To whom should we sell our family silver?

It’s an interesting conundrum.  Should an Auckland house owner be allowed to sell their home to a Chinese person or anyone else ‘foreign’ that qualifies legally through contractual agreement.  Should Waikato or Manawatu or Southland farmers have the legal right to sell their farm to the Chinese.

What about the Aussies.  They have an even more tainted history of human rights.  Should their government allow the transition of farmland to coal mine through Chinese owned mining companies.  Government acquisition of indigenous land was ok once.  Why not again (when it suits)?

If a countries history of colonisation, capitalism and democracy is founded on freedom, independence, fairness and transparency (yeah right) isn’t this just another development in an evolving, growing economy and country.

How do we react when the Waitangi Tribunal makes another recommendation and pay out, because something was ‘acquired’ 150 years ago without ‘fairness’ of recompense! Surely inheriting the monarchy was adequate compensation!

When we watch cowboy and Indian movies now on TCM – whose side are we on?  As we watch the thrilling rugby or cricket test matches in the South African republic, a land our grandparents fought for and lost on behalf of the ‘British Empire’ – do we consider why many of the white city dwellers are now living on the North Shore of Auckland or in Perth Australia.  Is it ok for them to buy property? – even though they speak funny, beat us in a war (sort of) and have a human rights history equal to the atrocities in Australia, America and China.

If the Chinese or South African or Fijian Indian wish to immigrate because they are wanting freedom, democracy and the opportunity to build a future in this country, isn’t that how we grew as a country in the first place.  That’s why we are what we are.  Descendants of people who escaped their confines.  People who took action and looked for opportunity.  Whether we came by canoe or sailing ship.

But that’s not the debate is it.  We suspect there is something afoot.  We don’t trust politicians – ours or theirs.  That’s the problem.  Are there rules for some and not for others?  Of course.  A Chinese, or for that matter any immigrant applicant can buy NZ residency.  To do so they simply hire an international immigration organisation, make a financial investment (into an approved selection of NZ Securities – of which existing NZ residential property is not one) and Bob’s your uncle.  Or Foo’s your friend.  They can also qualify through the promise of an approved ‘business’.  At the latest National party conference John Key promised – a doubling of 20 to 40 points for ‘entrepreneurs’ (out of the required 120) for those looking to develop outside Auckland (come to Wellington – we want you!)

The reason America has grown to 52% of world capital markets and the UK is only 7% (equal with Japan in second place) is not because the indigenous people of America were smarter than the Europeans.  They were not – largely uneducated and nomadic, living a subsistent life.

It’s because the European, Scottish/Irish left their homeland for the promise of opportunity and ownership (in the land of the free).  Something equivalent to what our Asian, South African and Indian immigrants are looking for.

The problem arises however when politicians can’t help themselves and want to do deals.  In America, NZ, Australia.  Mining deals, gambling deals, farming and manufacturing deals, film industry deals, banking deals, free trade deals.  Our leader is a dealer.

Thankfully in a country our size we can almost smell corruption and we despise it.  Whether delivered via well meaning ‘welfare’ agencies and bureaucrats toadying to political puppeteers or local council politicians justifying their growing council edifice.  An honourable place to work because it sanctifies their position as critically important decision makers – on sewage, resource management and the arts.  At the ratepayers expense.  But when we read about Aussie politicians, Chinese mines and New South Wales farmers – we suspect.  When we hear about NZ farm land or commercial property or Auckland residential property we suspect – smoke and mirrors.  Or smoke and fire?

I think our challenging of such issues is important but as a libertarian (not to be confused with a liberal) – I’m in the camp of the American Constitution (the original – not that tainted by generations of political pussy’s).  Our right to freedom of ownership, choice, speech, self-determination, relationships under the overarching governance of a transparent democracy – that’s worth honouring and maintaining.

Can you sell your property to a Chinese NZ  resident.  Absolutely. But don’t compare it to a deal with an Asian dot.com lookalike brokered through a government agency whose values are founded on political pragmatism.  After all, the reason we have ‘an Auckland house price issue’ just like the Global Financial Crisis is as an unintended consequence of political cock up.  The economic and social impact of such events is historically evident.  It’s why economists and politicians are unlikely bedfellows, markets are volatile and people of my age become cynical.

God bless America

Advance Australia fair

God defend New Zealand

We need all the help we can get –at times.