Bill English National Party Leader

5th March 2002

Actions speak louder than words

The Government's 'Innovate' conference in Christchurch this week is another taxpayer funded ego boost for Jim Anderton, says National Leader Bill English.

"National strongly supports celebrating business success, and encouraging innovators. But spending $500,000 of taxpayers money is not the way to go about it.

"Jim Anderton has a tendency to get carried away and think that he is single-handedly running the New Zealand economy. But it is entrepreneurs and innovators who create wealth, not the Government.

"Business people know that actions speak louder than words. The Government has held lots of meetings, cocktail functions and public relations exercises but their actual policies have only held back enterprise.

"A Business New Zealand survey has found that compliance costs have increased by $26,000 under the Labour Alliance Government, making a mockery of their claims to be business friendly.

"Business people are concerned with issues like the Resource Management Act, OSH legislation, rising ACC levies and employment law. Why do Jim Anderton and Helen Clark never talk about these issues?", said Mr English.

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