No Substitute For Getting The Basics Right

Innovation Package No Substitute For Getting The Basics Right

Today's Prime Ministerial statement cannot be a substitute for getting the basics right, says Business New Zealand.

Chief Executive Simon Carlaw says it's positive that the Government has put growth and innovation at the centre of its policies, but there was little in the speech about policies that are currently holding back growth like OSH, holidays, local government, the HSNO Act and others.

"The big challenge for Government will be how to foster growth and innovation in a high-tax environment.

"Another challenge will be to keep today's strategy from the same fate as Think Big and Bright Futures.

"Interestingly, the Prime Minister's speech did contain signs of fudging over the Kyoto Protocol. The language was unclear, but it indicated a more cautious approach than the previous rush to implement.

"If so, this would be a welcome development - it would take the equivalent of many 'innovation packages' to offset the costs and damage that implementing the Kyoto Protocol would cause."

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