New Zealand First deputy leader and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is putting regional investment, infrastructure development and job creation at the centre of his party’s economic message as the November 7 general election approaches.
Jones has been promoting a series of government initiatives aimed at strengthening provincial economies, supporting Māori economic development and getting major infrastructure projects underway.
With unemployment, the cost of living and economic growth dominating the election campaign, Jones is arguing that investment outside the country’s major cities is essential to creating jobs and strengthening New Zealand’s productive economy.
His approach centres on the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund, which has supported projects involving transport, energy, water infrastructure, regional resilience and business development.
Regional Investment and Jobs in Focus
Recent announcements include a $2.01 million government contribution towards upgrading Opureora Wharf on Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty.
The wharf is the island’s only vehicle and freight gateway, supporting approximately 320 residents alongside forestry, dairy and horticultural operations.
The wider $2.9 million development includes improvements to loading facilities, parking, roading, stormwater management and safety infrastructure.
Construction is expected to support approximately 19 full-time-equivalent jobs.
In Taranaki, Jones has also announced $3 million for the Taranaki Alliance, an industry-led initiative designed to help local engineering, manufacturing and logistics businesses secure major contracts.
The initiative aims to help participating businesses pursue more than $100 million in contracts over three years, potentially supporting hundreds of skilled workers as the region’s energy sector changes.
Māori Economic Development Part of the Strategy
Māori economic development is another component of the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
Government figures presented to Parliament in September identified approximately $47 million in regional infrastructure investment associated with Māori economic development, alongside $32 million in co-investment.
Jones has emphasised the importance of using government funding to attract additional private and community investment rather than relying entirely on direct Crown expenditure.
For Māori businesses, iwi organisations and regional communities, infrastructure investment can create opportunities to develop land, improve transport connections and expand commercial activity.
However, the longer-term impact will depend on whether projects generate sustainable employment, strengthen Māori-owned enterprises and deliver measurable economic benefits for whānau.
Infrastructure, Energy and Regional Resilience
Jones has also been advancing projects intended to improve the resilience of regional infrastructure.
Recent government announcements include funding for a replacement bridge on a key Waikato freight route, support for regional aviation services and progress on the proposed Northland Shipyard and Dry Dock project.
The Government has also promoted resource development and energy investment as opportunities to increase economic activity.
Jones argues that major projects can support employment, improve productivity and attract investment into regional economies.
However, infrastructure and resource development proposals can also raise questions about environmental impacts, consenting processes and the involvement of affected iwi and hapū.
Those considerations remain important as political parties debate how quickly major projects should be approved and developed.
Election Campaign Turns to the Regions
Jones has been campaigning extensively in provincial communities, where New Zealand First is emphasising regional jobs, infrastructure and economic opportunity.
Recent Radio Waatea interviews have explored the reception the party is receiving at community meetings and the importance of regional development to its election platform.
New Zealand First is also promoting policies intended to encourage business investment, including proposed tax reductions for eligible small and medium-sized companies.
The party’s wider economic approach places emphasis on supporting productive industries, accelerating development and maintaining investment in regional infrastructure.
For voters, the central questions are how much employment these initiatives will create, whether the benefits will reach local communities and how future governments will fund continued development.
The Challenge: Turning Investment Into Lasting Economic Growth
With the election approaching, Jones is positioning regional development as an important part of New Zealand First’s economic programme.
The announcements provide examples of government funding directed towards transport, industry and regional services.
But the test will be whether those investments produce lasting improvements in productivity, employment and household incomes.
For Māori communities, that includes ensuring Māori businesses and landowners have opportunities to participate in projects, secure contracts and share in the economic benefits.
As the campaign enters its final weeks, Shane Jones is making the case for regional investment as a driver of economic growth. The question now is how those commitments will translate into sustainable jobs and stronger regional economies beyond election day.
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