The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has the potential to play a positive role in relation to New Zealand’s financial markets provided that its approach to the exercise of its significant regulatory powers is measured and responsible. Read more
The Business Roundtable welcomes the establishment of the Savings Working Group. We think there has been much mistaken analysis around savings over the past decade, especially by the Treasury, and that as a result, costly policies have been based on false premises. Read more
Holidays legislation remains complex and difficult to administer. It is far less problematical in many countries, including Australia. Read more
The Business Roundtable believes that New Zealand employment law has become unnecessarily complex and costly for both employers and employees. Contrary to common misconceptions, there is no inherent and systematic imbalance in bargaining power in the labour market. Read more
The Business Roundtable welcomes the establishment of the Welfare Working Group (WWG). Welfare dependency is an enormous problem that blights the lives of many people and has wider deleterious social and economic effects. Read more
The Business Roundtable has supported proposals for a Regulatory Responsibility Act from the time of its 2001 report Constraining Government Regulation. We made submissions to the select committee that considered the earlier Members Bill. Read more
The Business Roundtable does not propose to individually address each of the 204 questions presented in the Discussion Paper but instead address five key issues arising from it. These include: The public policy framework for evaluating New Zealand's securities laws; the scope of the securities laws; the substantive duties of disclosure; the standards of liability under the securities laws; and the securities law reform process. Read more
This submission focuses on making three high-level comments on the discussion paper: problem definition, the need for the law to protect reputable suppliers and customers alike, and the case for general and enduring statute law rather than for detailed law that can quickly become obsolescent. Read more
The Business Roundtable is pleased that the government is giving effect to its manifesto commitment to hold another referendum on the voting system. This was expected by many voters when the mixed-member proportional (MMP) system was introduced. Read more
The Bill arises from concerns expressed by ratepayers about the strong growth of local government expenditure and the resulting increases in rates. It also arises from the need for local government, which is a significant component of the economy, to positively contribute to the Government's economic goals. Read more
We made our first submission on these issues in November 2004 and our last submission was in July 2009. Throughout we have been greatly concerned about the implications for investment in infrastructure of the never-ending litigation and re-litigation of pricing issues. Read more
In our view issues relating to Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act need to be seen in the context of the government’s overriding goal of lifting average New Zealand incomes to Australian levels by 2025. As the minister of labour notes in the foreword to the Discussion Document, “The Government aims to put employment relations on sound and solid footings so that New Zealand can focus on building more productive businesses and higher wages.” To achieve that goal, major improvements in labour productivity growth are required, given the slump in productivity growth resulting in large part from ill-conceived policies of the previous government. Read more
In our view issues relating to Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act need to be seen in the context of the government’s overriding goal of lifting average New Zealand incomes to Australian levels by 2025. As the minister of labour notes in the foreword to the Discussion Document, “The Government aims to put employment relations on sound and solid footings so that New Zealand can focus on building more productive businesses and higher wages.” To achieve that goal, major improvements in labour productivity growth are required, given the slump in productivity growth resulting in large part from ill-conceived policies of the previous government. Read more
Compulsory students’ association membership (CSM), as opposed to voluntary students’ association membership (VSM), is an anachronism. Students’ associations are incorporated societies formed by members with common interests and are akin to the Automobile Association, the Consumers' Institute, staff associations and sporting clubs. Read more
This submission on the Ministry of Economic Development discussion document Cartel Criminalisation is made by the New Zealand Business Roundtable, an organisation comprising primarily chief executives of major business firms. The purpose of the organisation is to contribute to the development of sound public policies that reflect overall national interests. Read more