Their logic is impeccable. After all, what sort of country would we become if we fulfilled our potential? Tourism might recover. That would mean unwanted jobs and business opportunities. Foreign investment would risk modernising our infrastructure. Our mineral wealth might promote prosperity instead of sitting safely underground where it belongs.
The anti-mining brigade has taken this protective stance to heart. “We’re struggling economically, and our young people are leaving for Australia,” they observe without apparent irony. Yet they steadfastly oppose attempts to develop the resources that might give those young people reasons to stay.
The Eden Park resistance movement is particularly inspiring. They wage a tireless campaign against occasional concerts. Their success ensures Auckland maintains its enviable position. We are a city where fans must fly overseas for entertainment. Never mind their carbon emissions.
Environmental advocates have helpfully warned us that economic development might lead to development. Their solution? Just stop developing. It has the compelling simplicity of a flat-earth theory. Who needs prosperity when you can have poverty with principles?
Perhaps the most impressive contribution comes from those warning about foreign investment. They worry that foreign investment might disturb our carefully cultivated economic isolation. Better to maintain our pure, investment-free environment. Why risk following Ireland’s path to higher living standards? After all, it’s not as if we need the hospitals, schools and infrastructure all that extra revenue could help build.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of objectors, New Zealand maintains its comfortable position behind Australia in most economic metrics. Indeed, our “can’t do, won’t grow” mindset has become our most successful export. That’s mainly because it keeps encouraging our young people to leave.
The crowning achievement of those resisting growth is reframing economic stagnation as a virtue. New Zealand’s growing exodus of talent isn’t a crisis - it’s a carbon reduction strategy. Our declining productivity isn’t an economic failure - it’s a bold stance against materialism.
At least we can take comfort in one thing: while other nations foolishly chase economic success, New Zealand has mastered the far more sophisticated art of managed decline. One might even say it’s our most sustainable industry.
Roger Partridge is chairman and a co-founder of The New Zealand Initiative and is a senior member of its research team. He led law firm Bell Gully as executive chairman from 2007 to 2014. This article was first published HERE
The anti-mining brigade has taken this protective stance to heart. “We’re struggling economically, and our young people are leaving for Australia,” they observe without apparent irony. Yet they steadfastly oppose attempts to develop the resources that might give those young people reasons to stay.
The Eden Park resistance movement is particularly inspiring. They wage a tireless campaign against occasional concerts. Their success ensures Auckland maintains its enviable position. We are a city where fans must fly overseas for entertainment. Never mind their carbon emissions.
Environmental advocates have helpfully warned us that economic development might lead to development. Their solution? Just stop developing. It has the compelling simplicity of a flat-earth theory. Who needs prosperity when you can have poverty with principles?
Perhaps the most impressive contribution comes from those warning about foreign investment. They worry that foreign investment might disturb our carefully cultivated economic isolation. Better to maintain our pure, investment-free environment. Why risk following Ireland’s path to higher living standards? After all, it’s not as if we need the hospitals, schools and infrastructure all that extra revenue could help build.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of objectors, New Zealand maintains its comfortable position behind Australia in most economic metrics. Indeed, our “can’t do, won’t grow” mindset has become our most successful export. That’s mainly because it keeps encouraging our young people to leave.
The crowning achievement of those resisting growth is reframing economic stagnation as a virtue. New Zealand’s growing exodus of talent isn’t a crisis - it’s a carbon reduction strategy. Our declining productivity isn’t an economic failure - it’s a bold stance against materialism.
At least we can take comfort in one thing: while other nations foolishly chase economic success, New Zealand has mastered the far more sophisticated art of managed decline. One might even say it’s our most sustainable industry.
Roger Partridge is chairman and a co-founder of The New Zealand Initiative and is a senior member of its research team. He led law firm Bell Gully as executive chairman from 2007 to 2014. This article was first published HERE
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