Word of the day

Empyrean – belonging to or deriving from heaven; he highest reaches of heaven; the sky.

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Rural round-up

Basting a chop won’t make a steak – Chalkie:

Poor old Red Meat. There she is, best frock on, hair done, smiling with her eyes and showing a bit of leg, only to find that tarty dairy cow getting all the attention.

Dairy co-op Fonterra teased investors for years before finally letting them on to third base late last year, with explosive results. Units in its Shareholders Fund quickly shot up to well over $7 after being issued at $5.50 a mere two months ago.

Meat co-op Silver Fern Farms, on the other hand, is still working the street corner.

After a reform of its capital structure in 2009, ordinary shares in Silver Fern became tradeable by any Tom, Dick and Harry on the unlisted market, but they have not been pursued with any passion. . .

NZ meats on Singapore menu –

New Zealand beef, lamb and, most likely venison, are on the menu at the Lone Star’s first overseas restaurant in a top waterfront precinct in Singapore.

The meat, branded Pure South, is being supplied by meat processor and exporter Alliance Group to the Fern & Kiwi restaurant, an offshoot of the Lone Star bar and restaurant chain.

A New Zealand-themed menu was worked out by consultant chef Mathew Metcalfe, who has cooked for the late Steve Jobs and leading Hollywood figures.

The meat range will come from farms across the country and processed at Alliance’s Group’s eight plants. . .

Carter laments stubborn attitudes – Jon Morgan:

Outgoing Minister for Primary Industries David Carter reels off a long list of what he calls “a good number” of achievements during his four years in office, but at the end of it he has to admit to a few lows as well.

The intransigent wool and meat industries have both defeated him, as they have ministers before him.

It obviously frustrates him. He puts it down to warring personalities in leading roles and the farmers’ apathy that lets this continue. . .

NZ wool floors show crowds – Tim Cronshaw:

The reaction of customers to Wools of New Zealand’s (WNZ) carpet wool at the world’s largest flooring show has reinforced to its leaders they are on the right track with capital raising a minimum of $5 million.

A share offer to commercialise WNZ into a sales and marketing company was extended to February 25 after the capital raising reached more than $4.1m last year from 500-plus strong wool farmers committing 12 million kilograms of annual wool production.

WNZ chairman Mark Shadbolt said growing interest by spinners and manufacturers in WNZ carpet ranges at the world’s largest flooring trade show, Domotex, this month had been encouraging. The trade show was attended by 40,000-plus visitors. . .

Safety shake-up call – Gerald Piddock:

Farmers are going to have to make health and safety a normal part of running their business if the number of on-farm accidents is to be cut.

Some farmers struggle to give health and safety the same amount of attention as they do to stock health or pasture management, industry-good Farmsafe national manager Grant Hadfield says.

“It’s considered a bit of an ogre. It shouldn’t be because it’s pretty easy to put systems in place.” . . .

Plaudits for irrigation policy – Gerald Piddock:

The Government’s decision to become a minority investor in irrigation schemes will ensure those projects get off the ground, say farmers with close ties to irrigation schemes in South Canterbury.

The Government announced last week that it would establish a company to act as a bridging investor for regional water infrastructure development.

The yet-to-be-named company would take minority stakes in water projects with a long-term goal of getting out and leaving the projects to the private sector. . .

Submitters discuss Tarras irrigation scheme – Jessica Maddock:

There was passionate opposition to an Otago Regional Council proposal to invest in a $39 million Tarras irrigation scheme at a hearing yesterday, with submitters saying it would be using ratepayer money to benefit only a few.

The council is considering buying $3.5m of redeemable preference shares. It would also pay up to $500,000 annually for five years, toward the fixed costs.

Tarras Water is planning the scheme to benefit 40 families, by taking up to 73.6 million cubic metres a year from the Clutha River to irrigate about 6000 hectares.

Nearly 70 people lodged a submission on the investment proposal, with the majority in opposition.

Eleven submitters spoke at a hearing in Cromwell yesterday, before four council members. Eight opposed the proposal and three supported it. The first day of the two-day hearing was in Dunedin on Thursday. . .

NZ 8th in world for media freedom

New Zealand has moved from 13th place to eighth for media freedom in a table complied by Reporters Without Borders.

 . . .The same three European countries that headed the index last year hold the top three positions again this year. For the third year running, Finland has distinguished itself as the country that most respects media freedom. It is followed by the Netherlands and Norway. Although many criteria are considered, ranging from legislation to violence against journalists, democratic countries occupy the top of the index while dictatorial countries occupy the last three positions. Again it is the same three as last year – Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea.

