Going for Growth 2015: Key findings for New Zealand

Water resources allocation determines who is able to use water resources, how, when and where. Capturing information from 27 OECD countries and key partner economies, the report presents key findings from the OECD Survey of Water Resources Allocation and case studies of successful allocation reform.

In a boost for international efforts to strengthen co-operation against offshore tax evasion, seven new countries have joined the agreement to exchange information automatically under the OECD/G20 standard.

The New Zealand economy has performed well in recent years, but bottlenecks in housing and urban infrastructure, inequalities in living standards and rising environmental pressures all pose challenges for sustaining robust growth and high levels of well-being over the long term, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of New Zealand.

New Zealand is a valued development partner for its small island neighbours, delivering aid effectively and using its experience of natural disasters to help manage risks in the region. It complements its development assistance by using liberal trade and employment systems to support poor countries, according to the OECD’s latest Peer Review of New Zealand.

At 75%, the employment rate in New Zealand is the third highest among OECD countries and has been only marginally affected by the recent economic crisis.

Nitrogen run-off from farming and other land uses was threatening to undermine the pristine waters of Lake Taupo – New Zealand’s largest and most iconic lake – and to damage a range of economic and cultural activities. In 2011, the regional government introduced a water quality policy package. This bold policy experiment is unique: it is the only trading programme or market where diffuse sources of pollution operate under a cap.

The 2015 edition introduces more detailed analysis of participation in early childhood and tertiary levels of education. The report also examines first generation tertiary-educated adults’ educational and social mobility, labour market outcomes for recent graduates, and participation in employer-sponsored formal and/or non-formal education.

This country note provides an environmental tax and carbon pricing profile for New Zealands. It shows environmentally related tax revenues, taxes on energy use and effective carbon rates.

New Zealanders enjoy a high environmental quality of life and access to pristine wilderness. However, New Zealand’s growth model, based largely on exploiting natural resources, is starting to show its environmental limits with increasing greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, according to a new OECD report.

New Zealand should extend access to income support and introduce a longer minimum notice period for all workers to help disadvantaged laid-off workers find a new job and maintain their job quality and living standards, according to a new OECD report.

The New Zealand economy continues enjoying a strong, broad-based expansion, driven by booming tourism, high net inward migration, solid construction activity and supportive monetary policy.

New Zealand has experienced robust economic growth since 2012, buoyed by record levels of inward migration and strong terms of trade. Employment has expanded vigorously, reversing much of the increase in unemployment since the onset of the global financial crisis.

In real terms, house prices in New Zealand increased more than in any other OECD country between 2010 and 2016.

Biographical note of New Zealand's Permanent Representative to the OECD.

This note presents selected country highlights from the OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2017 with a specific focus on digital trends among all themes covered.

This note presents marginal effective tax rates (METRs) that summarise the tax system’s impact on the incentives to make an additional investment in a particular type of savings. By comparing METRs on different types of household savings, we can gain insights into which assets or savings types receive the most favourable treatment from the tax system.

While New Zealand is a comparatively small donor, it boasts an internationally-recognised aid programme with specific understanding of the unique Pacific context. It is seen as a flexible and predictable humanitarian donor.

These graphs offer a brief summary of the commodity trade situation in the country.

This country note for New Zealand provides detail on the proportion of CO2 emissions from energy use subject to different effective carbon rates (ECR), as well as on the level and components of average ECRs in each of the six economic sectors (road transport, off-road transport, industry, agriculture and fishing, residential & commercial, and electricity).

The digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes are transforming labour markets at a time when policy makers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth and high levels of income inequality. The new OECD Jobs Strategy provides a comprehensive framework and policy recommendations to help countries address these challenges.

New Zealand has carried out major health and welfare reforms over the past decade but needs to do more to help people with mental health issues stay in work or find a job, according to a new OECD report.

