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Mike Hosking: Export reveals shows Govt is wrong on economy

Author
Mike Hosking,
Publish Date
Tue, 22 Oct 2019, 5:53PM
Our exporters are reporting increased business. (Photo / NZDF)
Our exporters are reporting increased business. (Photo / NZDF)

Mike Hosking: Export reveals shows Govt is wrong on economy

Author
Mike Hosking,
Publish Date
Tue, 22 Oct 2019, 5:53PM

As if yet more proof were needed, the heroes of our economy, the exporters, report they are in good heart.

Export NZ’s latest data reminds us that this is a country that boxes above its weight, is agile, successful, and resilient, and why this is important is that currently the country is being run by people who are telling us the exact opposite.

Half of all exporters have seen their business increase, more than half see even more orders coming their way going forward.

The 61 per cent who see more business is an indication that quality beats quantity and no matter what happens in the world the fundamental equation doesn’t change.

There is a growing middle class. It is increasing by millions every year and the first thing people want when they move into a new financial category is an improvement on their circumstances, and for many that means food and drink.

I am 100 per cent convinced that no matter what sort of cutlet or burger patty they might be able to grow in a lab, the world will always want a real sirloin and they’ll always want real milk

And further given we make the best of that they’ll be more than happy to pay for it

Chateau Lafite charges well in excess of $1500 for a bottle of their wine and they’re never short of customers.

Quality is everything, so this is not just a reasonably upbeat assessment and forecast but backed up of course by the facts.

Terms of trade are at stonking levels and our trade deficit is looking pretty damn good as well. And this is all critically important and well worth pointing out given the Government have a deliberate and mischievous programme underway to try and convince you this isn’t the case.

The economy is slowing, election year is looming and the Government are starting to panic. They have decided in their wisdom and dishonesty to run a line where by we are being told the reason things are slowing is because of the international headwinds.

The whole world is slowing, so why shouldn’t we be too?

They then go and list a series of countries that aren’t doing that well and compare us to them. It’s a sad and negative game, but not hard to play.

Australia isn’t growing all that much, but then it hasn’t rained forever and their farming sector has been smashed, so not exactly comparing apples with apples, is it?

It also, sadly, lacks aspiration. This is a brilliant country that defies gravity, especially when it comes to food exports. The world’s troubles aren’t our troubles - well not all of them - and simply pointing to a lack lustre performer by way of another country only undermines our potential and outlook.

The attitude goes a long way to explaining why business confidence has been so horribly ground down. If a government can’t inspire and lead they don’t deserve to be the government.

There are good reasons why the economy isn’t sparking the way it should, but it is not the exporter we need to be looking at.

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