Election Conference | infonews.co.nz New Zealand News

Spokespeople from all major political parties will outline their policies for business and the economy at the Deloitte-BusinessNZ Election Conference in Wellington on 31 October. MPs taking part include PM John Key, Phil Goff, Bill English, David Cunliffe, David Parker, Russel Norman and others. Party Leaders and Party Spokespeople will address questions important to business, including: <ul> <li> What are your plans for returning New Zealand to strong economic growth? </li> <li> Should New Zealand mine its coal and mineral resources? </li> <li> How will you improve the Resource Management Act? </li> <li> What will you do about the competitive disadvantage to New Zealand businesses from emissions trading? </li> </ul> Deloitte-BusinessNZ Election Conference 9.00am – 4.30pm Monday 31 October Amora Hotel (previously the Duxton) 170 Wakefield St, Wellington Media:  Please RSVP to kasare@businessnz.org.nz to ensure media facilities Deloitte-Business NZ election conference 9.00 am – 4.30 pm Mon 31 Oct 2011, Amora Hotel, 170 Wakefield St, Wellington 8.30 – 9.00 am Registrations, coffee 9.00 – 9.05 am Business NZ President Philip Broughton welcomes delegates 9.05 – 9.10 am MC Sean Plunket opening remarks & introduces PM 9.10 – 9.35 am Hon John Key – Leader’s address 9.35 – 9.55 am Hon Phil Goff – Leader’s address 9.55 – 10.10 am Hon Dr Pita Sharples – Leader’s address 10.10 – 10.25 am Russel Norman – Leader’s address 10.30 – 11.00 am Morning tea 11.00 – 11.15 am Dr Don Brash – Leader’s address 11.15 – 11.30 am Hon Peter Dunne – Leader’s address 11.30 – 11.45 am Rt Hon Winston Peters – Leader’s address 11.45 – 12.00 pm Election survey - Deloitte’s Murray Jack or Thomas Pippos unveils the results of the Deloitte-BusinessNZ Election Survey, answering the questions: <ul> <li> Which parties’ policies are the most business-friendly?</li> <li> Which party policies best fit with the desired policies of over 1,000 NZ businesses?</li> </ul> 12.00 – 1.00 pm Lunch 1.00 – 1.30pm Phil O’Reilly on business and politics 1.30 – 2.15 pm The Economy Bill English (N), David Cunliffe (L), Russel Norman (G), Don Brash (A) 7 minutes each to answer the following questions & outline your party’s general approach to the economy, followed by questions & comments from the floor <ul> <li> Will you lower the company tax rate and/or personal tax rates? If so, by how much and when? </li> <li> What changes, if any, will you make to improve the quality of regulation in NZ? </li> <li> Will you change the age of eligibility for NZ Superannuation, to what age, and when? </li> <li> Will you change the Working for Families policy that results in 80% of working families becoming beneficiaries? </li> </ul> 2.15 pm – 3.00 pm The environment, resources & emissions trading Nick Smith (N), David Parker (L), Kennedy Graham or David Clendon (G), John Boscawen (A) 7 minutes each to answer the following questions & outline your party’s general approach to the environment, climate change & emissions trading, followed by questions & comments from the floor <ul> <li> Should NZ mine its coal and mineral resources?</li> <li> What will your party do to balance economic and environmental issues involved in sectors like dairying and aquaculture?</li> <li> Should agriculture be included in NZ’s emissions trading scheme?</li> <li> Do you support further protections for businesses whose competitiveness is threatened by emissions trading policies?</li> <li> Should iwi own parts of the foreshore or all New Zealanders?</li> <li> What changes if any will you make to the RMA and why?</li> </ul> 3.00 – 3.20 pm Afternoon tea 3.20 – 4.00 pm The Workplace Kate Wilkinson (N), Darien Fenton (L), Catherine Delahunty (G) 7 minutes each to answer the following questions & outline your party’s general approach to workplace issues, followed by questions & comments from the floor <ul> <li> Should the private sector be allowed to compete with ACC? </li> <li> What changes if any will you make to KiwiSaver and why? </li> <li> Will you set up a pay equity bureaucracy? </li> <li> Will you reintroduce youth rates? </li> <li> Will you make any changes to the 90-day trial period policy? </li> </ul> 4.00 pm BusinessNZ CEO Phil O’Reilly closing comments Social hour with cocktails follows