The government has announced additional business support for enterprises recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle, luring more people back to their respective regions.
“Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development minister Barbara Edmonds said in a news release.
To that end, Edmonds announced a $10 million package which targets nine projects across three different regions: Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti and Northland.
“It includes regional tourism recovery programmes, infrastructure resilience, and training and accommodation support to rebuild workforces,” Edmonds said. “As we focus on helping businesses transition from response to recovery mode, these projects will be locally-led and build resilience so they’re better set up for the future.”
Regional Development minister Kieran McAnulty stressed the importance of funding projects that benefit local communities and economies.
“Work on these projects is ready to begin and will make an immediate contribution towards local recovery and resilience,” McAnulty said. “In the Hawke’s Bay, funding will be used to develop much-needed accommodation for tradespeople, so building crews can take on urgent rebuild projects. Longer term, this will be used to house horticulture trainees and workers.
Since these are also major tourist destinations, McAnulty said that the government wants to see more people visiting to provide economic boosts, especially with summer approaching.
“The Government remains committed to helping businesses and people recover from the severe weather events. We’re continuing to work with local communities on their needs and support regions to build back better,” McAnulty said.
The funding for these projects stems from the final allocation of the $75 million interim recovery package established earlier this year to aid businesses impacted by the severe weather events in the North Island.
The regional recovery package encompasses support for several projects across Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, and Tai Tokerau, including initiatives for workforce development, tourism support, business recovery, accommodation for the workforce involved in rebuild projects, and improvements in various regions’ infrastructural and tourism sectors.
Recently, the government also announced its support for the city of Nelson following the extreme weather event in August 2022, including a buyout deal for high-risk properties pending an agreement with Nelson City Council.
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