Alistair Boyce: Open Letter to CEO’s and Industry Leaders

Be brave and true in the face of absolute and ideological government

The private sector is facing the biggest assault from central and local government in living history.

It is now a constant that business, on the back of footing the bill directed by the government response to COVID is now to be the instrument of State to front the fight on equality and climate change. The free market led mixed economy that has provided decades of economic expansion and derivative wealth is fast becoming a command economy. This is the antithesis of your role as business leaders fronting competitive organizations driving profit, productivity and economic growth.

A new era of equal outcomes is dominating the territory previously held by promotion of ability. The State is no longer satisfied by a primary role of providing an even playing field and equality of opportunity. The face of business is now deemed more important than its substance. Business now carries the burden of social and economic engineering dangerously shifting to being an arm of the State, under the realm of this government.

Small business is taking the street assault of being ignored and condemned to irrelevancy in the face of a burgeoning State sector that behaves in practice like a bourgeoisie. At this point government’s policies, actions and inactions are tantamount to state sponsored destruction of small business. Medium business logically follows to be controlled and constrained by a tight umbrella of State coercion. Endless equity and credit is required merely to stay in the game. The alternative becomes feeding off the State, eroding taxpayers’ dollars into a myopic void.

CEO’s and industry leaders are the commercial face underpinning engagement with the government and need to be empowered to stand up for the values that underpin economic growth. A strong free market liberal democracy is vital. By acquiescing to the ideological assault vulnerable small and medium business becomes gradually condemned to economic starvation. Ultimately the State inherits what’s left of productive capacities and then reconnects it with remaining economic expertise to rescue the inevitably failing experiment. The proliferation of business consultants is needed to bandage and artificially extend the compacting economic tumult.

Do not acquiesce. Be honest and lead the path to a productive growing economy based on New Zealand’s business led multiplier that drives our cities, towns and rural economies. Business of all sizes need the policies of practical reality and an even playing field to have a stable future. Say no to the coerced ‘Fair Pay Agreements’, ‘Emissions Trading Scheme’ and ‘National Income Insurance Scheme’ at every point. Do not allow dilution or negotiated compromise on obviously flawed legislation.

Changing or shaping by coalescing with government and State sector is short term expediency. Bold opposition is required followed by real change in government.

Your interactions externally and internally lead and shape business hegemony of the socio economy. Power lies with you if you maintain the truth of your domain and your pivotal role in it. Your organisation and people crave leadership and legitimisation of their productive role as opposed to a spurious State demanded ideological outcome.

Totalitarian centralized government is at odds with the sprawling socio economic reality of New Zealand’s sparsely populated country. The government sector needs to listen, learn and support the business environment to a goal of equitable growth based on ability, innovation, persistence and entrepreneurship. The low bar of satisfying perceived social equity is stifling confidence and growth.

At some point ineffective lobbying has to turn to outright condemnation.

I challenge and implore you-do not accept the false god of State domination on the back of climate change ideology to minimise and demonise your primary purpose. Any perceived threat to social license is ideologically driven by the State and media as opposed to socio-economic reality.

Please be proud of the economic growth achieved through the thrust of free market liberal democracy and demand it’s primacy. It has achieved growing measures of wealth and derivative independence for the marginalised and oppressed faster and more permanently than State interventions. Global economic growth and productivity has and will allow freedom and equality of opportunity. The market can be the natural curb to climate change albeit only in developed economies. Do not be embarrassed by these principles and this identity.

True leadership requires risk. In this case risk anchored on belief, knowledge and experience. So confidently stand up for the hegemony of the free market. Consequences are inconsequential to the outcome of greater good. You can afford the risk. Be brave.

I realize this letter can be easily dismissed but if you take your role seriously as a leader of your organisation and New Zealand’s economy you will take this political treatise seriously as a theoretical pressure and empowerment to be better than you know. Necessarily a betterment for all.

Only if you are entrenched in an ideological approach and framework that is alien to your fundamental purpose will you dismiss this as merely rhetoric. Remember you lead the kaleidoscope of creative innovation and knowledge that excites the imagination of society. This is something the State cannot achieve. The State can inhibit what you do best or encourage and promote it within the bounds of civil society, allowing creation of wealth. The State should concentrate on providing a fundamental equality of opportunity for all in equal measure.   

Do not compromise to maintain spurious power within the State machine. Work to drive, control and shape the machine positively forward to drive growth and profit. Your independent spirit and resolve will earn respect as the protectorate of economic freedoms.

This government’s failure to listen, communicate and negotiate in good faith has already resulted in the unseemly mess of the occupation protest. Coupled with the unannounced policy of ‘work from home’, social housing and ideological local government ‘green policy’ we witness the growing disintegration of Wellington’s CBD socio economy. That is a precursor of what is to come if more totalitarian and ideological policies are fully progressed on the back of climate change emergency. Preserve stable Liberal Democracy at all costs. Our future depends on this as opposed to marginalising and alienating segments of society and economy through overt State expansion and centralisation.

If business has to continue operating on its knees it is half dead already.

Embrace your knowledge, ability and experience, stay true to business ideals and boldly engage with the State and government.

Alistair (Boycie) Boyce is the longstanding publican and chef of The Backbencher Gastropub who until recently specialised in political satire. Then the 6th Labour government came along and things got serious. Voices needed to be heard and Boycie was thrust into the public spotlight with the occupation protest. Alistair Boyce stands up for small business and sensible centre right politics.