 

“The Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “In dictatorships, news providers and their families are exposed to ruthless reprisals, while in democracies news providers have to cope with the media’s economic crises and conflicts of interest. While their situation is not always comparable, we should pay tribute to all those who resist pressure whether it is aggressively focused or diffuse.” . . .

Rank	Country	Note	Differential
1	Finland	6,38	0 (1)
2	Netherlands	6,48	+1 (3)
3	Norway	6,52	-2 (1)
4	Luxembourg	6,68	+2 (6)
5	Andorra	6,82	–
6	Denmark	7,08	+4 (10)
7	Liechtenstein	7,35	–
8	New Zealand	8,38	+5 (13)
9	Iceland	8,49	-3 (6)
10	Sweden	9,23	+2 (12)
11	Estonia	9,26	-8 (3)
12	Austria	9,40	-7 (5)
13	Jamaica	9,88	+3 (16)
14	Switzerland	9,94	-6 (8)
15	Ireland	10,06	0 (15)
16	Czech Republic	10,17	-2 (14)
17	Germany	10,24	-1 (16)
18	Costa Rica	12,08	+1 (19)
19	Namibia	12,50	+1 (20)
20	Canada	12,69	-10 (10)
21	Belgium	12,94	-1 (20)
22	Poland	13,11	+2 (24)
23	Slovakia	13,25	+2 (25)
24	Cyprus	13,83	-8 (16)
25	Cape Verde	14,33	-16 (9)
26	Australia	15,24	+4 (30)
27	Uruguay	15,92	+5 (32)
28	Portugal	16,75	+5 (33)
29	United Kingdom	16,89	-1 (28)
30	Ghana	17,27	+11 (41)
31	Suriname	18,19	-9 (22)
32	United States	18,22	+15 (47)
33	Lithuania	18,24	-3 (30)
34	OECS	19,72	-9 (25)
35	Slovenia	20,49	+1 (36)
36	Spain	20,50	+3 (39)
37	France	21,60	+1 (38)
38	El Salvador	22,86	-1 (37)
39	Latvia	22,89	+11 (50)
40	Botswana	22,91	+2 (42)
41	Papua New Guinea	22,97	-6 (35)
42	Romania	23,05	+5 (47)
43	Niger	23,08	-14 (29)
44	Trinidad and Tobago	23,12	+6 (50)
45	Malta	23,30	+13 (58)
46	Burkina Faso	23,70	+22 (68)
47	Taiwan	23,82	-2 (45)
48	Samoa	23,84	+6 (54)
49	Haiti	24,09	+3 (52)
50	South Korea	24,48	-6 (44)
51	Comoros	24,52	-6 (45)
52	South Africa	24,56	-10 (42)
53	Japan	25,17	-31 (22)
54	Argentina	25,67	-7 (47)
55	Moldova	26,01	-2 (53)
56	Hungary	26,09	-16 (40)
57	Italy	26,11	+4 (61)
58	Hong Kong	26,16	-4 (54)
59	Senegal	26,19	+16 (75)
60	Chile	26,24	+20 (80)
61	Sierra Leone	26,35	+2 (63)
62	Mauritius	26,47	-8 (54)
63	Serbia	26,59	+17 (80)
64	Croatia	26,61	+4 (68)
65	Central African Republic	26,61	-3 (62)
66	Tonga	26,70	-3 (63)
67	Mauritania	26,76	0 (67)
68	Bosnia and Herzegovina	26,86	-10 (58)
69	Guyana	27,08	-11 (58)
70	Tanzania	27,34	-36 (34)
71	Kenya	27,80	+13 (84)
72	Zambia	27,93	+14 (86)
73	Mozambique	28,01	-7 (66)
74	Armenia	28,04	+3 (77)
75	Malawi	28,18	+71 (146)
76	Republic of the Congo	28,20	+14 (90)
77	Kuwait	28,28	+1 (78)
78	Nicaragua	28,31	-6 (72)
79	Benin	28,33	+12 (91)
80	Dominican Republic	28,34	+15 (95)
81	Lesotho	28,36	-18 (63)
82	Bhutan	28,42	-12 (70)
83	Togo	28,45	-4 (79)
84	Greece	28,46	-14 (70)
85	Kosovo	28,47	+1 (86)
86	Guinea	28,49	0 (86)
87	Bulgaria	28,58	-7 (80)
