Business puts parties under its spotlight

Political parties will be put under the business spotlight tomorrow at Business New Zealand's pre-election conference at the Hotel Inter-Continental in Wellington.

Business NZ chief executive Simon Carlaw said a survey by the association of 258 companies had given clear answers on several issues of concern to business and the conference would be used to sound out politicians on those issues.

Party leaders and finance spokespeople attending the conference would also face questions from the floor.

Carlaw said the political parties would be scored against Business NZ's scorecard for growth a scorecard of 20 priorities for a balanced growth strategy that would return New Zealand to the top rankings of the OECD. The Business Herald will publish an evaluation of that scorecard next Monday.

"We've grouped the issues in a way that will allow party spokespeople to give clear answers in their areas of responsibility," said Carlaw.

"So Michael Cullen, Bill English and Richard Prebble can speak on tax and compliance costs, for example. There'll be a great deal of interest in hearing Pete Hodgson debate with the Greens' Sue Bradford some of the resource-based issues like GE and the Resource Management Act, and employment law issues will be argued by all party spokespeople."

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