Banks on notice
OPINION: Shane 'Matua' Jones, crusader against all things woke, including "woke banks", couldn't have scripted it better when his NZ First colleague Andy Foster had his Members' Bill drawn from the ballot recently.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is set to hold a series of nationwide summits to discuss regional priorities, aspirations and opportunities.
The first of the 15 summits will kick off in Nelson on 12 August.
The summits are designed to facilitate conversations about progressing regional economic growth and opportunities to drive productivity, prosperity and resilience through the Coalition Government’s recently launched Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF).
Jones says the Government is focused on strengthening and growing the economy.
“Supporting the regions to prosper is key to achieving this,” Jones says. “Through the RIF, we are looking to invest and co-invest in resilience infrastructure that improves regions’ ability to absorb, adapt and respond to stresses and shocks.”
He says the Government will also invest in projects that support growth through well-connected and productive regions.
“We are looking to the regions to identify their priorities themselves, to leverage existing opportunities, investment and strategies, and bolster the ambitions of local communities,” Jones says.
“This starts with conversations about central government and regional priorities and where they align, how we maximise the impacts of strategic investment and where we can work together,” he adds.
“The summits are an opportunity for discussions with iwi representatives, local government, business leaders and sector organisations,” Jones says.
Organised by Kānoa, the Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, the summits will take place over the next six to eight months.
Regional summits in Canterbury, Wairarapa, Kāpiti and Chatham Islands are still being finalised with dates in early 2025 to be confirmed.
More information about the RIF, including details about eligibility criteria and the application process, can also be found on the Grow Regions website.
Dates
Tractor manufacturer and distributor Case IH has announced a new partnership with Meet the Need, the grassroots, farmer-led charity working to tackle food insecurity across New Zealand one meal at a time.
The DairyNZ Farmers Forum is back with three events - in Waikato, Canterbury and Southland.
To celebrate 25 years of the Hugh Williams Memorial Scholarship, Ravensdown caught up with past recipients to see where their careers have taken them, and what the future holds for the industry.
Among this year’s Primary Industry NZ (PINZ) Awards finalists are rural New Zealanders who advocate for pragmatic regulation and support stressed out farmers.
Rockit Global has appointed Ivan Angland as its new chief operating officer as it continues its growth strategy into 2025.
Nominations are now open for the Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) board.
OPINION: The good fight against "banking wokery" continues with a draft bill to scrap the red tape forcing banks and…
OPINION: Despite the volatility created by the shoot-from-the-hip trade tariff 'stratefy' being deployed by the new state tenants in the…