Kaipara District will get $28 million for transport infrastructure and resource and feasibility studies into cropping, fruit tree growing, new livestock possibilities and aquaculture.
The package for Northland was announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones at the start of Waitangi week on Otamatea Marae, Maungaturoto.
The money will come from the Provincial Growth Fund, the National Land Transport Fund, Kaipara District Council and Te Roroa iwi.
The biggest chunks are $8m each on metalling Kaipara roads and sealing the Pouto Peninsula road, $5m on wharves and water transport and $3.5m on a bridge for the road between Kaiwaka and Mangawhai.
Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith, who has a PhD in economic development and previously worked as Kaipara’s economic development manager, said the funding components are hugely significant.
“The roads of Kaipara have been badly neglected for a long time. More than 70% of our network is unsealed – that is 1200 kilometres – with 22,000 population, only a portion of whom are ratepayers.
“This funding goes into restoring what we do best – the kai in Kaipara – producing food and transporting it to market with trucks and trailers.
“Productive capacity is the heart of the Kaipara Kai project and our potential as the food bowl to the north of Auckland.
“The topo-climate study of the northern end of the district from Hokianga to Ruawai was done in 2002 and identified 50,000ha of the most versatile soils.
“We are going to update that study with any climate changes and the different crops and technology, for example, and extend it into the southern region.
“That southern region is the fastest growing in the North Island, going into lifestyle blocks, where landowners need to have the options.
“Not just a pony under a tree behind a picket fence but something productive like horticulture or viticulture.”
Smith said Jones is especially keen on the Kaipara Harbour and its renewed potential for transport, productivity and recreation.
“Part of the reason Kaipara has been neglected for so long is that it was founded on water travel with communities on the shore now connected by very bad roads.
“We have been strangled economically and we need to put the infrastructure like jetties and ferries back.
“The new funding joins up the economic dots, stops the decline and provides a way for working our way up again.”
The Government bundled various plans and applications in the one Kaipara announcement.
Jones said the projects will not only enable greater land use but also create more resilient communities and have significant environmental impacts.
“From primary industry to tourism Northland is primed for strong growth and a resilient, reliable transport network is an important part of achieving this growth,” he said.
“Local people have told us that infrastructure is a priority for them and a key enabler of future economic growth.”
The funds will be delivered through existing organisations and companies, not start-ups, required to have business plans, contracts and audits of progress and delivery.
The council received $1.3m to boost its capabilities and resources.
Smith said Kaipara people will see improvements in their roads, bridges and communities but the roading work will need to be spread out because of the availability of metal.
The media release from Jones’ office listed more than $50m of Provincial Growth Fund projects in Northland separate from the Kaipara ones.
The largest are for a roundabout on SH10 at Waipapa, construction of the Hundertwasser Arts Centre in Whangarei, a marine travel lift in Whangarei and for forest planting by Ngati Hine.
