New regional study points economic way forward

Northland’s route towards a vibrant, growing regional economy has been mapped out with the release of an updated strategy designed to guide sustainable economic development in the North until 2011.
The strategy comes after a year’s work by regional economic development agency Enterprise Northland on behalf of the Northland Regional Council and the region’s three District Councils.

The five-year strategy acknowledges the important role sectors like tourism, farming, forestry, building and property development play – and will continue to play - in Northland’s economy.

But it also notes the “absolute need to broaden the base of industry” as well as exploit regional advantages offered by Northland’s climate, its geology (sands, clays, aggregates etc), its ‘unique’ Maori and European settler history and its proximity to Auckland.

Enterprise Northland Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts says the strategy builds on the region’s first economic strategy, ‘Northland Forward Together – Kokiri Ngatahi Taitokerau’, which was developed in 2001/02.

The updated strategy is the culmination of months of work, including more than 40 meetings to seek the views of a range of industries, business associations and interest groups.

Ken Paterson, the Regional Council’s Chief Executive Officer, says a broader economic base is but one of a myriad of factors – and challenges – the strategy identifies as needing to be addressed to achieve sustainable economic development.

Work is also needed to further develop – and ensure the security of - core regional infrastructure like transport, energy and telecommunications.

“Northland also needs more medium-sized businesses which are profitable and primed to grow, more investment in high-end products and services and more skilled and educated people,” Mr Roberts says.

The ongoing – and increasing – role Maori play in our regional economy is also acknowledged in the strategy.

The strategy outlines three development priorities, with detailed actions (and lead agencies) assigned to each:

Creating an effective growth platform (including things like infrastructure and developing leaders)
Raising capability (education, skills, business support, governance skills and research)
Changing Northland’s economic profile (strategic business sector activity and inward investment).
Mr Roberts says a regional strategy is vital, not only to ensure that the many organisations involved in the economy work together cohesively, but also for the region to be eligible for key Government regional development initiatives.

He says as a region Northland has already made a great deal of collective progress in recent years, including a drop in its unemployment rate, an increase in average weekly incomes and a growth rate which at times has led the nation.

“Latest statistics put our year-on-year growth rate at 3.4 percent, second only to Waikato. The region’s businesses are working together more and economic development activity is well aligned.”

However, despite those positives, the great many issues and challenges identified in the latest strategy showed that the region still has a great deal of work to do.

A summary of the strategy can be obtained from any Northland Regional Council or Enterprise Northland office. The full strategy will be available from the Enterprise Northland website: www.enterprisenorthland.co.nz/publications_reports/index.htm