – Project 2008
Wendy McGuinness, Joe McCarter, Mark Newton and Hayley Vujcich, December 2007
Download (PDF, 116 KB)
Think Piece 2 – Climate Change
Wendy McGuinness, May 2007
Download (PDF, 125 KB)
Think Piece 1 – Twenty Years of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment: PCE20
Wendy McGuinness, Ella Lawton, Amelie Goldberg and Hayley Vujcich, March 2007
Download (PDF, 114 KB)