KEY POINTS:
The Herald asks three politicans: What is the biggest structural problem for the economy and what would you do?
Michael Cullen, Labour: The biggest structural problem is still inadequate levels of savings, investment and innovation. If we don't do better we will struggle to get the productivity growth we want.
We have set up KiwiSaver, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and the capital markets study group.
We will consult the Guardians [of the fund] and KiwiSaver providers about what would lead them to weight New Zealand markets more highly [in their investment strategies] while still reaching higher returns.
Bill English, National: The biggest problem is productivity. We are going to have to lift productivity growth in an environment where the fall-out from credit markets will dampen investment and reduce credit.
We will sharpen incentives and competitiveness to strengthen the export economy.
National will invest in skills and infrastructure, demand better value and more productivity from public services, and roll back the tide of ineffective regulation.
Russel Norman, Green: Our export industry depends on our "clean and green" image but we are actually far from clean and green. Our lowland rivers are unswimmable.
We have high per capita greenhouse emissions and this will become very expensive, so we need to reduce oil use and invest in research and development to reduce emissions from agriculture.
We need to invest in decent public transport and rail freight.
