February 4, 2009

MEDIA RELEASE (For Immediate Release)

Central And Local Government Can Lead Recovery

Local government has a key role in leading the country out of the economic recession, says Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey.

Speaking at today’s announcement by the Prime Minister of support for small and medium sized businesses, Mayor Harvey said local bodies are also vital to the economic recovery (speech attached).

Local Authorities account for 4% of GDP annually. “That translates into hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs. For local economy, read local government,” he says.

“In many town and cities local bodies are not only the largest employers, but their spend has huge down-stream economic benefits.”

In Waitakere, he pointed to a number of major capital works projects that have begun or will roll out in the coming months.

They include:

• New Lynn transit station - This $300 million project sees 300 construction jobs on site currently. By June tenders will be called for $20 million worth of roadworks associated with the project.

• The New Lynn civic development. - In March Waitakere City Council and private investors Infratil will unveil a project to demolish and rebuild the entire centre of New Lynn.

This will be the largest public-private development undertaken in the Auckland Region over the next five years.

• Hobsonville - By October this year, Stage 1 of Hobsonville will be under construction. This is New Zealand’s largest single development of any kind.

• State Highway 16 and 18 - $220 million and 160 jobs on site currently.

• Westgate- With partners the New Zealand Retail Property Group, $600 million worth of work on a new town centre. The first stage alone is worth $100 million, over three years.

“These are not pie in the sky projects. They are underway or about to kick-off and demonstrate the very real commitment that this City has to economic development,” said Mayor Harvey in his speech. “This is the Waitakere way of economic leadership that we have developed since 1992, and represents a major stimulus package for New Zealand in its own right.”

At today’s announcement, Mayor Harvey also congratulated the Government on the leadership it has shown.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And this Government has certainly shown that it is getting things moving.”

ENDS

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