Hon Jim Anderton
Deputy Prime Minister

News release

14 April 2000

Anderton says Govt needs to move on compliance costs

The Government will move to ensure compliance costs are only imposed where necessary, Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton told an Export Institute breakfast in Wellington today.

"One of the messages that is commonly heard is that compliance costs facing small businesses are too much of a burden. I have some sympathy for this myself, as someone who has established a successful business.

This Government is committed to restoring respect for the public sector. We want New Zealanders to feel confident again about the process of Government. One element of that is ensuring that businesses are confident about their role and they feel the Government is not making unreasonable demands on their time.

"The object should always be to ensure that the costs of compliance are minimised where possible.

"The Government needs to avoid some obvious pitfalls, such as making multiple requests for the same piece of information, or collecting information that is not adequately used."

Jim Anderton said it is part of his ministerial responsibility to take some responsibility for reducing compliance costs.

"The Government is aware of the issues that have been raised by businesses.

"I would far rather see businesspeople working on making their businesses better,
and working on innovation, than working on form filling skills."

ENDS

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