Northland business leaders call for more government investment in infrastructure
Photo:
RNZ / Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira
Northland business leaders say the region's economy could grow six-fold to $60 billion by 2050, if it had better infrastructure.
The Northland Corporate Group - which includes some of the region's biggest businesses like Marsden Maritime Holdings Limited, Northpower and McKay Limited - hosted an event on Wednesday night at Parliament, pitching the region's economic benefits to MPs.
At the event,
economic analysis
, prepared by New Zealand Institute of Economics (NZIER) and commissioned by the group, was released and showed that while the region contributed $11.2 billion to national GDP in 2024 - 30 percent below the national average - it could be higher if it had
proper investment in its infrastructure
.
Speaking at the event, group co-chair Rosie Mercer said the region was full of resource and talent, and was ready to unleash its full power.
If Northland's GDP was on par with the national average, it would be a $16 billion economy, Mercer said.
"We think that gap can and should be closed, but we're not going to stop there. We're not just going to close that gap. We're ambitious and we are saying that Northland can be a $60 billion economy."
The analysis found the region needed an additional 1.1 percent growth every year above the current trend to achieve that.
The potential for energy supply growth, agriculture, construction and manufacturing, tourism, trade and supply chain logistics and its
closeness to Auckland
were all key enablers for economic success.
However, the region needed more resilient transport infrastructure, like roads and rail, more certainty on what infrastruture was down the pipeline and recognition the region had under-utilised assets - particularly in the energy sector.
Co-chair Andrew McLeod invited politcal leaders to "look north" to see the strength of the region's industries and said building a region was a "long-term game".
"Our communities have stood in the north for hundreds of years, in our own businesses, for over 19. We're looking for a commitment, of similar duration, across parties, across governments and across political cycles.
"Our ask is, give ongoing commitment to provide a connection between us and Auckland and provide real long-term commitment to infrastructure," McLeod said.
Speaking to media, Northland MP Grant McCallum said the "ultimate challenge" would be getting cross-party support for long-term investment in the region.
"The power of this pitch today is being business and community led, it hasn't been led by the politicians, because you can immediately create one side or the other," he said.
"The key pieces of infrastructure that the government can do to help enable all of this is, build a decent four lane road all the way to Whangārei, and put the rail connection out to the port. That will enable all that to happen."
McCallum said Northland had been underperforming for generations and he hoped people could see the oppurtunity.
"It's got all its social challenges, and we're not going to get wealthy by increasing the size of the welfare cheque.
"We've got great opportunities, great soils, we've got great tourist attractions and great people in the north, and they just need the opportunities to grow and for businesses to grow."
He said businesses needed to be confident investment in the region by government would be long-term.
"The big advantage we have as a region is we're close to Auckland, the biggest population base in the country.
"We're all sick of the stories about
the Brynderwyns closing, or the Mangamuka closing
. They just send the wrong message and if we ... turn that around, we can actually achieve this," McCallum said.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Top netballers may need secondary income as broadcast deal drags on
ANZ Premiership players Amelia Walmsley of the Central Pulse and Jane Watson of the Tactix. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Pay cuts could be coming for New Zealand's top netball players in 2026 as the broadcast deal for the domestic competition drags on. ANZ Premiership players may need a secondary income next season "to make ends meet", according to New Zealand Netball Players Association executive manager Steph Bond. This year's ANZ Premiership concluded on Sunday, but Netball New Zealand is yet to lock in a television deal for next year. The broadcast deal will impact how much players are paid. "The sad part that could end up next year is that actually players will have to look outside of netball to supplement what they are earning to make ends meet," Bond told Midday Report. "In some cases that's a good thing in terms of actually having something off the court, but it's definitely not pushing the sport forward in terms of the progress other sports are making." Bond said players had felt "unsettled" while the negotiations continued. "It's creating challenges for those individuals, which is understandable when you're not sure where your short-term future is heading. "We would normally be in the contracting stage right now in terms of the ANZ Premiership for next year, so we're