Northland a region ready for growth
Minister Mark Mitchell attended the Northland Civil Defence Forum last week at Semenoff Stadium, and commented on how well Northland councils and communities were working together, especially when disasters happen.
This was shown through Cyclone Gabrielle, the Mangawhai tornado, the fires that attacked Waipoua Forest, and then with ex-Cyclone Tam. Northland as a community is great at getting in and working with those who can help, and those who need help.
For me, one of the best things about living in Northland is how we just get on with things and work together to make things happen. When we see someone with a need, we go and deal with it. There's a lot of compassion and action up here – that no.8 wire mentality is still alive and kicking! It is now great to have central Government recognise that too.
Our three mayors (Kaipara, Far North and Whangārei), and chair of Northland Regional Council started our term by spelling out what we needed for our region to grow, both economically and physically. It all started with agreeing on what our top 5 priorities were:
Connecting Northland
Northland as an economic hub
Housing and associated infrastructure
Infrastructure resilience with changing environment
Local government as a 'trusted partner' with central Government
We next needed to put those priorities to our business and hapū communities and encourage them to take ownership of these aspirations. The Northland Corporate Group and Chamber of Commerce have done just that.
Bringing the councils together under one economic roof for Northland, via the Joint Regional Economic Development Group (JREDG) and Northland Inc., cemented the powerhouse that I knew Northland could be. A similar example of a powerhouse that we already have is within our Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group (CDEM), which looks after Northland during emergencies.
The next big economic projects that can make huge differences to Northland's economy, which require central Government involvement, is developing a knowledge precinct in Whangārei, expanding Northport, building the drydock at Marsden Point, and setting up some regional economic zones.
By attracting future investment, creating jobs, fostering innovation, strengthening infrastructure, and working together, we can build a brighter future for our whole region, and what central Government is enabling now is a great start to the growth of Northland. As mayor, I am committed to supporting these initiatives and ensuring that Northland reaps the full benefits of these projects.
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