3 Month On - for small businesses and all of NZ

There is no doubt that the financial year for 2021 is looking pretty grim for small businesses right now. One quarter spent recovering from lockdowns, one quarter in lockdown and another quarter while the whole country, no doubt, has a long holiday during the Xmas period.

So let's forget about doing business right now and spend our time refocusing on what is really of critical importance. And what is critical for all of us is to ensure that we end up with a better life than the one we have had over the past few years.

We all live in this country and we all contribute in some way. It does not matter where you come from, nor, I believe, how long you have lived here. This is a multi-cultural country and we need to behave in a way that respects not only the country we live in but also the planet we live on.

Being a five foot, European female with blond curly hair ?and having worked in the male dominated oil industry, I have had my share of discrimination and harassment and I have never understood it.

What gives someone with straight hair the right to bully someone with curly hair? What gives someone who was born in NZ the right to bully those who come from another place? The answer is of course obvious.

So why can't we as a nation come together in NZ and set the agenda for what the future looks like?

One only needs to look back at Singapore in the 1960's when it was considered the slum of Asia. Their plan was very simple: feed people, house people and educate people. Everyone left school with either a trade or went on to university. Teachers were paid the same as politicians to attract the best minds.

Along with this basic aim, is the question of good governance and here in NZ, our legal system needs to be utterly transformed to eliminate the idiotic and outdated governance framework.

Get rid of cross-lease property titles immediately and free up thousands of properties that have reached the end of their lifespan. The entire process of arbitration should be scrapped, as it is just that, arbitrary, and that is no legal system! For victims of discrimination and harassment, the processes are so arduous and the resulting legal ruling so ill considered, it is no wonder that the law is considered an ass and lawyers are vilified.

Finally, I would suggest that people in this country learn to drive on the left hand side of the road and overtake on the right. I had to drive out to Manukau during lockdown and there was a car pootling along, 20km below the speed limit, in every possible lane and those who wanted to travel at the speed limit were forced to weave between the 'Sunday drivers' in a most dangerous and infuriating fashion.?A trip that should have taken 1 hour, took 2 hours. Bang goes productivity.

Ah well - lucky we are in lockdown and there is little business to be done, one can only spend ones time thinking about a better future!

Stay safe, stay positive and shop local :)