May 2021 - Bay of Plenty Business News

May 2021 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 11
Business needs a breather
ADVERTORIAL
Even in what we hope is
a post-Covid lock down
world we know that
businesses face ongoing
challenges. And while
there are a couple of
ropes up the cliff to help
you get back on top, we
also know there is a lot
coming that is not going
to make that easy.
Many of you reliant on trade
with Australia would have
been relieved to see the
trans-Tasman bubble opening, not
just for your staff personally and
professionally but your customers.
But unfortunately, this does not
address the skilled migrant worker
issue and we know that skills shortages
remain a significant problem
for businesses big and small. A
recent report suggested it was time
for a new immigration policy, but
we think the issue is wider than
that.
As we advocated for on behalf
of business before the last election,
it is time for a much bigger piece of
work - a population strategy. It is
critical to many parts of the economy
and New Zealand life.
We need to decide how big we
want our country to be as that is
what drives infrastructure, housing,
and health policy, and in turn
means thinking about what skills
we want in our population as these
Brett O’Riley, CEO EMA
will determine our skills mix for
immigrants, as well as our education
system.
Training, education, skills, and
immigration are a critical policy
mix for New Zealand as we have
a rapidly ageing workforce (in the
top three ageing populations in the
world), which coupled with our declining
birth rate which is now well
below what is required to replenish
our working population, the time is
now.
Along with the big picture issues
like this, there are a huge
number of other policy and legislative
changes facing businesses.
The minimum wage recently
rose to $20 an hour, which is the
third in a series of increases that
have seen the minimum wage rise
more than 25 per cent in the past
three years. But is raising wages
what drives the productivity which
enables businesses to grow?
It is also only one piece of business-focused
legislation or policy
that is on the Government’s
agenda, and that is it in a nutshell
really. It is the cumulative effect of
this and the other policy and legislative
changes from five extra days
sick leave to Fair Pay Agreements.
As part of the BusinessNZ
Network we are talking to Government
about these issues regularly,
providing your feedback
and helping shape their response,
businesses simply needs a bit of a
breather.
At a practical level, we are here
to support our members with expert
on-tap advice, advocacy, events,
business services and learning,
so that together we can help your
business succeed. The EMA has
been here for you for 135 years, we
are keen to hear from you and we
are here to listen.