currently in bargaining with Netball New Zealand to try and see what that landscape will look like next year." The players avoided wide-spread pay cuts this year when a collective employment agreement was negotiated last year for 2025, Bond said to be back facing the potential of pay cuts again was "disappointing". "The community game is still growing despite other, I guess, competing sports in that market and so there is definitely the fans and the people that are supporting the game just at this point in time we don't seem to be able to be getting that turned into dollars and making that a difference at that level." The Netball Players Association supported players looking to Australia to further their career with the "uncertainty" around the future of the New Zealand competition. "I think like anyone, if you look across the ditch, you can see a job over there that potentially is paid better and has different challenges then people will be looking at that and having a look and seeing if that's actually a better option for them." Netball New Zealand updated its Silver Ferns eligibility criteria this month, paving the way for greater flexibility for athletes who wish to play overseas.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
What you need to know about Auckland's licensing trust elections
The Trusts chief executive Allan Pollard. Photo: Supplied/LDR Aucklanders are being urged to vote for trustees for the five alcohol licensing trusts in the region, as the local elections loom. The local elections will be held from September 9 - October 11, and while most of the attention will be on city councillors and mayoral hopefuls, voters will also decide who will lead their licensing trusts. Auckland has five licensing trusts, with only two - Portage and Waitakere, collectively known as The Trusts - having the authority to grant liquor licences in West Auckland. Established in the country in the 1960s and 70s, the trusts model was set up as a community initiative to control the sale of alcohol and decide how surplus profits are returned to the community. The Trusts chief executive Allan Pollard said people often didn't realise that licensing trusts were included in the local elections. "Licensing trusts are just the tip of the niche election iceberg," Pollard said. "When local elections roll around in, between these and the general election, you might think that's more than enough democracy to fill your brain. "But in reality, there are a number of other things you can vote on that most Kiwis don't realise are on the table." Voting numbers for licensing trusts haven't been strong. In the last local elections, less than 50 percent of registered voters selected their trustees. Pollard said voter turnout for the last Waitākere Local Board election was 15,661 votes, approximately 40 percent of eligible voters. He hoped that would change come September. "Fundamentaly we all want what's best for the community. People come at it from different angles and that's democracy and at the end of the day, people will decide." He also hoped more young people would step up and consider being nominated for one of the 35 trustee positions vacant in the five licensing trusts. The other trusts are Mt Wellington, Birkenhead and Wiri in south Auckland, who all manage and own hospitality venues and commercial real estate assets. Together with proceeds from gaming machines, licensing trusts provide funding to community groups in their districts. "New Zealand is home to a unique system of licensing trusts - community-owned entities that hold exclusive rights to sell alcohol in certain areas," Pollard said. While alcohol monopolies exist in other parts of the world, what makes the NZ model different was that it was truly democratic and community-led, he said. "In West Auckland, we're mandated to operate off-licenses, hotels and taverns. A responsibility we take seriously weighing community benefit against accessibility and alcohol harm. "Then, surplus profits from those retail and hospitality operations are reinvested back into the community." Pollard said the West Auckland trusts granted $1.1 million to 52 community-led initiatives across the district this year. Nominations for the local elections, including licensing trusts, close on 1 August. Voting opens on 11 September and closes at noon on 11 October. Final results will be announced on 13-17 October. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Midday Report Essentials for Tuesday 29th July 2025
business money 7 minutes ago In today's episode, thousands of homes have been without power across Northland as what has been described as an 'atmospheric funnel', hits Aotearoa; Rain is falling steadily at the top of the South Island, where there are orange heavy rain warnings in force; Small businesses say the government's payment surcharge changes are unfairly targeting them and it should instead be putting pressure on banks; Severe weather is hitting many parts of the country, causing power outages, flooding, and downing trees; The country's top netballers are shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty with Netball New Zealand still yet to ink a broadcast deal for the next ANZ premiership season.
