The most significant thing the Government could do for the economy will cost it far less than this week's Budget and yet yield massive returns: start a managed opening of the border.
This is not a plea for international tourists to return. That's a long way off. It's a plea to start bringing international students and migrant workers back into this country as soon as possible. All the necessary controls - including a two week quarantine - can stay in place. A lost fortnight may be enough to put off most tourists, but it's less of a barrier for those who plan to relocate here for months or years.
Unless foreign students start coming back, our universities are in trouble. They're doing their best to develop viable-sounding plans to satisfy the Government. Victoria University of Wellington, for example, says it has identified three locations in the capital where it could quarantine students for the required time. A businessman connected to Auckland University has pitched the idea of chartering an Air New Zealand flight out of Shanghai to bring Chinese students here in time for the second semester in July. What both these plans need is Government approval.
The argument for getting on with this is a slam dunk. International education is a $5 billion industry. Without these students, our universities will be forced to push on with plans to lay off staff. That's the kind of shrinkage we must avoid if we want to emerge ready to take on the world post-crisis.
There is a deadline. Australia hopes to allow foreign students in by July. Unless we beat or match that timeframe, we risk losing first-mover advantage.