Political Conference Focuses On Growth

9 July 2002
Business NZ's annual conference will focus on the most important election issue - growth.

Chief Executive Simon Carlaw says health, education and superannuation are all important issues, but they can only be secured by greater economic growth.

"We have surveyed hundreds of New Zealand companies, asking what policies they need for accelerated growth - their answers will be compared with the answers the political parties give at Business NZ's conference next week," Mr Carlaw said.

The conference, at Wellington's Inter-Continental Hotel on 17 July, has been planned to give business voters a clear idea of where each party stands on crucial growth issues.

"Given that there is a large amount of consensus among the main political parties on the need for a growth rate of 4% a year or better, the focus now needs to go on specific policies to achieve that."

MPs from all parties will address issues that are building blocks for growth, including employment law, environment law and education and will respond to questions and debate from the floor. Party leaders and finance spokesmen will address growth issues including tax, compliance costs and government spending and will also take questions from the floor.

Mr Carlaw said the format was designed so that business could clearly spell out to senior politicians what business wants from the election.

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