The past ten years have been undoubtedly busy - and varied. We’ve experienced (at least, by my count): four different central government administrations; three Prime Ministers; three Ministers of Finance; two Reserve Bank Governors; three Secretaries of the Treasury; a transition to MMP; two ‘dry-year’ electricity shortages; numerous natural phenomena (drought, flood etc); an exchange rate fluctuating between a peak of 70 US cents and a trough of 38 US cents; four All Black coaches; three Silver Ferns coaches; and, not to mention, all manner of unwelcome international events.

So what’s been constant during this period? Well, there’s been a skills shortage (of some sort or another), the Resource Management Act, on-going public cynicism (and/or antagonism) toward business and enterprise and, of course, that business tax rate of 33 percent.

With all these factors in mind it is perhaps not surprising that business confidence indicators err on the somewhat gloomy rather than sunshine mood. The National Bank indicator has recorded 35 out of 110 months of pessimism over this ten-year period (Januarys don’t count).

But wait, New Zealand’s GDP grew by 3.3 percent in 2003. Yawn. And in 2002 there was 4.1 percent growth in 2002. Yawn and stretch. But wait - there’s more - growth in the past ten years (i.e. from 1994 to 2003) totalled 41 percent - or an average yearly growth of 3.6 percent. Yawn, yawn and double yawn.

My parents continually remind me of the 1950s and 60s as “the good old days”. During the last-half of the 1950s New Zealand growth averaged 3.5 percent per annum, while the 60s decade saw an average growth of 4.1percent per annum.

So why is a ten-year average growth of 3.6 percent per annum hidden amongst the best kept secrets in the country; or, at best, met with stifled yawns? Have we really become a reticent bunch of peoples that always prefer to see that half-glass of milk as half-empty? What is the message underlying the National Bank indicator reflecting businesses’ views on the outlook for their firm. Despite the 35 out of 110 months of pessimism noted earlier, in only 1 of those 110 months was there recorded a negative response for businesses’ outlook for their own activity.

Perhaps we don’t believe the growth figures - but the employment numbers do back them up. Or is it because we can’t see the growth. Is it because the growth is not in front of us - staring us in the face - daily? Let me digress for a while.

It was only five years ago that I last ventured into India and so it was with some surprise that I returned recently to witness what seemed like a ‘step-change’ occurring. I hesitate, however, knowing full-well that it is impossible to make generalised statements about India given its enormity - and especially after only four weeks there. But anyway here goes.

Perhaps, the biggest change is in the day-to-day communications sphere. Emails have replaced letters and long gone is the era where family events were transmitted by telegram with (if lucky) only a few days delay to the other side of the world.

Even more pervasive and visible though, is the influence of mobile phones and text messaging. With cellular coverage - as I found, remarkably good - even in outlying areas (including during train travel across remote areas), it is not too difficult to see why, what were notoriously unreliable, land-lines have been abandoned by many.

Also clearly visible in all manner of places - building, building, construction and building. Major roads, infrastructure and construction building is everywhere. Central New Delhi was a construction site due to the new suburban Metro train lines being built. Almost all other centres I went, there were buildings (office and residential blocks) and roads being built.

The overwhelming impression - things were happening, things were changing, things were developing. In the cities, this was on top of the normal hustle and bustle, while in a couple of smaller towns a similar climate of development was widespread.

Back to home. Amongst the recent articles I have written (skills requirements, airlines, immigration, taxation, infrastructure investment, inflation, exchange rates et al) there is one common denominator - namely, growth is good.

Now, however, I think I need to add that it helps if growth is visible. We’ve heard how sports teams need to get used to winning, or be instilled with a winning habit. In other words, perceptions are important, as are pronouncements of confidence (or lack thereof). Actions, decisions and behaviour are based on them just as much as they are based on actual events. Perhaps then, New Zealand (public and private, people and business) need to get used to growth, development and change and, moreover, be comfortable with it being here for a while.

But is our turn in the sun really about to return? With employment expansion continuing and activity growth remaining positive despite all manner of events (as introduced at the beginning of this article) a positive picture shouldn’t be too difficult to paint. No doubt, of course, unwelcome world and regional events are inevitable. But at least the glass is half-full. We’re definitely not going to enjoy the sun if we are always pointing to the clouds massing on the horizon.

So, if asked, could you list the most important reasons why your business (or you) stay in New Zealand? Why are you here? It’s (usually) easy to list the negatives, but if you do have serious difficulties answering this question, then perhaps the time is ripe for you to move on.

But, hopefully, you will be able to answer positively. Then, perhaps, a next step is for you (your business) to take advantage of the positives. One way is to make the growth visible - remember, it’s partly about perceptions, about confidence. Yes, the skill shortage will be here for a while yet - but any robust growing economy and/or business should always be calling for more and more skilled persons to perform more and more valuable tasks - and rewarding them accordingly.

If not, public cynicism (and/or antagonism) towards the business sector is unlikely to abate. And there’s little likelihood that the RMA would ever be seriously tackled without the public and business in some sort of harmony. As for that tax rate … who knows?