Jobs Challenge series brings message loud and clear

A Herald initiative to promote a new sense of economic, social and cultural well-being in New Zealand has received an overwhelming response.

General readers and business leaders alike have written, faxed and called this week about The Jobs Challenge - a major series we began last Saturday.

The series is designed to start a national conversation about our economic future.

It includes looking at people who are making a difference in this country, using their talents to steer New Zealand towards a more prosperous future.

We will also look at what works economically overseas and what lessons can be learned here.

Vivian Hutchinson, editor of a Taranaki-based fortnightly jobs research website, The Jobs Letter, said he liked the way the Herald was getting behind the series and "hopefully this leadership will be joined by others in the community."

David Brown of Te Awamutu said: "I applaud the Herald for your leadership and hope that many other businesses and organisations will now join with you in moving our country forward successfully... "

Letters of support have poured into the Herald. Most said there was no quick-fix but the country needed to face up to its problems, its tendency to get gloomy and all the positive things here.

Peter Foreman of Freemans Bay said Helen Clark's Government had raised paranoia to heights last seen in the Muldoon era. "Yet we still have a wonderful country, isolated from most of the world's woes. Perhaps this is part of our problem."

The key, said many of our correspondents, was a positive attitude.

Lisa Er of Titirangi put it best: "Attitude can transcend political parties, ethnicity and beliefs."

Updates on The Jobs Challenge will now feature every weekday, as well as the in-depth articles on weekends.

Business and community leaders have also been invited to contribute their thoughts to the Dialogue page.

We want to hear from you, the readers, on where you think the country should be heading. What practical steps should we take to generate enough jobs for those who want them and a standard of living which keeps those jobs and people here?

E-mail: Monique Devereux

fax 09 373-6421

PO Box 3290, Auckland