The Government is playing its part in helping regions to sort out their top priorities for economic development, Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton said today.

At the Dargaville Field Days today he announced five new regions are to receive support through the Government's Jobs Machine, Industry New Zealand.
* Wairarapa has been allocated $80,000.
* Tairawhiti will receive $155,000.
* Hawkes Bay is to get $100,000.
* Kapiti Horowhenua will receive $51,000.
* Northland region will receive $200,000.

The funding is to assist regions to make economic development plans and build the ability to implement those plans.

Further funding of up to $2 million per region is available to contribute to major regional initiatives that come out of the strategies developed in the first two stages.

"We need regions working together to sort out their top priorities for economic development. It's actually a start just to get whole regions working together in this way," Jim Anderton said.

"The Government is playing its part. The key factor is partnership. This Government will work in partnership with the private sector, as well as local and regional communities," Jim Anderton said.

A total of nearly $900,000 has now been approved to support regions since the scheme was launched last year. In the first funding round during December last year the Wanganui, Ruapehu, Rangitikei , Marlborough and Rotorua received funding support.

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