In a Land of Plenty

I just wanted to say what a great documentary that was. Very moving.

I'm from Finland and we've had the same sort of neoliberal attack on the welfare state since the 80s although it hasn't been as severe as in New Zealand. Let's hope that with the recent Occupy demonstrations around the world we can educate each other about what's going on in the world and build up popular movements to call for full employment policies.

This is a good historical documentary. I learnt a lot. However, I think portraying pre-1984 New Zealand as a utopia is misrepresentative. There was a reason we pursued these changes.

By 1984 commodity prices had fallen and our meat and wool industry was only being propped up by government subsidies. This meant the goverment ran a large deficit and the country had a large trade deficit. (Muldoon kept the sorry state of the government books a closely guarded secret.) There was a risk of the reserve bank going bankrupt. And we had 15% inflation and 5% unemployment.

The pre-1984 situation was undesireable and unsustainable. So I think this documentary was unfairly harsh on a government that had to deal with serious economic problems,

I was moved and very pleased to have the past 30 years so clearly examined. A society is judged by the way they treat the most vulnerable. How is NZ doing? Probably not so well.

Great film, very well done although certainly taken from a left wing perspective.

INCREDIBLE. I would love to see it as part of the school curriculum, along with a presentation of the current economic model being championed by the right, IMAGINE THAT!

How bout part two!! 2002-2010 ....and beyond....