More from the blindingly obvious dept...

This just in! NZ should focus on high-quality products with quick turnarounds! Wow... why hadn't anyone mentioned that before? Remember the Knowledge Wave? (or was that a ripple?).
As for the whinging by the manufacturers association that no-one's doing enough research for them... you earn $20 billion between you ya great pillock. Why the hell should the govt redistribute wealth (as research funding) into your profitable enterprises?
Not investing in research is the NZ way of doing business, don't ask for the rest of us to pay for your lack of business investments. The govt should be investing in things that DON'T have a cash revenue stream yet, you know, like things that might be a good idea to be doing in 20 years?

Group chairman Michael Pratt hoped the day would produce a vision for the future, strategies to meet global challenges and a research-and-development agenda.

Wow, that's a busy day Pratt. If only the rest of the country had thought to sit down for a whole day to nut this one out.

It will seek feedback on a draft strategy at the meeting and will follow it up with regional workshops throughout the country next year.

Talk, talk, talk... if you want to actually do something, commit some money and *gasp* possibly make some mistakes, learn something, develop new products...

the Manufacturing Vision Group - hope the workshop will give greater voice to a sector often treated as a poor cousin.

I don't think $20 billion pa counts as poor. See the first paragraph and try thinking for a change. Yeah i know it's hard, it gets easier with practice.