We need a mission that focuses our efforts towards our vision for New Zealand.
I suggest this initial mission:
We will make Aotearoa the most equitable country in the world by 2023.
A mission should be very ambitious in scope and time. It must be easily understood and demand our radical action and innovation in response. It should feel impossible in today's system. While inspiring us with a sense of being tantalisingly possible if we could do things differently.
A historical example is America's mission to go to the moon. Though our communities’ missions of the 21st century must involve all of society and demand radical social innovation, not be primarily technical.
I believe equity is the foundation for sustainability, resilience and prosperity - all things that are core to my vision of a future New Zealand. This is why we should prioritise equity.
New Zealand has got less equitable in my lifetime. We do not have even opportunities for critical things such as education, being healthy, living in comfortable housing, eating well, being safe in our neighbourhoods. There is no excuse for it. And if we don’t fix inequity, then we will not rise together to meet the other challenges we face.
So, let’s really give everyone in Aotearoa a fair go. Let’s become the most equitable country in the world by 2023, and then continue year-on-year improvements in equity after that.
What do you think? And what other missions might we need?
Martin Thankyou. Noticing your comment in ain e held position often overseas visitors would say to me. Do you realise what a wonderful country you live in. My answer simply. Yes, there is work to be done in what you say is balance, ,istenung to youngsters today,they know what they want, feel the future in good hands
When Japan reached its point of greatest economic success in the late 1980's companies such as Toyota had a policy whereby the CEO is paid no more than 10 x the pay of the lowest paid worker. What if NZ had a social contract like that ?
The great lie is that we have to pay for "talent". Watercare Auckland pays its CEO (for its tolling operation) $775,000 and Auckland City pays 86 staff more than $250,000 and 7 are paid more than the Prime Minister. Many South Auckland playgrounds don't have any basic facilities for kids while Franklin Rd Ponsonby has 25 million spent on it.
Love the mission idea. If we are going to be an equitable nation then we actually must face some of the underbelly of NZ i.e. our racism, our violence our lack of environmental cohesion and that would be a good thing. We can do better
How about being the 'living lab' for the world? We already have a solid base, but NZ really could become 'the place where talent wants to live' as Sir Paul Callaghan suggested. Top decile OECD performance in all four wellbeings, for all Kiwis
This is a fantastic aspirational mission for people and for now, Tim. How would this benefit the the land? Where to after 2023? How would you develop this going forward to 2040? for our children and grandchildren?