KEY POINTS:
Q. What is the new website all about?
A. Business.govt.nz is a source of independent business information. It enables businesses to find out about any business-related issue covering compliance, Government business services and private sector information.
Q. What was wrong with the old one?
A. The old website biz.org.nz was launched in 2003 and proved to be useful and well-used. The business.govt.nz site builds on its success and expands the information and services it provided.
Q. How is this new site different and who is paying for it?
A. The site gets information from a range of websites and steers people to that content on business.govt.nz, making it quick and easy to find. It can also direct users to the original source if they need more information on a topic. Business.govt.nz is interactive and actively takes information out to the business community through news feeds and alerts on updated content, ensuring businesses have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips. The Ministry of Economic Development's budget for implementing the growth and innovation framework is funding the site. Business.govt.nz is being managed by the Government agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).
Q. Who has been involved with the development on this site?
A. NZTE and the ministry have been involved with its strategic development. A range of ministries, Government departments and business organisations, such as chambers of commerce, have provided input.
Q. What is included on this new site that I cannot find elsewhere?
A. The key feature is how it presents information from a range of sources in one place. You may be able to find this information by searching the internet, but business.govt.nz makes it much faster and easier. This also means you will discover things you should know about running a business but might not have thought about. Another unique feature is the ability to personalise your use of the site which, for example, allows you to keep track of business events, or set alerts on the information that interests you, so you receive updates.
Q. What does the Government hope to achieve with this new website?
A. Business.govt.nz will deliver fast, reliable and up-to-the-minute business support to boost the capability and productivity of businesses and industry in NZ. It will help businesses find out and discover how to manage the day-to-day challenges of business, how to grow and expand, and how to tap into the expertise and support available to them.
Q. Does it include everything the Government does, such as tax, health and safety, employment law?
A. It is the place to find and access all Government information and services relating to doing business in NZ. Future improvements aim to make it the primary point for businesses to interact and transact with the whole of government, and to continue being the source of knowledge from non-government business information providers.
Q. What if I don't want to access business information via the internet?
A. You can continue to access free, independent advice about where to find information relevant to your business from Business Information Zone offices around NZ and the freephone Biz service - 0800 424 946.
* Jack Stephens is the NZTE's group general manager for business and regional capability
