"Taranaki needs more people" - report
Taranaki is lagging in population but the council is only just realising after a bash in the funds, Can we maintain or get more?
The answer is well quite simple, No.
"If we cant get 135,000 people by 2035 we lose National Funding" but the problem is big because there is a small ammount of people living in Taranaki but the ammount cant be sastained droping every month isnt good enough said a New Plymouth resident.
Venture Taranaki chief executive Stuart Trundle says "If we can't meet this then regional funding for things like roading, health and education will be at risk.”
Although population has been on the rise since 2006 it has been very small at the last census, in 2006, Taranaki's population was 104,127. Venture Taranaki estimated last year's population was 107,500.
Population projections released by Statistics New Zealand yesterday show the region is unlikely to grow fast enough to keep up with bigger centres.
“With Auckland's population projected to grow so significantly, we need to aspire to regional growth just to stand still. Taranaki's population is currently 2.5 per cent of the national community, and we have to maintain this percentage if we are to retain our share of national population-based funding.”
The most the number of people living in Taranaki is expected to rise to is only 125,500 by 2031 - an average of 0.6 per cent growth per year.
Conversely, the region could lose as many as 9500 people.
Projections for Stratford and South Taranaki do not present a happy picture, with populations in both places predicted as being more likely to shrink than expand.
New Plymouth's future looks slightly more promising with the expected addition of as many as 6800 people by 2031.
SHOULD I BE WORRIED (story continues below)
We spoke to residents in New Plymouth and here is what they said:
16 Year Old
"This could effect my learning in the long run, even my father is thinking of moving to Taurunga due to more work"
31 Year Old
"This will be bad for me and the future of New Plymouth, I am worried and even thinking as far as moving from New Plymouth due to this problem, I mean the people are kind and all but the population, its far from good"
48 Year Old
"This doesnt really worry me, Taranaki is a great regioun hense I came here and I mean the less people the better"
61 Year Old
"Hearing about what is going on in Taranaki with the population is quite scary, I have a few daughters who live in Auckland and I am thinking of the move, but I wouldnt be moving due to this, it would be for family's sake"
82 Year Old
"I am not worried by this, but I am for the future of Taranaki, and this could effect their lifes"
HOW CAN WE FIX THIS?
Last week Venture Taranaki launched a campaign to attract New Zealand trade workers living in Australia, which includes a YouTube video fronted by Hawera-bred comedian Ben Hurley.
The video calls on engineers, doctors, midwives, teachers, lawyers and accountants to move back to Taranaki.
"Taranaki needs more smart people. Smart people like you who can use a computer. The best part is you can do a serious smart person job here and still live the Kiwi lifestyle you've always wanted," Hurley says.
Mr Trundle said there are a range of factors which attract people to a region, but employment always topped the list.
"Our focus has therefore been on working with local companies to attract and retain the skilled staff they need to grow. That's behind the Swap Sides campaign, as well as our work with more than 700 of the region's employers to promote their job opportunities.”