INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cutting Costs For Small Business

Published: Wed 9 Jul 2003 04:48 PM
Cutting Costs For Small Business
Auckland-based fabric cutter Reed Harrison is looking forward to cutting business costs with the launch of the Government’s new one-stop shop business website, www.biz.org.nz. The website is for businesses wanting quick help with taxes, regulations, ACC, work place safety and other important regulatory information.
Small Business Minister John Tamihere was at The Cutting Room in Parnell yesterday to launch the website which was designed to help small businesses with compliance regulations.
Mr Harrison, whose business does contract cutting for fashion labels such as Karen Walker and Trelise Cooper, says its great that businesses now have access to key information in one place.
“Everything you need to know about setting up a business, and the regulations you need to get your head around, are on the first page. You can go straight to the information you need without having to try and work your way around three or four different websites or ring lots of 0800 numbers.”
Mr Tamihere said he had had good feedback from businesses so far on the business portal.
“The website is one of the ways we are helping reduce costs for business so they can concentrate on their growth. The information is relevant and useful. It’s designed to make it as easy as possible for the average business owner to understand and navigate through.”
The website is managed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and was developed in consultation with other government agencies including ACC, the Inland Revenue Department, the Employment Relations Service and the Occupational Safety and Health Service.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise General Manager Market Services Rod MacKenzie says the site is designed to meet the most pressing needs identified by small businesses but will be expanded to include information on all government services that relate to business in time.
“Business owners spoken to when the site was being designed said the problem areas were finding out about taxes, ACC and employing staff but they also wanted information about starting, and selling or closing down a business.
“In future there will also be sector-specific compliance information on the site.”
Editor’s Notes
www.biz.org.nz The business portal was developed as one of the recommendations made by the Ministerial Panel on Business Compliance Costs. The ministerial panel was appointed by Commerce Minister Paul Swain in 2000 and, having sought the views of businesses throughout the country, the panel submitted 162 recommendations to the government on ways to reduce compliance costs for business. In December 2001, the government issued its response to the panel’s recommendations, Striking the Balance, in which it agreed (either partially or in principle) to 131 of the Panel’s proposals. One of the prominent themes of the panel’s recommendations was to increase the accessibility of government services and information on compliance requirements via e-technology. The key initiative in this area was the government’s support for setting up the one-stop business portal. Led by Industry New Zealand (now New Zealand Trade and Enterprise) the web-based portal co-ordinates services across government (for example, IRD, Department of Labour, ACC and the Companies Office)
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand Government’s trade and economic development agency, formed from the merger of Trade New Zealand and Industry New Zealand. Using its network of offices in New Zealand and around the world, NZTE works with businesses to help grow their international competitiveness, profitability and capability. http://www.nzte.govt.nz

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