By ELLEN READ
Anna Arndt will be telephoning the Government in a few months to make sure political talk turns to action.
Her business, Hamilton-based Aria Farms, was visited by MP Dianne Yates and Economic Development Ministry officials as part of the Government's fortnight-long nationwide small business tour, which concludes
this week.
While critics have labelled the exercise a travelling talk-fest, Arndt - who owns the meat processing business with her husband - is more hopeful of a practical outcome.
"I really do think there's going to be follow-through and in a couple of months I'll be quite happy to ring and make sure," she said.
She presented her visitors with a list of suggestions about how the Government could improve the lot for small businesses.
Topping it is a suggestion for Government-funded independent directors to help small companies for three years.
Arndt said this would provide a good outside perspective, ensure regular meetings were held and financial records kept up to date and would improve professionalism.
"It would mean less energy spent in making mistakes common to all small businesses and reduce self-doubt and stress," she said.
If 200 businesses were given a director at $30,000 a year, it would cost only $6 million each year.
"They [the visiting MPs and officials] think it's a good idea but ... they have to think about it."
Her other suggestions included providing substantial interest-free loans, under strict criteria, for two to five years to start-ups, stricter control by the Commerce Commission to make sure a few large companies did not control whole business sectors, more assistance for export growth, and setting up a business development team which could look at a business's operation and suggest improvements.
Arndt said her visitors said the ideas gleaned from the trip would be presented to the Government.
As part of her plan to make sure things happen, Arndt is going to next Friday's Small Business Day in Wellington where the owners visited will give feedback to the Government.
www.smallbusiness.med.govt.nz
