Tapuae Roa and Taranaki 2050 Progress Update
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Tapuae Roa and Taranaki 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 25 20 15 10 5 0 Complete or underway Partly underway Remaining 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 local government, iwi, 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 New Zealand’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 – First Gas 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 Kapuni. 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 New Plymouth 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 Pukeiti 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 Mangorei 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 Yarrow Stadium 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 Parihaka. editorial and partnership activity. A • A Regional Events Strategy was new “Visit Taranaki” website will be published by Venture Taranaki in