88	Madagascar	28,62	-4 (84)
89	Gabon	28,69	+12 (101)
90	East Timor	28,72	-4 (86)
91	Paraguay	28,78	-11 (80)
92	Guinea-Bissau	28,94	-17 (75)
93	Seychelles	29,19	-20 (73)
94	Northern Cyprus	29,34	+8 (102)
95	Guatemala	29,39	+2 (97)
96	Ivory Coast	29,77	+63 (159)
97	Liberia	29,89	+13 (110)
98	Mongolia	29,93	+2 (100)
99	Mali	30,03	-74 (25)
100	Georgia	30,09	+4 (104)
101	Lebanon	30,15	-8 (93)
102	Albania	30,88	-6 (96)
103	Maldives	31,10	-30 (73)
104	Uganda	31,69	+35 (139)
105	Peru	31,87	+10 (115)
106	Kyrgyzstan	32,20	+2 (108)
107	Fiji	32,69	+10 (117)
108	Brazil	32,75	-9 (99)
109	Bolivia	32,80	-1 (108)
110	Qatar	32,86	+4 (114)
111	Panama	32,95	+2 (113)
112	Israel	32,97	-20 (92)
113	Montenegro	32,97	-6 (107)
114	United Arab Emirates	33,49	-2 (112)
115	Nigeria	34,11	+11 (126)
116	Republic of Macedonia	34,27	-22 (94)
117	Venezuela	34,44	0 (117)
118	Nepal	34,61	-12 (106)
119	Ecuador	34,69	-15 (104)
120	Cameroon	34,78	-23 (97)
121	Chad	34,87	-18 (103)
122	Brunei	35,45	+3 (125)
123	Tajikistan	35,71	-1 (122)
124	South Sudan	36,20	-13 (111)
125	Algeria	36,54	-3 (122)
126	Ukraine	36,79	-10 (116)
127	Honduras	36,92	+8 (135)
128	Afghanistan	37,36	+22 (150)
129	Colombia	37,48	+14 (143)
130	Angola	37,80	+2 (132)
131	Libya	37,86	+23 (154)
132	Burundi	38,02	-2 (130)
133	Zimbabwe	38,12	-16 (117)
134	Jordan	38,47	-6 (128)
135	Thailand	38,60	+2 (137)
136	Morocco	39,04	+2 (138)
137	Ethiopia	39,57	-10 (127)
138	Tunisia	39,93	-4 (134)
139	Indonesia	41,05	+7 (146)
140	India	41,22	-9 (131)
141	Oman	41,51	-24 (117)
142	DR Congo	41,66	+3 (145)
143	Cambodia	41,81	-26 (117)
144	Bangladesh	42,01	-15 (129)
145	Malaysia	42,73	-23 (122)
146	Palestine	43,09	+7 (153)
147	Philippines	43,11	-7 (140)
148	Russia	43,42	-6 (142)
149	Singapore	43,43	-14 (135)
150	Iraq	44,67	+2 (152)
151	Burma	44,71	+18 (169)
152	Gambia	45,09	-11 (141)
153	Mexico	45,30	-4 (149)
154	Turkey	46,56	-6 (148)
155	Swaziland	46,76	-11 (144)
156	Azerbaijan	47,73	+6 (162)
157	Belarus	48,35	+11 (168)
158	Egypt	48,66	+8 (166)
159	Pakistan	51,31	-8 (151)
160	Kazakhstan	55,08	-6 (154)
161	Rwanda	55,46	-5 (156)
162	Sri Lanka	56,59	+1 (163)
163	Saudi Arabia	56,88	-5 (158)
164	Uzbekistan	60,39	-7 (157)
165	Bahrain	62,75	+8 (173)
166	Equatorial Guinea	67,20	-5 (161)
167	Djibouti	67,40	-8 (159)
168	Laos	67,99	-3 (165)
169	Yemen	69,22	+2 (171)
170	Sudan	70,06	0 (170)
171	Cuba	71,64	-4 (167)
172	Vietnam	71,78	0 (172)
173	China	73,07	+1 (174)
174	Iran	73,40	+1 (175)
175	Somalia	73,59	-11 (164)
176	Syria	78,53	0 (176)
177	Turkmenistan	79,14	0 (177)
178	North Korea	83,90	0 (178)
179	Eritrea	84,83	0 (179)

School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing lecturer Dr Cathy Strong describes New Zealand’s improved ranking as “good news” though she still urges vigilance.

