Tapuae Roa and 2050 PROGRESS UPDATE: April 2021 Hamish and Kate Dunlop of the NZ Quinoa Company OVERVIEW This document provides an update on the progress implementing actions since April 2018 to support the development and transition of Taranaki. This includes actions in the Tapuae Roa Regional Economic Development Action Plan and the 12 Transition Pathway Action Plans developed to map out the short to medium-term approach to achieve the vision our region has articulated in the Taranaki 2050 Roadmap.

Figure one: Progress update 30

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Visitor Infrastructure and Transport Energy Wellbeing, arts and vibrancy Food and Fibre Talent, Enterprise and Innovation Māori Futures

Figure one provides an overview of progress. To date 85 actions are complete or underway, 38 are partly underway and 43 actions are remaining.1

1 There are also actions being progressed under the regional recovery programme, particularly a number of actions related to Māori Futures. These actions are not included in the graph. BACKGROUND TO TAPUAE proposals have been provided to central ROA AND TARANAKI 2050 government to support a just transition to a low-emissions future. Tapuae Roa is Taranaki’s economic The delivery of Tapuae Roa and Taranaki development strategy and action plan, 2050 is led by a group of regional leaders launched in 2017-18. It aims to grow the across , , business, talent, entrepreneurial mindsets, skills unions, community, education and central and capabilities of the wider Taranaki government. Venture Taranaki, as the community as the foundation of a regional development agency, supports truly modern economy. It envisages a the facilitation and co-ordination. lower emissions future, but not at the same pace as we are now addressing. Importantly, it lays some key platforms for NEXT STEPS shifting to a low emissions economy, as Subject to funding, the focus of the well as strengthening our economy. next twelve months is to continue to Taranaki 2050 is a programme to help our bring people together and move the region’s communities, enterprises, and mahi forward. Progressing the actions is residents navigate ’s shift to something that requires us all to work the low-emissions economy of the future, together, including local government, while ensuring the important aspects businesses, unions, iwi, central of life can be shared by everyone. The government and the community. Roadmap was co-designed by thousands If you would like to help with the mahi of people across the region and published please contact [email protected] in August 2019. Twelve transition pathway action plans were developed in 2019 and You can also track progress at 2020. A prioritised suite of investment www.taranaki2050.org.nz. Ara Ake Chief Executive Cristiano Marantes at the launch of Ara Ake. Progress on actions

ENERGY announced a provisional $19.9m Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) • Ara Ake was launched in July 2020, investment in the project. as the national new energy centre – In January 2020 Hiringa Energy and based in Taranaki to accelerate the the Waitomo Group announced a development and commercialisation of partnership to co-locate Hiringa’s low-emissions energy innovation and hydrogen production and refuelling technology in New Zealand. stations on existing Waitomo • A range of hydrogen-related actions truck stops. In August 2020 it was have been progressed including: announced that funding of $20m – In 2019 the Taranaki Hydrogen had been provisionally approved Roadmap was published. The H2 from Government to support the Taranaki network, an informal establishment of Phase 1 of a group of interested enterprises hydrogen refuelling network. and individuals, began meeting – has a study underway and nationally in September 2018 concerning the potential of the NZ Hydrogen Association was transporting hydrogen through formed. the gas network. In November – Hiringa Energy and Ballance Agri- 2020 Firstgas and Hiringa Energy Nutrients have partnered in the also announced a collaboration development of a 16-24MW wind agreement. to hydrogen and green ammonia • The Government announced in 2020 project at Ballance’s plant at . that it would provide $37m to New In March 2020 the Government Plymouth District Council to replace Venture Taranaki Branching Out Project Manager, Kevin O’Reily, at Avocados, the Taranaki opportunity event.

the thermal dryer at its waste water • Nationally, a number of studies on the plant, with green hydrogen being used renewable energy stack have been as part of the energy supply. completed that analyse where there might be potential for wind, utility • Venture Taranaki published a scale solar and geothermal electricity discussion paper on the offshore wind production in NZ and Taranaki. The potential of the region in April 2020, Government also released “A vision and an offshore wind forum was held for hydrogen in New Zealand: Green in December 2020. Paper”. • WITT is building its reputation as the • A variety of events have been held to national vocational training centre support behaviour change, lowering for new energy. It has employed transport emissions and energy an energy specialist, undertaken a efficiency, such as Electricana, which is range of research and presented at a held in February every year to promote number of conferences. WITT and Ara electric vehicles. Ake are also supporting EVolocity, a programme that encourages students into careers in the STEM (Science, FOOD AND FIBRE Technology, Engineering and Maths) • The Taranaki district councils and sectors with a focus on sustainability Ministry for Primary Industries have and climate change through the jointly funded the “Branching Out” process of building an electric vehicle. project. This is identifying options and • A range of activities are progressing opportunities which complement and around microgeneration, such as extend Taranaki’s food and fibre value District Council’s chains. A Steering Group has been Home Energy Scheme, and a group of formed, as well as an Expert’s Group farmers in South Taranaki looking at a comprising of the nation’s Crown renewable energy micro-grid system. Research Institutes, Massey University and industry specialists. Taranaki Maunga and the Pouakai Track

