Scoop Audio: Six Finance Spokesmen – The Economy
Michael Cullen, John Key, Winston Peters, Rod Donald, Rodney Hide and Gordon Copeland Head To Head
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 – Hotel Intercontinental
Chaired By RNZ's Sean Plunket For Business New Zealand
Images By Scoop's Alastair Thompson & Kevin List
National and Labour's Finance spokespeople John Key and Dr Michael Cullen
NOTE: Streaming video of this afternoon's Finance Spokemen's Question and Answer session will be available this evening
on Scoop.co.nz. CLICK HERE TO START AN MP3 AUDIO STREAM OF THE EVENT
From the official Business New Zealand programme…
1.20 – 2.10 pm The economy
Michael Cullen, John Key, Winston Peters, Rodney Hide, Rod Donald, Gordon Copeland - 5 minutes each to answer the
following questions, and if any time remains, to outline your party’s general approach to the economy; after all have
spoken, then questions & comments from the floor
Will you lower the company tax rate and/or personal tax rates? If so, when?
Will you set a cap on core Government spending as a percentage of GDP? If so, what would that cap be?
Will you commit to reducing the regulatory burden on businesses by ensuring new and existing legislation is subject to
a Regulatory Responsibility Act?
Will you commit to work towards free trade agreements, and on what basis?
FULL AUDIO:
More Pictures from this afternoon's Business New Zealand finance debate.
New Zealand's one and so far only Treasurer. Winston Peters
Click for big versionA wide shot of the Business New Zealand conference. Sean Plunket, as usual, was asking the hard questions.
United Future's Gordon Copeland hinted strongly at the Business New Zealand conference that he favoured a business friendly coalition with National post election.
The United Future, ACT and Greens finance spokespeople find themselves in strange positions. Rodney Hide occupies the middle ground whilst Rod Donald stakes out his position on Mr Hide's right. United Future's Gordon Copeland, who spent the day trying to be more business friendly than either ACT or National, is seated to the left of Mr Hide.