The New Zealand book sector has launched its first-ever unified plan. The main goal is to grow domestic readership and international visibility of local authors.
The Mahi Tahi initiative united various stakeholders from across the publishing and education sectors ahead of the 2025–2030 cycle. The plan responds to rising sales of New Zealand fiction, concerns over declining literacy, and calls for modernised intellectual property laws.
Commercial Coordination Fuels National Publishing Strategy
The coalition, operating independently from government direction, sees the plan as a market-driven response to both cultural demand and economic opportunity. Melanie Laville-Moore, Chair of the Coalition for NZ Books, stressed that this is about coordinated industry effort: “One of the aims of collaborating as a sector is to capitalise on the hunger Kiwis are showing for stories by and about ourselves.”
The sector is pursuing commercial coordination rather than relying on government intervention — with strategic asks around legislation and funding — to sustain momentum and ensure future resilience.
Domestic Book Sales Rise as Demand for Local Stories Grows
Homegrown literature is gaining ground with New Zealand readers, as domestic publishing revenue posted a 5% rise in 2024, building on a 2.4% increase the previous year. According to Melanie Laville-Moore, a growing number of readers are turning to local authors.
“Local novelists such as Catherine Chidgey, Nicky Pellegrino, Charity Norman, Jenny Pattrick and Witi Ihimaera have shifted the dial on public demand for NZ adult fiction titles.”
“The ‘cultural cringe’ days where Kiwis shied away from reading books written by their own are gone,” she added.
Copyright Reform and Export Strategy Central to Industry Vision
The coalition behind Mahi Tahi is advocating for stronger IP protections in response to digital threats. Proposed changes include updates to the Copyright Act and Public Lending Right Act to safeguard local content.
“Books and literature need to have a dedicated literary funding stream within Creative New Zealand ensuring equity with other creative sectors,” said Laville-Moore. She pointed to export opportunities through cultural diplomacy, saying such efforts could “grow export revenue for the literary arts.”
Education Market Recovery Supports Long-Term Literacy Strategy
While celebrating adult fiction growth, the coalition is also focused on reversing declining literacy rates. The sector saw a modest 4% recovery this year, after a steep 22% fall in educational book sales in 2023.
Laville-Moore pointed to research like PISA to emphasise the urgency: “Reading for enjoyment is associated with higher literacy achievement… This suggests a correlation between declining literacy rates and declining sales of books for students and children.”
Youth Access to Local Books Positioned as Literacy Lever
The coalition’s strategy includes a focus on reversing literacy decline by ensuring more young readers have access to New Zealand-authored content. Greater availability of local materials is seen as essential to supporting both learning outcomes and long-term readership.
Public-Private Cultural Alignment Promotes the Partnership
The book sector’s plan is consistent with the priorities of Amplify: Creative and Cultural Strategy for New Zealand (2024–2030). Its key asks are framed as opportunities for constructive engagement with government.
“By working together, we can ensure the book sector in Aotearoa New Zealand continues to thrive, enriched by diverse local voices and fostering a strong reading culture,” said Laville-Moore.