Growth is just shot in arm we need

GOOD NEWS for the district, with Wanganui experiencing its biggest increase in economic growth for a decade.

That suggests things may be picking up as opposed to being in decline, as media mouthpiece Duncan Garner would have it.

Of course, we have not solved the once-over-lightly Mr Garner's empty shops problem, but the debate over the past few days has thrown up some possible solutions, and plans are already under way to give Victoria Avenue a touch of TLC.

It goes without saying that to build on this we need some new business ventures and some more jobs. If nothing else, that could get a few extra shoppers into the Avenue.

A few seasoned hands, with understandable concerns about our city's future prosperity, have fired the odd broadside - mainly at the district council - complaining about a lack of economic development. Some have seen fit to throw down the gauntlet ... so here's a gauntlet back at them.

On page 15, the front page of our Te Ptake iwi liftout, we report on a group of young Mori who have built a business out of nothing. Ki Tai is an educational and eco-tourism venture based on the Whanganui River which, in four years, has acquired a fleet of 15 six-man waka and a capacity to facilitate up to 90 customers at a time.

Exactly the sort of thing we need in Wanganui - and don't tell me there are not plenty of other potential business ideas out there, especially among our senior secondary students, school leavers and those in, or just through, tertiary education.

So here's the challenge to our business owners and those with clout in the community. Instead of moaning, find some bright spark with the germ of a half-decent idea, help them, advise them, mentor them ... even give them a little seed funding.

Not every one will be a winner, but some will be - and we will all feel the benefit of every idea that takes root.