This document describes the key findings for Northern Ireland from the OECD Skills Strategy 2019

New Zealand’s economy has stabilised, with solid growth supporting well-being through jobs and incomes. Ongoing implementation of the government’s new well-being approach to policymaking will offer further opportunities to create a more sustainable and inclusive economy for all New Zealanders, according to a new report from the OECD.

New Zealand's tax-to-GDP ratio was 32.0% in 2017, below the OECD average (34.2%) by 2.2 percentage points, and above the LAC and Africa (21)* averages (22.8% and 18.2%, respectively).

This country note explains how New Zealand taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in New Zealand increased by 0.6 percentage points from 32.1% in 2017 to 32.7% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

This note presents selected findings based on the set of well-being indicators published in How's Life? 2020.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in New Zealand increased by 0.4 percentage points from 18.4 in 2018 to 18.8 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 New Zealand had the 35th lowest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

Our approaches so far have left too many people behind, detached from the “necessary tools” or the “right connections” to raise their incomes and develop their full capabilities. It is time to turn around this logic. It is time to see economics as a tool to improve people’s lives, said OECD Secretary-General.

In a boost for international efforts to strengthen co-operation against offshore tax evasion, seven new countries have joined the agreement to exchange information automatically under the OECD/G20 standard.

The Canadian economy is adjusting to the fall in commodity prices, but additional policies are needed to boost productivity, reduce financial stability risks and make future growth stronger, greener and more inclusive, according to a new OECD report.

Canada has shown a renewed engagement in global development in the last few years. This now needs to translate into concrete action to increase aid flows and ensure that development co-operation is effective and coherent, according to a new OECD Review.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría has welcomed the announcement of a new, modernised United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

The Dutch education system and the skills of the Dutch population are very strong overall. But there are concerns that too many people in the Netherlands are not developing the “right” skills to succeed or taking sufficient responsibility for maintaining and further developing their skills in adulthood.

The digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes are transforming labour markets at a time when policy makers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth and high levels of income inequality. The new OECD Jobs Strategy provides a comprehensive framework and policy recommendations to help countries address these challenges.

The digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes are transforming labour markets at a time when policy makers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth and high levels of income inequality. The new OECD Jobs Strategy provides a comprehensive framework and policy recommendations to help countries address these challenges.

Turkey will see its greenhouse gas emissions continue their steady rise of recent years without concrete actions to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy sources, according to a new OECD report.

This document describes and discusses a new supply side framework that quantifies the impact of structural reforms on per capita income in OECD countries.

With new business models emerging, competition in the electricity sector is beginning to stir. This article by the OECD's Chris Pike looks at how the rise of the digital economy has led numerous markets to experience radical innovation in business models.

OECD Appoints New Head of Transfer Pricing Unit

Ms. Marlies de Ruiter has been appointed Head of the Tax Treaty, Transfer Pricing and Financial Transactions Division of the OECD's Center for Tax Policy and Administration. She will take up her duties on 1 February 2012.

Ms. Monica Bhatia has been appointed Head of the Secretariat of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. She will take up her duties on 1 April 2012.

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes has just completed peer reviews of 11 jurisdictions. This brings to 70 the number of peer review reports completed since March 2010.

Pakistan has joined the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. As the 111th member of the Global Forum, it will participate in the peer review process which encourages all countries to adopt effective exchange of information in tax matters.

Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Lesotho have joined the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. As the 119th and 120th members of the Global Forum, they will participate in the peer review process which encourages all countries to adopt effective exchange of information in tax matters.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria has presented a report to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors that highlights measures to ensure that all taxpayers pay their fair share.

This fifth edition describes institutional setups, organisational arrangements and reforms, aspects of strategic management and human resource management, resources for tax administration, important areas of operational performance, the use of technology, and elements of the legislative and administrative framework for tax administration across the 52 economies covered by the series.

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes has released peer review reports assessing the tax systems of 13 jurisdictions for information exchange.

Following the recent invitations for public comment on four new draft elements of the OECD International VAT/GST Guidelines, the OECD has now published the comments received which will be used to inform the OECD’s work in this area.