Principal Economist and Chief Executive Brad Olsen examines the forces reshaping local economic development in New Zealand. With council funding stretched, rising competition for business, and smaller regions vulnerable to changes at major employers, the focus is on working smarter. Drawing on insights from the 2025 Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ) Conference, he explores how regions attract firms, measure impact, and navigate a more trade-exposed, resource-constrained environment.
Infometrics was proud to sponsor the recent Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ) 2025 Annual Conference, with a focus on “Local Strength, Global Reach”. As part of the conference, we shared an economic update and some analysis of key trends that the Infometrics team has noticed emerging as influential focus areas for economic development over the last year.
Stats NZ released their latest subnational population estimates this week, providing us with an annual reading of how population growth has affected each corner of the country. In this article, we explore the high-level themes for population growth in 2025, before diving into specific cities or districts to illustrate the trends we’re seeing.
Resilience continues to be an important long-term factor for the New Zealand economy, and our Chart of the Month highlights the continued emergency challenges we face over time.
