Here we are, a small group of two islands in the South Pacific, self-reliant on what we can export, from dairy products and produce. In real terms we aren't a rich country, but there are experts out there that think we are sitting on a vast oasisof oil.
At the moment unemployment is high, I think it will get worse, as we have a population of wayward youth who aren't interested in learning and those who do we don't have the jobs for them, like qualified nurses working in supermarkets or going overseas.
There are meetings by local iwi protesting about drilling for oil, promising to attack those who do. If we struck oil we would become a very rich nation, plenty of jobs, people would flock to the Far North, pushing house prices up, making us a good place to be (not that it isn't now).
My question to the protesters, is, are you going to take the proceeds from the oil? Jobs, cheaper education, up-market housing, better welfare etc., or are you going to turn your back on it and keep hounding the company that's making New Zealand a rich country?
