So as the lights went out yesterday in the restaurants of this country over the labour skills shortage, the NZIER came to the party with their quarterly business opinion stats.

What have they found regarding labour? The shortage is the most severe they have ever seen.

There are two things here.  We all agree labour is an issue and we all know the government, for a variety of reasons, refuse to do anything substantive about it. There are 2000 empty MIQ rooms that aren't being used for the labour shortage. That, in a sense, is economic sabotage.

They seem locked in an ideological war with business, determined to prove that all business has to do is hire locals and pay them more.

In the real world we all know that’s not real, but to this point they have not acquiesced. One wonders if it will take a significant shift in the polls for them to revisit the attitude.

The arrogance and ignorance driving too much of their policy is reinforced by the simple political reality that if you're looking at the polls and you're popular, why would you bother addressing the pressing issues of those who clearly don’t see eye-to-eye with you?

The government will sight the RSE scheme which still operates at reduced level. Worker numbers will reach 7000 eventually, but they need 14,000. There are 60 places for construction when they need hundreds.

It's almost an Orwellian game of torture whereby the overlords drip feed you morsels that you are supposed to be grateful for.

But in the same survey, by-in-large, the picture is solid if not rosy for local business. When it came to their own personal outlook as opposed to the more general view, there has been an upturn in confidence and demand. A net 15 percent increased staff and a net 20 percent were looking to increase investment.

Yes, there is a labour issue, and, yes, there are inflation pressures. But it would seem we are doing well. So, if we are doing well, how bad can the labour shortage be?

Yes, the aspirational among us want to do more and be better. But remember in a government of mediocrity, they’ll look at these numbers and go, what are you moaning about? What is the problem?

And as long as debt floods the place, people are buying, and businesses are feeling confident, a labour shortage can be argued to be theoretical as much as it can be real.