www.mccully.co.nz - 20 June 2008
A Weekly Report from the Keyboard of Murray McCully MP for East Coast Bays
Trans-Tasman Challenge Highlighted
The proceedings of last weekend's trans-Tasman Leadership Forum in Wellington were not open to the media and may not be
reported. But what can be reported is the chilling comparison of per capita incomes presented to the Forum by NZ
Institute Director Dr David Skilling. Dr Skilling, who according to reports is about to join the ranks of the nation’s
economic refugees and depart these shores, has kindly given permission to re-produce his material.
Dr Skilling's comparison of New Zealand's per capita income ($40,021) with each of the Australian states serves to
highlight the root cause of the serious exodus of talent from this country.
Per capita incomes in Queensland ($54,317) and New South Wales ($55,805), both popular destinations for departing Kiwis,
are now very significantly higher.
Western Australia ($58,688), another popular destination for departing NZers is even further ahead. And the mineral boom
in the Northern Territory ($78,527) has lifted the per capita to nearly double the New Zealand figure.
Even Australia's poorest state, Tasmania ($49,056) now enjoys a substantial lead over this country.
Equally revealing was a graph by Dr Skilling which compared per capita GDP, where Australia now enjoys a 35% advantage.
While Australia has seen steady improvement over the past 20 years, New Zealand has bumped along the bottom of the
chart.
The really outstanding performer in this regard has been Ireland, as the graph below will demonstrate. How interesting
that the Irish formula has been competitive tax rates, major investment in key infrastructure, especially broadband, and
major boosts for science, research and education - the same themes that John Key has been repeating endlessly over
recent months.
Voting With Their Feet
Faced with these appalling and growing income disparities it will come as no surprise that the migration statistics
released by the Government Statistician today show an even greater number of Kiwis voting with their feet.
A staggering 79,916 New Zealanders left for good in the year ended May 2008 – that’s 1,536 per week. A whopping 44,749
of them left for better prospects in Australia – that’s 860 a week. And on the evidence presented by Dr Skilling and the
NZ Institute, how could we possibly tell them they should think again.
Political Correctness or Soft Bigotry
The distribution of information packs and badges from the Education Ministry to the nation’s schools over recent weeks
raises interesting questions. The material is part of the Ka Hikitia programme allegedly designed to promote Maori
achievement.
With badges sporting such themes as “I Love Maori Success”, there are two blindingly obvious conclusions we may draw:
first, the Ministry of Education, which has spent $230,000 on the mailout and $56,000 on the badges, is clearly
indifferent to the offence they give to schools that are under serious pressure to make ends meet. Second, they appear
to be sending a subliminal message that Maori success is unexpected – surely an excellent example of the soft bigotry of
low expectations.
ENDS