Government Indulging In "Kamikaze Approach" To Business Summit

The Government's approach to the upcoming business summit is akin to a kamikaze approach, because of the bizarre selection rules for conference invitees precluding any business individual or organisation, who is critical of government policy from attending, says Hon Peter Dunne, leader United New Zealand.

"The Government seems determined to alienate an important sector of the business community on the basis they are critical of government policy.

"By excluding people who may be critical of government policy the Government is by implication making those that will be attending government toadies.

"If the Government's attempts to woo business and turn around business perceptions are to be taken seriously, then the approach they are adopting is strange and counterproductive," says Mr Dunne.

He says an inclusive approach that brought together the widest breadth of business opinion would ensure robust, intellectually honest debate which could then form the basis of a new and genuine dialogue with business.

"Why don't they take a leaf out of the 1984 Labour Government's book and have an inclusive and wide-ranging Economic Summit?," he asks.

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