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Te Rautaki a Te Rau o Tākupu 2026-2030 PANZ Strategy 2026-2030

Vision

A thriving, sustainable and inclusive publishing industry for local and global readers.

Purpose

Our purpose is to represent and support publishing in all its forms across Aotearoa New Zealand. Publishers in the trade, educational, professional and scholarly sectors are all central to our work. We help members thrive with their current business and prepare them for the future, through training and professional development, advocacy, export, funding, and collaboration with other sector organisations.

Our industry is actively committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and we recognise it is the founding document of Aotearoa. As an association, we are committed to creating a positive future that values the importance of Māori language, culture and identity by enabling tangata whenua to succeed and thrive.

Values

  • Whanaungatanga – we value relationships and reciprocal partnerships.
  • Kōkiri – we advocate as a united voice for publishers, moving forward together to strengthen and advance our industry.
  • Diversity & inclusion – we uphold the importance of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
  • Social responsibility – we care for environmental sustainability.
  • Copyright & AI – we advocate for protecting the intellectual property of our Aotearoa New Zealand authors, publishers and creators.
  • Literacy – we uphold literacy as a basic human right. It is the key to a participatory society and cultivates a love of reading that benefits this and all future generations.

About PANZ

PANZ is the collective voice of publishing in Aotearoa New Zealand and is committed to creating an environment that supports our members to thrive. We do this through the delivery of a wide-ranging programme that champions the industry and ensures that members have the tools required to succeed in a dynamic publishing environment.

Our publishers produce print, digital and audio books, and a wide range of educational resources. Our members also include those who provide support to the publishing industry, for example, literature sector organisations, PR and communication specialists and book distributors.

About this strategy

PANZ Council will be using this strategy to set direction and focus our work for 2026-2030. Implementation will be defined through annual plans and sub-committee work programmes.

This strategy has been developed in a challenging operating environment and is grounded in the core purpose of PANZ as set out in the Constitution. It focuses on the three priorities: advocating for publishing, protecting members’ rights and interests, and using our collective voice to support the commercial sustainability of the industry.

We also carry forward key areas of work from the 2022-2026 strategy where they remain relevant and continue to deliver value for members.

Strategic priorities

Advocacy – Advocacy and Protection of Publishing

PANZ actively represents and defends the interests of New Zealand publishers to ensure a fair, sustainable and commercially viable publishing environment.

PANZ will:

  • Advocate on behalf of members to influence government policy, procurement and funding settings to recognize the value of publishing, including in education and public sector commissioning;
  • Act on behalf of members in matters affecting intellectual property, including copyright, licensing and the use of content in AI systems;
  • Oppose policies or practices that undermine the freedom to publish or the commercial position of publishers.

Amorangi – Building Collective Capability and Sustainability

PANZ provides leadership and collective support to help the association, and publishers thrive. Our members value connection, reciprocity, and supporting one another to strengthen the publishing industry.

PANZ will:

  • Take a leadership role on issues and opportunities that have the potential for collective impact for our members;
  • Provide targeted training to support commercial sustainability with a focus on innovation, accessibility, and future focused digital & AI technologies for publishing;
  • Lead the delivery of post-graduate training in Publishing to ensure a sustainable pipeline of talent for the industry;
  • Share market intelligence, data and policy developments that inform business decisions.
  • Ensure the financial sustainability and capability of the Association.

Advancement – Grow Markets and Audiences

PANZ works to grow demand for New Zealand publishing, expand market opportunities, and increase the visibility of New Zealand content locally and internationally.

PANZ will:

  • Work with industry partners, government agencies and funders to create opportunities for members, particularly in international markets and export pathways;
  • Support members to take New Zealand’s unique and leading content to the world;
  • Promote members as industry leaders and grow the visibility and engagement of New Zealand publishing with industry and audiences.

Ngā pou Tautoko – Foundations for Impact

These pou guide and shape all of PANZ’s work. They reflect our shared commitments and are embedded across each strategic priority.

Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi – PANZ honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi by embedding Māori language, culture and identity across our work, and by supporting the leadership and growth of Māori publishing within Aotearoa.

PANZ will:

  • Support the growth and visibility of Māori publishing, including te reo Māori publication, and ensure Māori voices are represented across the industry;
  • Develop draft constitutional clauses that give effect to PANZ’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, for consideration by members.

Strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion – PANZ supports a publishing industry that reflects the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand and promotes inclusive and equitable practices.

PANZ will:

  • Encourage and support diversity and inclusion in all its forms, across all areas of the publishing industry;
  • Embed diversity and inclusion in PANZ’s practices, including recruitment, governance and funding decisions.

Shaping a sustainable future – PANZ supports an environmentally responsible and resilient publishing industry, balancing sustainability with commercial viability.

PANZ will:

  • Support members to adopt more sustainable practices, including environmentally responsible printing, materials and supply chains by sharing best practice advancements;
  • Support the advocacy of the International Publishers Association (IPA), by furthering our commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Publishers Compact.

Literacy Eco-System – PANZ promotes reading as essential to a thriving society and a strong publishing industry, supporting the growth of readers and engagement with New Zealand content.

PANZ will:

  • Support initiatives that grow a lifelong love of reading and engagement with books;
  • Advocate for policy settings that support a defined proportion of New Zealand content in literacy and education.