ExportNZ On Productive Firms

ExportNZ has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s investigation into frontier firms: highly productive companies, usually exporters, that are standard-setters for other firms in their sector.

The Frontier Firms investigation has made recommendations for Government action to encourage more highly productive firms in NZ, including boosting foreign investment, enabling innovation, improving regulations, supporting health tech and areas of already occurring competitive advantage.

ExportNZ Executive Director Catherine Beard says exporters will be in agreement with many of the Commission’s recommendations, particularly more support for increased R&D.

"Exporters would certainly appreciate outcomes including better targeted foreign investment rules, better procurement practice by government agencies and improved R&D assistance."

Catherine Beard said there would also be support for a more explicit skilled migration policy for NZ, as recommended by the Productivity Commission, while noting that seasonal and lower skilled jobs are not necessarily easily automated, though that could change over time.

" ExportNZ’s submission to the inquiry outlined the importance of skilled international workers who are essential for reaching NZ’s productivity goals. Our small population means we need continuous access to a strong pipeline of international skills, alongside locally educated talent."

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