Steven Joyce: Economic plan a golden opportunity

Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce.

Northland has just posted its lowest level of unemployment in nearly eight years, down to 6.2 per cent. It's good to see, but it's not enough. We're all looking for much more transformative change - a sustained lift in the region's growth and prosperity that will see Northland realise the economic potential that's been talked about for decades.

That's why the Tai Tokerau Northland Economic Action Plan was launched in the Bay of Islands just before Waitangi Day. The plan contains 58 initiatives that will help achieve exactly that. The action plan is the result of 18 months' work between central and local government, and business and community leaders. It started with an opportunity report commissioned in April 2014. Now that report has been converted by a team of local leaders and government officials into a series of projects that will attract investment.

The plan identifies projects that will help develop the tourism industry, primary industries like horticulture, honey, aquaculture and forestry, and specialist hi-tech industries like marine manufacturing.

Many economic plans have been written over the years and they often end up gathering dust. It is the action bit that is important, and this must now be the focus. One of the encouraging things about this plan is that it's already kicked off a number of projects.

One example is the manuka plantation initiative at Northland College in Kaikohe. This project is hiring unemployed local people to establish the plantation on the college farm to provide research and training opportunities for the manuka honey industry and Kaikohe's young people.

There's also the collaboration between the Queenstown Resort College and Shanghai Cred to build a tourism training college in Paihia to train Northlanders to work in hospitality.

And of course there is the announcement of the Government's $4 million contribution to the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Maori Art Gallery in Whangarei. This beautiful building will join the impressive new Waitangi Museum in a growing list of must-see Northland attractions.

The Government is moving ahead with the further rollout of ultra-fast broadband and rural broadband enhancements, including the rollout of fibre to smaller Northland towns like Dargaville, Kerikeri and Kaikohe. Tenders are out for the Puhoi to Warkworth section of State Highway One, the widening of the same state highway through Whangarei is nearing completion, and NZTA is readying itself for construction work for the first four of the 10 one-lane bridges to be replaced on the twin coast discovery route.

The real test of the plan will be whether it attracts more private investment. That's why the active involvement of the business sector is important. It's great to see new investments being made in the marine manufacturing sector and the new container crane being installed at Northland Port.

A big determinant of the success of the plan will be whether it can unite all the stakeholders in Northland. Not everyone will agree on the relative importance of every project. The important thing is building momentum and progressing as many projects as possible. It's much easier for government agencies to play their part when regional leaders communicate a shared vision.

We are off to a great start. Around 150 business, community and central government leaders attended the launch. Last week, the regional steering group met to drive projects forward. I've congratulated them on progress so far and given them the commitment of ministers that we will stay closely involved.

This economic action plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move Northland forward. Let's all take that opportunity and run with it.