AS 2011 draws to a close, it is fitting to look back and see what lessons New Zealanders can draw from the highs and lows of the last 12 months.
In the eyes of most New Zealanders, the singular event that made 2011 memorable was the All Blacks’ nail-biting, one-point victory over the French in the final of the Rugby World Cup (RWC).
That achievement brought the country’s diverse communities closer as they basked in the glory of the All Blacks once again perched at the pinnacle of rugby supremacy.
It also demolished the cruel taunt bandied about by the other rugby playing nations that the All Blacks were “chokers” and losers in RWC knock-out rounds.
We did it!: All Blacks captain Richie McCaw holding the Webb Ellis Cup as he stands with his players after the RWC final match against France. The task facing the All Blacks in the New Year will be to stay fresh with new strategies to prevent a slide to mediocrity that seems to follow RWC winners, like South Africa and England.
It is amazing how the way 15 men carries an oval-shaped ball over the touch line can provide so much relief to a nation reeling from a string of natural disasters.
The last 12 months have seen a continuation of the horror stories from 2010, starting with a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in February that killed 181 people and made thousands of people homeless.
Out of the horror have emerged heart-warming stories of ordinary people and strangers risking life and limbs to rescue others from the rubble.
Students and farmers in the Canterbury region demonstrated their caring nature by forming work brigades to remove the sludge from thousands of affected properties.
At a time when many are financially stretched, Kiwis have unselfishly contributed what they could spare towards aid relief.
It is a shame the insurance companies have been dragging their feet in paying policy holders, forcing the government to step in with rescue packages that prevented the collapse of many businesses.
A bold government decision to buy thousands of red-stickered or condemned properties enabled families to move on and start afresh.
This good turn was rewarded with the National Party wresting electoral seats in Christchurch that had long been held by the Labour Party.
Now, 10 months after the disaster, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The city council has finally approved the “people’s plan” to rebuild the CBD over a 20-year period to 2032.
The once-in-a-millennium opportunity to reshape a city translates into lots of new business opportunities and jobs that will assist economic recovery.
“It represents our hopes our dreams, our vision. And we know we can deliver on these things, so it is a huge step forward,” said mayor Bob Parker.
If all goes according to plan, a greener city with a low skyline (maximum seven storeys) centred around the Avon River with a smaller central business district will emerge.
The only obstacle to rebuilding lies in an acute shortage of skilled construction workers.
This problem can be tackled on two fronts — investing in vocational education to produce more trades people and opening the doors to skilled foreign workers including from Asia.
That might give Comeback Kid Winston Peters of New Zealand First a fit but it’s an option to be considered.
While it has no doubt distinguished itself with its decisive earthquake recovery action, the government has failed the families of the 29 miners killed in the Pike River Coal Mine disaster of 2010.
After a year of inquiries and hearings, nothing has been done to recover the remains of the dead miners.
Fear of methane levels in the mine prevented body recovery efforts and there’s no closure for the families of the mine victims.
It is hard to prove how much this feel-good factor benefited the National Party in the John Key vs. Phil Goff “beauty contest” otherwise known as the general election that was due to take place after the RWC.
But as most seasoned politicians know, happy voters are less prone to use their ballots to vent their anger against incumbent government.
The re-elected National-led government seems hell-bent on going ahead with asset sales despite voter disapproval.
The feeling on the ground is that most Kiwis are opposed to selling national assets like power stations, railways, ports and airline to foreign owners.
The government argues it is only selling 49% of assets mostly to NZ investors but only the rich and well-heeled will have the means to take up these shares.
During the recent general election, the National Party campaigned on a simple strategy based on John Key’s high popularity rating.
The mugshot of the telegenic PM was prominently displayed in billboards all over the country, many of them placed side-by-side with other National candidates.
In the next election three years from now, Key will face a more likeable contender for the PM post in David Shearer, the newly-elected Labour leader.
This guy has a fantastic story fit for a Steven Spielberg story — a humanitarian aid administrator who stared down the barrels of guns wielded by warlords in hotspots around the world, once jokingly described by a Labour insider as Indiana Jones and Mother Theresa rolled into one.
The party hopes the laid-back style of the Mt Albert MP will resonate with the public in the way Key did for National.
His much vaunted CV as an aid and relief worker contrasts with money-market multi-millionaire Key, leading Labour supporters to say, only half in jest, that Key went overseas and made $50mil, Shearer went overseas and saved 50 million lives.
So there you have it. The highs and lows of 2011 have shown that New Zealanders have the fortitude as a people to cope with any adversities Nature can throw at them.
And from me, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to readers of The Star.
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