Chief executives from Foodstuffs, Mainfreight, Mitre10 and Mercury with their hot takes at Mood of the Boardroom 2025. Video / Michael Craig
A strong majority of business leaders back the idea of reviving a formal partnership between government, business, unions and sector leaders to tackle New Zealand’s most pressing challenges.
In the Mood of the Boardroom survey, 68% say they would support such a model, while 14% oppose it and 18% areunsure.
Many CEOs see clear merit in bringing diverse voices together. “Anything that tries to unify stakeholder groups has to be beneficial,” says Deloitte chairman Thomas Pippos. The CEO of a large law firm calls it “an excellent idea, a credible forum to genuinely listen and focus on solutions for a few key priorities.”
Supporters point to overseas examples, with Sanford managing director David Mair, noting a model “à la Ireland, but must include education”. Others say a refreshed, time-bound forum could help with skills, technology adoption and productivity. As Institute of Directors chief executive Kirsten (KP) Patterson puts it: “New Zealand’s challenges are too complex for the Government to solve on its own. We need a genuine partnership.”
But not everyone is convinced. The New Zealand Initiative chairman Roger Partridge warns against privileging a few organised voices over others and the risk of “lowest-common-denominator compromises, more bureaucracy and less accountability.” He says that “government should consult widely, but policy must be driven by the public interest, not insider deals struck with a handful of stakeholders”.
Others doubted unions’ willingness or ability to contribute constructively, with a top recruiter saying: “I don’t believe unions have an intention to address challenges. The teachers’ union, for example, has created an industry of underperformance.”
For some, it came down to execution. “If they can get things done and not slow things down, it could work,” says an energy chairperson. A banking boss is more sceptical: “It sounds like such a good idea, but I’d be dubious it would get off the ground and deliver tangible action.”
