MPs to face grumpy audience

At least some of the politicians attending today's Business New Zealand Election Conference are in for a rough ride after a recent survey showed the group's members are unhappy with the current business environment.

More than 1100 Business NZ members responded on a wide range of issues. Business NZ economist Steve Summers said the results were "an interesting snapshot of current thinking" in the business community.

Extracts from completed questionnaires show respondents are troubled by issues including the skills shortage, high and complicated taxes, lack of government spending on infrastructure, high compliance costs and unfavourable employment law.

Summers said respondents' feeling was perhaps best summed up with one "business lament": "It seems to be getting harder instead of easier".

Business NZ spokeswoman Kathryn Asare said responses to the survey were remarkably unanimous in all areas except for the issue of free trade with China.

Political parties have been surveyed using the same questions and Business NZ chief executive Phil O'Reilly will unveil a comparison of the two groups' responses at today's conference in Wellington. It will be attended by what Business NZ describes as "the 25 MPs with the most influence over business issues in New Zealand".

They include National's Don Brash and John Key, Labour's Michael Cullen and Pete Hodgson, NZ First's Winston Peters, Act's Rodney Hide and the Greens' Rod Donald.