To reassure children, NZ Prime Minister declares Easter Bunny an essential worker. - Observatory of Public Sector Innovation

Skip to content

An official website of the OECD. Find out more

Log In | Register |

Created by the Public Governance Directorate

This website was created by the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), part of the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV).

How to validate authenticity

Validation that this is an official OECD website can be found on the Innovative Government page of the corporate OECD website.

About
- European Commission Collaboration
  Working in partnership with the European Commission, including through its Horizon 2020 programme, to achieve priorities in leading public sector innovation.
- Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector
  Exploring how governments can seize the potential of AI for public sector transformation while mitigating risks and strengthening public trust.
- Innovation Portfolios
  Taking a portfolio approach to innovation using OPSI's Innovation Facets Model.
- Anticipatory Innovation
  Anticipating future changes and developing and testing new approaches with and for governments and partners.
- Cross-Border Government Innovation
  Exploring innovative approaches for government collaboration across national and jurisdictional borders.
- Behavioural Insights
  Researching the use of behavioural science in policy-making, from behavioural drivers and barriers to systematically challenging assumptions and testing new interventions.
- Innovation Declaration
- Innovation Management
- Innovation Trends
- Innovative Capacity
- Mission-Oriented Innovation
- Systems Approaches
- Toolkit Navigator
  Putting innovation theory into practice. A compendium of toolkits for public sector innovation and transformation.
- Case Study Library
  Explore hundreds of public sector case studies from around the world and all levels of government.
- Portfolio Exploration Tool
  A free self-assessment tool to determine your team’s or organisation’s capability to innovate.
- Anticipatory Innovation Resource (AIR)
- Innovation Declaration
- BI Knowledge Hub
  Discover Behavioural Insights (BI) projects and units from around the globe. Add or pre-register your unit or project and uncover key insights into what works.
- Portfolio Exploration Workshop
- COVID-19 Response Tracker
- Publications
Blog
Events
Get Involved
Contact

Innovative response

New Zealand has declared that the Easter Bunny is an essential worker ahead of Easter. The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern used a daily press conference to assure kids that they would still be getting easter eggs for Easter.

Specific issues addressed and anticipated impact

Mental health and wellbeing is greatly affected by the disruption to normal social life, no moreso than for younger children, and by extension their families.

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, during her daily press conference, reassured children of her country that the Easter Bunny (and the toothfairy) is an essential worker, thus assuring them that their traditions of Easter will continue.

Organisations/institutions involved

New Zealand Government

New Zealand

Relevant URL(s):

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/07/828839205/the-easter-bunny-is-an-essential-worker-new-zealands-ardern-says?t=1586352220211

Level(s) of government:

National/Federal government

Issues being addressed:

Social effects of the crisis

Response tags:

Adaptive Action

Date Submitted:

8 April 2020

Flag as inappropriate