Far North creates trust for jobs drive

By TONY GEE

KAIKOHE - The Far North is forming an eight-member interim trust to spearhead a push for economic, commercial and business development in the job-depressed region.

The Economic Development Trust will comprise community, Maori, Far North District Council and possibly the Government as primary stakeholder groups.

The trust aims to put a formal proposal to the Government soon to fund a long-term economic strategy for the Far North through newly created Industry New Zealand.

Initial trustees include Far North District Mayor Yvonne Sharp, Chris Mathews, Ben Dalton, Malcolm Nicholson, Shane Jones, Ian Walker, Ella Henry and Manuka Henare.

Outlining details of the initiative at a meeting in Kaikohe, Mr Mathews, acting as a spokesman, said the approach to the Government and Industry NZ would aim at securing commercial and business funding through the trust to help grow and mentor Far North industry sector groups such as horticulture, organics, tourism, farming and fishing.

Formation of cluster groups within these sectors would be encouraged to share items such as market development, costs and product distribution and good working relationships would be built with banks.

The district council is weighing in with an initial $51,000 to help fund the strategy and has indicated that another $50,000 will be forthcoming.

"They've put their money where their mouth is," said Mr Mathews. "They're to be congratulated for supporting economic development as an activity of the council."

Late last year, New Zealand-based information technology company Datacom announced its intention to partner the Far North District and its council in the establishment of a call centre-customer service operation, potentially employing between 100 and 200 people.

Mr Mathews said the trust was now working on similar initiatives to try to attract other service and knowledge industry operations to the North, especially those which could employ significant numbers of people.

The Datacom move was supported last year by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Jim Anderton. He saw it as an example of the new Government's regional economic development plans.

Mr Anderton is expected to visit the Far North next month.

Mr Mathews said it was hoped Mr Anderton would look at the local economic development trust and its range of activities, current and planned.

Each primary stakeholder group is to have its own representatives on the trust, which will be based on a charter to be drawn up over the next 18 months after consultation with the Far North community.

The charter will be administered by the Public Trustee in Wellington to help ensure trust activities are transparent and that trustees are accountable to the community and stakeholders.