Goldsmith Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Goldsmith Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 08 February 2012. Volume:677;Page:172. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
2. 
PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Economic Development 
: What progress is the Government making in implementing its economic growth agenda? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
The Government is making very good progress in addressing the barriers that prevent businesses from getting ahead. Prior to the election we released our 120-point economic development action plan that detailed key steps the Government is taking to build modern productive infrastructure cut red tape build industries innovation and trade and build a skilled workforce. A number of these steps are already complete and 2012 will be about further progressing them across all sectors. The agenda is built around the straightforward premise that if we want more and better jobs for New Zealanders we need to encourage more businesses to be based here.  
Paul Goldsmith 
: What are the key determinants of business success and what can the Government do about them? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: As I see it businesses depend on a combination of six key things: ideas and innovation to create the business; capital to build the business; access to raw materials; skilled people; public infrastructure such as power broadband and transport; and most importantly access to markets and customers who want to buy their products. The Government can help by making access to the ingredients in any business plan simple and easier and that is what our 120-point action plan is aiming to deliver so that our businesses have a better platform to compete in the wider world. 
Paul Goldsmith 
: What barriers to success does the Minister see? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Unfortunately there are a number of people who lack understanding and realism about economic growth and who say: “We want jobs we want jobs.” but in the next breath say: “But you can’t do that. You can’t build that here. You can’t expand that you can’t explore for that you can’t invest in property here and you can’t do that.” That is the attitude that made it much harder to pay our way in the world during the 2000s and as a result we went into recession before the rest of the world in early 2008. We should not offer carte blanche for any development but we need to acknowledge that every time we say no that has direct consequences in terms of jobs and growth. 
Hon David Parker 
: Is the Minister aware that despite National’s 2008 election promise the wage gap with Australia has grown substantially since his Government was elected whether measured on wages or purchase price parity—[ 
Interruption 
]—yes it has Mr Key; and does the absence of reference to closing the wage gap with Australia in the Speech from the Throne in the Prime Minister’s speech in the Address in Reply debate or by National during the recent election mean that his Government has admitted failure and given up on this promise? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: In regard to the first part of the question I understand that the member is incorrect on an after-tax basis. But actually the member makes an interesting point. [ 
Interruption 
] You either want to hear it David or you do not. The member makes an interesting point when talking about growth in Australia because what drives a lot of that growth are many of the things that have been turned down here by the Opposition right across that side of the House. I think that inadvertently makes the point that if you want economic growth you have to be prepared to let businesses grow and expand.