Driving economic action,Who is involved in region’s action plan?

CO-ORDINATOR: Jacque White returned to Gisborne recently after five years working overseas, predominantly in banking and software development. Her role is co-ordinating delivery of the Tairawhiti Economic Action Plan. Picture by Liam Clayton

In February this year, Government Ministers and the Tairawhiti Economic Action Plan Steering Group launched the Tairawhiti Economic Action Plan (TEAP) — a multipoint plan focused on transformative economic change.

The plan focuses on those human and natural resources the region is blessed with. It keys in on primary production and tourism, with a focus on forestry, water, apiculture and the infrastructure that underpins delivery of these areas that have been identified as important components of our economic future with strong growth potential.

The goal is to create 1260 new jobs, increase local processing and value-added production, and attract $86.6 million in investment into the region by 2022.

The plan is delivered by a dedicated team of local project managers and stakeholders, co-ordinated by Jacque White from Activate Tairawhiti.

Jacque is an experienced project manager who recently returned to Gisborne after five years working overseas, predominantly in banking and software development. Her experience culminated in working in the Czech Republic with FNZ, a wealth management software company with a start-up mentality.

Ms White says she is pleased to bring this expertise back to the region.

She has a passion for the role of technology in business, and believes projects thrive on collaboration.

“Proactive collaboration will be critical to the success of the action plan. We need to encourage the right conversations at the right level with the right people in the region. We also need to ensure Government is well connected with our region’s leaders and backs delivery.”

Ms White believes the governance provided by a steering group of community leaders is one of the action plan’s greatest strengths.

“What we have is a group of regional leaders together in one room focused on delivering economic change. They all believe in a best-for-region approach and see the action plan as the region’s roadmap for growth.

“My role is to support delivery through robust processes and communications.”

Real progress has been made on many of the actions in the plan, she says.

The Makauri Aquifer recharge year-one pilot has been completed and the economic model developed. The Manuka Honey Collective has made a strong start, exceeding its target of 1700 hives. Ngati Porou Miere has completed its research on apiculture and the factors affecting manuka. Activate Tairawhiti has recruited the tourism manager who will be tasked with driving tourism growth for the region. The horticulture sector has employed a workforce co-ordinator to improve employment outcomes in the sector. The Job Shop and Licence to Work programmes focused on workforce development have also achieved success.

It’s that level of performance that Ms White expects will continue.

“I have been lucky enough to work in some pretty fast-paced environments and am looking forward to bringing classic start-up values to this role – enthusiasm, a solution focus and hard work.

“I look forward to supporting the people tasked with delivery and providing rigour around the management of the various actions within the plan. It’s one way we can ensure accountability and start to measure the plan’s impact,” she says.

The immediate priority is engagement with a new Government — particularly Minister of Regional Development, the Hon Shane Jones.

“Obviously the environment in which we are working has changed with the change of government. So, our early priority has been to engage with Wellington.

“The steering group has been in touch with Minister Jones. Every region is seeking engagement while the new leadership embeds itself, but we are confident that, with all we can offer the Government, we will push our way to the front of the queue.”