Working together to reduce the cost to do business

JOINT STATEMENT

Northland Regional Council - Whangarei District Council - Auckland Council - Auckland Transport - KiwiRail - Waikato Regional Council - Hamilton City Council - Bay of Plenty Regional Council - Tauranga City Council - NZ Transport Agency

26 June 2012

Working together to reduce the cost to do business in New Zealand

Ten upper North Island organisations have joined forces to deliver freight efficiencies with a goal of helping to boost the economic performance of New Zealand.

Delivering freight efficiencies will help reduce the costs of trade, resulting in cheaper goods for New Zealanders and a competitive advantage for New Zealand importers and exporters.

The upper North Island of New Zealand is a critical platform to New Zealand’s economic success. More than 55 per cent of New Zealand’s freight travels through the Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions, and collectively these regions generate over 50 per cent of New Zealand’s gross domestic product.

The Upper North Island Strategic Alliance (UNISA) is made up of Northland Regional Council, Whangarei District Council, Auckland Council, Waikato Regional Council, Hamilton City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Tauranga City Council. UNISA is collaborating with Auckland Transport, KiwiRail and the New Zealand Transport Agency to work together on initiatives to reduce the cost to do business in New Zealand by a strong Upper North Island collaboration.

“The Auckland Plan recognises the need to forge and advocate for effective inter-regional connections that support future growth and demand, and increased freight efficiencies,” says Mayor Len Brown. “The greater the contribution Auckland and the Upper North Island can make to the economy, the better it is for the nation. We take our commitment as the economic cornerstone of New Zealand very seriously and collaborating together, we can achieve good results.”

The organisations involved share the view that to invest smarter and deliver better certainty for industry and investors, they need to understand the bigger Upper North Island picture and work together on the critical priorities that will add the most value.

This approach has and continues to involve discussions with industry, operators and ports, to ensure their views are included, and that their needs can be better understood.

ENDS

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