New Zealand’s public sector superannuation began with separate schemes for groups like police, teachers, and railway workers, which merged into the Government Superannuation Fund (GSF) in 1948. The National Provident Fund (NPF), launched in 1911, became the main scheme for local government staff by 1914.

Rising post-war inflation prompted the formation of member advocacy groups in 1920. Despite resistance, GSF membership became compulsory in 1963, with cost-of-living adjustments introduced by 1969. A 1985 GSF update raised contribution rates and lowered annuities. Both NPF and GSF closed to new members in the early 1990s, ending an era of traditional government-run superannuation.