20 October 2004

Anderton celebrates Major Regional development Initiatives now covering over half the regions of New Zealand

"Over half the regions in New Zealand have now implemented major regional development initiatives. This is something to celebrate considering that most of our regions were languishing on low levels of economic growth when this Labour Progressive government took over from National in 1999," Minister for Economic, Industry and Regional Development, Jim Anderton, announced today.

The Eastern Bay of Plenty maintenance engineering training programme, launched last Friday was the 14th major regional initiative (MRI). There are 26 regions for the purpose of regional development. Therefore the first round of the major regional initiative programme is now over the half way mark.

"I congratulate the regions that have developed their MRIs, including their councils, businesses and communities along with the staff involved from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

"The pay off for the regions of these proactive programmes is that instead of languishing on low growth rates, as the regions did during the period of National government, they are now in an era of high growth and people again have a future in their own communities. That is very good news.

"Overall annual average growth, at 1.5 per cent under National (as at June 99), is now 4.3 per cent (June 04, National Bank trends survey) - a 187 per cent improvement. That is a good reason to vote the Labour Progressive government back into office at the next election, to ensure that we don't go back to a low growth economy." Jim Anderton said.

Major regional initiatives implemented so far:

Hawke's Bay Food Processing Major Tourism Growth for Northland Manawatu Bio Commerce Centre Marlborough Aviation Heritage Centre and Park Marlborough Wine Research Centre Nelson Seafood Centre of Excellence Southland Broadband Initiative Taranaki Centre of Applied Engineering Waikato Innovation Park Wellington Film Facility Rotorua Wood Processing Centre of Excellence Tairawhiti Food Exports using underdeveloped Maori land Eastern Bay of Plenty maintenance engineering training Wanganui/Rangitikei/Ruapehu tourism

ENDS

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