Saturday, March 30, 2024

ALTERNATIVE VIEW: Prosperity needs water storage

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I recently attended the launch of the Wairarapa Growth Strategy, which was an impressive example of provincial New Zealand helping itself. The harsh reality is Wairarapa’s economy is growing faster than either Auckland or Wellington at 3.7%. 
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I’d be surprised if other provinces aren’t similarly flourishing.

What impressed me about the entire initiative was that everyone is on the same side, committed to improving life in the provinces, in this case Wairarapa.

Attending the launch were Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Carterton-based Defence Minister Ron Mark, both New Zealand First.

We had local MP, National’s Alastair Scott, and Masterton-based Labour List MP and master of ceremonies Kieran MacAnulty. 

There were Wellington regional councillors and staff and the mayors of Tararua, Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa, again all singing from the same song sheet.

Farming and business leaders and iwi all support the initiative. 

The strategy document was developed under the guidance of retired cabinet minister and former Massey University vice-chancellor Steve Maharey. It is both thorough and achievable.

“Wairarapa has a unique brand of small-town lifestyle and big city sophistication which no-one else can claim,” Maharey said.

“Wairarapa is the best kept secret in NZ because of its physical isolation but it’s a great place to live and raise a family.

“The region’s economy is based on agriculture but there is enormous interest in adding value to the agricultural commodities and exporting to the world.”

It came on the heels of the Wairarapa Food Story, a positive document about food production and its future in the local area.

The growth strategy talks about adding value to what we produce. It builds on the food story.

It talks about tourism and knowledge-intensive areas, of developing people, housing and businesses.

It outlines how we need infrastructure to make it work, high quality transport and reliable water that are both issues close to my heart.

It wants to position Wairarapa as the best of rural and urban living.

Much is said about adding value to food and beverage, which, again, I support.

We’re going to develop a food and beverage acceleration service to support business and accelerate investment.

There will be Wairarapa food-origin labelling that will both create and support our local identity.

There will also be a food connections working group tasked with building links with food networks and researchers.

Most important, from a farming perspective, we’re adding value.

There’s a people focus and an infrastructure focus, which, as I’ve mentioned, talk about water and transport. Water storage is a major feature of the strategy and one I agree with.

It’s a no brainer as, according to the experts, we’re going to become more susceptible to drought.

In addition, if we want to diversify into more cropping, as Wairarapa is capable of, we won’t do it without water.

I expect the predictable rants from the lunatic fringe of Fish and Game and Greenpeace promising more cows but that is far from reality.

The strategy, rightfully, in my opinion, focuses on value not volume and that, to me, suggests niche crops and animals not cows, which has become a mantra of our critics.

As I’ve written some years ago I drove through the Ord River irrigation scheme in northwest Australia and you can drive for some considerable kilometres and not see a farm animal.

So we do need new thinking, we do need more research into the potential of different crops under irrigation and that’s where I believe the strategy is sound.

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson also supports water storage.

“It is about ensuring water security for farmers and business, it’s about maintaining a healthy economy,” she said.

“The town of Masterton only needs 5% of our water, which is small but vitally important.

“The cornerstone of the Wairarapa economy is the other 95% of water users.”

The examples of businesses needing water are many and not restricted to agriculture.

Juken NZ contributes $300 million to the Wairarapa economy and uses 300,000 to 350,000 litres of water a day. It employs more than 200 people.

NZ’s largest ham and bacon supplier employs up to 280 people and needs 51,000 cubic metres daily. Patterson believes if both companies don’t have reliable water they’ll relocate. 

There are many other examples. As growth strategy chairwoman Dame Margaret Bazley said, the strategy is about improving the standard of living and keeping the young people here.

They are worthwhile objectives.

In addition, it will be good for farming and good for the business sector.

We have the knowledge and the potential labour force and we have the Yeti initiative that assists youngsters from school to work.

We have the combined political, farming and business will to make the province successful.

The harsh reality is, however, it won’t work without water storage.

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