The release of ASB’s Quarterly Regional Economic Scorecard this week confirmed Manawatū-Whanganui has managed to weather most of the economic storm, coming out in first place across New Zealand, up 6 places from the last quarter.
Whilst it has been a difficult six months for Aotearoa, Manawatū has impressed with its resilience across a range of metrics:
- Housing consents are 2.5 times greater than the rest of New Zealand
- Non-residential consents were up 57.2% compared to -8.8% for the rest of the country
- Increase in job seeker benefits due to COVID-19 restrictions is currently half the New Zealand rate
- The second lowest uptake of income relief payments, available
- Local cardholders spent 79.8 % at local merchants compared to the rest of New Zealanders who spent 68.3 %
- Average current house value was up 16.9 %, compared to rest of New Zealand where prices increased by 7.5 %
- The construction pipeline continues to look healthy, with a 52% increase
“This isn’t to say that the region is unscathed, and we are not out of the woods yet, but it is heartening to see,” says Linda Stewart, CEO of the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA).
The diversity of the Manawatū economy, the strong primary sector, and the sound economic development strategy that the region is following has provided relative shelter from the volatile storm created by COVID-19.
“As we increasingly leverage our geographical and economical strengths and focus our collective efforts on key strategic projects, we’re still well on our way towards becoming New Zealand’s most progressive region by 2025,” Stewart closes.
I te wā o te pōraruraru, ka tū toa a Manawatū ki te para i te ara ōhanga
I whakaū te Tūtohi Ōhanga ā-Rohe Hauwhā o ASB i puta i te wiki nei, i te ora o Manawatū-Whanganui i te wā o te āwhā ōhanga, ā, koia te tuatahi o ngā ōhanga puta noa i Aotearoa, e 6 tūranga teitei ake tēnā i te koata ka hori nei.
Ahakoa ngā taumahatanga huri noa i Aotearoa i te ono marama ka hori, e tū whakahī ana te rohe o Manawatū mō tōna manawaroa i ngā tūāhua whānui, arā:
- E 2.5 rahi ake ngā whakaaetanga mahi hangahanga kāinga ki ērā o Aotearoa nui tonu
- E 57.2% nui ake ngā whakaaetanga whare arumoni ki te -8.8% mō te toenga o te whenua
- Nā ngā rāhui o te mate urutā-19, i haurua ai te pāpātanga o te pikinga o ngā hua mā te hunga kimi mahi
- Ko ia te rohe tuarua mō te itinga o ngā tono pūtea āwhina e wātea ana
- E 79.8% o te haukāinga whai kāri pūtea, kāri mematanga ka pau ki ngā kaihokohoko o te rohe tonu, ki ērā o Aotearoa nui tonu, ka pau te 68.3%
- I piki te uara toharite mō ngā kāinga mā te 16.9%, ki ērā o te toenga o Aotearoa, i piki noa ngā utu mā te 7.5%
- E ora tonu ana te āhua o te hanganga o te ara-paipa, i piki mā te 52%
“Ehara i te mea kīhai te ngau kino i pā ki tō tātou rohe, ka mutu, kāore anō kia puta ki te ora, heoi anō e tino koa ana te ngākau,” te kī a Linda Stewart, te Tumuaki Whakarae o te Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA).
E taumarumaruhia ana te rohe mai i ngā hau pūkerikeri o te mate urutā-19, nā te ōhanga kanorau o Manawatū, nā te kaha o te rāngai matua, nā te pakari o te rautaki whakawhanake ōhanga.
“Kei te ara tika tonu tātou kia eke ki te taumata kaikaha rawa o Aotearoa i mua i te tau 2025, mā te whirinaki ki ō tātou pūkenga mātāwhenua, ōhanga hoki, ā, ka aro pū ā tātou mahi katoa ki ngā kaupapa rautaki matua,” te whakakapi a Stewart.
Te Reo translated by Joseph Isaac-Sharland, Tai Huki Consult Ltd
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