From June issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine.

Three weeks ago, Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese announced a $22.7 billion agenda for Future Made in Australia, to meet the challenges facing Australia, which require a big national response.

Last week we had the NZ Budget and the prime announcement was tax reductions across the population. A noble effort but money that will continue to be gobbled up by inflation, insurance and vehicle registration increases and more…all applied by companies who know how to extract the last gold filling from the client.

As a small economy we dont have lots of money to spare and we need to be smarter. The National Government is easing the puss, putting plasters on sores and trusting that through inflation reducing by the end of the year all will improve.

However, we need something similar to Australia. A Future Made in NZ or Build the Future Together is purposeful. To improve the economy, conditions for workers, to cover the cost of living and incentives ( a decent salary, shares) and opportunities for our smart companies to sell their products overseas.

We need smart, trained people to be rewarded for effort and not move to Australia. We need to keep on finding markets in this troubled and weird world we live in.

We need a Business Council of successful, proactive people who can drive the country  forward from their own life experiences and trials and tribulations. Aspirational business people who know ‘how to get there’. Using private and public sector money on projects that will truly make a difference for the better.

A regular comment is that ‘if not as much money was invested in property, but into manufacturing, we would be a lot better off’.