1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: There's a worrying new report out this morning from Business 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: New Zealand. It projects a short fall of at least 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty thousand workers by twenty forty five, 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,239 Speaker 1: with health and pensions absorbing one hundred percent of our 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: income tax. They also reckon there's a one and four 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: chance of no population growth at all, and they'd like 7 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: to see a national bipartisan vision. Leanne Watson is the 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: chief executive of Business Canterbury Joints. So now, hell are Leanne? 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 2: Good morning Andrew? 10 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: Not a pleasant read? But are they right? 11 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 2: Oh? Look, I think there is a number of things 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: in the report that certainly requires some more robust thinking 13 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: that I think calling for too much by part of 14 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: an agreement might be a little unrealistic, particularly as we 15 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: are heading into an election year next year. What we 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 2: do need is a clear understanding of the go no 17 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 2: go areas from major politicoal parties and definitely reducing that 18 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 2: pendulum swing to something more manageable for business. You know, 19 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 2: the business people I talked to around the country are 20 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: looking for a conversation about steady incremental progress, not a 21 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 2: pendulum sliff shift which would potentially south go backwards. 22 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: So that's what a national, a nation bipartisan vision would 23 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: look to you just calm down, kick to full time goals. 24 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: But the thing that gets me is the two hundred 25 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: and fifty thousand workers. I mean, we need workers, business 26 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: needs workers. Do we need to change immigration settings? You know, 27 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: what what can we do about this shortfall? 28 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: Yeah? Absolutely, And look, I think you know there is 29 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 2: definitely air requirement here to ensure that we create some 30 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 2: I guess the scale and the timing of those policy 31 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 2: settings needs to be you know, really clearly laid out 32 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: for businesses and for migrants and salves. I mean, we 33 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 2: will always need international talent. We're a country at the 34 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: bottom of the world and we're a small country, so 35 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: it's a combination of both. Though we need international talent, 36 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: we need to provide certainly around those immigration settings, because 37 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 2: when you're making a decision to move, you know, from 38 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: the other side of the world to a different country, 39 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: you don't do so lightly, and so having potential for 40 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: those settings to change from one government to another is 41 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 2: really unsettling for both those people making those decisions, but 42 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 2: also for the employers who are making big investments on 43 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 2: bringing people into the country. We also need to help 44 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 2: with her to grow our own talent, and we need 45 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: to make sure there's a really good interface between our 46 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 2: education sector and industry around future workforce planning, and some 47 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 2: of that has happening. You know, we've got a couple 48 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 2: of great universities in Canterbury, caniber University in particular, really 49 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 2: engaged with our business community to make sure that they're 50 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: getting those conversations going and getting the right talent coming 51 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 2: through our education systems. 52 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: I'm loving your tone, though, because this comes out at 53 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: a bad time and we've had a hard year and 54 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: everyone's talking us down and you know, the confidence is low, 55 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: and then we hear this like by twenty fifty it's 56 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,399 Speaker 1: going to be even worse. But you're actually saying there's 57 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: still a lot to look forward to. 58 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: Oh absolutely. I mean I'm from Canterbury and you know 59 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 2: we are fortunate we are in our region and you know, 60 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 2: in the South Island, you know, things are actually going 61 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 2: reasonably well. We've got a really great net month internal migration. 62 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 2: You know, we've seen population growth, you know, we're seeing 63 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 2: export growth and so I think, you know, there is 64 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 2: a lot to be positive about around our economy in 65 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 2: the future. Has it been challenging for the last sort 66 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 2: of five years. Absolutely it has. But I think, you know, 67 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: if we get these settings right, if we create confidence, 68 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: and you know, we've been doing a bit of work 69 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: in Canterbury to provide some of the answers to make 70 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: sure that we do have a long term vision and 71 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 2: there's a role for the private sector to play and 72 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 2: that in terms of having a really strong ambition. There 73 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: is a role for local government and central government to 74 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: create the right environment for you know, businesses to do 75 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: what they do best, which is to innovate, to invest 76 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 2: and to grow. And all of these times it's actually 77 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: government getting out of the way and sometimes without pulling the. 78 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: Right lead exactly all of us working together. Leea and 79 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: Watson from Business Canterbury. I thank you so much for 80 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: your time today. 81 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 2: For more from earlier edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live 82 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: to News Talks it Be from five am week or 83 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.