Council takes credit for stable growth

Lianne Simpkin said the Tararua district had a net population growth of 46 people over the past two years compared to a net loss of 552 people in the seven years to 2013. FILE PHOTO

Tararua Country's population outlook is positive with statistics showing stabilised growth, says Tararua District Council's economic development manager Lianne Simpkin.

Mrs Simpkin said recent statistics show that, since the 2013 Census, the district has had a net population growth of 46 people compared with 2006 - 2013 when Tararua had a net loss of 552 people.

"There's probably lots of things we can attribute to the population stability. We've been working very hard to develop the Tararua Business Network here, which enables, facilitates and supports the growth of small and medium businesses.

"There are about 1800 small businesses that we can assist in the Tararua District, which is higher than the average for a small district.

"We figure that if we work with small businesses we can assist them to grow and, in some cases, increase their employment levels then we have a good stable environment.

"If we bring in a big industry, while we like doing that, if they leave, they leave a gaping big hole.

"So that's one component that we think has been very successful and has helped with job opportunities."

Mrs Simpkin said Tararua District Council had also been working with different agencies within New Zealand which has resulted in 37 families looking at relocating from Auckland to the Tararua district.

"So we have put in a lot of hard yards and I think we've finally turned a bit of a corner."

"And, when you look at the migration stats, Australians are now coming home, and they're coming home, out of choice, to the country districts."

That "migration twist" had also benefited the district.