Economic growth a hot topic for Hayes

Wairarapa MP John Hayes has been at the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Tarawa, Kiribati, which looked at ideas on how to increase economic growth in the Pacific.

The annual meeting, which ended yesterday, was attended by economic ministers from 14 independent Pacific nations.

``This year's meeting was very important as many crucial economic and political issues needed to be discussed,'' Mr Hayes said.

``We needed to look at ways of decreasing the Pacific's dependence on inefficient fuels such as coal, and to promote alternatives such as solar power, and to promote sustainable industries such as tourism in the region.''

However, for the Pacific's economy to grow, Mr Hayes believed public-sector costs needed to be cut.

``To maintain a resilient economy we need to keep the public sector as small as possible, and invest in the private sector, because nothing is more important than giving people jobs.''

The MP, who is also the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, believed the rest of the Pacific should follow Australia's lead.

``Australia has developed a sustainable infrastructure which has helped them to build a stronger economy.''

However, the economic ministers are not just discussing strategies for economic growth _ their focus was also on women's rights.

``You would be surprised as not all the Pacific nations think women's rights are important. If smaller Pacific nations want to grow, they must give women economic and political independence.''-->