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THE HONOURABLE AUSTIN
MITCHELL
Austin Mitchell has been the Labour Member of Parliament for the fishing port of Grimsby since 1977, when he was elected after a career as a political science lecturer in New Zealand and as a broadcaster and journalist with the BBC and Yorkshire Television.
A former opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry, member of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee, and Opposition Whip; he is Senior Associate Editor of the Parliamentary weekly The House Magazine, senior member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and was co-presenter of the SKY television news political interview show 'Target' from 1989-98. He is Chairman of the Fishing Group, All-Party Media Group, Trading Standards Group, Advertising Group and Photography Group.
Mr Mitchell has written numerous publications mainly on the Labour Party and wider politics, while also managing to produce a prolific number of articles for various journals and newspapers. His interests include the economy, Europe (anti-EU), legal reform, consumer affairs, the media, agriculture, the fishing industry, electoral and constitutional reform, the accountancy profession and corporate governance.
Austin was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2001 for services to New Zealand interests in the United Kingdom.
THE OLD GREY KIWI AIN`T WHAT SHE USED TO BE ABSTRACT Since the war NZ history is the story of the transformation of Britain`s overseas farm, a dependent society and economy, into an independent nation integrating into and trading with the Pacific and Asia. NZ has ceased to be a limpet looking for a rock and is punching above its weight in the counsels of its own area. This transformation, one of the fastest, most total modernizations in the world, goes through three phases.
(1) Crumbling Dependence 1945-75. Proud of its reputation as a social laboratory leading the world NZ began the period with one of the highest living standards and NZ gradually transformed its initial dependence from UK to the USA. Its trade and ties remained dominated by Britain. The comparative decline of that country produced a similar decline in which NZ slipped down every league table. Until: (2) Traumatic Independence 1975-1995. Britain entered the Common Market brutally betraying NZ which was forced to transfer to new markets. Then Labour opted for brutal modernization of the economy and welfare state. Initiated by Labour, in a fit of monetarist enthusiasm, this was carried further by National. NZ was again leading the world, but in a wholly new direction where many admired but few followed. This lead to: (3) New Democracy 1995-to date. Feeling they`d been betrayed by both parties the people voted for Proportional Representation to put politicians on a tight leash. This eliminated the elective dictatorship, one party dominance and government by will and required coalition government and democratic consultation. It brought both major parties back to the realistic middle of the road and led to the gradual rebuilding of social democracy. Which leaves:
(4) New
Zealand Today An open, competitive, Pacific democracy; protein
producer to Asia, with which it trades and ties, as an education
provider and tourist focus. Less unique but more independent, the small
democracy now charts its own course, independent of the big powers and
the blocks.
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