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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 44 No. 8. April 27 1981

New Zealand in the Future World Right now New Zealand is at a crossroads. New inventions and technology and a quickly changing world scene will mean a future quite different from New Zealand as we know it now. In the next few years a lot of decisions are going to be made which will shape our country in the next century. So now's a good time for people to be thinking and talking about what they want for themselves and for their sons and daughters (and perhaps grandchildren too). We've got plenty…

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New Zealand in the Future World Right now New Zealand is at a crossroads. New inventions and technology and a quickly changing world scene will mean a future quite different from New Zealand as we know it now. In the next few years a lot of decisions are going to be made which will shape our country in the next century. So now's a good time for people to be thinking and talking about what they want for themselves and for their sons and daughters (and perhaps grandchildren too). We've got plenty of resources — in our land and in the sea around us — as well as in our people too. So New Zealand has a lot more choices than most other countries. How New Zealand Televote works Below are four Points of View that we think include many of the main ways people think on these subjects. To be neutral, we call them ONE. TWO, THREE, and FOUR. Obviously none of them will suit anyone perfectly. But one of them probably will come closer to your own personal Point of View than the other three. Please read them through, think about them... BUT DON'T MAKE UP YOUR MIND YET AS TO WHICH YOU LIKE BEST. What New Zealand Televote is all about NEW ZEALAND TELEVOTE is a public opinion poll which will: 1. Show you four Points of View of possible New Zealand Futures. 2. Help you express your feelings about them. 3. Help make your thoughts about them clear. 4. Help you choose or build your own future for New Zealand. You've got plenty of time to look through the four Points of View and to play two interesting future games before deciding what future you want for New Zealand. The Four Points of View 1. A society that provides the necessities for all while encouraging equal opportunity for self development. As well as being individuals, all humans (other than hermits) live in social groups. People need support from one another to grow. The world around us is to be used New inventions will make some resources (like sun and wind) useful before or after others (coal and gas) are used up. Central government should be strong and guarantee a job for all with equal pay for equal work. It must also allow people to develop private business too. $ New Zealand's geography still favours agriculture and land will be put to many new uses. Maximum effort will be made to free ourselves from importing foreign fuel 2. A tree enterprise society in which major economic growth provides great economic benefits for all. The people of any country benefit more where there is equal opportunity for each person to seek their own best interest. Government must not tell them what to do or not do. The land and sea around us are full of riches. They should be used to the fullest in making us all happy and prosperous. Central government should play a very limited role in our lives its main jobs are to keep the peace at home and protect us from attack. $ Large scale industry can best use and process the natural resources of our land and oceans. They are most fit to make the most wealth for New Zealand in a world eager to buy our products. A society in which people limit personal ambition and build communities that are in harmony with nature. People must co-operate not compete. They must blend their own self-interest into that of the greater good. It is vital to preserve the balance between ourselves and the land and sea around us. They belong not only to us but to those who come after us Attention should be turned away from central government and towards local community. Smaller units aid social and natural harmony. The "Pictures of the Future" GameIn the diagram below are word pictures of the future that strong supporters of ONE, TWO, THREE and FOUR say will happen if they have their way. We don't know whether these pictures will really come true or not. We simply want toknow whether you LIKE the future pictures they see, or whether you DON'T LIKE them. Read below and place a tick in one of the four circles in each square to tell us whether you generally like that picture or not:A Employment B Environment c World Scene D Economic Development E Government • Full employment • Government provides socially useful work • Ample leisure time • Government runs large-scale projects (energy, paper mills) • Full use of resources • NZ trades a lot with other countries • Foreign investment in N.Z. discouraged • N Z neutral in world politics • Greater emphasis on agriculture • Wide range of manufacturing and industry encouraged • Reformed Parliament more representative of the people • More power to regional and community councils • Large private companies manage profitable economy • 100% employment • Some resources are used up • New resources discovered • N.Z. totally involved in world economy • Strong military alliances • Larger, more modern, active cities • Growth of range in goods and services • Bill of rights to protect individual liberty • Private enterprise controls more public services Choose your own future • Personal skills key to quality production • Sharing leads to creative work for all • Conservation of present natural resources • Only technology that conserves resources is used • N.Z. withdraws from world trade • N.Z. withdraws from all military alliances Like Neutral Don't Like Not Sure Economy should grow in areas like the arts, crafts and the pursuit of knowledge. All who work should share in the decisions of the workplace. 