Venture Southland, a Provincial Power House

-

Venture Southland should be regarded as a successful model that could be replicated around the country. It has become a powerhouse of innovation, community support and business success that has allowed a province with around 2% of New Zealand's population punch well above its weight.

Venture Southland's vision for Southland's future is admirable:
  • A region with vibrant urban and rural communities that is widely recognized as a desirable place to live, learn, do business and visit.
  • A harmonious social and natural environment that is based on sustainable development and diversity.
  • A population sufficient to support services, recreational facilities and opportunities that enhance the quality of life for residents.
The organisation has actively pursued its vision with some determination and energy and with under forty staff it has achieved some remarkable successes:
Venture Southland has just released its draft business plan and is asking for submissions. It lists many new and exciting projects that include: the oat industry project; establishing education partnerships with China; pathways into employment in agriculture for young people; and promoting the Around the Mountains cycle trail. 

Southland has achieved a lot under a National led Government that has done little to support regional autonomy and development. I just wonder how much more could have been achieved if there was greater national support for regions and communities to find their own solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges. Venture Southland has proven that we can have a vibrant, sustainable economy that doesn't have to rely on intensive dairying and fossil fuel. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The US is actually unique for not valuing life!

-
Image
"...that’s what sets America apart from every other country; we value life. That is what makes us unique.” - Sarah Sanders There is a high level of delusion operating in the White House. The stream of mistruths that come out of President Trump and Sarah Sanders' mouths are clearly blatant lies but millions of US citizens believe them. With daily diets of Fox News and living in a very insular culture , there is little that challenges these false perceptions of US "greatness".  When comparing the United States of America with most other developed nations it becomes clear that it probably places less value on life than most and doesn't compare well with many developing countries too: If the US really valued life then it would abolish the death penalty, it is the only Western Country that executes people under law ( 23 people were executed in 2018 ).  If the US really valued life then it would have an equitable and universal health care system. The cur
Read more

NZ, the Unethical Investor

-
Image
New Zealand is not wealthy in a global sense and our Government's investments would barely rate against many international corporates but our Crown Financial Institutions, like our $19 billion Superannuation Fund, do have a global impact. It is important that our money has a positive influence on the world and that we use reasonable diligence to ensure our investments are well vetted. Norway has a similar population to New Zealand yet it has taken a far more responsible approach to how it has invested its oil riches. Norway uses a Council of Ethics to closely evaluate its state pension fund investments against strict ethical guidelines. The guidelines are based on two premises. The first being that future generations will benefit from current oil wealth and that the return from invested funds are contingent on sustainable development in an economic, environmental and social sense. The second is a commitment that the fund should not allow a risk of investment that could contribu
Read more

ANZAC DAY REFLECTIONS

-
Image
I find ANZAC Day creates a dilemma for me, consequently I rarely attend dawn parades. I fully support people recognising the human cost of wars and remembering family members who lost their lives on battlefields. A grandfather of mine fought in WW1 and was gassed in the French trenches, which compromised his health for the rest of his life. His wife (my grandmother) lost her young brother in WW2. The sacrifices and human costs of war should never be minimalised. However, while speeches at ANZAC parades are full of statements promoting peace and the futility of war, those who campaign hardest for peace, promote nonviolence and call for weapons reductions are often treated like criminals. Anyone who dares to mention our own war crimes or that of our allies are generally shut down or demonised. It has become a sort of cultural heresy to question the reputation and glorification of the ANZACs.  I would love to see greater balance in how we talk about war and properly recognise those who ha
Read more