23 November 1998

The Road Ahead: Reserve Bank Roadshow starts rolling

Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash will take to the road tomorrow to speak to small- and medium-sized businesses throughout New Zealand. As part of a national Roadshow with the theme "The Road Ahead", Dr Brash will address business people on the topic of New Zealand in the turbulent world economy, and where our economy is headed.

Dr Brash said today "The uncertainty of the current world situation is unsettling for businesses. I am therefore keen to discuss with representatives of small and medium-sized businesses the difficulties they face and what's happening in the economy overall. I will also speak about the role of the Reserve Bank in the context of an economy facing a hostile world trading environment."

The Reserve Bank Roadshow has been organised with the assistance of New Zealand's major banks, which have invited their commercial clients to attend the meetings.

The Roadshow will span two weeks, taking Dr Brash to 23 locations from Whangarei in the far north to Invercargill in the south. The 1998 Roadshow is a sequel to the successful Reserve Bank Roadshow undertaken by Dr Brash in 1995.

The Roadshow will be launched this Wednesday morning in Whangarei, where Dr Brash will address the first meeting. Media are welcome to attend the opening address, but will be asked to leave after that in order to facilitate frank discussion. The details are:

Please note that all the other Roadshow meetings throughout the country will be off-the-record.

For further information contact
Lisa Weekes
Communications Officer
Phone 04 471 3767, pager 026 103 787
Email weekesl@rbnz.govt.nz