Standardised testing and regular progress assessment became key features of the education system this year, so why not apply those same principles to New Zealand as a whole?

There’s an important difference here, of course. This exercise is about prompting discussion and debate, and should be read with a degree of caution. The metrics tell us only so much – but it’s still possible to trace the nation’s ups and downs.

As one year ends and other beckons, it might also be time to make some collective new year’s resolutions based on the various trends outlined here.

Civil liberty: the top mark is from Freedom House which underlined New Zealand’s consistent near-perfect score of 99 out of 100 for political and civil liberties – second equal with Norway, just behind Finland.

Security: in the Global Peace Index, New Zealand moved up two slots to third place globally (behind Iceland and Ireland, but best in the Asia-Pacific) for safety and security, low domestic and international conflict, and degree of militarisation.

Corruption: Transparency International recorded a gradual decline from being in equal top place in 2021 to fourth in the latest survey – but still relatively corruption-free.

Gender equality: the annual Global Gender Gap Report recorded New Zealand slipping a place to fifth most gender-equal country (but top in the Pacific region).

Rule of Law: a continued improvement in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index saw the country ranked fifth globally.

Quality of life: The Economist Global Liveability Index placed Auckland seventh most liveable city in the world.

Economic freedom: the

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