Fran O’Sullivan has identified a new strain of “New Zealand envy” from the other side of the Tasman Sea:
. . . Like Bill English, Groser had been buoyed after hearing a bunch of Australian business leaders talk openly about their clear case of “New Zealand envy” in Sydney the previous week.
The frank admiration for New Zealand’s economic policies – which was on show at the annual Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum meeting – had not really been displayed by Australian power-brokers since this country was in the grip of Rogernomics and Bill Birch’s labour market reforms.
This is good news. But typically, Labour still sees it through a “glass half empty” prism as positioning New Zealand like Mexico; a low wage neighbour where Australians can outsource manufacturing jobs in the way United States corporates have outsourced similar jobs to Mexicans.
I wish Labour would also focus on the fact that it is going to take considerable time and investment to build more high-tech growth companies which will spawn high-paid brainy jobs as well as the brawny ones.
Three or four decades ago made in Japan meant low price and probably low quality. Now Japanese products, especially electronics and cars, are generally high quality.
That took time and it will take time for our economy to turn round and support more high paid, high tech jobs. While we’re waiting we should welcome companies keen to do business here, even if one of the attractions is lower costs, including that of labour.
It’s stupid to sneer at lower paid jobs and those that require more brawn than brain. They too can contribute to much-needed economic growth.
Homepaddock 