• The Taranaki Major Regional Food the potential of food tourism Opportunities project helped advance and supporting events providing the region’s food production industry information about regenerative by identifying and providing support, agriculture. including financial, to a selected group of projects in the food sector VISITOR that have the potential for significant growth. • Development of the Taranaki Crossing: The Government has • A range of producers have received provided funding to develop the support from the Provincial Growth Taranaki Crossing and associated Fund, including blueberry production in infrastructure. This is a series of walks South Taranaki, wood processing, and linking key destinations in and close distilling and bottling processing. to Te Papakura o Taranaki. A Steering • A Taranaki Food Network has been Group of central government and iwi established. leaders governs implementation of the project. Approximately 6 kilometres • A Taranaki Catchment Communities of track have already received an (TCC) group has been formed and upgrade, including boardwalk over received funding from the Ministry sensitive wetlands. of Primary Industries to complete a business case to establish catchment • Taranaki Cathedral of St Mary: communities on a more permanent Provincial Growth Fund support footing and identifying areas of focus. of $5m is contributing towards a $15+m redevelopment of the Taranaki • Other activities include developing Cathedral site. New Zealand’s oldest a video to showcase Taranaki’s food stone church will be earthquake sector, organising a stand for Taranaki and internally enhanced for greater food producers at the Auckland community use. A new building, Te Food Show each year, investigating Whare Hononga, will be built as the The Piwakawaka Family Hut at

centre of a public exhibition focused focused message of the region ‘going on the stories of Māori and Pākehā on places’. this site. • A range of strategic projects • A range of infrastructure works have are underway including industry taken place to reduce the pressures programmes in digital capability, of tourism on the environment. This sustainability practices and Te Ao includes a new car park at the end of Māori competency, a design-thinking Road in 2018, four mobile exercise to consider new visitor ablution pods in South Taranaki, a trial experiences and the development of shuttle service to North Egmont Visitor drive journeys (West Coast Journeys, a Centre, and changes to freedom Central Drive Journey and a Southern camping bi-laws. Coastal Arts Trail). • The earthquake • The Taranaki District Councils provided strengthening and development was funding of $150,000 for Venture started by Taranaki Regional Council in Taranaki to implement a promotional December 2020. campaign across visitor, live and work, and investment target areas. The ‘Just • The Government has committed $14m around the corner’ digital campaign to support development of a visitor was run in 2020, as well as pitched centre at . editorial and partnership activity. A • A Regional Events Strategy was new “Visit Taranaki” website will be published by Venture Taranaki in launched in mid-2021. August 2020. • Investment in Taranaki’s regional • The Taranaki Story is being gardens, museums and attractions, developed, and will launch a range including at Pukeiti, Aotea Utanganui of tools and resources for the region and . to use to promote a coherent future Inside the new terminal

• A range of work on promoting transport • Public Transport: The Regional Public investments (see the Infrastructure Transport Plan was updated by the and Transport section for more details), Taranaki Regional Council in 2020 and and the Taranaki Trails Trust has been the council is investigating future low- established with the aim of creating emissions fuel options for its buses. the next ‘great ride’ in NZ. • Rail: started transporting logs from , using the INFRASTRUCTURE AND Marton to New Plymouth railway line. TRANSPORT • The Infrastructure Commission are • Roading: A range of funding developing a 30 year infrastructure committed to state highways, strategy that will be published including improvements to SH3 in December 2021. In 2020 they travelling North from New Plymouth undertook an Asset Owner Survey (Mount Messenger and Awakino with a range of infrastructure owners Gorge), SH43 and improvements to in Taranaki. the SH3 Bell Block to Waitara section. There is also ongoing investigation into MĀORI FUTURES SH44 to the Port. • The Government has committed $14m • Digital: There has been a range of to support development of a visitor investment in digital connectivity, centre at Parihaka. including the roll-out of fibre and reducing mobile black spots. • $7.5m has been committed for marae upgrades across 18 marae in Taranaki. • Air: A new terminal was opened at New Plymouth airport in 2019 and a • Ngā Rauru Kiitahi received $1.6m for runway scoping study was completed fencing and planting waterways and in 2020. land. Educators and Enterprises, South Taranaki tour at Total Aluminium

