Business Advocacy

Compliance Costs and Red Tape

If red tape is costing you time and money, this is where we push back on your behalf.

The issue: Compliance costs land hardest on small businesses, which have the least time and fewest people to deal with them.

What you told us: 23% of QBS respondents named compliance or regulation as a top cost pressure. 

What we've done: 

• Submitted on health and safety reform and briefed members as the new law passed 

• Fed QBS results into national work on business compliance costs 

• Fed business views into submissions on the new resource management laws 

• Backed a well-resourced Red Tape Tip Line 

Where it's at: Health and safety reform has passed. Resource management legislation has passed. Compliance costs are on the agenda heading into the election. 

What it means for you: Less time on paperwork and more time running your business. Every unnecessary rule removed is a cost you no longer carry.

Workforce, employment and immigration

Finding staff, keeping up with new rules. This is where your feedback shapes the settings.

The issue: Businesses need skilled staff, workable employment law and immigration settings that are simple and predictable. 

What you told us: [X]% of QBS respondents said finding skilled staff is a challenge. Members asked for a realistic runway to update payroll before new leave rules start. 

What we've done: 

• Submitted on the Bill replacing the Holidays Act and presented to the Select Committee alongside a member business 

• Fed into MBIE's consultation on the employment dispute system 

• Advocated, with the BusinessNZ network, for new seasonal visas for horticulture, agriculture, meat and seafood processing, and tourism 

Where it's at: The Employment Leave Act is passed, with commencement on 6 August 2028. Seasonal visas opened in December 2025. Skilled Migrant Category residence settings went live in August 2026. 

What it means for you: Clearer leave rules, time to get your payroll ready instead of a rushed switch, and better access to the workers you need. 

What you can do: Join our Wednesday Matters webinar series in 2027.

Council decisions that affect you

Council decisions can hit your bottom line as hard as Wellington's. 

The issue: Rates are rising fast across the region, and businesses carry a big share of the cost. 

What you told us: Clutha faced a proposed 20.58% rates rise on top of 16.67% the year before, about 40% over two years. Waitaki proposed rises of 19% to 45% to close a $14 million deficit. 

What we've done: 

• Submitted on 2026/27 Annual Plans for Dunedin City, Queenstown Lakes, Waitaki and Clutha 

• Presented the Otago Mayoral Forum with a costed model for a leaner local government structure, with indicative savings of about $62 million a year 

• Brought mayors and councillors to BA5 events to hear directly from business 

Where it’s at: Annual Plans are adopted. The Government has paused decisions on Head Start local government reform until after the election, but still expects changes in place before the 2028 local elections. We’ll keep making the case for a leaner, more efficient structure for Otago.

What it means for you: Rates pressure isn’t going away while reform is on hold. We’ll keep pushing councils to make every rates decision with your business in mind, and keep reform on the agenda with the next government.

What you can do: Read our submissions, or tell us how rates are affecting your business.

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Backing the southern economy

A region that's humming is good for your business too. 

The issue: The south needs central government to back it with practical support and infrastructure, not just announcements. 

What you told us: [X]% of QBS respondents believe Otago and Southland is heading in the right direction. Members want a fairer shot at government work. 

What we've done: 

• Joined all eight South Island chambers to launch a shared election policy platform, Growing New Zealand from the South 

• Hosted the Infrastructure Commission's Chief Executive in Dunedin to connect national planning with regional projects 

• Keep working with government procurement on opening up contracts to local businesses 

Where it's at: Cross-party support for a long-term National Infrastructure Plan is in place. Procurement conversations are ongoing. 

What it means for you: More investment and government work flowing to the south, which means more customers and contracts closer to home. 

What you can do: Read the South Island platform. Tell us if you've struggled to win government work.

Policy changes, explained

No time to track every change? We do it for you. 

The issue: Laws keep changing, and busy owners need to know what matters and what to do about it. 

What you told us: Members ask for plain-English guidance they can act on, in a format that fits a working day. 

What we've done: 

• Run Wednesday Matters, a 45-minute lunchtime webinar series, since February 2026, with speakers from MBIE, BusinessNZ and industry 

• Published explainers on health and safety reform, the new leave rules and Budget 2026 

Where it's at: Next session: the Employment Leave Act, 21 October 2026. 

What it means for you: You know what's changed, what it means and what to do about it, in 45 minutes over lunch. 

What you can do: Watch past sessions on the Business South member app or sign up for updates. 

No time to track every policy change? We do it for you and translate what it means for your business.