Successful Business – Successful New Zealand

Successful Business – Successful New Zealand

Congratulations to Dr Cullen for putting business at the centre of Government strategy to drive up NZ’s prosperity.

“This is a major shift of focus on previous Budgets going back many years”, said Auckland Chamber Chief Executive Michael Barnett.

The strengthened role asked of business is reflected by Budget announcements to:

Give a strong push to SMEs to reduce tax and compliance costs; Invest more in R & D; Focus immigration around recruiting skills we need; Give a big push to on the job training; Improve advisory services to employers on occupational health and safety issues; Provide better offshore support and more trade missions for exporters to leverage off.

However there are some major disappointments too. While Dr Cullen says the surplus path outlined for the next four years is enough to maintain investment in infrastructure, it is perplexing that he has not shown more confidence in the numbers to immediately embark on a programme to solve transport and energy crises.

Instead he says he intends holding out action for next year’s Budget. “Another year out and both crises will be that much worse and that’s unacceptable”, concluded Mr Barnett.

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