• Te Kāhui Maru Trust has been granted a range of flexible, industry-relevant just over $980,000 for its 17-week courses that align to the future of Tupu-ā-nuku Environmental Workforce work. It’s offering more options for Development training programme. part-time learners in employment, introducing postgraduate options • $1.45m was provided to support and focussing on Māori enterprise. blueberry production in South A significant increase in student Taranaki. numbers means more trained people • Mawhitiwhiti Kanihi Pā has received are entering the workforce in areas of $5m to rebuild the Pā. regional need, such as health, trades and primary industries. • $100,000 was committed to the Māori Trust Board to undertake a Māori • Council has Enterprise and Education Stocktake. developed an Infrastructure Talent Pipeline in collaboration with the civil • Parininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation construction sector, and a partnership received $100,000 to undertake a with WITT on the Trades Academy, feasibility study that will enable the paying dividends in skills training in the participating organisations to assess civil construction sector. the future viability of investment into the Aged/Retirement sector. • E tū has been undertaking research into how to support workers • In addition, Ngā iwi o Taranaki are in transition, in particular the leading a number of actions as part of interventions they and their employers the region’s Recovery Plan. would see as useful to support them to successfully move into new (or TALENT, ENTERPRISE AND modified) work. INNOVATION • The Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) has developed Venture Taranaki Enterprise Adviser, Shaan Davis at the Powerup workshops

• The New Zealand Educational development of a regional investment Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa has fund was completed in 2019. employed a new Community Organiser • New materials for a lifestyle campaign to work on climate change issues with and toolkit have been developed, and its members. Members in Taranaki are campaigns run to attract talent, visitors trialling this new community approach, and international students. and are looking forward to engaging further with the Roadmap. • A range of investments have been made in growing businesses such • A range of entrepreneurial as Woodspan panels, distilling, and programmes have been run. In bottling. November 2020, Venture Taranaki launched a range of support, services • The Chamber of Commerce, in and activity focused on fostering conjunction with the Ministry of Social and nurturing the entrepreneurship Development established a Jobs and ecosystem in Taranaki (including Skills Hub in Bell Block in 2020. The supporting the annual StartUp Chamber Hub has made good progress Weekend run by StartUp Taranaki). and already placed 60 people in This programme of work supported permanent employment in the space of by Tapuae Roa and New Plymouth 6 months. District Council is called PowerUp. A • New Plymouth District Council has key element of PowerUp is the Ideas worked with Taranaki Futures to help Competition, which commenced more than 50 young people get their in January 2021 and is supporting restricted drivers license. budding entrepreneurs and early stage start-ups with their business potential. • Government commitment to investment in schools, including • A Taranaki investment prospectus $23m for and and website was launched in 2020. A $11.5m of investment in other schools feasibility study on the viability of the in the region. Members of the Creative Taranaki Lead Team

WELLBEING, ARTS AND • District councils across the VIBRANCY region continue to make significant investments in community assets, • Creative Taranaki has been including developing a new pool, established to drive forward cycle park and council-developed regional creativity, arts and culture subdivision in Stratford, Te Ramanui o development and support, with the Ruapūtahanga and a business park in support of the New Plymouth District Hāwera, town revitalisation plans for Council and Venture Taranaki. Eltham, Manaia, Ōpunakē, Pātea and Waverley and consideration of a multi- • The Taranaki Regional Sports and sport hub in New Plymouth. Recreation Facilities Strategy was developed in 2017 and 2018, and • Tamariki Pakari Child Health and Memorandums of understanding Wellbeing Trust has been established, signed with the three district councils with a focus on equitable child health in Taranaki. and wellbeing outcomes. The team have attained over $3 million in • The Government has provided $300m funding for the region in conjunction to modernise and extend Taranaki with the University of Auckland, Base Hospital. alongside providing workforce • A wide range of environmental development with translational health projects are underway or have funding research opportunities for over 20 committed, particularly under Taranaki individuals. Taku Tūranga – Towards Predetor Free Taranaki, and the the Kaimahi for Nature programme. Funding has also been provided to support riparian planting for streams. Tapuae Roa and Taranaki 2050 are led by Ngā Kaiwhakatere o Taranaki (the “navigators of Taranaki”), a group of regional leaders representing local government, iwi, unions, business, education, community and central government. We would like to acknowledge all the people and organisations that have helped make these actions happen and contribute to the considerable mahi.