New Zealand Treasury hosts seminar on economic security in Southeast Asia amid shifting global landscape

The New Zealand Treasury is hosting a public seminar on October 12, 2026, titled "Economic security challenges in Southeast Asia: What can New Zealand learn?" The event is part of the Treasurys Navigating Global Shifts series and features guest lecturer Natasha Hamilton-Hart, an academic with expertise in regional political economy and security dynamics.

Event details and purpose

The seminar, scheduled for October 12 on the Treasurys Wellington campus, aims to bring together officials, researchers and members of the public to explore how economic security trends in Southeast Asia could affect New Zealands policy choices. The Treasury describes the series as a forum for discussing implications of global change for New Zealands economic stewardship, resilience and international engagement.

According to the Treasurys public events listing, the lecture will examine the intersection of economic policy, supply chain resilience and strategic risk in Southeast Asia, and consider the practical lessons New Zealand might draw for its own policy frameworks. The event is presented as a contribution to wider government thinking about economic security in a more contested global environment.

Speaker and topical focus

Natasha Hamilton-Hart, named as the guest lecturer on the Treasurys event page, is known for research on regional political economy and the geopolitics of trade and investment. The Treasurys event description indicates the lecture will cover recent policy and market developments across Southeast Asia, and examine how shifts in trade patterns, investment flows and technology policies are shaping risk and opportunity for countries that trade and invest closely with the region.

The seminar comes at a time when many governments, including New Zealands, are reassessing how to manage vulnerabilities in supply chains, critical technologies and energy supplies. Policy discussions of this kind inform cross-government work on resilience, trade policy and international partnerships.

Why the seminar matters for New Zealand

Southeast Asia is one of New Zealands important trading partners and a region where economic growth, infrastructure investment and shifting strategic alliances are producing rapid change. For New Zealand policy makers, clearer analysis of regional trends can feed into decisions on trade, development assistance, regional cooperation and domestic policies that reduce exposure to external shocks.

By hosting a public lecture series that explicitly links global shifts to domestic policy questions, the Treasury is signalling a continued emphasis on integrating geopolitical and economic analysis into its stewardship responsibilities. Events like this are intended to widen the evidence base available to officials, businesses and the wider public as they think through contingency planning and longer term strategy.

Access and follow up

The Treasury lists the event on its official calendar and typically makes materials from public seminars available after the lecture through its publications or event pages. Attendees and those interested in Treasury commentary on economic security are encouraged to consult the Treasurys events listings and publications for any post-event notes or recorded material.

This seminar is one item in a broader schedule of Treasury public engagements scheduled for the week of October 12, 2026, which includes other commentary and talks aimed at informing public understanding of fiscal and economic policy issues.

Context for readers

New Zealand has increasingly framed parts of its economic policy agenda around resilience to external shocks, including in areas such as energy, technology and transport. Government agencies have in recent months released policy material and funding initiatives intended to reduce critical vulnerabilities and support domestic adaptation to changes in international markets. Public seminars that highlight regional dynamics give business leaders, academics and officials opportunities to test assumptions and better coordinate responses.

The Treasurys Navigating Global Shifts seminar series is part of that wider policy conversation, supplementing formal forecasts and fiscal reporting with focused discussion on how global developments ripple into national economic choices.