Business NZ Conference Part V
Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly reported on the results of their survey of members. Over 2,000 members responded – mainly small business:
- Skills Shortage biggest issue – can not get skilled staff despite rising unemployment
- Firms want to innovate but don’t feel well positioned to do so
- Concerns about “environment” for business – Holidays Act, ERA, ACC
Skills
- 72% say education system not meeting skills gap
- 94% say more work needed on apprenticeships and industry training. Need action not rhetoric
- 91% say all school leavers should achieve NCEA Level 1 for literacy and numeracy
- Not just student loans driving people overseas
- The underlying problem is competitiveness
- NZ economy not growing enough high-paying jobs so skilled Kiwis being sucked overseas
Innovation
- 89% say R&D tax credits will nit lift R&D spend. Pointed out many small business who responded do no R&D
- 54% say policies needed to improve access to venture capital
- 54% say government assistance should be through a contestable fund
Environment for Business
- 71% say the dismissals provision in ERA is below average
- 54% say ERA collective approach is wrong way – less than in past
- 89% do not want laws for work-life balance
- 61% want ACC opened up for competition
Open ACC to Competition (Bus 61% yes)
ACT – yes
Labour, NZF, Greens, UFNZ – No
National, Maori – will consider it
Flatter Taxes
National, ACT, UFNZ – Yes
Labour, Greens, Maori – No
NZF – no clear policy
Local Government stick to core business (Bus 64% yes)
ACT – yes
Labour, Greens, Maori – no
National, NZF, UFNZ – no clear answer
Support FTA with China (Bus 55% yes)
Labour, National, NZF, ACT – yes
NZF, Greens, Maori – no
Should NZ be international leader on climate change? (Bus 73% No)
Labour – yes
ACT, UF – No
National, NZF, Greens – unclear answer