Wednesday 17th Nov 1999
Media Release -- Economy

ACT understands that it is the private sector, not the Government, which creates jobs. Employment laws must help, not hinder, so businesses can grow and hire more staff. Currently our businesses are weighed down with compliance costs and constrained by industrial relations laws that deter many employers from taking on new staff. This impacts especially heavily on small and medium sized businesses that are the country's major employers. ACT will remove the unnecessary government imposed barriers that prevent businesses from expanding and creating jobs.

ACT's goals New Zealand to have the lowest unemployment rate in the OECD To improve opportunities for work by removing government imposed barriers to employment such as those imposed by the RMA, OSH, the Privacy Act and the Employment Court To make it as easy as possible for businesses to hire the staff they need To cut the red tape, bureaucracy and compliance costs that are costing the country jobs

ACT believes That in order to create jobs government imposed barriers must be removed Lower taxes enable business to create more jobs and hire more staff There must be competition and choice in accident insurance To improve industrial relations the ECA must be strengthened, not surrendered to trade unions Greater freedom and flexibility in the workplace is one of the keys to creating more jobs

ACT will Encourage employment through the introduction of a six-month probationary period to enable employers to take on new staff without the threat of punitive and expensive litigation Change the outdated Holidays Act to remove the current ambiguities and make it work for both employers and employees Tackle the problems with the Employment Court, OSH and the Privacy Act Reduce the tax and compliance cost burden on businesses Reform the RMA Retain and strengthen the Employment Contracts Act

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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