ATEED welcomes Māori development commitment

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) Chief Executive Brett O’Riley has welcomed the new government’s focus on Māori economic development outlined in the Speech from the Throne delivered today.

“One of our primary areas of alignment with the Auckland Plan is around the promotion of Māori identity through developing new economic opportunities, activity which cuts across all of our work,” Brett O’Riley said.

“The Māori Economic Growth Forum we hosted in June will be repeated next year and provides a ready-made forum for better alignment with central government initiatives in this space.”

“We are keen to establish a partnership relationship with the new Minister for Māori Development, the Hon Te Ururoa Flavell, and his team to ensure that we can deliver the more productive, competitive and prosperous Maori economy across the Auckland region that we need.”

Brett O’Riley also welcomed the new government’s focus on growing the skilled workforce, another of ATEED’s strategic goals for Auckland.

“Encouraging Auckland business to invest more in people and growing skills in the local workforce is vital to the economic and business growth agendas and robust alignment with central government initiatives in this area will pay dividends.”

“The job fairs in Australia attracting back skilled Kiwis, extending vocational and trade training, and boosting skills for employment are all important, especially to increasing opportunities for young people.”

Brett O’Riley said that with the Auckland region accounting for around 40 per cent of the national GDP the opportunity for collaboration and cooperation between central and local government in Auckland to accelerate economic growth and job creation, and to attract investment in the region are exciting.

“We are entering a new phase of the relationship between central and local government in Auckland in the economic development space and the signals sent in the Speech form the Throne today are very encouraging,” Brett O’Riley said.

Ends

© Scoop Media