“Should it be additional capacity at the port? Should it be the opening of the rail line? There’s pretty grand visions about the road over the Whareratas.
“‘We’re not writing Gisborne rail out of the script but I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say today that I have not been presented with that case. There’s political will to back rail, but there’s also an acknowledgement that ports and coastal shipping is equally as important,’’ Mr Jones said.
The Minister repeated, in his public presentation, previous comments that he would be a “provincial champion”.
The PGF policy was aimed at turning lives around in “neglected provinces” and allowing the regions to share in the prosperity of metropolitan New Zealand.
Not acceptable to leave to marketLeaving those issues to be determined by the market was not acceptable.
The PGF would be advised by a top investment advisory body within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. There was no time for bureaucratic advisers whose “feet are covered with treacle’’.
“I’m on a 1000-day hikoi. This is a government that can make decisions at pace.”
But civic and business leaders had to be organised, he said.
“The pace of bureaucracy will be commensurate with the progress you want to make in your region.”
A progressive Government, including the “wise leadership” of Winston Peters, had taken 'a bloody big risk',” Mr Jones said.
“But I’m up for the task.’’
Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said Gisborne-Tairawhiti typified what the Government was trying to do with the PGF.
The “huge infrastructure deficit’’ in provincial New Zealand was an area of absolute agreement between Labour and New Zealand First in coalition negotiations.
The policy was pushed by New Zealand First and was personal to Mr Jones, Mr Peters and herself.
The PGF was at the heart of what the Government wanted to achieve.
In a dig at the previous government, Ms Ardern said her government did not want to leave the market to determine which parts of the country shared in prosperity and which fell to the wayside.
Initial announcementThe initial announcement amounted to about $61m invested in Tairawhiti, Northland, Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast, she said.
Areas of high unemployment, deprivation and potential, “That is where this Government wants to be”.
The initiatives would lead to a potential 700 direct jobs and $344m of public and private investment into the regions.
“But it is just the beginning,” she said.
The policy of growing a billion trees would be a legacy about jobs, regional development and the environment.
“We want to listen and collaborate with communities and local government,” she said.
“Keep the ideas coming and work with us. That is where the magic will happen.”
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) president Dave Cull told The Gisborne Herald the launch of the fund was great news for the regions.
Gisborne and Northland had been identified as first in the queue, but it had been aimed at all the regions outside the three main centres.
It had the enormous potential to kick-start areas that had potential but not enough resources.
Mr Cull said he told Mr Jones that LGNZ would offer help. It was in the interests of both local and central government to make it work.
“It’s a huge opportunity.’’
East Coast National MP and Deputy Speaker of the House Anne Tolley was present on the War Memorial Theatre stage when the policy was launched. It was good to see so many Cabinet Ministers in Gisborne, she said.
Ikaroa-Rawhiti’s Meka Whaitiri, Willy Jackson, David Parker, Green Party leader James Shaw and Labour list MP Kiri Allan were present.
Mrs Tolley said the Government was building on National’s Regional Development Action Plans, advancing the aquifer recharge and wood engineering projects and retaining “all our workforce development programmes’’.
But where was Gisborne in the launch video?
“Their lovely promotional video featured every region but ours,” she said.
