New Zealand’s member-owned businesses contribute significantly to the country’s GDP and are important to ensuring a strong, local economy.
We engage with political decision-makers and Government officials to make sure the collective voice of members is heard when legislative and regulative change is being considered.
What we are doing
- Raising collective awareness of the impact of regulation and legislation on members:
- Partnering with organisations on lobbying and advocacy work including levy-funded agencies, the Institute of Directors, Business Chambers and the EMA
- Ministers
- Government agencies
- Iwi
- Regional councils
- Advocating for change that helps members to compete domestically and internationally
- Tapping into international networks to leverage co-operative expertise through the International Co-operative Alliance
- Promoting co-operative awareness through:
- Speaking engagements
- Delegations
- Facilitating panel discussions
- Media relations.
We are also working to encourage the establishment of an inquiry to examine the contribution member-owned businesses make to the New Zealand economy and what can be done to help the sector to grow. A similar inquiry held in Australia in 2014 highlighted the importance of the sector and made recommendations aimed at helping co-operatives grow and reach their potential.