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Under The Microscope

Our Country: Our Choices

OUR COUNTRY: OUR CHOICES -- HE TUMANAKO MO TE TAU RUA MANO RUA TEKAU, PROSPECTS FOR 2020, Ed. Malcolm Menzies, Heather Newell, Roger Peren; New Zealand Futures Trust, 1997; 119 pp; $19.95

Reviewed by Chris Roberts

Eleven New Zealanders have provided their visions of where New Zealand may be heading over the next twenty years, each concentrating on a particular field of expertise. This collection has been brought together under the auspices of the New Zealand Futures Trust, who state that they are an independent organisation which "aims to identify developments and changes affecting the lives and aspirations of New Zealanders, and to promote debate about possible futures".

Fields covered in this selection are wide-ranging. Apart from the "usual suspects"-- work, education, energy, government (both local and central), economy and health -- a look is taken at:

  • our identity as Maori and European and how our vision of ourselves with differences and things in common is developing
  • conservation and how we are working the enhanced awareness of this into our culture; community ethics and the way our population is moving away from an overtly "Christian" towards a more broadly spiritual ethos
  • New Zealand's place in the wider global community.

The essays are written in a variety of styles, with some choosing to mount and ride their hobby-horses. This is not necessarily off-putting, as the passion behind their ideas can be quite inspiring. And, whilst for a couple of them, I felt that I had heard this all before, in the context of the book's overall picture it was interesting to see how the authors saw their subject's importance and influence within New Zealand's developing society.

I only immediately recognized two of the authors' names, so I was pleased to find the notes on the contributors at the end, though I would have preferred them with the relevant article.

I have found that some of the ideas have percolated into those interesting dinner-table conversations where you start discussing how the world could be a better place. It seems the aim of the Trust on promoting debate, at least on a small scale, has worked for me. Readers are encouraged to respond to points raised or to add ideas of their own, with contact addresses and a feedback form provided. I will be interested to see if any further ideas are published as a result of this.

Copies of the book may be obtained from Navigate by phoning 04-472-1212.

Chris Roberts is a librarian on the North Shore.