What the 'State-meant' meant to state The most in-depth research yet done on the opinions of New Zealanders on the economy, which was released on 18 April, reveals a mixed bag of sloppy thinking tempered by a growing but begrudging respect for the necessity of business. There has been a subtle shift in acknowledging that energy expended on the wealth of the nation makes cents (sic). It has been but a year since a poll dared to suggest that 46% of Kiwis saw business as a necessary 'evil'. I suspect that the percentage would have been higher (and would be now) if they had bothered to poll members of this Government!

What is of interest is that 46% considered quality of life, education (36%), the natural environment (32%), and the public health system (30%) to be of very great consequence, yet only 10% saw the level of economic growth as being important. Clearly most did not see the latter as a means to achieve the former! This begs the question; how did they expect to achieve those lofty and noble goals? More taxes? That would be short-sighted theft; nothing less than the suspension of goose plucking in favour of taxidermy!

It reflects badly on our education system that, while our fellow Kiwis want to increase personal wealth (16%), 15 per cent consider wages and salaries to be important and 11% want a supportive business environment, only 8% think business opportunities are imperative. It is a tribute to our politically correct disengagement from realism that we can hold such incoherent logic without breaking into bouts of self-depreciatory disbelief. It's an economic wish list without the genie to make it happen, and par for the course when stacked up against our wretched 'entitlement culture'. In an era of human rights rather than obligations.and with a flotilla of so-called disciplines such as psychology, ethical relativism, gender studies and the like where we attempt to prove that nothing is anyone's fault, it comes as no real surprise.

It is growth, sparked by business opportunities that gives life to the spirit of entrepreneurial flair that can deliver the realities most Kiwis aspire to. Conversely, there can be no improvement to our quality of life while we are saddled with the bankrupt notion that success in wealth creation will be detrimental to the social order. The reverse is true. Economic success does not need to be dragged down by counterproductive income distribution schemes, punitive taxes and a PC attack on our most valuable asset - the ethical compass that gives direction to our thoughts!

Responsibility should lie at the two left feet of government boffins as they wade through their pool of plundered treasures in an effort to shore up voter support. For example, if Labour wants to hand out penalty rates to employees on public holidays why expect employers to pay for them? Surely employers should only be held responsible within their orbit of decision-making. Why not make those days tax-holidays so that these economic gifts are paid for by the givers rather than by dismantling the rights of employers? The employee would benefit from a rise in consumption power that will be cost neutral to the employer. If this government thinks most wage and salary earners are underpaid (and I couldn't agree more), let them keep more of what the employer pays them!

In terms of our nation's wealth, the duplicitous catch cry of this Labour government seems to be for economic freedom. But in reality, it is only a freedom to dodge responsible stewardship; chiefly in its freedom to take, freedom to spend and freedom from the creation of wealth.

This has truly become a time of. "to the state, for the state and by the state".

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