12 July 2002

All Regions to get a $2m regional initiative every three years

Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton today told Greymouth Grey Power members that the Progressive Coalition wants every region to get a major $2 million initiative every three years.

There have been four $2 million major regional initiatives funded by Industry New Zealand. These are the Waikato Innovation Centre, the Rotorua-based Forestry Centre of Excellence, the Wine Centre of Excellence in Blenheim, and most recently the Food Processing Centre of Excellence in Hawke’s Bay. Each of these regions would be able to get another initiative in three years under this policy.

MRI’s aim to build a significant focus of economic activity and excellence.

“Major regional initiatives are for significant major regional projects to boost the local regional economies. We need to continue to build our regions. There isn’t a point at which we can stop and say they have all the facilities they need.

“The Clark Anderton Government has already established the first programme to build our regions in nearly three decades and funded $12.4 million for regional planning and major regional initiatives,” said Jim Anderton.

The Regional Partnerships Programme covers all of New Zealand and in each region is managed by a partnership of government, local authorities, communities, iwi and businesses.

Already $4.4 million has been allocated in the planning stages of the programmes that precede the major initiatives.

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