Auckland Chamber of Commerce

BUSINESS LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

Irrespective of the final shape of the new Government, business will continue to work hard to achieve a positive environment in which increased growth and employment can occur.

Congratulating Helen Clark for her leadership success, Michael Barnett, Chief Executive of the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the pledge "to make a difference" will require businesses to be underpinned by policies that support growth and building an expanding economy.

"Of course there will be some concerns within business circles over exactly what changes will be made to the Employment Contracts Act, accident compensation and taxation."

On the other hand, business organisations were looking forward to working with the new government to deliver the more "hands on" business development programmes promised by Labour.

The bottom line is that if the incoming Government is going to "make a real difference," a strong partnership will be required to be established with business organisations, who are well positioned to facilitate delivery of programmes to the coal face of individual firms and manufacturers.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>