New Industries

The second economic issue is the need to press forward with the development of new industries, particularly those geared to earn or efficiently conserve foreign exchange. Many of these industries will be resource based. This group includes, in particular, forestry, fishing, the further processing of primary produces, tourism, and the energy sector.

Another grouping consists of established manufacturing and service activities which have hit the limits of the domestic market. These industries will need to get out and sell in a competitive world market, as the leaders in the manufacturing field already have done. Clearly, the others will need to become more efficient and cost conscious. Equally clearly, both they and the primary industries will need certain things from the New Zealand environment if they are to meet the challenge.

These things include an easing of inflationary pressures, a minimising of unnecessary industrial disputes, and efficiency in the servicing and transport sectors of the economy. Anyone who pretends that New Zealanders can pull their way out of their troubles without all of us working more efficiently is peddling a pipe dream.