Hon Chair, this debate could not have come at the more opportune time and our thanks to hon Fubbs for tabling it. The signs of the economic decay are everywhere and too many to enumerate here. It suffices to note that our credit rate is near junk status and that the unemployment figures have remained static since 2009. Clearly, if we are to make policy choices that are rational and thus lawful as a Constitution requires us to do, then the current policies - given the lack of success - must be removed and replaced with those that work.
Die korrekte ekonomiese beleid gaan natuurlik ook oor menslikheid. Dit gryp aan 'n mens se hart wanneer 'n vrou haarself en haar kinders dood maak omdat haar inkomste te min is, terwyl die staat geld vermors asof daar geen einde is nie.
Dit kan natuurlik nie so voortgaan nie. Akademici reken ons staar 'n fiskale afgrond in die gesig teen 2026. Ons reken daardie afgrond is veel nader, gegewe die omvang van verspilde en vrugtelose uitgawes asook endemiese korrupsie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The correct economic policy naturally also concerns humaneness. It tugs at one's heart strings when a woman has to kill herself and her children because her income is too low, while the state wastes money as if there were no limit.
Things can obviously not continue in this way. Academics predict that we will be facing a fiscal cliff by 2026. We are of the opinion that that cliff is much closer, given the extent of wasted and fruitless expenditure as well as endemic corruption.]
This government has set its sights on evidence-based policies, if one regards the Cabinet decision that regulatory impact assessments are to be performed for all pieces of legislation. Evidence-based policies need data and that is something we, plenty as a human race, have amassed plenty of over the past 100-odd years or 200-odd years.
Let us assume that the earth has been a giant laboratory since the inception of the Industrial Revolution. In this laboratory many forms of government and economic ideas have been tested at great human cost.
Where we stand now, we can see the emerging results as clear patterns in history. In the final analysis the conclusion is clear. The best form of government is a liberal democracy with sufficient safeguards for minorities, while the most affective economic policy is a free-market- oriented policy with ample support for entrepreneurs.
Daar is dus nie 'n ander pad nie. Enige gedagtes oor 'n ontwikkelingstaat is in effek dood gebore. Dieselfde land wat di idee geskep het, naamlik Maleisi, het dit ook verwerp. Hulle het ook regstellende aksie geskep en dit verwerp. China het gedink dat hulle vryemark beginsels kon toepas sonder demokrasie en nou begin dit faal. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[There is consequently no other way. Any thoughts of a developmental state are effectively still-born. The same country that created this idea, namely Malaysia, has also rejected it. It also created affirmative action and rejected it. China thought that it could apply free-market principles without democracy and now this has started to fail.]
We are privileged that we can use data procured at the huge expense of human rights and dignity over the ages. Just ask those who survived Stalin's economic destruction. Let us honour those who were sacrificed in the name of failed policies and apply the right ones for those still facing social injustice every day.