Grow Wairarapa
Wairarapa Economic Development Strategy

Media Statement
Tuesday 15 January 2019

Strategy’s New Year programme

Work will continue on the Wairarapa Economic Development Strategy following the Christmas holiday period. Meetings to discuss the regions priorities will commence again this week.

The strategy’s Chair, Dame Margaret Bazley, is eager to continue the swift progress made by the Steering and Governance group late in 2018, to look at the various sections of the strategy and identify the priorities which would make a case for government funding.

“We are in the fact finding stages of the strategy’s implementation. Understanding the priorities for the region, and acting on these will be the first steps we make in 2019. We will be seeking input from experts across the sectors to help us achieve this.”

Following the announcement of Taratahi Institute of Agriculture being placed into liquidation before Christmas; the governance group will continue its work on addressing the future needs for primary industries in the Wairarapa.

“Although Taratahi’s announcement is very sad for our region, and our Mayors are available to offer support, it is not the role of the strategy governance group to comment on Taratahi’s future; rather we need to focus on the strategy’s goal to encourage more people into careers in the primary sector, and to address skill shortages in primary industries.”

A meeting has been scheduled to invite primary industry representatives to participate in a targeted conversation about this.

“This meeting is one of many consultations we will have across the sectors throughout the implementation of the strategy” explains Dame Margaret.

Other priorities that the Steering and Governance Groups will be focusing on within the first few weeks of the New Year will be the appointment of the strategy’s Programme Manager, and the process around assisting organisations in placing applications that align with the strategy, to the Provincial Growth Fund.

The strategy and all the latest news can be found via the strategy’s official website www.growwairarapa.nz.

ENDS

Notes to editor –
• The Strategy is the culmination of work across the region’s sectors, stakeholders and Iwi – instigated by the Masterton, Carterton, South Wairarapa District Councils, the Greater Wellington Regional Council and WREDA. It targets seven key focus areas; value-added food and beverage; tourism/visitor attraction; knowledge intensive industries, knowledge and skills (particularly primary industries), and business development; water; travel (air and rail); housing; and trees.
• The Steering and Governance Groups exist to govern and manage the implementation of the WEDS, and as part of this to also provide local input and oversight into applications for funding for local projects, including applications to the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF).
• The meeting mentioned above is not to be confused with a meeting scheduled by Federated Farmers, inviting Mayors to address Taratahi’s future.

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