Change too slow—adviser

Press, 11 July 1989, Page 9

Change too slow —adviser

By

ANABRIGHT HAY

Social and economic change is not happening fast enough, according to a visiting Canadian business adviser, Professor Norm Rebin. Professor Rebin is an adviser to governments and businesses in Canada, the United States and Bermuda. A trained social scientist, he also holds a professorship in communications at a university in Ottawa, where he is based. While in Christchurch this week, Professor Rebin gave lectures to the group Salesmen with A Purpose and young sales students. He also saw his daughter, Niki, a Rotary scholar at the University of Canterbury. Professor Rebin is a firm believer in the principles of free enterprise, the global marketplace and the need for “tough love” social policy. It was his job to encourage “new avenues for thinking,” he said. New Zealand was a country of remarkable appeal, he said, being ripe for entrepreneurial businesses and for-

eign investment and with a relatively stable Government. Canada had recently implemented welfare system changes based “on need, not greed” and which minimised abuse. It also had a comprehensive immigration policy for entrepreneurs. Professor Rebin said when people believed the situation was intolerable, change became critical. He believes New Zealand is near such a point and it was in a government’s interest to respond to such signals. “We are at a lucky stage in world evolution. The demand for democracy is extraordinary,” Professor Rebin said. His recipe for New Zealand includes diversification of agriculture, expansion of high-technology industry opportunities and the establishment of inter-, national universities selling education to foreign students. Claims that New Zealand was too small for such ventures were a cophe said.