Dr Strong, who, re-joined the University last year after three years teaching multi-media journalism in Dubai, says the ranking is well above the USA ranked 32nd, the UK ranked 29th and Australia ranked 26th.

“It is a case of use it or lose it. My experience working in the Middle East made it clear that many people don’t even know the concept of free media, so New Zealand should not be blasé about the treasure it has.” . . .

Dr Strong says New Zealand should be proud that it continually guards the right of journalists to have access to public information, especially as it is the public’s taxes that pay for the generation of this information.

“Every time someone uses the Official information Act to compel a local authority or government department to release facts and figures, it is another step to ensure media freedom.”

Upholding freedom for bloggers and social media is a “vexing problem” she says, as they should have freedom, but like journalists, they should exercise it with a sense of social responsibility. . .

The right to express views and disseminate information electronically carries with it the responsibility to do so fairly and honestly.

Rank	Country	Note	Differential
1	Finland	6,38	0 (1)
2	Netherlands	6,48	+1 (3)
3	Norway	6,52	-2 (1)
4	Luxembourg	6,68	+2 (6)
5	Andorra	6,82	–
6	Denmark	7,08	+4 (10)
7	Liechtenstein	7,35	–
8	New Zealand	8,38	+5 (13)
9	Iceland	8,49	-3 (6)
10	Sweden	9,23	+2 (12)
11	Estonia	9,26	-8 (3)
12	Austria	9,40	-7 (5)
13	Jamaica	9,88	+3 (16)
14	Switzerland	9,94	-6 (8)
15	Ireland	10,06	0 (15)
16	Czech Republic	10,17	-2 (14)
17	Germany	10,24	-1 (16)
18	Costa Rica	12,08	+1 (19)
19	Namibia	12,50	+1 (20)
20	Canada	12,69	-10 (10)
21	Belgium	12,94	-1 (20)
22	Poland	13,11	+2 (24)
23	Slovakia	13,25	+2 (25)
24	Cyprus	13,83	-8 (16)
25	Cape Verde	14,33	-16 (9)
26	Australia	15,24	+4 (30)
27	Uruguay	15,92	+5 (32)
28	Portugal	16,75	+5 (33)
29	United Kingdom	16,89	-1 (28)
30	Ghana	17,27	+11 (41)
31	Suriname	18,19	-9 (22)
32	United States	18,22	+15 (47)
33	Lithuania	18,24	-3 (30)
34	OECS	19,72	-9 (25)
35	Slovenia	20,49	+1 (36)
36	Spain	20,50	+3 (39)
37	France	21,60	+1 (38)
38	El Salvador	22,86	-1 (37)
39	Latvia	22,89	+11 (50)
40	Botswana	22,91	+2 (42)
41	Papua New Guinea	22,97	-6 (35)
42	Romania	23,05	+5 (47)
43	Niger	23,08	-14 (29)
44	Trinidad and Tobago	23,12	+6 (50)
45	Malta	23,30	+13 (58)
46	Burkina Faso	23,70	+22 (68)
47	Taiwan	23,82	-2 (45)
48	Samoa	23,84	+6 (54)
49	Haiti	24,09	+3 (52)
50	South Korea	24,48	-6 (44)
51	Comoros	24,52	-6 (45)
52	South Africa	24,56	-10 (42)
53	Japan	25,17	-31 (22)
54	Argentina	25,67	-7 (47)
55	Moldova	26,01	-2 (53)
56	Hungary	26,09	-16 (40)
57	Italy	26,11	+4 (61)
58	Hong Kong	26,16	-4 (54)
59	Senegal	26,19	+16 (75)
60	Chile	26,24	+20 (80)
61	Sierra Leone	26,35	+2 (63)
62	Mauritius	26,47	-8 (54)
63	Serbia	26,59	+17 (80)
64	Croatia	26,61	+4 (68)
65	Central African Republic	26,61	-3 (62)
66	Tonga	26,70	-3 (63)
67	Mauritania	26,76	0 (67)
68	Bosnia and Herzegovina	26,86	-10 (58)
69	Guyana	27,08	-11 (58)
70	Tanzania	27,34	-36 (34)
71	Kenya	27,80	+13 (84)
