Tēnā koe
The Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) believes that high-quality education resources are essential to the success of learners, teachers, and schools across Aotearoa New Zealand.
New Zealand educational publishers are deeply connected to the communities they serve. We work alongside teachers, curriculum experts, authors, illustrators, and schools to create resources that reflect the New Zealand Curriculum, the diversity of Aotearoa, and the realities of New Zealand classrooms.
We are concerned that current procurement settings and compressed development timeframes increasingly disadvantage New Zealand-based publishers in favour of large international providers.
This is not simply a commercial issue. It is an education capability issue, a cultural issue, and a long-term national interest issue.
Retaining capability in Aotearoa
New Zealand educational publishers bring deep curriculum knowledge, strong relationships with schools and teachers, and an understanding of local learning contexts across both English and Māori-medium education settings.
The sector supports New Zealand authors, illustrators, editors, designers, educators, and other creative professionals, while helping ensure schools have access to high-quality resources developed for New Zealand learners.
A strong local publishing sector helps retain valuable knowledge, skills, and educational expertise within Aotearoa. Once lost, this capability would be difficult to rebuild.
Alignment with Government priorities
The Government’s Going for Growth agenda recognises the importance of strengthening New Zealand capability, innovation, and economic resilience.
Government procurement guidance also requires consideration of the broader economic benefit to New Zealand, including support for local businesses, jobs, skills, and innovation.
PANZ believes these principles should be more clearly reflected in education procurement processes.
Investment in New Zealand educational publishing supports:
- New Zealand jobs and creative industries
- educational innovation and curriculum expertise
- intellectual property developed in Aotearoa
- stronger long-term capability within New Zealand
Current concerns
PANZ members have identified several areas of concern within current education procurement and resource development processes:
- procurement settings that can favour large international providers
- compressed development timeframes that disadvantage New Zealand publishers
- insufficient recognition of the value of investing in New Zealand publishing capability
We acknowledge the Ministry of Education’s recent willingness to engage in constructive dialogue, and we welcome further discussion about improving pipeline visibility and ongoing engagement. We also seek stronger long-term commitments to working together with the sector.
PANZ position
PANZ supports an education publishing environment that:
- values and sustains New Zealand publishing capability
- enables fair procurement processes for New Zealand-based providers
- supports strong collaboration between government and the publishing sector
- strengthens New Zealand’s ability to develop high-quality resources for its own learners
PANZ also supports:
- earlier engagement on curriculum developments
- greater visibility of future resource pipelines
- regular structured engagement between the Ministry and publishers
- procurement settings that recognise the broader educational and economic benefit to New Zealand
A constructive path forward
New Zealand educational publishers care deeply about education in Aotearoa. We are not external suppliers to the education system; we are part of the education community.
PANZ seeks constructive, cross-party engagement on how New Zealand can sustain a strong, innovative, and locally connected education publishing sector for the long term.
The decisions made today will shape not only the resources available in classrooms, but whether New Zealand retains the ability to create them in the future.
Ngā mihi,
Dame Wendy Pye Eboni Waitere
Sunshine Books President, PANZ
