“In the space of just one generation, we have descended from developed to deadbeat.”

Continuing in our series of blogs on the topic of what Kiwis say about New Zealand.

A reader sent us a link to this article, it was written by *Michael Laws. It’s about his views on the forthcoming budget and how that will impact on New Zealand.

Within it is a litany of issues that afflict New Zealand and the struggle it faces to maintain its first world aspirations as the rest of the world leaves it further and further behind. A quarter of the population of New Zealand is standing idle with their hands out. Emphasis ours

ON THURSDAY, Finance Minister Bill English will deliver a Budget that will confirm New Zealand as a national Kaitoke. Not part of real civilisation but not quite Third World. Somewhere in-between.

In the space of just one generation, we have descended from developed to deadbeat. And we are borrowing $380 million a week to sustain such relative disgrace. If we stopped borrowing, the banana boat would already be here. This is because we are a smug people. We think that we live in the greatest country on the planet and that should be enough. It is the most infinite of mysteries to Kiwis as to why the world does not owe us a living. So we borrow…

..the other two great drags on current and future taxpayers: 350,000 adult welfare beneficiaries and 550,000 superannuants. Add the children of welfare, and more than one million New Zealanders are standing idle, but with their hands out…

… (Australia has) net government debt reduced to around 6% and anticipate a budget surplus next year. Plus they offer wages, tax benefits and health care beyond the capacity of New Zealand to deliver. In other words, they pretty much have it all.

Which is why so many New Zealanders – and not just young New Zealanders but anyone a decade or two off retirement – are seriously thinking of leaving. In Kiwi terms, Australia is Auckland and New Zealand is Kaitoke or Temuka or Woodville. Those with gumption go, those who are aged or indolent stay.

…Already there are enough New Zealanders in Australia to have their own Super 15 rugby franchise. Queensland is the favourite because they are more relaxed and not really Australian. They are Queenslanders and that mentality suits ours.

They are neither PC nor bound up in the guilty angst that is the non-Maori response to race relations in this country. They still smack their kids but send their crims to jail much longer. There are jobs aplenty for the skilled and the willing. And the sun shines. It is an intoxicating combination…

…We pretend we can save the planet by willingly embracing poverty. Although not just yet. We can always borrow from those same nations that got rich because they don’t follow our path. Until our credit founders against the reality. And until the greenies get their way with the cows as well. Environmental menaces that they are…

Read the full article here on the Sunday Star Times.

*Michael Laws is a New Zealand politician, broadcaster and writer/columnist. He served two terms as a Member of the New Zealand Parliament, representing the National Party (1990–96) and New Zealand First (1996). He was elected as Mayor of Wanganui in 2004, was re-elected in 2007 but announced his retirement from the mayoralty for the October 2010 elections. He is currently an elected district councillor and district health board member. He is a Radio Live morning talkback host and a longstanding Sunday Star-Times columnist. source