February 26, 2020
PGF splashes out on Raukokore water scheme
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says the Provincial Growth Fund will change the future for the remote eastern Bay of Plenty communities of Raukokore and Waihau Bay.
The fund will loan Te Whānau a Maruhaeremuri Hapū Trust $10.6 million to design and build a water storage facility.
Mr Jones says the scheme will act as a catalyst for the development of under-utilised Māori land.
It’s intended to help develop 200 to 300 hectares of high-value horticultural land, with the capacity to grow to 900ha over time.
The trust will also receive a $900,000 grant from the fund’s Whenua Māori allocation to start a 20-hectare macadamia orchard.
Mr Jones says Maori landowners on such remote areas have few financial avenues open to them, and it’s an uphill battle to create the kind of economic growth that leads to higher wages and more job opportunities.
Copyright © 2020, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com