Job Summit one year on: 21 'big ideas'

Core issues

1. NINE-DAY FORTNIGHT

Idea: Retain jobs but upskill workers with a short-term subsidy for "10th day".
Reality: $1625-a-worker subsidy over six months where employer agrees to keep jobs. Fifty contracts signed, saving 623 jobs. No upskilling.

2. SEASONAL WORK MARKETPLACE

Idea: Create marketplace to link seasonal workers and employers.
Reality: Trials agreed in Hawkes Bay, Nelson and Southland.

Skills and transition

3. EXPAND TRAINING

Idea: Expand group training and apprenticeships; require training as part of government contracts; support student jobs.
Reality: Apprenticeships still under review but time allowed for redundant apprentices to find new jobs doubled to 12 weeks; training requirement for government contracts rejected; $4 million for summer research jobs; $1 million extra for Student Job Search; $53 million for 2000 extra training places under Youth Guarantee; unspent money to fund 700 new polytech places.

4. MATCH TRAINING TO NEED

Idea: Match training to job opportunities.
Reality: More information on Labour Department website.

5. REDUNDANCY SUPPORT

Idea: Improve support for redundant workers to find new jobs and training.
Reality: New vacancies on Trade Me now emailed to beneficiaries; self-service online system for selected employers to find suitable jobseekers.

Maori economy

6. USE IWI ASSETS

Idea: Bring iwi land and water into productive use.
Reality: Housing NZ to guarantee Kiwibank loans for housing on multiply-owned iwi land; improved valuation and rating systems for Maori land being finalised; regulatory barriers to using Maori land still under review.

7. DELIVER SERVICES TO MAORI

Idea: Ensure that state services deliver effective results to Maori.
Reality: Te Puni Kokiri part-funds 700 Maori trainees in infrastructure and other skills; Whanau Ora gives more Maori control of social services.

Local government

8. COUNCIL BORROWING AND INVESTMENT

Idea: Aggregate borrowing to get lower interest rates; prioritise investment to create jobs.
Reality: Councils expect to form jointly-owned "bond bank" mid-2010; Treasury infrastructure unit still considering council list of projects they could bring forward with government help.

9. RELAX REGULATIONS

Idea: Adopt permissive approach for building and food safety; halt tighter water and air quality standards.
Reality: Building Act and Food Act still under review; water management review due to finish this year; financial incentives from July for councils that process consents quickly.

Helping firms survive

10. BIG PROJECTS FAST TRACK

Idea: Minister-appointed taskforces to manage consents for major projects.
Reality: Major projects can go direct to new Environmental Protection Agency, which can appoint board of inquiry to report within nine months.

11. RULE-MAKING FREEZE

Idea: Cabinet directive to stop all new regulations unless approved by minister; reduce enforcement to minimum acceptable standard.
Reality: Ministers must certify that any new law or regulation is the best way to deal with a problem; annual bill required to remove or simplify unnecessary or ineffective laws.

12. TOURIST CO-FUNDING

Idea: $60 million state/private sector fund to boost tourism.
Reality: Tourism marketing budget raised $20-$89 million this year.

Business investment

13. ENERGY AND WATER

Idea: Accelerate energy, water, environment projects.
Reality: Home insulation subsidies of up to $1800 for 180,000 homes over four years, creating about 2000 jobs.

14. ELECTRICITY AND TRUCKING

Idea: Accelerate electricity grid investment by raising threshold for Electricity Commission approval to $50 million; allow longer trucks and heavier loads.
Reality: Streamlined approval process for grid investments under $20 million; heavier truck loading still under review.

15. WORKING CAPITAL

Idea: Extend the Export Credit Office to domestic firms needing cashflow funding for confirmed orders.
Reality: Idea dropped with "return of more normal credit conditions".

16. GOVT PURCHASING

Idea: Remove bias against local firms on in state purchasing guidelines by deleting required firm size or track record.
Reality: Purchasing processes still under review.

Financial ideas

17. SUPER-CHARGED DEBT MARKET

Idea: Streamline reporting and disclosure requirements; issue long-term bonds to fund infrastructure investment.
Reality: Securities regulations to improve disclosure and flexibility, cut compliance costs; action promised on plan to clarify Securities Act; 12-year government bond issue.

18. SME INVESTMENT FUND

Idea: Develop a fund to allow institutional investors to invest in small and medium enterprises.
Reality: No action.

19. JOINT INVESTMENT FUND

Idea: $2 billion government/banks fund to take ownership stakes in new and growing businesses.
Reality: Rejected because of risk to banks' stability.

20. FINANCIAL LITERACY

Idea: Banks to improve their customers' financial literacy.
Reality: Banks continue to do this.

Late entry

NATIONAL CYCLEWAY

Idea: Build tourist bike track from Cape Reinga to Bluff.
Reality: Still waiting for Government money to create a metre of actual track.