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. They are authored either by Institute staff or external parties invited by the Institute.
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)