Mike's Minute: Here's how to help the economy through jobs

Here's some things we can do to help the economy through jobs. 

Firstly, compulsory arbitration. I'm sick and tired of teachers and nurses and doctors striking. 

The current strike this week by doctors, they claim, has been a result of more than a year of negotiation. 

Surely at some point —and Health NZ have finally pulled the trigger— it becomes apparent that two sides aren't going to cut a deal, and some heads need to be banged together. 

So, Health NZ have asked for arbitration. 

A simple law that is time-lined would save the hassle. Whether it's time, or meetings, offers and counteroffers, it doesn’t matter. Give it your best shot – if it doesn’t work, let a mediator do the business and make it binding. 

Secondly, the migration pathways announced yesterday. It seems to have taken an age to realise that the simple truth, rightly or wrongly, for this country is we need a shed load of people. 

Yesterday's settings were hardly for rocket scientists. But that’s the sad truth about our economy – a lot of the issues around jobs are the bread and butter of daily life. 

The Chocolate Fish Café in Wellington has written to the Minister. They need a pathway for people to work in hospitality. Should they? No. Should jobless be keen to fill the gaps? Of course. 

But that’s our lot – a bunch of lazy people more interested in skiving than working. So migration is the answer. 

They took an age on foreign houses as well, but we got there. 

I'm big on immigration. People bring skills and culture, and they generally work hard, they earn money and pay taxes. There is growth in numbers. 

The other truth for now we can't ignore is that too many really good New Zealanders have bailed. We need a skill and talent reset. 

The world is a competition. Everywhere is a landing spot. The previous Government made us a place to leave. The current lot may change that. 

I pray they do, but for now talent is still an issue and good people are still hard to find. The 'here and now' answer is immigration. Find those that like the look of us and make them a deal. 

Residency is a deal. Yes, some may go to Australia, so Peters is technically correct. But if we are good some may not, so we win. 

We need all levers, all ideas, more productivity, more pace, less mucking around, fewer strikes, more attitude, more determination, more deals and more pathways. 

It's not hard. You just have to want to do it. 

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