The New Zealand Institute

A goal is not a strategy: Focusing efforts to improve New Zealand’s prosperity

By Rick Boven - 19 August 2010

Overview

This discussion paper is focused on understanding the reasons for New Zealand’s economic performance and on identifying ways to lift prosperity.

Economic prosperity is a worthwhile goal for New Zealand and Government has set a goal of matching Australia’s GDP per capita by 2025.

‘A goal is not a strategy’ concludes that New Zealand needs to focus on the internationalisation of high value, differentiated export sectors, prioritise labour productivity improvement efforts on these sectors, and reallocate resources from low to high productivity sectors.

The conclusion that supporting internationalisation success for differentiated exports should be the economic strategy priority should be tested and debated. If the conclusion survives that scrutiny then a material reallocation of resources should follow.

> Executive summary (450kb PDF)

> Full report (1494kb PDF)