Matariki (HBREDS)

Matariki (HBREDS) – What is it?

Matariki is the Regional Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan for Hawke’s Bay.

Organisations from across Hawke’s Bay (councils, iwi, businesses and government agencies) are responsible for different projects. The focus is on working together to grow jobs across the region, increase household incomes and raise Hawke’s Bay economic performance.

For more information visit the Matariki website.

How is the Regional Council involved?

The Regional Council has direct responsibility for seven actions under Matariki (Regional Economic Development Strategy).

• Improve access to the Port of Napier to increase regional economic performance
• Support the timely implementation of the key strategic initiatives in the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015 to 2025.
• Support the combined approach with Tairawhiti to achieve significant upgrades to SH2 between Napier and Opotiki                               
• Explore opportunities arising from water storage schemes should they proceed, in order to promote increased regional productivity.
• Work with primary producers to ensure productivity gains deliver the improved environmental performance required for freshwater reform.
• Support natural resource users to identify and proactively manage business risks and opportunities arising from a changing climate.
• Conduct a regional natural capital stocktake of primary sectoral productivity potential.

Improve access to the Port of Napier to increase regional economic performance

Key Partners: the Regional Council, Napier Port, NZTA.

Freight in and out of Hawke’s Bay is projected to grow by 50% by 2042 and Napier Port is predicting growth in both imports and exports over the next 10 years. The Napier Port Access initiative is comprised of three projects.

1. Watchman Road Intersection Improvements - delivering a new roundabout at the SH2 intersection with Watchman Road (including improved Airport access)
2. Prebensen/Hyderabad Roundabout  - improving the efficiency of traffic from SH50 through to SH2B (including improved walking and cycling connectivity)
3. SH50 Expressway - Bay View Passing Lanes and the Expressway Safety & Efficiency Treatments between Bay View and Paki Paki

Support the timely implementation of the key strategic initiatives in the Regional Land Transport Plan 2015 to 2025.

Key Partners: Councils, Iwi, Hapū, NZTA.

The top six of 13 prioritised activities for the region are:

1. Whakatu Arterial Link (Completed 2018/19)
2. HB Expressway Pakowhai & Links Rd Intersection (Completed 2018/19)
3. SH2 Napier Rd Intersection (Completed 2018/19)
4. High Productivity motor vehicle Napier Port to Gisborne
5. High Productivity motor vehicle Napier Port to South boundary
6. High Productivity motor vehicle Bridge Improvements

The projected cost of the Regional Transport Committee’s top three actions within the Land Transport Plan is: Whakatu: $19.5m (Split between NZTA & HDC), Pakowhai Links: $8.5m, SH2 Napier Road: $6.5m

Support the combined approach with Tairawhiti to achieve significant upgrades to SH2 between Napier and Opotiki                               

There is a joint commitment with the Regional Transport Committee and Tairawhiti to work on State Highway 2 proposals. Funding for a Business Case for this route has been announced and that work will commence soon. On 30 June key stakeholders undertook a field trip inspection of the rail corridor.

Explore opportunities arising from water storage schemes should they proceed, in order to promote increased regional productivity.

Key Partners:  Councils, Iwi, Hapū, Private Sector, EIT, MPI.

Water Storage has been identified as an important mitigation for the adverse environmental impacts on our region's freshwater resources arising from climate change. Water Storage also provides resilience for the primary sector by providing greater water security. Land use change driven by irrigation in favour of  horticulture also simultaneously results in greater economic benefits and lower environmental impacts.

Work with primary producers to ensure productivity gains deliver the improved environmental performance required for freshwater reform.

Key Partners: MPI, WDC, Private Sector.

Whakaki Catchment Project – this is a Ministry of Primary Industries project involving the Regional Council and Wairoa District Council. It seek to identify problems and investment opportunities for a 6,000ha catchment with severe soil erosion and water quality issues. Possible solutions include tourism, sustainable land use and land use change (horticulture) and climate change mitigation. Close to $100,000 is being sought for a co-design approach, expected to take 4 to 6 months, which has the potential to be the catalyst for a full business case, which will in turn enable an application for funding from various sources.

MPI staff and contractors have commenced engagement with landowners and Whakaki lake stakeholders.                            

Support natural resource users to identify and proactively manage business risks and opportunities arising from a changing climate.

The Regional Council is leading two projects as a part of this action. First is a Sustainable Land Management & Climate Change project with Landcare Research focussing on climate change adaptation in the Primary Sector. The second is an internal project that undertakes a stocktake of Council's current carbon footprint and offset, as well as a broader policy stocktake of what criteria need to be established for assessing climate change risks and how we should evaluate against those criteria.

Both projects will be presenting updates to the Regional Council Environment & Services Committee on 12 July.

Conduct a regional natural capital stocktake of primary sectoral productivity potential.

Work is yet to get underway on this project.