72	Zambia	27,93	+14 (86)
73	Mozambique	28,01	-7 (66)
74	Armenia	28,04	+3 (77)
75	Malawi	28,18	+71 (146)
76	Republic of the Congo	28,20	+14 (90)
77	Kuwait	28,28	+1 (78)
78	Nicaragua	28,31	-6 (72)
79	Benin	28,33	+12 (91)
80	Dominican Republic	28,34	+15 (95)
81	Lesotho	28,36	-18 (63)
82	Bhutan	28,42	-12 (70)
83	Togo	28,45	-4 (79)
84	Greece	28,46	-14 (70)
85	Kosovo	28,47	+1 (86)
86	Guinea	28,49	0 (86)
87	Bulgaria	28,58	-7 (80)
88	Madagascar	28,62	-4 (84)
89	Gabon	28,69	+12 (101)
90	East Timor	28,72	-4 (86)
91	Paraguay	28,78	-11 (80)
92	Guinea-Bissau	28,94	-17 (75)
93	Seychelles	29,19	-20 (73)
94	Northern Cyprus	29,34	+8 (102)
95	Guatemala	29,39	+2 (97)
96	Ivory Coast	29,77	+63 (159)
97	Liberia	29,89	+13 (110)
98	Mongolia	29,93	+2 (100)
99	Mali	30,03	-74 (25)
100	Georgia	30,09	+4 (104)
101	Lebanon	30,15	-8 (93)
102	Albania	30,88	-6 (96)
103	Maldives	31,10	-30 (73)
104	Uganda	31,69	+35 (139)
105	Peru	31,87	+10 (115)
106	Kyrgyzstan	32,20	+2 (108)
107	Fiji	32,69	+10 (117)
108	Brazil	32,75	-9 (99)
109	Bolivia	32,80	-1 (108)
110	Qatar	32,86	+4 (114)
111	Panama	32,95	+2 (113)
112	Israel	32,97	-20 (92)
113	Montenegro	32,97	-6 (107)
114	United Arab Emirates	33,49	-2 (112)
115	Nigeria	34,11	+11 (126)
116	Republic of Macedonia	34,27	-22 (94)
117	Venezuela	34,44	0 (117)
118	Nepal	34,61	-12 (106)
119	Ecuador	34,69	-15 (104)
120	Cameroon	34,78	-23 (97)
121	Chad	34,87	-18 (103)
122	Brunei	35,45	+3 (125)
123	Tajikistan	35,71	-1 (122)
124	South Sudan	36,20	-13 (111)
125	Algeria	36,54	-3 (122)
126	Ukraine	36,79	-10 (116)
127	Honduras	36,92	+8 (135)
128	Afghanistan	37,36	+22 (150)
129	Colombia	37,48	+14 (143)
130	Angola	37,80	+2 (132)
131	Libya	37,86	+23 (154)
132	Burundi	38,02	-2 (130)
133	Zimbabwe	38,12	-16 (117)
134	Jordan	38,47	-6 (128)
135	Thailand	38,60	+2 (137)
136	Morocco	39,04	+2 (138)
137	Ethiopia	39,57	-10 (127)
138	Tunisia	39,93	-4 (134)
139	Indonesia	41,05	+7 (146)
140	India	41,22	-9 (131)
141	Oman	41,51	-24 (117)
142	DR Congo	41,66	+3 (145)
143	Cambodia	41,81	-26 (117)
144	Bangladesh	42,01	-15 (129)
145	Malaysia	42,73	-23 (122)
146	Palestine	43,09	+7 (153)
147	Philippines	43,11	-7 (140)
148	Russia	43,42	-6 (142)
149	Singapore	43,43	-14 (135)
150	Iraq	44,67	+2 (152)
151	Burma	44,71	+18 (169)
152	Gambia	45,09	-11 (141)
153	Mexico	45,30	-4 (149)
154	Turkey	46,56	-6 (148)
155	Swaziland	46,76	-11 (144)
156	Azerbaijan	47,73	+6 (162)
157	Belarus	48,35	+11 (168)
158	Egypt	48,66	+8 (166)
159	Pakistan	51,31	-8 (151)
160	Kazakhstan	55,08	-6 (154)
161	Rwanda	55,46	-5 (156)
162	Sri Lanka	56,59	+1 (163)
163	Saudi Arabia	56,88	-5 (158)
164	Uzbekistan	60,39	-7 (157)
165	Bahrain	62,75	+8 (173)
166	Equatorial Guinea	67,20	-5 (161)
167	Djibouti	67,40	-8 (159)
168	Laos	67,99	-3 (165)
169	Yemen	69,22	+2 (171)
170	Sudan	70,06	0 (170)
171	Cuba	71,64	-4 (167)
172	Vietnam	71,78	0 (172)
173	China	73,07	+1 (174)
174	Iran	73,40	+1 (175)
175	Somalia	73,59	-11 (164)
176	Syria	78,53	0 (176)
177	Turkmenistan	79,14	0 (177)
178	North Korea	83,90	0 (178)
179	Eritrea	84,83	0 (179)

Sportsmanship

Any news of cheating or poor sportsmanship travels quickly.

