Present perfect, progressive future
Looking into the future of our current government, let us round-up the promises and rein-in the surprises in the next three years
Disclaimer
Reforms or the impact of changes brought in by governmental policies can be measured or manifested only over the span of a decade or more. Three years are too less a time to arrive at conclusive statements.
The present
The two main elements that work in favour of the current government led by Prime Minister John Key: firstly, for the first time in about 20 years a government has come to power with an almost majority; secondly, the same government continues to be in power for the third consecutive term.
Both of these factors together make for a strong and stable government. It gives them immense potential to implement changes than any other government could achieve in the recent past. Being able to continue with the same policies for almost a decade strengthens the implementation of those decisions. Even though there might be dissention, stable policies bring stability to the nation. There will be few surprises for the people to deal with.
Key has already warned his elected colleagues against complacency. The entire Cabinet of ministers who have been allotted their portfolios have a legacy to uphold – a legacy of policies for which the government will be known by and revered for, irrespective of their political affiliations.
As such, there is little doubt that the current government will jeopardise this hard-earned position. And that’s the hope we live for.
Room for improvement
New Zealand has a geographical advantage in relation to all its island neighbours in South Pacific region. The current government should ensure policies that make the most of it, over other competitors. Kiwis share cultural ties with their South Pacific brethren, which helps empathise with their neighbours. Foreign investors will find this barrier difficult to overcome.
The government also needs to increase its funding for tertiary education. Else, the local skills will continue to look for opportunities outside of the country. The consequent brain-drain is not going to help the economy. There is need for investment in research and development, and not rely on the US to come up with innovations. The national government potentially has a key role to play in shaping policy-decisions to cater to this gap.
Broadly speaking, the country needs to look beyond its agricultural and farming industries for long-term returns. Any investment in technological, transport and supportive infrastructural industries will be a legacy the government will be reckoned with.
The future
If we look back in history, Aotearoa is primarily an immigrant country and its economy is shaped by migrant investments. Many of these migrants, over the course of years, have made New Zealand their home.
The British arrived on this land about 250 years ago. But, in more recent times, it is the Chinese and Indian migrants who are the dominant migrant communities here. Key’s government needs to come up with policy-decisions that would not only involve the migrants but also continue to attract skilled migrants to the shores of this island nation.
Some of the time-tested means to achieve this is by concentrating on the following industries:
Education – Attracting skilled migrants through quality education comes with a lot of promise. But these students need to be given opportunities to continue living in the country. Otherwise, it leads to brain drain, which is quite rampant at present.
Trade – Forging trade relationships with the home countries of the migrant community, helps the migrant settle down in their new-found home. The trade relations manifest at mass level in the form of local stores and cultural exchange between the two countries, giving the migrant an option to find familiar and comfortable surroundings to settle in.
Immigration – Key’s government can perhaps iron up the recent hiccups with regard to immigration laws. Making them clearer and transparent can keep the confusions at bay.
Housing – Adequate housing facilities can bring down the unrealistic price of properties. With the current rate of employment, young Kiwis will seldom find the financial means to buy their first property. That’s a crucial area for improvement.
That apart, for its existing residents and citizens, the government will have improved policies and increased investments on – the welfare system (to minimise abuse), make health facilities more affordable and convenient, and ensure eco-friendly measures to maximise natural energy resources.
Of course, three years of tenure of the current government will not be enough to notice the changes.
Ethnic ties
Indians are the second largest migrant community in New Zealand. It will work in favour of the government to develop a relationship with Kiwi-Indians who can, in return, forge ties with the Indians back in India. What helps is that the current government in India is extremely trade-friendly. Working towards a Free Trade Agreement with the Indian government will be promising.
This will not only make the Kiwi-Indians feel valued on this land, but also boost the economic development of the nation as well as attract quality immigrants to its shore.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is diaspora-friendly, as was evident from his Madison Square Garden speech in the US, where he promised all Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders a life-time visa. This means India will engage with its diaspora in NZ constructively and productively.
It’s unfortunate that Modi will be in Australia in a few days time, followed by a trip to Fiji, bypassing New Zealand on his way. It is an opportunity lost.
More representation of the community through Members of Parliament, something that 2014 elections have successfully achieved, is another factor that can work in the favour of the government. It represents increased interest and involvement of Kiwi-Indians in policy-making at governmental level.
This also represents a new-found interest in politics among the migrant community. But, of course, this interest is limited to the settled segment of the Kiwi-Indian community who have already established themselves in the new land.
If these representatives manage to communicate well with their community brethren, the possibilities for the government to harness resources among this hard-working community will be immense. And that is a potential as yet untapped. In return, this will not only strengthen trade and economy of the country, but also increase support for the government in power.
Let us look at some statistics. Kiwi-Indians, the second largest Asian ethnicity, form five per cent of the national population, but contribute almost eight per cent to the country’s economy. The current population of Indians in New Zealand stands at 1,55,000. Hindi is the fourth most spoken language after English, Maori and Samoan. Needless to mention, Indian takeaways, restaurants and spice stores are very popular among the local people. The presence of the community is felt in business, medicine, engineering, information and technology, small business owners, art and culture.
The present composition of the government shows that Kiwi-Indians are ready to transfer their professional success to political representation. This can be harnessed via trade relations between the two countries. New Zealand as a country has to improve its exports ratio, which is currently half of its neighbour, Australia (after accounting for the size of the economies). The current government’s vision is to double exports and increase the ratio of exports to GDP from 30 per cent to 40 per cent by 2025. Forging economic ties with India will help further this mission.
The icing on the cake is perhaps the fact that a strong and stable Prime Ministerial tenure of Key overlaps with the tenure of an equally trade-friendly Prime Minster in India. Thus said, bilateral relations can only improve under the Key-Modi partnership.
Looking into the future of our current government, let us round-up the promises and rein-in the surprises in the next three years Disclaimer
Reforms or the impact of changes brought in by governmental policies can be measured or manifested only over the span of a decade or more. Three years are...
Looking into the future of our current government, let us round-up the promises and rein-in the surprises in the next three years
Disclaimer
Reforms or the impact of changes brought in by governmental policies can be measured or manifested only over the span of a decade or more. Three years are too less a time to arrive at conclusive statements.
The present
The two main elements that work in favour of the current government led by Prime Minister John Key: firstly, for the first time in about 20 years a government has come to power with an almost majority; secondly, the same government continues to be in power for the third consecutive term.
Both of these factors together make for a strong and stable government. It gives them immense potential to implement changes than any other government could achieve in the recent past. Being able to continue with the same policies for almost a decade strengthens the implementation of those decisions. Even though there might be dissention, stable policies bring stability to the nation. There will be few surprises for the people to deal with.
Key has already warned his elected colleagues against complacency. The entire Cabinet of ministers who have been allotted their portfolios have a legacy to uphold – a legacy of policies for which the government will be known by and revered for, irrespective of their political affiliations.
As such, there is little doubt that the current government will jeopardise this hard-earned position. And that’s the hope we live for.
Room for improvement
New Zealand has a geographical advantage in relation to all its island neighbours in South Pacific region. The current government should ensure policies that make the most of it, over other competitors. Kiwis share cultural ties with their South Pacific brethren, which helps empathise with their neighbours. Foreign investors will find this barrier difficult to overcome.
The government also needs to increase its funding for tertiary education. Else, the local skills will continue to look for opportunities outside of the country. The consequent brain-drain is not going to help the economy. There is need for investment in research and development, and not rely on the US to come up with innovations. The national government potentially has a key role to play in shaping policy-decisions to cater to this gap.
Broadly speaking, the country needs to look beyond its agricultural and farming industries for long-term returns. Any investment in technological, transport and supportive infrastructural industries will be a legacy the government will be reckoned with.
The future
If we look back in history, Aotearoa is primarily an immigrant country and its economy is shaped by migrant investments. Many of these migrants, over the course of years, have made New Zealand their home.
The British arrived on this land about 250 years ago. But, in more recent times, it is the Chinese and Indian migrants who are the dominant migrant communities here. Key’s government needs to come up with policy-decisions that would not only involve the migrants but also continue to attract skilled migrants to the shores of this island nation.
Some of the time-tested means to achieve this is by concentrating on the following industries:
Education – Attracting skilled migrants through quality education comes with a lot of promise. But these students need to be given opportunities to continue living in the country. Otherwise, it leads to brain drain, which is quite rampant at present.
Trade – Forging trade relationships with the home countries of the migrant community, helps the migrant settle down in their new-found home. The trade relations manifest at mass level in the form of local stores and cultural exchange between the two countries, giving the migrant an option to find familiar and comfortable surroundings to settle in.
Immigration – Key’s government can perhaps iron up the recent hiccups with regard to immigration laws. Making them clearer and transparent can keep the confusions at bay.
Housing – Adequate housing facilities can bring down the unrealistic price of properties. With the current rate of employment, young Kiwis will seldom find the financial means to buy their first property. That’s a crucial area for improvement.
That apart, for its existing residents and citizens, the government will have improved policies and increased investments on – the welfare system (to minimise abuse), make health facilities more affordable and convenient, and ensure eco-friendly measures to maximise natural energy resources.
Of course, three years of tenure of the current government will not be enough to notice the changes.
Ethnic ties
Indians are the second largest migrant community in New Zealand. It will work in favour of the government to develop a relationship with Kiwi-Indians who can, in return, forge ties with the Indians back in India. What helps is that the current government in India is extremely trade-friendly. Working towards a Free Trade Agreement with the Indian government will be promising.
This will not only make the Kiwi-Indians feel valued on this land, but also boost the economic development of the nation as well as attract quality immigrants to its shore.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is diaspora-friendly, as was evident from his Madison Square Garden speech in the US, where he promised all Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders a life-time visa. This means India will engage with its diaspora in NZ constructively and productively.
It’s unfortunate that Modi will be in Australia in a few days time, followed by a trip to Fiji, bypassing New Zealand on his way. It is an opportunity lost.
More representation of the community through Members of Parliament, something that 2014 elections have successfully achieved, is another factor that can work in the favour of the government. It represents increased interest and involvement of Kiwi-Indians in policy-making at governmental level.
This also represents a new-found interest in politics among the migrant community. But, of course, this interest is limited to the settled segment of the Kiwi-Indian community who have already established themselves in the new land.
If these representatives manage to communicate well with their community brethren, the possibilities for the government to harness resources among this hard-working community will be immense. And that is a potential as yet untapped. In return, this will not only strengthen trade and economy of the country, but also increase support for the government in power.
Let us look at some statistics. Kiwi-Indians, the second largest Asian ethnicity, form five per cent of the national population, but contribute almost eight per cent to the country’s economy. The current population of Indians in New Zealand stands at 1,55,000. Hindi is the fourth most spoken language after English, Maori and Samoan. Needless to mention, Indian takeaways, restaurants and spice stores are very popular among the local people. The presence of the community is felt in business, medicine, engineering, information and technology, small business owners, art and culture.
The present composition of the government shows that Kiwi-Indians are ready to transfer their professional success to political representation. This can be harnessed via trade relations between the two countries. New Zealand as a country has to improve its exports ratio, which is currently half of its neighbour, Australia (after accounting for the size of the economies). The current government’s vision is to double exports and increase the ratio of exports to GDP from 30 per cent to 40 per cent by 2025. Forging economic ties with India will help further this mission.
The icing on the cake is perhaps the fact that a strong and stable Prime Ministerial tenure of Key overlaps with the tenure of an equally trade-friendly Prime Minster in India. Thus said, bilateral relations can only improve under the Key-Modi partnership.
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