Uncertainty should be short-lived

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A Chamber of Commerce survey of businesses in the Northern Region (which includes Gisborne) indicates that business confidence has fallen dramatically.

When questioned on their view of the New Zealand economy in the next six months, only 19 percent believed it would improve and 32 percent believed it would deteriorate. This compares with 31 percent and 11 percent respectively in the last quarterly survey.

I believe a significant part of this result is the uncertainty created by a change in Government.

The uncertainty around immigration and investment intentions in infrastructure add to this, but it should be short-lived once the new Government clarifies its priorities.

Business operates best in an environment of certainty — and when businesses are confident, they employ and invest.

The survey also revealed that employers are continuing to have difficulty finding the right people with the right skills, with 44 percent of respondents indicating difficulty recruiting the right talent to grow their business.

Chamber conversations at this time include the TPP 11 and what this trade deal might mean for local business.

Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker has said this is a now an improved deal for New Zealand which satisfies the five conditions the Labour-led Government laid out for a revised TPP. It achieves meaningful gains in market access for farmers and supports the more than 620,000 New Zealanders whose jobs depend on exports. The renamed CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership) will also, for the first time, provide New Zealand with preferential market access into Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, as well as Canada, Mexico and Peru. This is the agreement the United States withdrew from in January, not long after President Trump’s inauguration.

With the minimum wage increasing to $20 over the next three years, it is timely for business owners and managers to consider if they have a plan to mitigate increasing wage costs. Will you be able to achieve this through higher productivity or better technology, or will you have to consider price rises?

Call out for ‘YES’ mentors

The chamber facilitates the YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) programme locally. We are looking for interested business/professional people to assist in 2018 via mentorship to students involved in YES. This is a rewarding voluntary role. If you would like to register your interest, please contact Lena at the chamber.

The US is coming to town

The US Ambassador to New Zealand Scott Brown, appointed by President Donald Trump, is speaking at the Cosmopolitan Club on Thursday, December 7. This is a one-off opportunity to listen to the US Ambassador, followed by questions and answers. Tickets are available at the Gisborne i-Site office in Grey Street.

Why join the Chamber?

You can engage directly with potential customers or clients through our networking and promotional events, and through various member-to-member marketing opportunities.

Being part of the chamber also connects you with business people with whom you can share success strategies, common challenges and down-to-earth business wisdom.

If you would like to know more about chamber activity, contact me on 021 645 503 or at our office, 157 Grey Street, Tuesday-Thursday.