28 | Epic Kawatiri Westport incubates digital businesses and provides a range of digital services including workshops, training, coaching, mentoring, advisory services and digital literacy programs. Westland District Council REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Westland has faced challenges over the past couple of years but has also seen record low unemployment and a boom in certain industries, says Westland District Mayor Bruce Smith. “Dairy has been a top performer for the region since Yili took over Westland Co-Operative Dairy Company. Staff numbers there have risen from 515 to 745 and it’s now our leading sector. Unemployment in the region is below 2%,” he says. Government funded projects have helped boost the region, which has suffered loses in the tourism sector due to the pandemic. Schemes such as Jobs for Nature, which saw those in the tourism sector employed by DOC to complete jobs such as building tracks, have helped. “A lot of the tourism industry was transient workers so a lot of people shifted away when the work wasn’t there any more. Schemes such as Jobs for Nature have worked well to keep qualified people here,” says Mayor Smith who cites other leading sectors as mineral extraction, processing of timber and meat, fishing and farming. He says the challenge for Westland, which spans 343kms and has a population of just 8800, has always been the low number of ratepayers compared with the work that needs to be done to keep the region ticking along. Although Coasters have plans, Central Government agendas often usurp these making it difficult for traction to be gained on things that would really take the region forward, he says. “Central Government is very focused on tourism, which has been non-existent for two years now at an international level. We’ve found diversity to be the key here so that if something changes you don’t have all your eggs in one basket. We’ve seen what happens in places like Franz Josef and Fox Glacier then this happens.” As technology in the district continues to improve, he says there are opportunities to move towards a more knowledge-based economy and to attract skilled people who are looking for a different pace of life. He cites Epic Kawatiri Westport as a good example, which incubates digital businesses and provides a range of digital services including workshops, training, coaching, mentoring, advisory services and digital literacy programs. It also provides full scope digital development services. Mayor Smith also sees development opportunities in whitebait and salmon farming and in horticulture. Karen Phelps Westland taking on the challenges He is disappointed a recent proposed whitebait farming venture will not proceed due to insufficient funding. “But one day someone will make it work and when they do it will be a great thing. It will also help to solve the problem with whitebait levels in natural ,” he says. Although the population figures remain steady in the region, Bruce says more out of towners are moving to Westland, particularly retirees seeking a slower pace of life and looking to cash up from other parts of New Zealand with a retirement nest egg. This, coupled with growth in certain industries, has placed pressure on housing stock – both owner/occupied and rental. Companies such as South Peak Homes, which has established a factory in Westport building homes under cover, is both an example of a successful new venture for the region and one which is helping to solve the housing issues that is burgeoning. Mayor Smith says government funded infrastructure projects have bolstered the local economy as have high dairy and gold prices, but looking ahead this cannot last and the Council is already planning for the future. Organisations such as Development West Coast, which was set up after the downturn of the forestry milling industry in the late 90s, will continue to help business on the West Coast to diversify. Success stories already include Westlander Jet Boats, which has a long waiting list, and Westfleet Seafoods, which Mayor Smith says has added value to the seafood the West Coast has in plentiful amounts. Other go-ahead businesses include Equip-Engineering, Dispatch & Garlick, under cover house manufacturers South Peak Homes, Jackson Bay Mussels and Karamea Tomatoes, which delivers 15 tonnes of product to New Zealand markets each week. “There is an incredible amount of diversification and innovation that occurs across the Coast. We aim to continue to attract cottage industries, which are great for tourism, and to make 2022 the year of delivery for government projects because by the end of 2022 we should be in recovery mode. “We expect recovery to take a long time and some of our towns may not be the same as they once were but we are motivated to see the district diversify and reduce reliance on tourism in our economy as the Council is highly focused on long-term resilience.” MBD is proud to support Westland District Council PH: 03 768 0218 DARREN: 021 310 453 EMAIL: ADMIN@MBDCONTRACTING.CO.NZ MBD CONTRACTING LTD - 50 ARNEY STREET, PO BOX 114, GREYMOUTH, 7840
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