First Meeting of the Ministerial Panel on Business Compliance Costs - 1 February 2001
[ Last Updated 20 February 2006 ]
Media Statement from Alan Dunn, Panel Chairman
1 February 2001
The Ministerial Panel on Business Compliance Costs will release a discussion paper on compliance costs at the end of February.
The Panel appointed by Commerce Minister Paul Swain and Chaired by Alan Dunn, Chief Executive of McDonalds met for the first time this morning to discuss ways of reducing the cost of complying with existing central and local government regulation.
Mr Dunn said primarily the panel will look at issues such as Occupational Health & Safety, Accident Compensation, Statistics, Resource Management Act, local government regulation and various other regulations which affect businesses.
Mr Dunn said that whilst the group will not specifically concentrate on tax regulation as this is being covered by other government initiatives, the Panel will be interested in the views of business in regard to positive solutions.
Mr Dunn said he wanted the Panel’s work to be as inclusive as possible: "We have a Panel that represents a wide range of business interests, backgrounds and regions. We’ll be drawing on that experience to help us identify specific and practical steps that will make a difference". Mr Dunn said a website (www.businesscompliance.govt.nz) had been established to enable people to keep up with the Panel’s work. The Panel also planned a series of regional meetings with the business community from early March to early April. These were likely to be in Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Napier/Hastings, Wellington - Lower Hutt, Nelson, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Mr Dunn said the Panel was keen to hear from businesses and would be accepting written submissions (on paper and electronically) up until 11 April.
"Our goal is to provide the Ministers with workable and pragmatic suggestions for bringing about compliance cost reductions that will be of benefit to business and New Zealanders in general.
"If we are to complete our task successfully the Panel will require the benefit of the input and support of the business community," Mr Dunn said.
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