📖 We recently published this study (By Dave Maré and Richard Fabling) looking at how fairly people from different ethnic and migrant backgrounds are paid for the value they create at work in Aotearoa.

For more information and to register, www.motu.nz/about-us/pub...

When: Monday, 1 December 2025 from 12pm to 1.30pm

Where: Russell McVeagh, Level 24, NTT Tower, 157 Lambton Quay, Wellington AND on online

Thanks to The Treasury - New Zealand, EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) and Russell McVeagh for their generous support of our seminars.

They will bring together evidence on adult tenant wellbeing and children’s developmental outcomes to show how public housing can shape wellbeing. They will then consider what this evidence means for policy, design and investment in public housing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

❓Who do policymakers turn to for policy advice in a resource-strained system?
❓Do these social structures bounce back after links are severed. Is any damage lasting?
❓What happens to the quality of the policies made & what are the long-term impacts of a lack of input from a broad set of experts?

📈 Modelling the social structure of the research-policy interface and how it changes over time can help us understand the potential impacts of the tight funding environment in which we find ourselves.

📖 Our Fellow Kyle Higham, Jean Donaldson and Jonathan Burgess published a blog on research led by Kyle and Te Pūnaha Matatini, studying the flow of information between researchers and policymakers in Aotearoa.

Media coverage:

A great video interview on the New Zealand Herald’s Front Page podcast lnkd.in/gQYcNKYr

RNZ's Nine to Noon: lnkd.in/gciDMmVa

Interest.co.nz article: lnkd.in/gFpAbVaV

Paywalled BusinessDesk NZ article: lnkd.in/gfbxDWYM

As lead author Anne-Marie Brook says: “People deserve to know what their money is supporting.”

It’s time to lift ethical standards, include sovereign bonds in screening, and give investors real choices that align with their values.

#EthicalFinance #HumanRights #KiwiSaver #ResearchForChange

We’re grateful for Jo’s steady hand and optimistic spirit. Ngā mihi nui, Jo — thank you for everything. 🙏🏽
#Leadership #ResearchForPolicy #Aotearoa

Jo has guided Motu with calm leadership, deep insight & strong connections — helping us navigate leadership changes, pandemics and the challenges of research funding. Through it all, she’s believed in Motu’s role as a Wellington treasure contributing to Aotearoa NZ’s future.

Details from the Royal Society Te Apārangi
www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/f...

💡 Using census data and advanced methods, they’ll uncover how factors like social trust and safety shape economic outcomes — and what that means for the future of our communities.

Congrats Stuart, Dave, Arthur, and Ryan! 🎉

🔍 Led by Senior Fellow Stuart Donovan, with Dave Maré, Arthur Grimes & Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy (University of Auckland), the team will study what helps urban centres grow and thrive.

Media coverage:

A great video interview on the New Zealand Herald’s Front Page podcast lnkd.in/gQYcNKYr

RNZ's Nine to Noon: lnkd.in/gciDMmVa

Interest.co.nz article: lnkd.in/gFpAbVaV

Paywalled BusinessDesk NZ article: lnkd.in/gfbxDWYM

If fund managers applied human rights checks across all investments, Aotearoa could lead the way to a fairer, more transparent financial system.As lead author Anne-Marie Brook says: “People deserve to know what their money is supporting.”

Anushka, a 3rd-year student at Victoria University of Wellington, studies Economics & Geography. She plans to continue into Honours next year, using quantitative tools to tackle real-world policy challenges.
Kia kaha, Anushka — we can’t wait to see where your research takes you! 🌟