Tech hubs will help regional life survive

Technological innovation can keep Northland's economic zombies at bay.

Technology and innovation hubs are lifelines for regions like Northland, according to a researcher behind an economic and environmental three-day conference in Whanganui this weekend, which will see two Northlanders speak about one successful regional project.

Northland Regional Council chairperson Bill Shepherd will join manager of Reconnecting Northland and keynote speaker, David Mules, at A Place to Live which kicks off on Sunday.

The forum is being organised by Victoria University of Wellington and The MacDiarmid Institute, with researcher Professor Shaun Hendy.

Prof Hendy said technology and innovation hubs would be lifelines for New Zealand provinces, "preventing them from turning into zombie towns".

In September, New Zealand Institute of Economic Research's Shamubeel Eaqub said towns such as Whangarei were becoming "zombie towns" and regions such as Northland were declining economically and population-wise to past their "tipping point".

Mr Eaqub made the comment on TV3 programme, The Nation, and later told local government representatives in Northland his comments were meant as a "wake-up call", not an insult.

Prof Hendy said to battle the threat of further decline, provinces needed to set up hubs and shared office spaces to meet 21st century business needs, attract talent and take advantage of innovation.

David Mules is a keynote speaker this weekend, as he is employed by WWF-New Zealand which, in partnership with NZ Landcare Trust, is leading the implementation of the Reconnecting Northland programme.

Reconnecting Northland uses landscape scale environmental restoration to lead social, cultural and economic development and is lauded as a potential model for New Zealand.

-For more on the other speakers at the conference check out: www.aplacetolive.org.nz.