17 April 2019, 2.45 pm

Innovative Intergenerational Regional Strategy Announced for Te Tauihu

The Government has announced support for the development of a new intergenerational Regional Growth Strategy for Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman.

Funding of $434,980 has been secured from the Provincial Growth Fund to develop this initiative, known as Te Tauihu 2077, over the next nine months.

The application to the Provincial Growth Fund was led by Wakatū Incorporation in partnership with Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council, Marlborough District Council, and the Nelson-Tasman Regional Development Agency.

Located across the top of the South Island, Wakatū is owned by 4,000 Māori families who descend from the traditional land owners of Nelson, Motueka and Golden Bay. Wakatū is governed by its 500-year intergenerational plan, Te Pae Tawhiti. The year 2077 will be the 100th anniversary of Wakatū and has been chosen as a horizon to reflect the importance of long-term thinking, and commitment to deliver inter-generational benefits across our region.

Paul Morgan, Chair of Wakatū and the Steering Group, said, “This initiative is exciting because it is led by business and is focused on delivering results for our region. We are creating a collaborative leadership model for engagement, developing ideas and assessing priorities, as well as identifying the resources and support to progress them. We have the three Mayors of our local Councils, representatives from Iwi, the Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough Chambers of Commerce, the Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology, and representatives from regional businesses on our Steering Group to provide leadership for Te Tauihu 2077. We all know that working together will be crucial in order to grow our region, and I can tell you that everyone that we are engaging with is committed to doing just that.”

A programme of community and business engagement is being developed to help develop the regional strategy. The project team will be seeking peoples’ views on the five focus areas which have been identified: whānau (our people), taiao (our environment), pūtea (our economy), hihiko (regional science, technology and innovation), and papa whenua (enabling infrastructure). Once the engagement process is complete, projects will be prioritised and implemented according to the regional growth strategy.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett, who is also the Deputy Chair of the Steering Group said, “We have many businesses and community entities in our region who straddle Council boundaries. Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough share many issues as well as opportunities for growth. This initiative is going to provide us with a new mechanism for collaboration, for sharing resources, and for thinking long-term.”

Other Provincial Growth Fund initiatives that are being announced for the Region include the Nelson Artificial Intelligence Institute (Brian Russell), Port Tarakohe (Tasman District Council), Smart Services (Marlborough District Council) and the National Algae Research and Development Centre (Cawthron Institute). These Ocean Economy initiatives will align well with Te Tauihu 2077.

The first phase of work for Te Tauihu 2077 is now underway and will be completed by October 2019.
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