Otago and Southland have a rich heritage of business innovation and resilience. OSEA has represented our entrepreneurial pioneers for more than a century and we’re proud to continue to be the voice of regional business at the national level.

OSEA is a founding member of BusinessNZ, New Zealand’s largest business advocacy group. OSEA is one of the four regional employer groups that formed Business New Zealand.

Advocating for enterprise and promoting the voice of thousands of businesses across New Zealand, BusinessNZ works for positive change by engaging with government officials, community groups, MPs and Ministers on a daily basis, ensuring business interests are represented throughout the policymaking process.

OSEA also works with our sister organisations the EMA, Business Central and CECC and with affiliated organisations ExportNZ, ManufacturingNZ, the Sustainable Business Council, the Energy Council and Buy NZ Made. This network promotes dialogue and information flow about issues that matter to employers, and enables us to connect our members with peers and experts elsewhere in the country.

Performance of manufacturing index:
Manufacturing rise welcomed, ODT 16 April 2018 
Southern manufacturing enjoying uptick, ODT, 14 May 2018
Read our latest performance of manufacturing index, Southern service sector doing well, ODT, 19 December 2017 

Performance of service index:
South’s PMI result strong again in March, ODT, 18 April 2018
Retail weakest April performer in services sector, ODT 16 May 2018
Read our latest performance of service index, Manufacturing dips but region still top, ODT, 16 December 2017 

Employment relations:
Tourism industry joins opposition to Bill, ODT, 20 April 2018 
Workplace Relations Minister’s pay claims rejected, ODT, 15 May 2018 
Employers see risks in law change, ODT 28 May 2018 
Holidays Act task force welcomed, ODT 30 May 2018 
Employers 90-day changes detrimental, ODT, 7 June 2018

Budget:
Business reaction mixed, ODT 18 May 2018 

Youth/schools:
Principals share ideas on NCEA, ODT 2 June 2018
Employment initiative for E. Southland: ODT 25 April 18

Economic plans a few days away, ODT, 6 December 2017
Skills changes welcome, ODT 16 December 2017
Southland companies set to merge, ODT, 11 December 2017