This morning there was the release of an international survey that says that New Zealand is the second most entrepreneurial nation in the world.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2001, was in part sponsored by New Zealand's Ministry of Economic Development and investigates the relationship between entrepreneurship, economic development and national prosperity.

New Zealand was ranked as the world's second most entrepreneurial economy, ahead of other countries we often compare ourselves with such as Australia and the United States.

This confirms what the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, foreign business managers and kiwi's themselves have told me: when New Zealanders put their minds to something, we can't be beaten.

The survey will help us to learn more about the talent and creativity that New Zealanders have and how we can turn this competitive advantage into jobs, economic development business growth.

This is a priority for the Labour Alliance Coalition Government.

When I became the Minister for Industry and Regional Development and started visiting regions I found that not only were people in some regions not working together they weren't even talking to each other.

One of the most important achievements of this Labour Alliance Coalition Government has been to get regions and industries to look at their strengths, to look at the barriers to development, and to work together to create business and industry growth.

We now have 23 regions which have formed regional partnerships with Government to develop their regional strengths and create plans for a better future.

An economy with powerful regions concentrating on industries in which each has a natural advantage building on their inherent strengths, not trying to compete with each other in a zero-sum game of no long term benefit to New Zealand.

The West Coast offers a broader range of natural tourism opportunities.

Otago and Manawatu promoted around the globe as places of internationally recognised applied education and research facilities.

Gisborne and the central North Island with international centres of excellence for their innovative wood processing facilities.

Canterbury more widely recognised as Australasia's Silicon Valley,

And Nelson for its strong international quality arts and creative tourism industry.

Today we are here to launch Nelson's Story and open this cultural tourism seminar.

Cultural tourism has been selected by this Government as a job rich, high skill, high value industry which has potential for significant growth.

Other sectors we are targeting include: wood processing, creative industries and information and communications technology.

There is little doubt over the potential that tourism in its many forms has for our regional and our national economy.

In the year to the end of June 2001, total international visitor spending topped $5 billion - 15 percent up on the previous year.

Tourism contributes to all sectors of the economy - food, hairdressers, museums, galleries, souvenirs, clothing, accommodation, and transport.

Tourism support one in 12 jobs in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 makes clear that if New Zealand is to differentiate itself in the world market more cultural tourism possibilities need to be developed.

'Nelson's Story', funded by Industry New Zealand, profiles the region's tourism and cultural strengths. It will be used by local tourist organisations and marketing groups throughout New Zealand to create stronger local creative arts industries.

The report also touches on life for Nelson artists, and issues surrounding marketing our arts Industry. · Tourists often did not know where to find the artists · There was a relatively small local market · Many artists worked long hours for low returns · Artists, acting on their own, could not afford effective marketing strategies · The artists were not tapped into decision-making bodies, such as local government

"Nelson's Story" was written by Arts Marketing Nelson and this report is very much the story of Arts Marketing.

This report is another example of the whole of government approach - Industry New Zealand, the Economic Development Association, Local Government New Zealand, Creative New Zealand, Te Puni Kokiri, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage and Tourism New Zealand all worked closely on this project.

Arts Marketing is one of the most highly successful regional cultural tourism organisations in NZ.

I would like to thank Arts Marketing, and in particular its chief executive Ali Boswijk, for undertaking this report.

The report is a generous offer to the rest of New Zealand, and possibly competing organisations and regions, of a valuable piece of intellectual property.

Tourism NZ wants to move New Zealand's tourism brand from associations with landscape and adventure to include people and culture, which is what Nelson has done very successfully.

An Arts Marketing survey indicates that the arts and culture spending in the Nelson region rose from $9.2 million in 1996 to $17.1 million in 1998, and is a real success story.

Over the same period, tourism expenditure increased from $114 million to $213 million.

Developing each region's business and industry base is essential to the whole New Zealand economy.

Tourism is a major and significant opportunity for Kapiti/Horowhenua., and forms a major part of your new strategy.

The strategy has been prepared under Industry New Zealand's Regional Partnership Programme, funded by Industry New Zealand, the Kapiti Coast District Council, and the Horowhenua District Council.

There are many opportunities for this region, such as this Lindale Tourism complex, Kapiti Island, Maori cultural experiences, Southwards Car Museum, your fantastic beaches and Lake Horowhenua.

The economic development strategy says the region should be the "preferred leisure destination for greater Wellington", and also tap into the thousands of tourists who travel up and down State Highway One.

The second "stand-out" opportunity for the region is as the place to go for good food.

Clearly these two opportunities support each other.

The work done to date in this region shows a visionary approach to developing your local economy.

I applaud your efforts, and your work in looking at examples of others' successes such as Nelson's Story.

I know, however, that you accept your success will depend on your own plan, and this seminar today forms an important part of developing your strategy for the future of your regions' and realising in full its economic development potential.

Thank you for the invitation to launch today's seminar and Nelson's story, both will play an important part in the long-term development of a dynamic and diverse New Zealand economy.

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>>