New business website 'useful, but lower taxes would be better'

By ELLEN READ

"It's nice, but if they cut our taxes that would help us more" - was how one North Shore business owner summed up the Government's new business website yesterday.

Officially launched today, www.biz.org.nz aims to provide all the information businesses are likely to need on a wide range of compliance regulations.

Neil and Sandy Evans, who own Ace Toolmakers in Glenfield, have checked out the site and their verdict - tax grumbles aside - is that it contains a wealth of information.

"It would have been very good for us 10 years ago when we were starting up, but we could still double check things on it now," Neil Evans said.

"It's definitely a good idea. One of the problems in small business is getting the right information so this provides all that, which is great," he said.

Wife and marketing manager Sandy is the main web user as the company - which makes plastic injection moulds for the manufacturing industry - moves towards exporting to China.

To date she has been using the Trade and Enterprise New Zealand website and is full of praise for it and the services offered.

The new Government website cost about $300,000 to set up and will cost $250,000 to run in its first year.

Small Business Minister John Tamihere said it offered detailed advice on subjects like employing staff, ACC, OSH, taxes, exporting, business start-up procedures and legal requirements.

The site was an important part of the compliance cost reduction programme which started in December 2000 with the establishment of a ministerial panel, he said.

It draws on much of the business-related information available through the major e-government portal (www.govt.nz), but puts it in one place, which makes finding information easier.

Featuring an intelligent drop-down menu and fairly conservative design, most web-literate users should get to grips with the site quickly. But the site is likely to be only as good as the promotion it receives.

biz.org.nz

Trade and Enterprise New Zealand