Oceania
Australia and New Zealand are by far the most populous and economically powerful of the 14 countries in the Oceania region, so while all of these places have unique strengths and positive attributes, only the Big Two make it into Best Countries 2026.
This double act is quite the pairing, consistently putting in a stellar performance on the world stage, with reputations that make a much bigger impact on global consumer sentiment than the scale of their populations would suggest. Both Australia and New Zealand have consistently placed in the Best Countries top 10 overall for many years, but this year sees New Zealand slip from 9th to 15th, 10 places behind its larger neighbour. Australia is in 5th position once again.
Closer to home, the view is somewhat different. New Zealand ranks higher overall than Australia when assessed by respondents who actually live in these countries. This was also the case last year. This results from higher local rankings for New Zealand for Agility, for Cultural Influence, and on the Movers metric, which reflects dynamism. The two countries rank #4 and #8 out of 85 countries worldwide, according to respondents in Oceania, with New Zealand coming out on top.
The two countries are perceived by the global audience as having much in common. Both are seen as offering a good Quality of Life (with Australia having the edge), and a strong sense of Social Purpose (New Zealand has the upper hand here). They’re both perceived as being adaptable, caring, friendly and fun places, and both rank in the top 10 globally as places our respondents would like to live (NZ in 4th and Australia in 6th place).
Australia and New Zealand continue to rank as two of the best countries in the world. With healthy democracies, the rule of law and a thriving multicultural population, it’s easy to see why.
Australians and New Zealanders continue to be proud of the goods and services they export to the world. Whilst the tyranny of distance might be a challenge to some, we see this as an opportunity to innovate. Being seen as a place that is genuinely Open for Business is an attribute we own with pride (New Zealand is #11 in the world on this metric, and Australia is #21).
‘Made in Australia’ and ‘Made in New Zealand’ continue to gather momentum, as we stand shoulder to shoulder with local businesses who are proud of what they produce and how they add to our local story. Entrepreneurship and a drive for innovation are strong, and this is recognised by global observers as well as people here. Our thriving local economy is why we have some of the most successful global businesses (Canva, Atlassian, ROKT, Airwallex) founded right here in Australia.
The way of the future is to test fast, learn fast, adapt ideas, roll them out globally – or put them to rest (if they don’t stand up to scrutiny) – once and for all.
We are a sophisticated market — but we are a scrappy market too. Australia ranks #7 out of 85 countries on Best Countries for Agility, and New Zealand is not far behind, at #12. Having these characteristics co-existing side by side is fast becoming the most sought-after combination of country attributes. Australians and New Zealanders over-index on these and I believe they will define our two nations well into the next decade.
Rose Herceg
President, WPP Australia and New Zealand
What sets them apart in global perceptions is that Australia is seen as being a much more powerful and economically influential nation. People also see it as having a stronger job market, more dynamic cities, and more wildlife, although New Zealand leads on being more scenic, more committed to climate goals, and being happier.
But ask people within the region about the places they call home, and there’s a clear sense of pride and satisfaction with what these countries both offer and represent. Both countries rate themselves and their next-door neighbour as being even more friendly and fun than the global audience perceives them to be; they see themselves as much more entrepreneurial and innovative, and the two countries rank #1 and #2 as the places respondents here would most like to live.
International consumers associate these markets with a prestige that few of the respondents who live here acknowledge. Yet locally, there’s a deeper appreciation of the quality of food available, and a much greater sense that they have strong exports than is recognised outside the region.
The opportunity for both Australia and New Zealand is to develop perceptions that contribute to their Movers scores, which reflect dynamism and uniqueness. Both countries perform much more strongly on this regionally than they do globally.
