Extending Taranaki’s success to its people
Stuart Trundle, Venture Taranaki
Each year economists BERL release a detailed analysis of the performance of New Zealand’s regions. These reports measure things like population, employment, value added (GDP) and the number of businesses, and provide a good benchmark by which regions can be measured. The 2012 rankings, released recently, have New Plymouth as the number one city in New Zealand. Taranaki is the second-placed region behind Auckland, up from third in 2011. Taranaki’s dairying and oil and gas industries have helped us achieve this ranking, with the highest growth nationwide in exports over the last five years and strong regional employment and new business growth. The performance of regional New Zealand is at the heart of transforming our nation’s economy, and helping us achieve the quality of life we want for our families, whanau and mokopuna. Though Auckland and its transport issues have been a dominant theme, research like the BERL report proves that there needs to be greater recognition that regions matter, and that Taranaki matters more than most. This is one challenge that Venture Taranaki is working to overcome on the national stage to ensure that Taranaki’s success becomes New Zealand’s success. There are many more challenges we must face together to make sure that our current success extends to future generations, and that our
region’s current economic strength extends to every business, community group and whanau right around the Mountain. We must foster a culture of learning throughout our region that starts at school and lasts a lifetime. A culture where innovation, talent and lifelong learning are valued and treasured is necessary to ensure our people and businesses have the skills to keep Taranaki at the top. We must invest the effort so that Taranaki remains a desirable place to live, work and visit, encouraging more of our diaspora home and more new residents. Taranaki needs 135,000 residents by 2035 if it is to keep its share of population based funding models for health, education and social services. Our businesses need these skilled people to grow. Taranaki’s economic development strategy outlines the region’s response to these challenges. It is only by working in partnership across all of these areas that the rising tide will lift all of Taranaki’s waka, and that future generations can benefit from Taranaki’s current wealth.
Venture
TARANAKI Te Puna Umanga
To find out how Venture Taranaki can help your business, call us on 06 759 5150, email us at info@venture.org.nz or visit www.taranaki.info
Photo: Rob Tucker