Soaring compliance costs have pushed skilled labour shortages off the top spot in a list of key gripes for Otago and Southland businesses.
Otago and Southland Employers Association chief executive Duncan Simpson said the latest survey of members showed compliance costs narrowly edged out four weeks' minimum leave, labour skill shortages and employment relations as the greatest concern.
Mr Simpson said there was little between those four main concerns.
The issues which attracted the least concern were paid parental leave, ACC premiums, KiwiSaver and minimum wage increase.
The survey was conducted every two years.
Mr Simpson said the rise of compliance issues reflected that more compliance costs were being added but nothing was being removed.
In 2006, the issue rated third.
"It reflects the fact that more arrive, such as KiwiSaver, but nothing drops off.
"I can't think of a single compliance item that has been removed in the last nine years but a lot have been added over that time period."
This was despite two compliance cost reviews.
"There have been lots and lots of talks but nothing has happened."
While it was unlikely to decide the election result, Mr Simpson said businesses would ensure the next government heard its concerns.
He would like to see an embargo on all new legislation until "they clean up what is there".
Skill shortages remain the main concern of businesses going into the election, a Business New Zealand survey found.
Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly told the organisation's election conference in Wellington yesterday that 71% of the more than 2000 businesses surveyed said the education system was not meeting their needs.
He also said the exodus to Australia was a huge concern, The New Zealand Herald reported.
"The economy is not growing enough high paid jobs," Mr O'Reilly said.
Among other findings of the survey, 89% of respondents said that even with the research and development tax credits introduced in last year's budget they were unlikely to lift spending on research and development (R&D).
That result would have been skewed by the preponderance of small to medium enterprises among the respondents.
These most likely did not do any R&D anyway, Mr O'Reilly said.
But the strength of the response suggested there was an underlying issue.
The tax credit, while welcome, was no silver bullet.
