Games tipped to halt drift

Press, 1 April 1989, Page 14

Games tipped to halt drift

PA Auckland Economists are tipping the Commonwealth Games and America’s Cup to lift the cloud of national pessimism which is driving New Zealanders across the Tasman. They say the sporting spectacles could generate a new confidence strong enough to halt or even reverse the flow into Australia. An executive with one of New Zealand’s biggest removal firms, says above anything, those leaving are searching for a sense of national pride and certainty in the future. “The Australians tend to be more optimistic. They know they are big and have faith in the country,” says Mr Gary Osborne, sales and marketing manager of Scotpac P & O.

"The average Kiwi has a small country complex and things like setbacks in the country’s economy are taken very personally.” Statistics Department figures made public yesterday show more people left New Zealand to live overseas in the year to February than in any of the last nine years. The rush to quit “Godzone” has in turn sparked a debate over New Zealand’s own immigration policies.

Calls for a more liberal approach have been led by a group calling itself Top Tier comprising employers, manufacturers, retailers, chambers of commerce, the tourist industry and farmers. The Minister of Immigration, Mr Rodger, believes the balance is likely to be restored by New Zealanders themselves — spurred by adverse changes in the Australian economy.

“If their economy is performing well in relation to ours, the chances are that upwardly mobile, economically active people will choose to go to Australia. But as their economy turns a trifle sour — as there are signs at the moment — the chances are people will turn around and come thjc wav ”