Northland’s growth potential highlighted in regional deal to Government

Development opportunities to significantly boost Northland’s economy are being put forward to the Government. Photo / 123rf

• Development opportunities to boost Te Tai Tokerau’s economy are proposed in a new regional deal.
• The proposal aims to double Northland’s economic production through collaboration with government, councils, and iwi/hapū.
• A “light touch development proposal” is due by February 28, with government decisions by year’s end.

Development opportunities to boost Te Tai Tokerau’s economy are being put forward to the Government in a new Northland regional deal proposal.

Regional deals are part of government plans to develop a joint approach with local councils, the private sector and iwi/hapū to build economies locally.

The deals involve cities or regions joining the private sector, central government and iwi/hapū to identify opportunities and priorities for unlocking growth and better economic outcomes.

John Vujcich, Northland’s joint regional economic development committee chair, said four development opportunities had been identified that would significantly benefit the North.

“They have the potential to double Northland’s economic production,” Vujcich, who is also a Far North District councillor, said.

A first-step “light touch development proposal” for Northland’s regional deal must be with the Government by February 28.

From there it will go through a selection process, before the Government decides by the end of the year whether and how to progress.

Government money will partly fund development opportunities. Some of this could come from Crown mineral royalties.

Vujcich said the deal was exciting for the region.

The four regional economic development opportunities settled on at a workshop in Whangārei on January 31 are now going through final consideration.

Vujcich said the opportunities were confidential.

Northland’s governance-level joint regional economic development agency, which has members from Te Tai Tokerau’s four councils, is involved as is Northland Inc.

The deals must focus on three priority objectives of building economic growth, delivering connected and resilient infrastructure and improving affordable and quality housing.

Vujcich said more detailed work would be done on Northland’s deal if it was accepted by the Government.

Regional deals must have a 10-year plan for realising opportunities. This is part of a 30-year context aligning with local government planning cycles.

They need to be linked into regional and spatial plans and other established processes and have strong private sector engagement.

Previously, former Minister of Local Government Simeon Brown said the concept brought new opportunity for the way central government, local government and the private sector worked together.

Central and local government had powerful tools to meet economic challenges affecting New Zealanders.

“Regional deals will be a practical and enduring way to ensure that these tools and mechanisms are used in a co-ordinated way,” Brown said.

They would unlock growth in specific geographic areas in a regional-level approach.

The deals would focus on funding and financing tools, regulatory relief mechanisms, efficient and innovative use of existing funding and planning mechanisms and improved central government co-ordination.

They had to involve partnership as well as funding and financing certainty.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.