Miccio To Set Up New Council Committee For Economic Development

Mayoral candidate Aldo Miccio says if elected he will set up a new Council Committee for Economic Development to advance multi-level economic development across the region and attract new investment.

Cr Miccio believes that improving our regional GDP growth rate from its low 1.7% and providing more jobs to locals is a priority for the region. In June, he announced the first Economic Development policy promise, which was to set up a business incubator to grow and support small businesses.

He says that currently there is no specific Council Committee with an Economic Development focus to lead and help support the Nelson Regional Economic Development Agency (EDA), and our many aspiring regional businesses.

“My goal is to lead an inspiring council with a vision of sustainable growth; growth that ensures current families and new families can live in Nelson if they choose to,” Miccio says. “The world needs to know that Nelson is ‘Open for Business’.”

“With this goal in mind, I propose the establishment of an Economic Development Council Committee, where the mayor’s membership is mandatory,” he says. “This Committee will be charged with driving the establishment of a business incubator, spearheading a Winter Growth Strategy to provide economic stability over 12-months, and setting up and administrating an Economic Development Fund.”

“We can not sit on our laurels and expect our current industries to tick along without the full support and drive of council,” he says. “The EDA does a great job, and I believe the council can do even more to support them in their role, as well as support the business sector directly through vision and strategy.

“As well as our key established industries of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries, and tourism, we have some innovative growth industries, such as aviation and marine engineering, and technology such as solar,” Miccio says. “All of these should be nurtured towards further growth, to create an even more dynamic commercial sector that provides more jobs across the region.”

Further Economic Development policies will be announced over coming weeks

ENDS

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