21 March 2001 Media Statement

What are the transforming industries?

Spelling out industries that could lead the transformation of the economy…

The Government is actively identifying job-rich, high-skill, high-value export industries with the potential for rapid growth.

Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton today told Parliament that an industry steering group has been set up for the wood processing industry, and its work is already well advanced.

He said other industries that may be the subject of a similar approach could include:
- Fashion, apparel and textiles;
- Tourism;
- Creative arts, especially music and film;
- Knowledge industries such as ICT and bio-technology;
- Manufacturing, such as light alloys.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Industry New Zealand will work in partnership with those industries.

"As potential job-rich, high-value, high-skill industries are identified, MED and Industry NZ will work with them at all levels – innovators at the grass roots, industry leaders and creative thinkers.

"The object is to identify barriers and remove them, identify opportunities and exploit them. For example, skills shortages were identified as a major impediment to development of the wood processing industry. That means the Government has had to look closely at education issues – we are providing 2000 computers to Tairawhiti schools. Industry development is about much more than simply assisting businesses.

"New Zealand simply has to leave the hands-off attitudes of the past behind or risk becoming a warehouse economy.

"If we want more jobs and rising incomes, we have to change or we will continue to fall behind," Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>