It has been a good year for NZ Inc

Agriculture is key to the Rangitikei. Photo/Supplied

This year will go down in history as a very steady one for New Zealand as the recovery from the Global Financial Crisis was bedded in, and the rural sector reinforced itself as the powerhouse of the economy.

It's clear that many of the National-led Government's policies are starting to have a very positive effect and some key initiatives are starting to make a real difference to people's lives.

Statistics New Zealand has recently confirmed that New Zealand's terms of trade are at their highest levels since 1973, which is the year that Britain joined the European Union.

These latest terms of trade reflect the fact that the prices we are receiving for the goods we export are rising at a higher rate than the prices we are paying for the goods we import.

Much of our success on the international stage can be attributed to the great efforts of this Government through Trade Minister Tim Grocer and the Prime Minister. They have travelled the globe negotiating free trade agreements and promoting New Zealand, our environment and the great record we have with respect to food safety. The latter is critical to us as we continue to grow our export food markets.

Trade is vital to every New Zealander. When NZ Inc is doing well, we all do better.

To succeed internationally, New Zealand firms need access to skilled people. Our tertiary system delivered a record number of qualifications in 2012, with the number of domestic students completing a bachelor's degree up 23 per cent in just two years.

Tertiary Education Minister Joyce has also re-emphasised the importance of science in the curriculum and encouraged our schools and universities to elevate the importance of this subject.

It's clear that New Zealanders need to acquire skills that are relevant to the country's economy. Minister Joyce has made excellent progress with new targets and incentives for trade training, with an emphasis on the housing shortage and the need to rebuild Christchurch.

We have reformed industry training to focus on quality and results, and our apprenticeship reboot has got off to a great start with more than 8000 trainees signing up since March, which is 67 per cent up on the same period last year.

The Rangitikei electorate relies heavily on livestock farming and tourism in the north, and defence and education in the south. It is vital that our young people are given every opportunity to embark on a rewarding and productive career right here.

Being able to find a good job in one's home town is pretty important to young rural and provincial people, as it enables them to stay close to their family support networks.

One last thing - we can certainly reflect on 2013 being a productive growth year. For those of us living in the Rangitikei, which represents heartland rural and provincial New Zealand at its best, we can also reflect on the vital part our region plays in the nation's economy. And just how important it is that we work together to both protect and grow our way of life, so that future generations will choose to live, work and play here.