Listen-Up! “NZ Is Going Forward.... Backwards!”

5 October 2000

Media Release

Listen-Up! “NZ Is Going Forward.... Backwards!”

When New Zealanders living overseas read their daily online news file that:
 The dollar has slid below US40 cents;
 The balance of payments is bad;
 Business confidence is low;
 The economy is growing backwards... and
 Our Olympians fail to deliver.....

.... What would you expect the response to be? To have a rush of patriotism to get home as soon as possible to mount a rescue mission?

The trouble is that while New Zealand politicians and spin doctors remain in self-denial and refuse to listen, the rest of the world is getting on with actioning their visions for growing their economies and lifting living standards.

Michael Barnett, Chief Executive of the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said there is an obvious connection between the Herald’s “Generation Lost?” advertisement and Reserve Bank Governor Dr Brash’s raising the spectre of stagflation.

“Both pictures reinforce the urgency with which business and government must find a vision and action plan to pull New Zealand out of its pessimism.”

Let’s acknowledge we have an attitude problem, whether a politician or a business! Let’s stop the denial talk and start listening to what young New Zealanders and others are saying and then take decisive action.

“Our initial positive suggestions to make New Zealand a better place are:
 Vision – where are we going?
 Lower Tax – attract and retain business and investment
 Smart people – tomorrow’s wealth creators
 Good infrastructure – communications, transport and distribution
 Export focus – creating in NZ, selling to the world.”

Let’s commit to stop arguing how bad things are and start talking about the recipe for taking the nation forward.

For more information contact: Michael Barnett, Ph:09 309 6100 or 021 631 150

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