Small businesses are the backbone of many of our communities.
When I am out and about across the country, I enjoy visiting businesses and employers to talk through the Government’s plan to put in place the right conditions to give small business owners the confidence to grow, invest, and take on new staff.
We have already made a number of changes that help small businesses.
It is great to update the readers of Indian Newslink on our plans and progress.
We have built a more competitive tax system that incentivises hard work and savings.
In our first term in office, we cut all personal tax rates and we cut the business tax rate to 28%.
These changes help small businesses, no matter what form they take.
Our changes to labour laws have enabled small and medium-sized businesses to take on more staff.
The successful 90-day trial for new employees has been taken up by 60% of employers when hiring new staff.
We have taken some of the risk out of hiring a new staff member and it has worked. About 40% of employers who hired someone on a trial period would not have taken that person without the trial period.
Infrastructure improvement
Good businesses grow with investment in infrastructure.
Our economy relies on the state highway network – when traffic is not moving, neither the country nor business moves.
The Government has announced that it will invest $12.3 billion over the next three years in developing key transport corridors around the country, expanding public transport systems and creating new and improved road, walking, and cycling infrastructure.
These are just some of the initiatives the Government is implementing to create better conditions for Kiwis to do business.
I look forward to continuing to update the readers of Indian Newslink on our progress.
John Key is the Prime Minister of New Zealand. The Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2012 has a category called, ‘Best Small Business’ sponsored by 2degrees Mobile Limited.
