Expert economist accepts invitation

Top economist Shamubeel Eaqub will fly into Wanganui on Friday with TV cameras in tow.

Shamubeel Eaqub has given his RSVP.

The expert economist who labelled parts of provincial New Zealand "zombie towns" has accepted the Chronicle's invitation to check out Wanganui.

Principal economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, Mr Eaqub caused a stir when he said parts of New Zealand could become zombie towns and he doubted whether the Government should be investing in them.

"It's horrible to say but, yes, we have zombie towns and some of them do have to close," he told TV3's The Nation last month.

While he wouldn't name any town specifically, he pointed to the central North Island and it could be assumed he meant parts of Ruapehu, Rangitikei and Wanganui.

"I think about some of those small towns in the central North Island where populations are declining and they've got this massive infrastructure deficit that they're going to have to replace and you're like, 'Would you really invest hundreds of millions of dollars for a declining population?' The answer might be no," he said.

"It will be better if we target our resources in places that have some hope of growing and creating prosperity."

The comments came after the release of his book Growing Apart Regional Prosperity in New Zealand.

Wanganui and Rangitikei leaders quickly dismissed his comments, which also prompted an invitation from the Chronicle.

In an editorial, we wrote about the quality of life here that could not be simply measured in dollars and cents.

"Mr Eaqub needs to take a break from his graphs and get out more," we wrote. "The Chronicle is happy to invite him to Wanganui to show him the 'assets'" that keep the region's heart pumping.

"And we promise - no one will try to eat his flesh."

The upshot is, Mr Eaqub will be in Wanganui on Friday along with TV One which is filming a segment for its current affairs show Sunday due to screen in September.

The show's producer said Mr Eaqub would be talking to people in the street and meeting with mayor Annette Main. The filming will be part of a wider television programme on regional New Zealand economies.

Mr Eaqub told the Chronicle that regional New Zealand was a different story to Auckland and while the futures may be different, he said a shrinking population didn't mean the end of prosperity. Certain trends such as urbanisation and an ageing population were not going to be stopped and towns needed to plan for a different future.

While here, Mr Eaqub said he wanted to raise some issues faced by places such as Wanganui and discuss how the town could look in the future.