In the last election campaign, one party understood how seriously our economic decline had quickly become.

There was so much wasteful spending, mainly on consumption, and skyrocketing national debt.

And the latest economic figures out this week underscore how right we were.

Which means that if we are to make a recovery, we desperately need international investment.

And we will not get international investment if we cannot answer the simple question “why invest in New Zealand?”

Our failure to answer that question comes from the paralysis of blind ideology, that begins with the belief that the tax system should be neutral and not pick winners.

All over the world successful countries know better than that. And their economic record is proof. Singapore, Ireland, and now Croatia, and small population Iceland, and the Nordic countries; have climbed to the top of the economic performance ladder whilst we have been on a constant slide.

New Zealand First policy is to answer the question – “why invest in New Zealand?”

We have to attract international investment, the same way these countries have done.  By taxation incentivisation.  

In a remit at our convention in 2024, where we voted for a New Zealand Future Fund.  

To Investigate the development of a “New Zealand Future Fund” of up to $100 Billion to invest solely in a multi-decade infrastructure build, to ensure our future infrastructure security and to enable future economic growth and social enablement.

But we want this investment funds ring-fenced from politicians and political interference.  Where the fund is solely used to invest in the future of New Zealand economic infrastructure.  And where those investments are in our national interest, and not offshore globalised ownership.

$100 billion is a small sum to expect – if our policies are right.

So, it is New Zealand First policy to look at those successful small nations and introduce polices that mirror their plans.

And let’s face it if an international investor comes to New Zealand to start a wealth creating export driven enterprise, where there was nothing before that, then what have we got to lose.

New Zealand First understands the “Deficit Myth”.  If we borrow to spend on wealth creation, rapid export growth, and resilient production, then we will be on the same track as other successful small nations, and dare we say it, the same track we were once on, when we were number one in the world.

It is when you borrow to spend on consumption that so much economic damage is done to a nation, as with a home.