Three business views

Cathy Quinn. Photo / Supplied

"We need business confidence to improve, to avoid talking ourselves into a recession. I think key to this is for business to feel like the Government is listening to it and cares that business in NZ is successful. So helping Government "hear" businesses' legitimate concerns will be important. If the Government wants to deliver on its transformational agenda — by working with business — there will be a greater prospect of this.

Many business people want to see the same thing as the Government — an inclusive society, a prosperous and productive economy and a country positively planning and grappling with the issues of our day — global warming, the impact of the change technology will bring, a retreat from globalisation by major players around the world, and, addressing inequality in our society."
Cathy Quinn, company director and partner in MinterEllisonRuddWatts

Don Brash. Photo / NZME

"Given the members of the Business Advisory Council won't have the expertise to suggest how to improve the rate of productivity growth, they could focus on probably the two biggest issues undermining business confidence: sudden and capricious announcements (such as the ban on offshore exploration for oil and gas), and, the proposed changes to employment law. If the Council was able to stop a repeat of such capricious announcements (in the case of the exploration ban) and changes in employment law, it would make a useful contribution to business confidence. They are unlikely to achieve either objective, so the council will likely be nothing more than a PR exercise."
Don Brash, Chairman, ICBC (NZ)

Stephen Selwood. Photo / Supplied

"Develop an aligned national and regional growth strategy. Reform of planning laws and local government structures and funding. Replace RMA with a dedicated environment law and a separate planning and local government law. Address Auckland's growth challenge by scale development to the south with an Innovation City. Leverage private capital to enable investment for growth. Enable scale development of housing and transport.

Introduce road pricing in Auckland sooner rather than later. Joint business and Government taskforce on poverty reduction."

Stephen Selwood, CEO Infrastructure NZ.