Economic rewards on way, says Bill English in Rotorua

SOMETHING FOR ALL: Bill English says everyone in Rotorua will benefit from last week's Budget. PHOTOS/STEPHEN PARKER 230514SP2

Rotorua businesses should keep doing what they're good at and the economic rewards will follow.

That was the message from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bill English when he spoke to Rotorua Chamber of Commerce members at a lunch yesterday.

This was Mr English's fifth Budget function with the Rotorua business community.

"My view is take a good look at what you're good at and keep at it. You never quite know when things are going to swing your way."

Mr English gave a rundown on the Budget and showed graphs of forecasts, expenditures and employment.

He said the main concern was trying to put things in place now to prevent high benefit costs in the future and highlighted education initiatives in Rotorua, such as Excel Rotorua, as one way to prevent another generation of beneficiaries.

Mr English told the Rotorua Daily Post everyone in Rotorua would benefit from this year's election regardless of whether they were on a benefit, in school or in business.

"They'll benefit from rising incomes in a confident economy," he said.

"The economy is in good shape and our job is to keep it going to sustain it for as long as possible."

He said wood processors had seen new investment and expansions as overseas markets improved. "Exporters are in good shape to take these opportunities."

He said there was also more confidence in the tourism industry.

"We have got families here who have got real challenges with welfare dependency and family violence. We have got a number of projects going on in Rotorua aimed at digging into complex challenges these families have and to do more to change their direction."

Chamber of Commerce president Kathy Hawker said there was a lot of confidence among chamber members about the future economy.

"I was very happy with what he had to say," she said.

"I think we had a fair proportion of our business community here and I think there's a lot of confidence in the room. I think we're on the right page at the moment."