Mixed Fortunes Report: Salvation summary

The Mixed Fortunes Report highlights several social issues in the region.

The Mixed Fortunes report highlights social issues across the country.

Here is a summary of Northland's "social report card"

Jobs and joblessness

The regions with the worst recovery record are across the top of the North Island, from Northland through to Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.

Northland had an unemployment rate in mid-2014 which was nearly twice that of pre-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) times. The region has the:

- Highest rate of joblessness (people not seeking a job) - 13.6 per cent.

- Highest rate of unemployment - 8.8 per cent.

-Lowest median income - $1100 a week.

Early childhood education (ECE)

- Lowest rate of kids under 5 in ECE - 55.3 per cent.

- Lowest rate of kids under 4 in ECE - 83.4 per cent.

- Lowest rate of students leaving school with UE - 35.6 per cent.

-Lowest rate of students achieving at or above National Standards - 69.4 per cent.

Student engagement

- Northland and Manawatu-Wanganui have rates of stand-downs, suspensions, exclusions and expulsions that are 1.5 to three times the national average.

- Northland has highest rates of students being stood down or expelled.

Children's safety

- Northland has the highest rate of Cyf substantiations for individual children (rate of substantiations of cases of child abuse or neglect notified to Cyf for individual children - not multiple cases involving the same child).

Youth unemployment

- Northland had the highest rate of youth not in education, employment or training.

Youth offending

- Northland is among the worst five regions for the highest rate of youth apprehended for criminal offences (fourth highest for youth aged 14-16).

- Northland has the fourth highest rate of prosecution of 14-16-year-old offenders.

- Northland has the fifth highest rate of prosecution of 17-20-year-old offenders 2010-2014.

Local government rates

Northlanders' rates rose 100 per cent from 2004 to 2013 - the third highest increase in NZ.

Distribution of grants, subsidies & donations to local government 2004-2008Northland received 6.6 per cent of a $693.6 million subsidy pool between 2004 and 2008.

Between 2009 and 2013, it received 3 per cent of a $980.9 million pool.

Analysis

Northland falls into the "uniformly poor outcome" category - with relatively low rates of ECE enrolment, low levels of achievement against National Standards and poor UE pass rates, along with Waikato and Gisborne.

Northern Advocate editor Craig Cooper reflects on these results

Look, this was never going to reflect particularly well on Northland. And is there anything new in this report, that we didn't know? We have never flown high when it comes to social issue indexes.

But in saying that, who wasn't shocked a few weeks ago when we got told there were 1300 more people out of work in Northland in January to March, than there were in the last quarter of 2014.

It's tough out there at the moment, but there are success stories if you go looking for them. The region's marine industry is blossoming, we are building broadband infrastructure that will place the region well for e-commerce.

Our dairy industry is struggling with the low payouts predicted but that's dairying - records one year, big drops the next. People with money are investing in the region, investing in our unique coastal geography. If you've got money, you've got opportunity to prosper in Northland.

And there's the catch. If you've got money. If you haven't it can be bloody tough. This report suggests that the country's growth model is based around increasing incomes through private sector investment, and dairying. So there's two reasons we shouldn't panic.

And that's about as much economic observation as I'm going to offer, because I'm only qualified to elaborate on what I see. In the report, I see it observes the regions need solid development plans backed up by central government. If I look out the window, I don't see that. I see intent, but few signs of a return on the region's development plans from the last decade.

Until such time that there is a truly cohesive approach to regional development in Northland, we will continue to struggle. That lack of cohesion is why many people believe less local government politicians and less councils would be good for Northland.

We have a history of spurning regional development opportunities, because we can't get our act together. Perhaps the only way we are going to turn the region - not around - but in a better direction, is by a wholesale local body cull. And then we start again. One council. One direction. One region.

Right now, I'd vote for that tomorrow, quite frankly.

Craig Cooper, Editor

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