Productivity Commission Undertaking Follow-on Review Of Frontier Firms Inquiry

The Government has asked the Productivity Commission Te Kōmihana Whai Hua o Aotearoa to undertake a follow-on review of progress on the Government’s policy settings, workstreams and initiatives following the Commission’s 2020-21 inquiry on ‘ New Zealand firms: Reaching for the frontier’.

The review will examine Government policies and programmes relating to the Frontier Firms inquiry, and to lifting New Zealand’s productivity. The Commission will assess progress on the recommendations made in the 2021 report. It will also undertake a ‘helicopter-level assessment’ of whether the Government’s reform agenda is having the intended effects.

Commission Chair Dr Ganesh Nana welcomes this opportunity - the first time a government has requested a follow-on review of a completed inquiry.

Dr Nana says, "the Government has asked us to determine whether the productivity dial is shifting".

"The Government’s long-term strategy of transformative change is to move Aotearoa New Zealand toward a more productive, sustainable, and inclusive future.

"Supporting the emergence and development of frontier firms, and the innovation ecosystems they are part of, is key to achieving this," added Dr Nana.

"We define frontier firms as the most productive firms in the domestic economy within their industry. Through their strong performance, as well as the way they bring innovative technologies and business practices into the New Zealand economy, they play a key role in shaping overall productivity performance and contribute to improving the wellbeing of all.

"Further, Māori firms can provide valuable insights for learning to drive ambition and experimentation. Māori values can also assist in encouraging much-needed longer-term perspectives to enable investment and innovation," says Dr Nana.

The Commission will deliver its follow-on review in March 2023.

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