KEY POINTS:
Donald Trump would surely approve of at least one National Party policy plank: the chance to say "you're fired" to new employees.
National wants to give businesses with fewer than 20 staff the ability to introduce a three-month trial for new workers.
The employer and employee would have to agree, and either party would be able to terminate the relationship without a personal grievance claim being taken. Good-faith provisions would still apply, says National, as would rights to sick leave and holidays, and health and safety provisions. Mediation would be available in disputes, and employers would not be able to hire and fire the same employee every 90 days, says the party.
Despite some concerns that it could lead to exploitation of workers - young workers, particularly - small businesses spoken to favour the proposal.
Tarun Kanji, chief executive of Auckland IT infrastructure company Thureon, says it is a "low cost policy" that would aid a small business.
Kanji knows all too well the cost of employment, and the price of making a wrong choice.
"It's always a gamble employing someone, and the realities are, you can get it horribly wrong.
"If you're trying to promote business in New Zealand, you need to get rid of some of the nooses. You've got to have some fair and equitable coverage on that too, to make sure the employee's protected. I'm still a firm believer that employees have some protection. But there's a balancing act."
Ray Connor, general manager of specialist manufacturing and product development company Ibex, would like more detail, but thinks the policy has merit.
"Obviously you've got to invest in training people, getting them up to speed etc, and the minute that you hire somebody fulltime you are committed to them, and that's how we approach it.
"But the other side of it is that you can have somebody that's not right for the role who just isn't able to do that job properly and then you're locked into the cycle of continually training, modifying, helping, assisting. A 90-day period would assist us."
The policy could spark some growth in employment among small businesses - a not inconsequential effect considering that some 350,000 New Zealand firms employ 19 or fewer fulltime staff.
Thureon's Kanji says the policy would tip the scales in favour of taking on a new employee where it was a "50-50 call".
But it was not going to mean a boom in employment.
"It's not going to be a catalyst for it, but it's going to diminish a hurdle."
