Regions said to benefit

By JULIE MIDDLETON

Alliance leader Jim Anderton claims credit for a raft of Budget initiatives aimed at encouraging economic development, especially in the regions.

Mr Anderton, in his role as Minister for Economic Development, said the new and expanded programmes would create an opportunity for business.

Among the plans boosted by the Budget are regional and industrial development programmes, which have gone from a $2.3 million allocation last year to $10 million.

The Regional Development Programme, to support provincial goals in economic development, has had its funding raised to $13.45 million, up from $627,000 last year.

Innovative firms and entrepreneurs wanting to test early-stage projects can get access to $4.2 million in the Industry New Zealand Enterprise Awards Scheme, up from $563,000 in the last Budget.

Business advice and information services have had funding cranked up this year to $14.65 million, up from $10.68 million.

Research, science and technology projects promoting what the Government terms "values and attitudes supportive of an innovation culture" and awards programmes for promising individuals have kept ground, sitting again at $3.06 million and $10.73 million respectively.

The Industrial Supplies Office has been given $4.4 million, compared with $820,000 last Budget, to help it to encourage an industrial version of "Buy New Zealand-made."

Economic development under-secretary John Wright cited a successful pilot where an ISO representative worked with the construction team on the $400 million replacement of Auckland Hospital.

"It's estimated that up to $100 million of export replacement is potentially available from that project alone," he said.

The New Economy Research Fund rises to $53,084 million from $50,781 million).

However, some business development plans have suffered minor injuries. They include research for industry ($170,809 million, down from $171,112 million) and grants for private sector research and development ($10 million, down from $11.8 million).

www.nzherald.co.nz/budget

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