2004 Herald
While I applaud your attempts to help raise the awareness of the importance
of international competitiveness, I am concerned at the comparisons which keep
cropping up in these speculations.
The Herald, politicians and others who wish to raise our standard of living and
place in the OECD order of merit constantly refer to Ireland, Denmark, Singapore
and Israel.
Firstly, it should be blatantly obvious that we are never going to be able to
match European countries with the dual advantage they hold of nearness to
trading partners and EC grants and tariffs.
In the cases of Singapore and Israel, anyone preferring the society of one
country which is totalitarian in the extreme, or the other, more or less at war
with its neighbours since inception, is quite welcome to go give it a try.
Why not compare us to Zimbabwe or Rwanda, two small nations which are also
remote from markets and trading cartels? Or Peru?
Surely New Zealand’s main attraction is its remoteness and its difference from
other countries. The real problems in New Zealand are social, not economic and
the inference drawn by people who think that closing the financial gaps will
result in a better and more peaceful society are just stupid. Even the richest
families contain abuse, violence and addictions.
What is needed is a society where people are made to be self sufficient