Credible Futures: NZ In 2025

Auckland Cathedral Urges – “Shape the Nation”

What does it take to move a nation towards its goals? And what are New Zealand’s goals anyway?

On Sundays 10, 17 and 24 July 2005, Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Auckland will host a series of provocative discussions intended to contribute to the fabric of the nation twenty years hence.

“We want to make the future positive and credible, now,” says the Dean, Bishop Richard Randerson. “To do so, we need to start shaping it. Who do we want to be as New Zealanders? What is the kind of environment we want to live in – physically, socially and economically? To get to a destination, you’ve got to have a map.”

Discussions will centre around the following topics and presenters:

Sunday, 10 July, 2pm: The People – How do you want to live your life?

Brian Pink, Chief Executive and Government Statistician (Dept of Statistics) – newly appointed Chair of the International Association for Official Statistics – knows more about population in New Zealand than anyone. Jill Caldwell (Windshift Communications) will consider trends in the population, and the needs and drivers of the future – the way people live their lives now, and the way they will 20 years from now.

Sunday 17 July, 2pm: The Place – What will be the country we call home?

Morgan Williams, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment will look at how fragile the environmental envelope is; and David Skilling, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Institute, will explore social and economic trends.

Sunday, 24 July, 2pm: The Purpose – What are the hallmarks of a great Aotearoa New Zealand?

Colin James, political columnist, and Sir Paul Reeves, internationalist, will discuss our aspirations, including the policies and values we see as ‘due north’ – and how to get there.

“Through the discussions we will create an ideas bank,” says Bishop Randerson. “We may use this for a series of essays, a white paper or even a book. But we want to seek input and develop concepts for a future for New Zealand that Kiwis feel passionate about.”

The series follows on from a challenging programme run by the Cathedral on The Treaty of Waitangi last year.

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