As the world and his companions keeps piling on the angst about the problems of poverty and a lack of paying work in this country of ours and I wonder if the Government is listening, inwardly digesting and then finding a series of solutions to kick start the relief of poverty and the creation of meaningful work for the many unemployed and volunteers through out our country.
In the Saturday Dom Post Magazine “Your Weekend”, the Editor suggested that she was interested in what ordinary kiwis think New Zealand needs to ensure a bright future for all. So put your 150 words together and sent it to nikki.macdnald@fairfaxmedia.co.nz
The magazine contained the opinions of a rather eclectic group of New Zealanders,
Rod Drury, Xero Boss,
Dame Anne Salmond, Anthropologists and New Zealander of the Year,
Oscar Kightley, Writer, Actor Comedian,
Sir Brian Lochore, Former All Black and Businessman,
Cecilia Robinson, Business Woman, 2013 Young Entrepreneur of the Year and
Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Kohango Reo Pioneer.
All of the people mentioned offering practical and workable solutions to our present business home and future very succinctly.
So what can we all do to make our country a better place then? Each of the contributors would seem to see a two-way street which suggests if we all give then we shall receive in return accordingly and the communities we live in would thrive.
All would seem to agree that politicians are in electioneering form and offering handouts is not a solution but keeping our quality talented people here, actively participating in schools where our children go to school, every Kiwi voting in the coming election to ensure we make New Zealand a better place to live, a strategy to connect all New Zealand Businesses and people right into the heart of the global economy through a New Zealand owned and funded international cable that would put us on the same network as the world, strategically part of the necessary New Zealand technology plan, earning overseas revenue. We need a bold plan. A new State owned enterprise managing the future and using Ultra Fast Broadband to do it. International Connectivity will enable and engage New Zealand with the world. One participant noted we have to do better in reserving our land and water, for our flora and fauna, animals, insects and sea creatures as never before. We need to eschew short term thinking and solutions to what are obviously the long term degradation by planning, as an egalitarian society with a dislike of wealthy people who shout their wealth by putting themselves on pedestals, we kow tow to few and usually tackle problems successfully because we can work together. Confrontation is not a solution nor is continual talking with no end in sight or any resolution from the talking.
Finally they all noted in some way or other that we have to deal with the issues of the haves and the have nots. The growing inequality should be affronting all of us. Let’s dump the trickle down theory remembering that a country is only as strong as its weakest links. We need to care better and be smart with our resources and remember people are resources too and we need to build from the bottom upwards
New Zealanders must return to that old fashioned edict of ‘have the courage of your convictions and simply get on with it’ and take everyone with you eh! Do not wait for permission or wait to be told, get your team together and get on with it.