Breadcrumbs
Home ›
Business and employment
›
Employment and skills
›
Our international labour relations
...
›
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
-
Employment and skills
- Employment Action Plan
- Employment Strategy 2019
- Fair Pay Agreements legislation
- Health and safety
-
Employment legislation reviews
- Employment Relations Act 2000 amendments
- Holidays Act reform
- Increasing the minimum sick leave entitlement
- Workplace relations in the screen industry
- Forced Labour Protocol
- Extending paid parental leave
- Equal Pay Amendment Act
- Law change for Easter Sunday shop trading
- Employment Standards Legislation Act
- Proposed Accident Compensation Appeal Tribunal
- Accident compensation dispute resolution review
- Reviewing regulated ACC payments for treatment
- Employment Relations Amendment Act
- Minimum wage reviews
- Sex work in New Zealand
- Changes to the process for setting pay for Members of Parliament
- Security officers – additional employment protections
- Matariki
- Updating Accident Compensation Review Costs Regulations
- Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day
- Changes to ACC’s Accredited Employers Programme
- Review framework for list of occupational diseases
- Contractor work in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Support workers – request for additional employment protections
- Changes to ACC regulations for Chinese medicine, paramedics and audiometrists
- Accident Compensation (Interest on Instalments) Amendment Act
- Setting the average ACC levy rates for 2025/26, 2026/27, and 2027/28
- Our international labour relations
- Labour market reports, data and analysis
- Future of Work Tripartite Forum
- NZ income insurance scheme
- NZ Industrial Relations Foundation
- Plan of action against forced labour, people trafficking and slavery
- Employment website
- Regional Skills Leadership Groups
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
New Zealand is a founding member of APEC which promotes trade and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. MBIE’s responsibilities include participating in APEC meetings including the Human Resources Development Working Group and its networks (the Labour and Social Protection Network and the Capacity Building Network).
On this page
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum established in 1989.
Ministers representing various other portfolios, senior officials and members of various APEC forums meet throughout the year to launch new initiatives, track the progress of existing programmes and implement directives from the leaders. New Zealand has hosted APEC twice, in 1999 and 2021 (the first ever fully-virtual APEC).
New Zealand is a founding member of APEC which promotes trade and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. APEC is of considerable economic and political significance to New Zealand.
The Human Resources Development Working Group
A key focus for our interest in APEC is the Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG).
Established in 1990, HRDWG focuses on
- building regional human capacity
- implementing initiatives on education, labour and capacity building.
The group conducts its projects through 3 networks. We are particularly interested in 2 of these: the Labour and Social Protection Network and the Capability Building Network.
Read more about the Human Resources Development Working Group
Human Resources Development(external link) — APEC
New Zealand led a project through the HRDWG over 2021-22 examining how social dialogue can support resilience and responsiveness in times of crisis as well as for more long-term issues such as challenges posed by the future of work.
Read about the project in the document below.
The Labour and Social Protection Network (LSPN)
The Labour and Social Protection Network is a forum for sharing best practice on labour and social protection issues with other APEC economies.
It fosters human capacity building, social integration, and strong and flexible labour markets by developing useful labour market information and policy, improved workplace conditions and practices, and strong social safety nets. New Zealand held the role of coordinator for this network over the period of 2021-22.
The Capacity Building Network (CBN)
The Capacity Building Network focuses on skills development, human resource management and vocational training through crosscutting collaboration to facilitate 21st century talents, enhance employability and provide quality employment.