Editorial: North's exit from doldrums up to us

The 2015 Budget indicates National knows our regions need help. Photo / NZME.

The Northland by-election result confirmed Northlanders are fed up with a National Government that they perceive has left the local economy to fend for itself, propped up by its main pillar - the dairy industry.

When that industry is healthy, the region is healthy. But when it is being challenged, as it is now, we suffer. Labour leader Andrew Little recently reminded Northern Advocate readers Northland needs strong regional planning, backed up by central government. It is not a radical philosophy. Nor does it take a political scientist to examine Northland and realise it is a fractured region without strong singular direction.

Which is why Northland must demand it be home to one of the privately-backed research institutes in the provinces the Government has allocated $25 million to kick-start.

Tourism, E-Commerce potential and marine farming - albeit already linked with the Government-funded NIWAR - are three factors with unrealised potential that would strengthen a Northland proposal.

The 2015 Budget indicates National knows the regions need help. Its offer of regional research institutes is shrewd - "if you want help, get your act together and show us you deserve it".

Struggling families, have - again, shrewdly - been handed benefit increases and greater child-care allowances. But if Northland is to haul itself out of its regional development funk, there is little immediate relief, but plenty of "if it is to be, it is up to me".