Fran O’Sullivan challenges David Shearer to look at Norway:
It will be a test of Labour leader David Shearer’s mettle if he overrules the troglodytes in his own caucus and puts Norway at the top of the list of small nations he promotes as exemplars for New Zealand’s economic development.
Norway’s 4.99 million citizens enjoy a standard of living New Zealanders can only dream of. The country has the highest human development ranking on the OECD index. It has a comprehensive social security system, has universal health care and subsidised higher education.
It also has oil.
This is a major asset which Norway hasn’t hesitated to exploit to grow a thriving economy which, on a GDP (PPP) per capita basis, scores double the performance of New Zealand. This can be seen on the International Monetary Fund’s 2011 index where fourth-ranked Norway registers US$53,376 on the chart measuring gross domestic product at purchasing power parity per capita basis. New Zealand is way down the list at 32nd place (US$27,966).
While Labour’s policy is to lock it all up underground they can’t really moan about kiwi workers going to Australia to dig up their minerals.
