This article draws upon a unique body of empirical research conducted by co-author Masashi Yui for his as yet uncompleted PhD in public policy, documenting all cases of organisational restructuring in the country’s state sector between 1960 and 2017.

The publicity of the government, the press, and a host of private organisations constantly assures the public that New Zealand leads the world in this, that, and the other. So often is the point repeated and asserted about so many features of the Dominion’s life that it is now earnestly believed by the majority. It...

New Zealand is ranked highly on the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI), which assess performance on six dimensions of governance: voice and accountability, political stability performance on six dimensions of governance: voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption. However, these indicators should not...