Mood of the Boardroom: Top issues facing the nation - CEOs have their say

Open up more MIQ centres - there are plenty of unused hotels. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Agribusiness CEO

• Lack of detail and execution. It is very difficult to argue with the aspiration or the big picture, i.e. no homelessness. What is challenging is there is little articulation of the "how" it is going to be done. We need to get far clearer on the "how", "by who", "by when" and what resource is required and then have tracking, measurement and demonstration that it is being delivered.

• Solutions for infrastructure inadequacies. Having the people in place that make the right decisions. Stop half doing everything and begin whole doing what we really need to do. Make the people who use it, and benefit from it — pay for it or at least contribute towards. An example is the new tunnel to the airport — we all benefited from a fast, better ride to the airport — why on earth did it not have a cost? While New Zealanders have individual dwellings and workplaces in geographically dispersed locations and a population of five million people, public transport will never work. The economics cannot stack up. Check New York City's cost versus revenue of its public transport, where it moves more in a day than Auckland moves in a year. Recognise this and build better roads. Even when electric we still have cars.

• Seeking to solve a problem universally at huge cost rather than in a targeted way where we can make significant change where it really matters. An example is free university fees. A classic example of subsidising the rich who are probably the ones responding to this survey. Think how that money could have been spent more effectively if targeted to the areas of need.

Independent director

• Managing our response to Covid-19. The Government needs to delegate some aspects to business. Frankly, business is better at developing technology and logistical solutions than Government officials. We need smart technology and IT. The fact that people wait in queues for hours to get a Covid-19 test because the IT system the testers is using is old and constantly crashed (which seriously extended the time needed to get the test) is a disgrace. There are good IT systems out there. For goodness sake, outsource to business to solve. Get vaccine passports (electronic) under way — again outsource to business to develop. The Ministry of Health is hopeless. Their own IT systems are hopeless. Go over the top of them. Put a business leader with a track record of success in charge and develop the systems using external business resources. Open up more MIQ centres — there are plenty of unused hotels. Let vaccinated people self-isolate at home. Find ways to let Kiwis travel for business and personal reasons. We need to open up to the world once all Kiwis have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. Sorry if you elect not to be vaccinated — tough. The rest of us want to get in. Order more vaccines beyond Pfizer. Order booster jabs now.

• Opening NZ up to the world. We can't be a hermit kingdom. It certainly won't be much of a kingdom, hermit-like for sure.

• Making NZ an attractive place to work for younger generations. That means having an economy which provides opportunity including an opportunity to grow. Balancing contributing to reducing carbon emissions to reduce the negative impact of climate change with not stuffing our economy by following ideology over reality. Support investment in finding science-based solutions and give key sectors time to change once the science-based solutions are available. Build more Kiwibuild houses to support first home buyers and those on low wages. We need an economy that rewards hard work, provides opportunity and hope.

Transport chief

• A lack of ambition; a sense that mediocrity is acceptable; a levelling to drive towards an average.

• My sense is that the country lacks leadership and with it a believable and winnable strategy. Insular thinking, a lack of real talent at key levels means we are suboptimal in many activities we undertake. To change this requires a leadership team that is skilled, united and open. Then you need a team that are energised and capable of developing and then implementing the plan. I say this based not just on concerns with the Covid-19 plan, but on a wider basis — health; education; transport etc. All these areas are not close to full potential, and in many cases are suboptimal.

• Great talent will continue to leave unless we create the right environment for them to stay. Just trading on the fact New Zealand is a great country to live in will not suffice. It must also be an exciting and invigorating place to work, where curiosity is embraced and where success is applauded. We do not hold up business often as success stories and when we do, they are quickly shut down. That needs to and can change, if we want it to.