Cr John Vujcich A place for everyone
Last week in Wellington I attended the Inclusive Growth Summit, which focused on giving consideration to everyone in a community when undergoing development initiatives. Sadly, it was overshadowed by the tragic and cowardly terrorist attacks in Christchurch four days prior.
I applaud our Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, for her leadership in this tragedy, and her call for compassion and love.
Key themes of the summit were to define ‘inclusive growth’ and why it matters; to explore how an inclusive growth agenda can make local economies more inclusive and prosperous. International and local speakers presented practical case studies showing how an inclusive growth agenda has improved local economies, given better employment outcomes, fostered better engagement with local communities and improved long-term sustainability.
Many speakers challenged ‘growth’ as not necessarily a good thing, and possibly not sustainable. The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts (RSA) defines inclusive growth as ‘broad-based growth that enables the widest range of people and places to both contribute to and benefit from economic success. Its purpose is to achieve more prosperity alongside greater equity in opportunity and outcomes.’
A RSA speaker defined domains of inclusive growth:
* Inclusive livelihoods, challenging persistent inequality, stagnant productivity and living standards, declining
four job quality and A sharp rise in ‘in-work poverty.’
* Inclusive wealth: Two key aspects here are to broaden the ownership of wealth and assets, and to develop institutions that generate economic value that remains within a town, closer to local people, instead of ‘leaking out.’ The distribution of wealth in many countries is extremely unequal, even higher than income inequality. * Inclusive voice: unequal economies typically have power structures that exclude citizens from involvement in governance and decision-making. It was noted that this also introduces a risk that an economy can be captured by narrow interests. It’s about giving citizens a greater say and influence over economic decision-making. * Inclusive futures recognises that building an inclusive economy is a long-term endeavour, and must consider the effects that current decisions would have on future generations. Short-term policy-making, business practice and government thinking makes it difficult to change economic structural failures.
Overall it was an excellent summit that clarified how in many areas the Far North District desperately needs an inclusive development strategy. It’s about equally valuing and incorporating all people, and at its heart is compassion and love. Echoing Jacinda’s call, we must all, from the heart, have genuine love and compassion for every human being, no matter where they may live, their race, their beliefs and their age, born or unborn.
"[Inclusive growth] is about equally valuing and incorporating all people, and at its heart is compassion and love. "