In the face of an ageing population and a shrinking tax base, Ed Haslam, Nick Lorimer, Callum Sutherland and Matt Sutherland designed a long-term fiscal strategy for New Zealand which involved suggesting new funding initiatives for superannuation, health, tertiary education and corrections.
The boys were one of 13 school teams from throughout the country invited to present their proposals to a panel of judges from the Treasury and Victoria University recently, at the New Zealand Treasury Long-term Fiscal Policy Schools' Challenge, in Wellington.
A Treasury spokeswoman said the calibre of competition was so high, the department intends to fly the boys back to Wellington later this year with winners James Hargest College (Invercargill) and third-placed Christchurch Girls' High School, to present their proposal again to Treasury and potentially, to Finance Minister Bill English.
Ed said when they entered the challenge, they had no idea their work would be of such interest to Treasury and the Government.
It was potentially an opportunity to influence future finance policy.
The competition was organised and run by New Zealand Treasury as part of the lead-up to the publication of its Long-term Fiscal Statement in 2013.
