We are entering a challenging but exciting growth phase of the recovery

As we enter the challenging but exciting growth phase of the recovery (with regional growth already at 7.5% and unemployment 2 percentage points lower than the rest of New Zealand) we are getting increasing interest from all sectors of the community in CECC's offering.

It is important that as a Chamber we play our role to assist all businesses to optimise their activity in this extremely active economy.

Big demands for increased working capital, new ways of building business relationships and how to manage  resources constraints, including skill shortages, are all critical issues currently facing our members.

For me, these are positive problems as opposed to some of the negative issues we were dealing with in the survival phase immediately post-earthquake.

We are busy refining our offering in the context of this  new environment. Like all progressive businesses we know that new business models are required and  that we are all going somewhere new, not back to where we came from.

We are always receptive to suggestions on how we can use our resources more effectively to add value to our members and to all prospective members. We have 30 good people dedicated to  maximising positive outcomes for all business. They are all energised and excited by the prospects resulting from the rebuild and they are at your service.

February 22, 2013

Just a short time to reflect, 
To look back over the past two years,
And think of all that happened then,
And much that has happened since.

Also a time to look ahead
To the positive challenges we will embrace
And how we, all together
Will take this city to a bright new place. 

www.cecc.org.nz 

There is an increasing sense of positive progress in the city

Last Friday I attended the presentation by Mayor Bob Parker, Minister Brownlee and Roger Sutton in the Red Zone, giving an update on the status of the rebuild.

It was a very positive experience, we were positioned right beside the new Health facility being built in Kilmore St and heard of the shift from deconstruction and red zones to rebuild and the opening up of cordons. It is hoped that the central city cordon be lifted within six months and we are 90% of the way through the demolition process in the city.

The Ministers speech was content rich and an excellent summary of where we are at and where we are going. You can read on the Government’s website by clicking the following link: 

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/gerry-brownlee/speech

It is well worth a read, whether you are directly involved in the Central city or not.

There is an increasing sense of positive progress in the city. It has been a long time coming but the good news is that it is going to be with us for a long time to come!

www.cecc.org.nz

We’ve moved our six monthly Training & Events Directory to an interactive online format.

Our training and development programme has grown and changed significantly over the past year. It is extremely well supported by members. We have also recently changed the way we bring details of the offering to you.

We’ve moved our six monthly Training & Events Directory to an interactive online format, it's easy to access and user friendly. The Directory covers all of our scheduled training and events from 1 January to 30 June 2013. It’s easy to find your way around it and book online with navigation buttons and links on every page – honestly, I’ve looked through it myself! Having said that, if you want a copy next to your desk it’s been designed for easy printing. Training courses and workshops are arranged in business areas - Operations (including health & safety), Business Strategy, HR, Marketing, Finance and Sales. Our most popular courses and workshops return and we’ve a great mix of new training content designed to meet the changing needs and priorities of members as we enter the rebuild proper. If you need anything more, contact the training and events team on 03 366 5096 or at registrations@cecc.org.nz.

Have a look at what is on offer and join the increasing number of businesses who are enhancing their  capabilities through our current, relevant and interesting offerings.

www.cecc.org.nz

Reducing business tax to a flat 10% - good or bad?

Last week there was a flurry of media activity around reducing business tax to a flat 10% to aid  recovery and investment in Canterbury.

Superficially this sounds attractive but practically I cannot see how it would work.

I was asked for comment by the media and the full text of my comment is as follows

"I personally do not favor a differential business tax rate. My board has not considered this specific proposal. It would create too many distortions and would be an administrative nightmare. The relative  simplicity of our NZ Tax system is one of this country advantages. The key to encouraging business and investment is to concentrate on creating an environment that is overtly supportive of business. All stakeholders need to recognise the importance of being encouraging and welcoming of business. We need to establish a reputation as a city, and a community, of being seen to be overtly supportive of existing and new business and investment. We also need to be seen to be action-orientated, strategic and efficient in the context of the rebuild. Finally it is vitally important that Central Government, Local Government and the community are all being seen to be working towards common objectives. That will encourage investment."    

As we gear up fully for the recovery, supporting businesses right across the rebuild environment in all ways is going to be critical. We want Christchurch to be seen to be the easiest place to do business in New Zealand and we want all stakeholders to embrace and deliver on that concept.

www.cecc.org.nz 

So we are back and ready for action!

I hope most of you managed to find time to catch a bit of a break. I did, in beautiful Wanaka. I have attached a sunset that was one of the more attractive I saw. It was good to get away and reflect on the past year. I also spent a fair amount of time considering what we have ahead of us  in 2013.

I have no doubt that this is the year when our problems will mostly be around managing the scale of the Christchurch rebuild. Already (and over the holiday break) there was significant debate about where and how the people we require for the rebuild will be sourced. We can also expect significant strain on other resources. It is a little scary that more ready-mix concrete is being poured in Christchurch right now than in the whole of Auckland. This says to me that we need to be thinking lead times, we need to be considering how we are going to manage the growth of our businesses and we certainly need to be positioning ourselves to maximise the advantage we gain from being involved in New Zealand’s biggest ever Economic Development project. As always CECC is at your service, refreshed and ready to assist you with all of your business issues. Happy New Year!

www.cecc.org.nz