CREATING A BUSINESS FRIENDLY CULTURE
Whangarei needs transformational change if we are to develop a high wage, high growth economy. This change can be facilitated and enabled by local government but also requires private sector to assist, invest and develop. Business growth requires sufficient rewards to justify the risk and part of the enabling process should be reducing the risk exposure that will in turn encourage private sector investment.
Making it easier for all businesses to do business helps create a district that attracts more productive business and inward investment. Business-friendly can be defined as the explicit attempts by local governments, their partners (including central government) and private sector organisations to reduce the regulatory and non-regulatory barriers, costs, risks and uncertainties in all forms of commercial activity to stimulate and support local business growth, local business retention, and attraction of new business to the local area.
To enable and facilitate this growth requires a culture within all Northland organisations – public and private – that recognises the role private sector plays in growing our economy, the risk the private sector takes and the risk to future growth when organisational culture unduly inhibits their endeavours.
NZ Chambers of Commerce Northland wishes to see a visible commitment from Northland’s private sector organisations that deal with businesses on a daily basis that their organisation will do all they can to enable commercial enterprise to grow. We would like to see banks, other professional services, utility providers, logistical and real estate services and any other businesses that provide support or services to our business community to commit to clearly articulating what it is that they do to make doing business in Northland easier /and attractive?.
Alongside the commitment from private sector, the Chamber would seek visible and accountable assurance from Councils that they will create a business friendly environment and this commitment is clearly articulated to all levels of their organisation and there are appropriate mechanisms in place to monitor, review and remedy any conflicts or barriers that inhibit private sector development without fear of prejudice. This does not necessarily require additional investment to achieve but rather a culture, and reinforcement and adherence to existing best practices.
