There are many opportunities if we could coordinate our activities. However the government was committed to ensuring the forestry boom would be serviced by rail as this was 7 times more efficient than road. The Minister replied that the conservation strategy obliged the department to put conservation first and agreed that this was an area of conflict and tension. John Lepper spoke of Industry NZ now being virtually up and running as a vibrant and small organisation to work in partnership with industries and communities. They were focussing on social, economic, and environmental sustainability for full employment.
Sustainability is vital and central to the strategy.
Regions must come up with what they want, eg Tairawhiti Taskforce. So far the more informal processes have worked best. His role was to work out the broad policy direction budget, statutory obligations, broad economic policy but the proposals for Industry NZ would come across his desk. John asked for feedback from Mayors as to how the structures were working, particularly if they were becoming too bureaucratic. Mayors were concerned that the structure still looked very Wellington-based, and in the past that had not been of much assistance at the grassroots level.