Mike Hosking: Michael Wood is the biggest danger to our economy

With the news that the Government are yet again messing with immigration settings and partners are now no longer allowed an open visa unless you are on the famed, but hopelessly inadequate, green list - let me ask you this question.

Who is doing the most damage to the economy?

Is it Grant Robertson with the printing, spending, cost of living crisis and upcoming recession?

Or is it Michael Wood with his refusal to supply the country with an amount of labour to actually meet demand?

One sort of leads into another but I'd argue Wood is your number one danger based on the fact that Robertson has a pile of balls in the air.

As badly as they have cocked up the economy there are a tremendous number of variables at play

Whereas in immigration it's clean and clear cut - you choose what sort of visas you offer and you choose the number of people you allow in on those visas.

The only possible issue beyond your control is demand. If no one wants to take you up on your offer, short of going out and spruiking your credentials, you kind of have what you have.

That would not appear to be our issue.

Our issue appears to be an astonishing refusal to offer a solution, when a solution is so easily and readily available.

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Is it pig headedness that prevents him moving? He throws $60 million at bus drivers and yet doesn’t let more bus drivers in.

He argues as to whether we have a nursing shortage, given he thinks nurses are coming into the country in the numbers we need, when they are not.

What makes it really maddening is he says he is listening, when he isn't.

I still don’t see a single sector that says "thank god for that, our labour issue is solved".

Even the RSE part, which they have moved on, isn't solved.

The processing is an issue, the accreditation is an issue, the fees are an issue, the wage levels are an issue and the criteria is an issue.

I have yet to find a single person who argues any aspect of this is working.

What I pray for is a David Clark type revelation. Remember Clark and his CCCFA lending debacle?

To his credit, he eventually backed down and said 'I got it wrong, we'll do it again'.

And he did. It's still not sorted properly but at least he tried.

Wood isn't even trying.

So surely in the end of year prize for the minister who did his worst and provided the most damage to New Zealand Inc, no one has beaten Michael Phillip Wood of Mt Roskill.

Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.