The atmosphere at the National Hockey Centre was nothing short of exuberant for Business North Harbour’s (BNH’s) first in-person event since August 2021. There were many new faces amongst the guests, and everyone took full advantage of the opportunity to meet or reconnect with their business neighbours.
General manager Kevin O’Leary welcomed guests, and gratefully acknowledged local MPs, Erica Stanford and Vanushi Walters, and local board chairperson Lisa Whyte, for their support of BNH’s advocacy on behalf of its members.
Nicola Willis stated the three ways National believes that Labour’s was a “backwards Budget”. She then explained how National would provide solutions to current challenges, saying that the vision is to “create more opportunity” whilst acknowledging that the cost of living crisis is here to stay for some time and calling inflation “the robber at everyone’s door.”
Ms Willis explained the five-step plan that National would implement to put a lid on inflation. These included refocusing the Reserve Bank on its single mandate to take care of price stability, unblocking the supply bottlenecks that are constraining business (including through more permissive immigration), and an inflation-adjustment to tax thresholds.
She also stressed the need to keep building reconnections with the rest of the world. “That’s when New Zealand is at its best.”
There was a lively Q+A session, during which Erica Stanford joined Ms Willis at the podium. Topics ranged from climate emission targets, the proposed income insurance scheme, and how to help long-term benefit recipients return to the workforce.
At this time of “huge global uncertainty”, the Hon Stuart Nash began with some sobering context. Consumer confidence across OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries is lower now than in 2020, and the ongoing supply chain issues due to Covid are still causing “the type of chaos not seen in decades”. He then set out the facts and figures from the Budget, with a particular emphasis on business support for SMEs. He informed guests of various government initiatives, including the Business Growth Fund, the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund, and Industry Transformation Plans, all of which were allocated significant funding.
Mr Nash acknowledged that Auckland had suffered from the lack of overseas visitors and employees. He presented information about a $54 million innovation programme for tourism recovery. He also highlighted strategies to help attract international talent to fill 85 hard-to-fill roles (the “Green List”), such as a streamlined pathway to residency.
Once again, the Q+A was spirited and varied, covering health, private funding of essential services (e.g., St John), crime, truancy, the government’s fiscal accountability, and the definition of “high value” tourists.
Guests lingered after the official event, keen to extend the networking for as long as possible.
To view the Post Budget Luncheon event photos, please click here.
