Industry NZ Funding Boosts Regional Development

Industry New Zealand Funding Boosts Regional Development

Regional development has received a boost with six new regions receiving a total of nearly $500,000 from Industry New Zealand's Regional Partnerships Programme.

Regions allocated funding in the latest round announced today are:

- West Coast $100,000

- Otago $100,000

- Taranaki $94,000

- Waikato $30,375

- Waitomo/ King Country $55,000

- Coromandel/Hauraki/

Matamata Piako $88,000

Michael Andrews, Industry New Zealand Chairman, says the Regional Partnerships Programme aims to help communities work together to take advantage of local strengths and opportunities.

"A very important aspect of the programme is that community groups and organisations that previously had not worked together are now collaborating closely on common planning for their region," Mr Andrews says.

Fourteen regions from throughout the country have now received support totalling around $1.3 million. The programme was launched in October 2000.

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For further information contact Nigel Morris Industry NZ, Phone (04) 495 5089, or 025 546 412

Notes to Editors

The Government has allocated $33.750 million for regional development over the next three years.

Under the Regional Partnerships Programme, up to $100,000 is available to assist individual regions to develop strategic plans. Further assistance of up to $100,000 per year is available to help build the ability to implement those plans.

Funding of up to $2 million per region is available to contribute to major regional initiatives that come out of the strategies developed in the first two stages.

Regional contacts

Region Regional contact

1st & 2nd round approvals

Marlborough

Rotorua

Wairarapa

Wanganui/

Ruapehu/

Rangitikei

Tairawhiti

Northland

Hawkes Bay

Kapiti/

Horowhenua

3rd round approvals

Coromandel/Hauraki/ Matamata Piako

Otago

Taranaki

Waikato

Waitomo/King Country

West Coast

Marlborough Economic

Development Trust

Tony Smale 03 577 9080

Rotorua District Council

Ross Stanway 07 348 4199

Masterton Business Enterprise Ltd

Geoff Copps 06 378 8010

Wanganui District Council

Craig Roberts 06 349 0001

Gisborne District Council

Rick Mansell 06 867 2049

Northland Regional Council

Warren MacLennan 09 438 4639

Vision 2020 Incorporated

Dr Karen Cooper 06 879 9972

Enterprise Horowhenua

Tony Rush 06 367 0524

Tourism Coromandel

Mr John Archibald 07 868 5985

Dunedin City Council

Peter Brown 03 477 4000

Venture Taranaki

Stuart Trundle 06 759 5150

Hamilton Economic Development forum

Mike Underhill 07 838 1399

Waitomo Chamber of Commerce

David Hearn 025 244 2516

Grey District Council

Frank Ash 03 768 5775

Further information on regional development activities in a particular region is available from the regional contacts above.

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