This story of good sportsmanship and the honesty of a long distance runner is only getting traction through social media more than two months after it happened:

. . . on December 2, Spanish athlete Iván Fernández Anaya was competing in a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre. He was running second, some distance behind race leader Abel Mutai – bronze medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the London Olympics. As they entered the finishing straight, he saw the Kenyan runner – the certain winner of the race – mistakenly pull up about 10 meters before the finish, thinking he had already crossed the line.

Fernández Anaya quickly caught up with him, but instead of exploiting Mutai’s mistake to speed past and claim an unlikely victory, he stayed behind and, using gestures, guided the Kenyan to the line and let him cross first.

“I didn’t deserve to win it,” says 24-year-old Fernández Anaya. “I did what I had to do. He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn’t have closed if he hadn’t made a mistake. As soon as I saw he was stopping, I knew I wasn’t going to pass him.” . . .

Isn’t it heart warming to know that winning at all costs isn’t what counts and doing the right thing still matters?

 

$NZ slightly under-valued on Big Mac Index

The value of the New Zealand dollar is making business more difficult for exporters.

Government critics say it is too high, and the government should do something.

But is it too high?

The Economist’s Big Mac Index doesn’t think so.

The Index compares the cost of McDonald’s signature burger in the US to its price in other countries.

If a Big Mac costs more in your country than the US, your currency is overvalued. A cheaper burger indicates its undervalued.

“It is based on the theory of purchasing-power parity (PPP), the notion that in the long run exchange rates should move towards the rate that would equalise the prices of an identical basket of goods and services (in this case, a burger) in any two countries,” the publication explains.

The Economist reports a Big Mac costs $US4.37 in the US and $US4.32 in NZ – meaning the Kiwi is just 1% undervalued, and one of only a handful of surveyed currencies that is fairly valued. . .

Those saying the dollar is over-valued have yet to come up with a definitive answer to the question of what the right value should be.

They also ignore the benefits of a higher dollar –  imports are less expensive and interest rates lower.

People who are unhappy with the higher dollar would almost certainly be just as unhappy with higher prices for fuel, medicines, machinery  . . . and higher interest rates.

Shearer wants hands-on our money

David Shearer is trying to convince us we’d be better with a more hands-on government.

What he means is he wants his hands on more of our money to redistribute in ways that will help some at the cost of many.

The some he helps won’t necessarily be those in need and the many it costs won’t only be those who can afford it.

He doesn’t back up his desire for a more hands-on approach with facts, possibly because, the facts wouldn’t back him up.

Hands-on economies are struggling and countries which have weathered the global financial crisis better, are those which have a less hands-on approach.

The countries that best weathered the crisis were exactly those that have followed the so-called neoliberal agenda.

According to the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom, the world’s six freest economies are Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Canada (see table).

These six have avoided anything like the deep and prolonged recessions of more interventionist countries.

The IMF continues to forecast higher growth for the six than for countries further down the freedom list.

Even more important, both unemployment and youth unemployment are lower in the more free-market economies.

“Hand’s-on” countries like Sweden seem unable to design an economic system that avoids a quarter of their young people being unemployed.  In the six freest economies, youth unemployment is half socialist Europe’s. . . 

New Zealand’s youth unemployment is higher than it was because of a left-wing hands-on approach, the removal of the youth wage.

. . . Still, Mr Shearer has done us a favour by launching a “hands-on / hands-off” debate.

It highlights the risks of departing from successful free-market economics towards the kind of EU-style interventionism first begun by Jim Anderton and continued ever since.

We have  clear choice.

There’s the hands-on our money approach of David Shearerpisos and Labour’s potential coalition partners.

Or the more moderate approach of National and its allies which prefer to address the barriers to growth and employment then allow people to get on with their lives and businesses.

Sunday soapbox

Sunday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation.

You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, to muse or amuse.