NZ to join Australian Small Business Ministerial Council

New Zealand is to become a full member of Australia's Small Business
Ministerial Council, Small Business Minister Lianne Dalziel said today.

Australian Small Business Minister Fran Bailey today announced that the
Small Business Ministerial Council had endorsed a revised charter providing
for full New Zealand membership of the Council, she said. The SBMC provides
a forum for Australian government, state and territory ministers to discuss
small business issues and promotes a national approach to small business
policy and development.

Lianne Dalziel said that the decision to make New Zealand a full member
represented an important strengthening of the Trans-Tasman commitment to
consulting on issues relating to the development and future prospects of
Australian and New Zealand small businesses, particularly those issues
requiring co-operation of member governments.

"I welcome the opportunity to become a full participant in such an
important Ministerial council and believe that the mutual exchange of ideas
and information will be very good for New Zealand small businesses," she
said.

"As New Zealand's Commerce Minister, I am also involved in both the Closer
Economic Relations and Single Economic Market agendas which have
complimentary work programmes to the work of this council."

Lianne Dalziel said it was a very timely opportunity for New Zealand with
this recent establishment of our Quality Regulation Review which includes
the decision to adopt the Business Cost Compliance Calculator.

"It is also true that the majority of New Zealand small businesses test
their ability to enter export markets by exporting to Australia. It will
obviously help New Zealand businesses exporting to Australia if they are
able to meet similar compliance requirements. That is why this Labour-led
government has worked so hard on the SEM and CER agendas, and now why we
are extending our influence into this Small Business Council."

Lianne Dalziel said Australian businesses would also benefit from the move.

"There has never been a monopoly on good ideas and they come from both
sides of the Tasman. I am looking forward to working with Minister Bailey
and the council for the benefit of small businesses in both our countries."

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