2026 Sir Frank Holmes Memorial Lecture in Public Policy

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Master of Public Policy (MPP), the School of Government is proud to hold the Sir Frank Holmes Memorial Lecture, an annual event that honours one of New Zealand’s most distinguished scholars and practitioners of public policy. Hosted by the University, the 2026 lecture will feature a fireside conversation with the Rt Hon. Helen Clark.

Registration is essential, secure your place here.

Since the establishment of the Sir Frank Holmes Visiting Fellowship and Memorial Lecture in Public Policy in 2012, the programme has become a flagship event for the School of Government, welcoming eleven distinguished Visiting Fellows who have contributed to public policy scholarship and practice.

The lecture is particularly significant to the MPP programme because of Sir Frank Holmes’ pivotal role in its development. As Director of the Master of Public Policy programme, he was instrumental in transforming the earlier Diploma in Public Administration into the MPP. Sir Frank championed the importance of rigorous thinking, informed debate, and evidence-based decision-making in public policy. His commitment to fostering thoughtful policy analysis remains a defining feature of the programme today.

The Sir Frank Holmes Memorial Lecture celebrates this enduring legacy and provides a fitting connection to the MPP’s 50-year history, recognising the intellectual foundations that have shaped generations of public policy leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand.