How to reverse NZ's economic decline (27 November 2011)

Kiwi business figures have unveiled a blueprint for the future.

Auckland University's latest Business Review publication is dedicated to initiatives that could address New Zealand's economic decline.

It discusses rebranding after the decade-long "100% Pure" campaign, cashing in on the country's "remoteness", and debates mining a range of minerals.

Contributors include global Saatchi & Saatchi boss Kevin Roberts, Auckland and Waitemata health boards chairman Lester Levy, brand expert Rahul Sharma, and a host of respected academics.

Roberts - the honorary professor of innovation and creativity at the university's business school - wrote in Living at the Edge that as New Zealand was "far from global centres, the country is paradoxically well-placed to be a hotbed of world-changing ideas".

The New York-based businessman said New Zealand's external debt was "dangerously high" and Kiwis were "chronically under-saved". He proposed a five-point framework for improving that, including enhanced trade links with Asia, increasing our promotional spend offshore, celebrating winners, and encouraging government departments to adopt 100-day planning cycles and publish targets to encourage transparency.

Roberts reiterated his view that New Zealand should loosen its immigration rules to allow the population to expand by one million people.

"We don't mind sharing our land with more than five million belching, excreting cows and 30-odd million sheep, but we are less happy about welcoming more people," he wrote.

On his own online blog, Roberts said of the university's publication: "The writing cast is a sharp ensemble of academics; total reading time a tight 59 minutes; potential value if implemented with abandon: immense."

In a chapter called Managing Mineral Resources it is argued that tapping into New Zealand's mineral wealth would "take more than oil rigs and earthmovers". The section is co-written by senior professor of energy and resource economics Basil Sharp and Chye-Ching Huang, of the business school's department of commercial law.

Although an increase in mining would financially benefit the country, the pair said "minimising adverse environmental impacts" was imperative before further consents were granted.

Their conclusion stated: "Mineral resources alone will not reverse New Zealand's economic decline, but new technologies, increased demand and scarcity are boosting their earnings potential.

"Policy models must be developed that enable the country to benefit from mineral resources, including a push to create industries and jobs higher up the value chain.

"Emerging technologies are crucial to the environmentally sound extraction of minerals and are likely to increase the worth of some, such as Southland lignite."

Another chapter, Flight of the Kiwi, looks at the high number of Kiwis who work overseas, which sees up to a fifth of New Zealanders living offshore at any one time.

Written by academics Kerr Inkson and Kaye Thorn, the section argues: "The country doesn't have a 'brain drain', its overseas workforce is a potential source of competitive advantage."

Instead, the authors said, the "OE" was potentially a good thing, both for the country and for the travellers.

"Global mobility enriches New Zealand's talent pool by building 'career capital' in the form of motivations, skills and network connections. Highly skilled returnees need to be employed in ways that harness the benefits of their travels - and those may justify extra pay." Sunday Star Times

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Shock over low tally of refugees (23 October 2011)

Refugees are missing out on hundreds of places in New Zealand as the government regularly fails to meet its 750-person annual quota.

The target has been met just once in the past six years, figures released under the Official Information Act reveal.

NZ Refugee Council president Dr Nagalingam Rasalingam said he was "completely shocked" to hear the country often accepts fewer than 750 refugees each year.

New Zealand offered protection for refugees often traumatised by their past experiences, he said.

However, Immigration NZ has defended the low numbers.

The government's agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees allowed the 750-quota to drop to as low as 675 or as high as 825.

New Zealand often falls closer to the minimum mark – and has not once gone over the quota in the past six years.

The regular shortfall amounted to 327 refugees spots that went unfilled in New Zealand between 2005 and 2011.

Refugee Services chief executive Heather Hayden said Immigration NZ did not deliberately let in fewer refugees.

Often those people accepted for refugee status in New Zealand drop out at the last-minute due to circumstances outside their control, she said.

"Sometimes travel arrangements can't be made or there is a hitch in medical clearance. There is a constant juggle of getting the right number."

Bumping up numbers in the next refugee intake would only put undue pressure on housing and settlement services, she said.

New Zealand is one of nine countries that accommodates the bulk of refugees.

Immigration NZ general manager Stephen Dunstan said New Zealand's Refugee Quota of 750 is high relative to our population.

"There are various complicating factors that can impact on the numbers of refugees resettled in each Refugee Quota."

Health problems, such as tuberculosis, travel permits and the difficulty in getting flights can all impact the number of arriving refugees.

Factors in New Zealand can also bring the numbers down. Just 527 refugees arrived in the last financial year due to the Canterbury earthquakes. The UNHCR agreed to the lower number as emergency housing and support services were diverted to the victims of the quakes.

The government announced this year it would introduce a three-year rolling quota of refugees, so the total quota could be spread. Hayden said this would allow for better planning.

World-wide there are about 14 million recognised refugees but less than 1% are offered resettlement to a third country. Sunday Star Times

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