4. A society where independent people are given opportunities to develop themselves without harming the environment. • Small scale economy using own energy • Population shift to country and town areas • The public votes directly on major national issues • MP's selected at random for short terms • Unemployment unknown as new uses for time develop • Part-time work more common • Government policies carefully balance production and protection of resources • N.Z. trades on world market in N.Z. specialties only • N.Z. remains basically independent, but some alliances • Maximum use of modern, low-energy technology • Computers and telecommunications more important in daily life • Government provides new educational system that stimulates and rewards original thought • Increased citizen participation with aid of new technology The "Your Turn to Predict" Game Listed below are a number of possible things that may happen in the future (around the year 2001). Which Point of View do YOU think is MOST LIKELY to make each thing happen? Tick only one point of view for each item The best society is where free and well-informed persons can satisfy their own interest. This will make great wealth for all. The land and sea around us is not a bottomless well. It is full of riches, but if we are not careful, it can run dry. Central government should give some support to its citizens. It should provide education and information and protect our natural resources. New industries with advanced equipment should be encouraged as well as new uses for our farmland. All new industry most be responsible for using our resources with care. AReal growth in your personal income8182838485B.Fewer government services8687888990C.Greater emphasis on a more spiritual life9192939495D.Preserving our natural resources96979899100E.Full employment101102 107103104105F.Decent standard of living available to all N.Z. citizens106 108109110G.No need to import energy into N.Z. from foreign countries111 112113 118114115H.Larger cities116117 119 120I. Racial minority cultures become stronger 121122123124125 J.Greater participation by citizens in important decisions 126127128129130 K. The kind of work you want for your children 131132133134135 L. Less violence 136137138139140 M. Greater equality among the sexes 141142143144145 N. More co-operation among New Zealanders 146147148149 154150 O. A more important role for N.Z. in the world 151152153 155Now it is up to YOU to decide which way YOU want NEW ZEALAND to go. We know it may be a hard choice to make, but who said the Future will be easy? Please tick the box by the Point of View closest to your own beliefs and thought If you feel that none of the four Points of View is close enough to your own personal view of the future, tick Box FIVE. Please tick single box only For those of you who ticked Box FIVE you can build your own Point of View. However, we need to limit you a bit. As you can see, each Point of View (ONE, TWO, THREE & FOUR) is made up of four building blocks. One has the symbol another has the symbol of a third has the symbol of and the fourth has a symbol of — Your own Point of View must also be built of four building blocks, one with each symbol. Please tick your four boxes below as directed. Thank you for being a New Zealand Televoter and giving us your 'Point of View' on New Zealand in the future world. To be sure that we have a good cross-section of New Zealand's population please fill in the boxes below. The information will be entirely confidential and used for statistical purposes only. There must be only 1 tick in this row. There must be only 1 tick in this row. There must be only 1 tick in this row. There must be only 1 lick in this row. The COMMISSION FOR THE FUTURE was created by Act of Parliament in 1977. Part of its job is to consider possible futures for NEW ZEALAND and to spark public discussion of them. Readers of this newspaper are invited to send in their completed New Zealand Televote to: The Commission for the Future. No. 1. The Terrace, Wellington. To be counted in the summary of the results, your Televote must be postmarked no later than 15 MAY 1981. NZ TeleVote A SEX Male 1 Female 2 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ B AGE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 C POLITICAL LEANINGS National Labour Social Credit Values Other None 1 2 3 4 5 6 D RACE GROUP European Maori/Part Maori Pacific Islander Other E HIGHEST EDUCATION GROUP 1 Prim lnt/Sec School 2 SC/UE/Burs/Scholarship 3 Tech/Professional Study 4 Tech/Professional Qualification 5 University Study 6 University Degree F GROSS ANNUAL INCOME, FAMILY OR SELF. Less than $5,000 $5,000-9,999 $10,000-14,999 $15,000-19,999 1 2 3 4 $20,000-24,999 $25,000 5 6 7 Don't know or prefer not to say

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