One-stop shop for business

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

The Government is launching a one-stop website portal so businesses can access important regulatory information.

The website, www.biz.org.nz, cost $309,000 to develop and will be launched next Tuesday in Auckland.

Small Business Minister John Tamihere said yesterday the development of the portal was a key recommendation of the ministerial panel on business compliance costs, which reported in July 2001.

Of the 162 panel recommendations the Government agreed to 131 in whole or in part.

Tamihere said more than 80 per cent of the proposals had either been, or were being, implemented.

The website being launched next week would give businesses "one-stop" access to services across the Government, including Inland Revenue, the Department of Labour, ACC and the Companies Office.

The site includes guides to regulation, downloadable forms, and advice on establishing a business.

Other initiatives included:

* Changes relating to the Resource Management Act including limited notification provisions designed to curb vexatious objections.

* More funding for the Environment Court, which has resulted in "significant" reductions in case backlogs - down from 3000 a year ago to less than 2000 now.

* Work on tax simplification for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and a discussion document that will be released later this year addressing issues the panel raised.

* Appointing an advisory group drawn from the business community to advise the Government on issues affecting small businesses, including compliance costs.

* Organising an "SME summit" next February, as well as regional summits, to help define the needs of businesses and the Government's role.

Business NZ chief executive Simon Carlaw said the list of achievements released by Tamihere was "commendable, but short".

"It should also be remembered this is the edited version of compliance costs - 15 per cent of the panel's recommendations were ruled out of contention in 2001 because they conflicted with Government policy."

He said businesses asked the panel for substantial changes to tax, RMA, ACC and employment relations policies, but many requests were culled.

"It's in these areas that the disincentives to employ are found.

"Spending money to set up websites and advisory groups is okay, but it doesn't address many fundamental disincentives that deter small businesses from growing bigger."

www.biz.org.nz

Response to panel

Government answer to compliance costs

A panel of 11 business people was established by the Government in December 2000 to study business compliance costs.

Panel reported in July 2001 with 162 recommendations.

In December 2001 the Government published its response, saying it would implement in whole, in part or in principle, 131 of the recommendations.

Yesterday the Government announced more than 80 per cent of the recommendations have been, or are being, implemented.

Source: Small Business Minister John Tamihere