Lobbyists and advocacy groups need not wait by the letterbox for invitations to Prime Minister John Key's jobs summit and those who do attend will be asked to leave the politics at the door.
NZX chief executive Mark Weldon will chair the Summit on Employment, to be heldon February 27, aimed at getting those at the "coalface" of New Zealand's economy together to find ways to help businesses and stem job losses during the recession.
Mr Weldon said the final numbers were yet to be decided but he did not expect it to exceed 200 in case it became "that much maligned thing - the talkfest".
In keeping with Mr Key's edict that it be a "do-fest, not a talkfest", lobbyists, advocacy groups and industry umbrella organisations will mostly be left off the invitation list.
Mr Weldon said the invitations would be to "decision makers and doers" who dealt with day-to-day stresses of business - including chief executives of large and small companies and union representatives. Bank chief executives were also on the list because of the importance of ensuring companies could get enough credit to see them through.
He said Mr Key was clear about his expectations and ideology would have to be "left at the door".
"That's not practical or pragmatic, and those are the key words here. Regardless of what hat you wear in your day job or what you're trying to achieve, you have to go into that room very much focused on the belief that what's good for New Zealand will be good for you because you're a major player in it."
Council of Trade Unions national secretary Helen Kelly said the body was consulted about the summit and expected to be invited, along with some of its affiliate unions. The unions were happy to co-operate and also reluctant to see it turn into a battle of dogma.
This week, Mr Key said he expected the summit to result in concrete proposals for the Government to consider.
