The country is desperate to go for growth. The question is: how?

We got 3 points of view over the weekend - Friday it was the turn of Matthew Hooten. His piece was called New Zealand needs a strategic approach to building wealth like Singapore's Temasek.

Temasek own and manage assets that are held directly by its government. They operate a major bank and insurance company, Singapore airlines, the country’s main port, and a load of other things.

It's as if we’ve been investigating it for decades. Even Grant Robertson was interested but nothing’s ever happened. So it has cross party appeal, but why hasn’t it happened? Who knows. Ask the politicians - all talk no action. 

On Sunday, it was the turn of Don Brash and Michael Reddell who in a shared piece said our problem is our low productivity.

No kidding! Every politician says that and none have come up with an answer.

Brash and Reddell's only proffered solution is to lower company tax rates to attract overseas and local investment. They claim we have the one of highest company tax rates in the world, which is balderdash. We sit at 28 per cent. Australia at 30, the US and the UK around 26.

We're slightly above median and no disrespect to Don Brash, you had terms as a reserve bank governor and leader of a couple of political parties and plenty of opportunities to lift productivity and failed.

then there was Sam Stubbs who said if we’re selling public assets lets sell them to new Zealanders like super funds so the wealth stays in New Zealand instead of being exported.

To me that’s the key. Stop saying productivity and start saying wealth creation.  

find out how to make or supply stuff that the world wants and then keep the profits and the workers in New Zealand, then we start generating wealth and then we recycle it to create more great businesses..

That's Denmark's trick. That's why they operate the second largest container ship operation in the world, to import capital rather than export it. 

The country is desperate to go for growth. The question is: how?
We got 3 points of view over the weekend -&nbsp;Friday it was the turn of Matthew Hooten. His piece was called New Zealand needs a strategic approach to building wealth like Singapore's Temasek.
Temasek own and manage assets that are held directly by its government. They operate a major bank and insurance company, Singapore airlines, the country’s main port, and a load of other things.
It's as if we’ve been investigating it for decades. Even Grant Robertson was interested but nothing’s ever happened. So it has cross party appeal, but&nbsp;why hasn’t it happened? Who knows. Ask the politicians - all talk no action.&nbsp;
On Sunday, it was the turn of Don Brash and Michael Reddell who in a shared piece said our problem is our low productivity.
No kidding! Every politician says that and none have come up with an answer.
Brash and Reddell's only proffered solution is to lower company tax rates to attract overseas and local investment. They&nbsp;claim we have the one of highest company tax rates in the world,&nbsp;which is balderdash. We sit at 28 per cent. Australia at 30, the US and the UK around 26.
We're slightly above median and no disrespect to Don Brash, you had terms as a reserve bank governor and leader of a couple of political parties and plenty of opportunities to lift productivity and failed.
then there was Sam Stubbs who said if we’re selling public assets lets sell them to new Zealanders like super funds so the wealth stays in New Zealand instead of being exported.
To me that’s the key. Stop saying productivity and start saying wealth creation. &nbsp;
find out how to make or supply stuff that the world wants and then keep the profits and the workers in New Zealand,&nbsp;then we start generating wealth and then we recycle it to create more great businesses..
That's Denmark's trick. That's why they operate the second largest container ship operation in the world,&nbsp;to import capital rather than export it.&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Andrew Dickens: The country is desperate for growth, the question is how?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/44039965-9aa0-478f-a4b8-b27801373e83/transcript