By and large, we’re doing well
We merit A+ pass in many areas but don’t score well in others
If New Zealand was to receive a report card from the global community for its performance last year, as compiled from the 2018 international and national reports currently available, it would look like this.
We merit an A+ from Transparency International for lack of corruption. Denmark is second, UK eighth, Australia 13th, the US 21st.
A+ from the Global Peace Index, which considers issues such as violent crime, terror incidents and military expenditure. Against an overall trend of the world becoming less peaceful for the last four years, New Zealand is the second most peaceful country on the planet, behind Iceland and ahead of Australia, 13th.
On the freedom index by Freedom House, which is now reflecting a straight 12 years of global decline, some nations stand out as bucking the trend. We are in this group with a score of 98 out of 100, shared with two other countries, including Australia. Five countries score even higher. The UK scored 94 and the US 86. For this, also an A+.
For press freedom, perhaps an A, as Reporters Without Borders puts New Zealand at eighth in the world, a jump from 13th in 2017.
Also, a straight A grade for our legal system. The World Justice Project, rule of law index, ranks New Zealand seventh in the world, Australia 10th, UK 11th, US 19th. Of note, within this index, a subset consideration for open government, New Zealand ranks seventh.
A cluster of very high grades would also be deserved for economic considerations. A+ for our achievements in economic, civil and political freedoms on the index of economic freedom of the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street
Journal, putting us, again, third best. Australia is fifth, the UK eighth and the US 18th.
Perhaps another A+ for unemployment, as as we are outperforming most of the OECD. Australia’s unemployment rate is at 5.4 per cent, about the OECD average. The UK is at 4 per cent, New Zealand is now at 3.9 per cent and the US 3.7 per cent.
This impressively low level of unemployment is being accompanied by increases in income. Thus, in the 10 years to the middle of 2018, average annual household income (before-tax) from all regular sources increased 41 per cent, to reach $105,719 for the year ended June 2018.
In terms of some of the attributes that drive employment and incomes, the 2018 innovation index compiled by Cornell University and the World Intellectual Property Organisation had New Zealand down a spot to 22nd. US was sixth, UK fourth and Australia 20th, while the World Economic Forum has us 18th, down five places from last year, in their global competitiveness index.
On top of these very good but not excellent placements, the World Bank placed New Zealand best in the world for ease of doing business. Again, an A+.
With regard to environmental concerns, perhaps a B grade. On the 2018 Yale environmental performance index which measures environmental health and ecosystem vitality, New Zealand rates 17th. The UK is sixth, Australia 21st, US 27th.
On the most pressing international environmental problem of the age, climate change, the latest climate change performance index puts us 33rd (US at 56, Australia at 57, the UK eighth). The climate tracker index puts our response, in light of the Paris Agreement, as “insufficient”.
On some of the more holistic indices, perhaps an A- grade is warranted. The World Happiness Report for 2018 has New Zealand advancing a spot to eighth. Australia is 10th, US 18th, UK 19th. The human development index, an index of life expectancy, education and income, has New Zealand fall from 13th in 2017 to 16th in 2018 (Australia is third, US 13th, UK 14th).
Where caution is merited is with some health statistics. For example, although smoking rates continue to reduce, with 16 per cent of adults currently smoking (it was 25 per cent 20 years ago), alcohol consumption, including at the hazardous level, is about the same as at the turn of the century.
Where we merit a complete failure grade, is in suicide statistics. According to World Health Organisation statistics, of which the global average is 10.6 per 100,000, New Zealand’s suicide rate is 12.1. This is behind the US at 15.3 and Australia at 13.2, but ahead of the UK at 8.9.
The problem with this WHO statistic is that it is out of date. The New Zealand Coroner report for 2018 recorded 668 suicides for the 2017/18 year, a rate of 13.6. This is the highest level since provisional statistics were first recorded 10 years ago.
In short, our report contains a continued trend of clear excellences, but also some dismal failures, which must be attended to if we are to reach our full potential.