The latest Research NZ Business Confidence Survey is out, and the good news is that many businesses are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel (which is not an on-coming train!). 50% of respondents are expecting better conditions in six months and 75% better conditions within a year. This has to be good in terms of investment and planning, and in turn to improving employment.

The government response to the recession takes a bit of a hammering in the survey. In particular the much trumpeted job summit gets the thumbs up from 1% of respondents only, with 50% saying it would have no impact at all. That is damning for what was meant to be the centrepiece of the government’s response to the recession.  I am detecting a tendency in this government to set things up with a blaze of publicity, but let things fall away with the follow - through. See last week with Tony Ryall and the much vaunted state sector redeployment scheme.

The business ‘wish list’ at the bottom of today’s article also makes interesting reading. One of the big things I have heard from businesses is their disappointment that the government has not done more to support training and skill development in the recession.  This is the place where government can have a big impact, supporting people to gain the new skills that will drive us forward as we get out of the recession.  This has been a major focus in Australia and UK, but sadly, not here.