Economy First Welcomed

Business people will welcome the Prime Minister listing New Zealand's economic health as Government's number one priority, along with the objectives of lifting skills, investment, innovation and infrastructural improvement, says Alasdair Thompson chief executive of the Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern).

"But governments don't generate economic growth. Only expanding businesses can do that," Mr Thompson said.

"Government is responsible for getting the right policy recipe in place to ensure businesses can maximise their growth potential.

"Increased state investment in raising the skill levels of the workforce and the unemployed should certainly help. Placing emphasis on vocational education and training is specially important.

"There's also a huge backlog infrastructural investment needed.

"However if the government is really serious about providing an inviting environment for commercial investors, it must address the issues which attract investment, such as availability of labour, competitive company tax rates, compliance costs inherent in such as the Resource Management Act, and the extent of control and direction that the state exerts over resources compared to the private sector."

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