Dialogue: How we can have the best quality of life in the world

Together we can create one of the highest qualities of life on the planet, as a small, clever country, says DAVE BREUER*.

We are a capable, innovative people, living in one of the world's most well-endowed countries. Our land, people and heritage potentially make us incredibly wealthy. With this endowment we are capable of having one of the highest qualities of life in the world.

But is this how we see ourselves? Or is this how we are? Some think not.

We are deteriorating economically, socially and environmentally; we are fragmented. We need to develop social cohesion, cooperation, environmental integrity and the ability to become wealth generators, not just good consumers. Many feel we are losing our soul.

We are also rapidly becoming part of the global village with its opportunities and threats. Our size means we must be exceedingly wise. We need to develop our skills, wisdom and will to address both the opportunities and the threats. How, then, can we create the country we all want?

We can develop a draft vision that is tested and further developed with the people to get it right. A scorecard can be developed to support dialogue, assess where we are and how we are doing. Then a people-focused strategy can be created to bring together the organisations and people to work toward these goals. Leadership is then cultivated throughout society with the aim of renewing New Zealand.

The Herald's Common Core Debate has uncovered many of the issues facing us and has given hope. One of the exciting contributions was Mary Quin's article headlined "Needed: scorecard and action plan."

I agree with her, as do many people I am working with in a group called Anew NZ (www.anewnz.org.nz). Our action plan accords with her vision.

A draft vision is being created by Anew NZ that we trust will be close enough to a public view to be tested. This vision needs to reflect the core values of the country, not just a view that serves a few.

We see New Zealand as a small, clever country with one of the highest sustainable qualities of life in the world, socially, economically and environmentally. We are a self-confident and self-determined people with a vital spirit who believe we can do whatever we set out to do.

We aim by 2010 to achieve one of the highest levels of economic well-being for all, social support and cohesion and environmental integrity - a vibrant, prosperous, healthy and just society. The principles needed in an action plan include:

* Integration. In the story of the six blind men and the elephant, each touched a portion of the body and erroneously decided what an elephant was like. We need leaders prepared to be pragmatic and able to integrate the mix of even opposing ideas like leaders seeking the whole real elephant. We need to draw value from the right and the left, from Maori and Pakeha, all ethnic mixes, from the academics and pragmatists and from the social, economic and environmental sectors.

The tensions between those last sectors must be transformed into a willingness to hear the viewpoints of others and work together toward common goals. All three are then integrated into decision-making and goal-setting. The larger the overlap, the higher will be the quality of life, as shown in the diagram. The goal is to merge. Substantial change can happen only when all levels of society are engaged.

* Ethics form the foundation of society and are our guiding principle. We want a caring society that is just, inclusive, respectful, equitable, transparent, honest, tolerant and open to alternative views.

* People focus. The anti-nuclear movement is a good example of the power of people to create change. This was a grassroots movement that the political leaders followed. We are in need of real change (for example, moving from dependency and lethargy to the renewal of the core values of a caring, creative, can-do society). It can only come from the people, with our politicians getting in behind it. The vision must be shared across the country, not driven by a public relations agency.

* Public deliberation. We encourage open deliberation and debate on all subjects that affect the well-being of New Zealanders - a pathway to real change.

* New thinking. We need new thinking on New Zealand's future. Einstein said: "You can't solve a problem with the same thinking that created it."

* Leadership that responds to the spirit of the people is required throughout society. This values-based, vision-driven leadership models ethical behaviour and is dedicated to the renewal of New Zealand.

A scorecard is being developed, similar to Mary Quin's ideas, to record the goals, initial measurements, benchmarks, and a running account of progress. This encourages dialogue for improvement and enables further strategies to be created.

A number of cities have developed scorecards for measuring progress, including Manukau and Christchurch. Manukau measures sustainability and community well-being through social, economic and environmental development and governance criteria.

Strategies are then created to ensure meeting each goal and put in action by all levels of leadership across the country. Each person throughout society has a role to play in implementation, from policy-setting to personal education, waste recycling and so on.

There are issues to debate and discuss. New Zealand often goes through dramatic swings in policies and strategies. We need strategic stability independent of political changes that will allow us to develop the long-term capabilities we require, such as in education.

Can this be achieved through the stability of a common consensus held by the people? And can we, at the same time, have the flexibility to renew ourselves? We need both.

Globalisation is an overriding driver. We are being urged to take advantage of some of the opportunities inherent in the knowledge economy and it is crucial that we do. We need an opportunity to be more informed and debate the issues rigorously, so we have choice over our future.

New Zealand has a dilemma. It is an integral part of the globe and while we hold a goal of sustainability, this can't really be achieved if the social, economic and environmental fabric of the globe is in jeopardy - and it is. We face serious global crisis in all three areas. How can this small, isolated country have any influence on such monumental issues?

Auckland branding strategist Brian Richards has pointed out that Sweden gifted the world the Nobel Prize and set standards that are accepted as the highest level of excellence in science. New Zealand could do the same for quality-of-life standards and present annual awards to those people and countries making significant contributions to global sustainability.

In this small way New Zealand could have a huge impact on global sustainability and at the same time be developing one of the world's highest qualities of life.

We could take the high ground and benefit from it economically, socially and environmentally. This position would pay off, earning us overseas revenue and also giving us a great place to live.

These issues can be part of the debate and goal-setting as we face a rapidly forming new world order. It will challenge our self-determination, yet we can do what we set out to do, and together create one of the highest qualities of life in the world, as a small, clever country.

* Dave Breuer is the founding director of Anew NZ.

Herald Online feature: Common core values

We invite to you to contribute to the debate on core values. E-mail dialogue@herald.co.nz.