8 July 2002

"National's small business policy contains a range of measures designed to allow people in business get on with doing business," says National Leader Bill English.

Mr English says New Zealand is a country of small businesses - where 85 per cent of our companies employ fewer than five people.

"Being small is not a bad thing. It means we can be smart, innovative, fast moving and flexible.

"However, under Labour business in New Zealand is being suffocated. It has stifled business by imposing more regulation in the labour market, removing competition from accident insurance, increasing taxes and done nothing to reduce compliance costs."

But Mr English warns there will be worse to come if Labour is re-elected.

"Helen Clark and Michael Cullen's hidden agenda is becoming increasingly clear. This includes more taxes, bureaucrats deciding that different jobs should be paid equally, laws encouraging general strikes, as well as policies encouraging higher inflation leading to higher interest rates.

"With New Zealand's economy heading for more difficult times Government should be making things easier for business not harder.

"National understands this and that's why we are going to make it easier for business to get on with doing business. This includes measures such as reducing the regulatory burden, lowering the costs of doing business, reducing taxes and introducing a 90-day new job trial period where costly and disruptive grievance claims can't be lodged.

"If we are serious about getting New Zealand's annual, sustainable growth rate above four per cent - and National is - then most of this growth must come from our small business sector and that's why we intend making it easier for them.

"Small business deserves a government that works as hard as they do," says Mr English.

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