Todd Muller: Where to from here, Bay of Plenty?

Todd Muller Bay of Plenty MP. Photo/John Borren

If you've ever done home improvements, you'll know how you're 'never really ever finished'. There's always the next step, refining, redesigning.

The same goes for the Bay economy. We've had a great run this year with strong surges in horticulture and tourism, but we've got work ahead to continue to attract investors and boost jobs.

Last week a new economic action plan for the Bay of Plenty detailed a blueprint several ways to do this. Minister of Economic Development Steven Joyce announced the plan which targets expanding the kiwifruit and Manuka honey industries and developing Māori land for forestry and horticultural use.

We also need to look to water management in the Western Bay, where maintaining productive land is competing with urban growth.

Tailoring our education to the demands of our industries is also another way of keeping local talent in the Bay. It's pleasing to see our Bay of Plenty Polytechnic doing this in cooperating with kiwifruit and forestry industries in the courses and training they provide.

Now we've got a plan outlining out key strengths going forward, we've got to put in the leg-work and look for opportunities for developing these industries. The dividends will be an ever stronger region, more better paying jobs with the good life we all enjoy so much.