Southlanders on PM’s business advisory council
THERE is a strong Southland presence on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s 13member business advisory council announced yesterday.
Invercargill space entrepreneur Peter Beck, of Rocket Lab, and HW Richardson director Joc O’Donnell join the council, which will meet for the first time next month.
It will be chaired by Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon.
The council, according to its terms of reference, will offer ‘‘highlevel free and frank advice’’ to Ms Ardern and ‘‘build closer relationships between government and business’’.
‘‘New Zealand needs a modern economy that has the investment, innovation and skills required to ensure we can all share in prosperity and opportunity in a sustainable way.
‘‘To do that we need to work closely with business leaders, share ideas and consider solutions to overcoming barriers together,’’ Ms Ardern said yesterday.
She would also be asking the council to gather advice from their peers in the domestic and international business community on some of the most important issues facing New Zealand.
That included ‘‘how we best grow and share our prosperity, support regional development and transition to a clean, green New Zealand’’.
‘‘I’ve asked the council to drill down into key issues within our four economic priority areas that will provide answers to some of the big economic challenges regularly raised with me by business leaders.’’
Mr Luxon said the council’s composition ‘‘reflected a diversity of skills and industry experience from businesses of different sizes and locations across the whole economy designed to make a significant contribution to building a more productive, sustainable and inclusive economy’’.
‘‘All council members are committed to seeing New Zealand realise its potential and are excited to step up and play a role in supporting the Prime Minister.
‘‘The council will provide free and frank advice to the Prime Minister on economic issues, build closer relationships between business of all sizes and the Government and provide expertise to inform policy decisions,’’ he said.