Government Will Listen To Business, Prime Minister Says

Government, business, tertiary institutions and researchers must work together to move New Zealand's economic performance up a gear, Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said today.

She was speaking at the launch of Enterprise and Commerce Minister Max Bradford's 5 Steps Ahead forum in Dunedin.

The 23 business forums being held around the country would pool the best ideas from all the sectors to develop a new approach to business, Mrs Shipley said.

"These forums will energise small business. They will focus business and researchers on the need to develop our best resource, which is the knowledge that New Zealanders can generate.v "We all need to work together to move up a gear to the knowledge-based economy, because that's where the country's prosperity lies in the future."

Mrs Shipley said the forums would be an opportunity for opinion leaders to talk directly to the Government to plan the way ahead for better business performance.

"Max Bradford's 5-step plan provides a blueprint.

"The challenge now is for businesses and researchers to give the plan their best shot to make it work.

"You have my assurance that the Government will take very seriously the matters that you raise with us," Mrs Shipley said.

The Government would take the plans on board and develop definite, concrete plans to help make New Zealand into a true knowledge-based economy, she said.