Welcome to the Economic Development Unit of the Gisborne District Council

In line with the Gisborne District Council's mission statement, the Gisborne Economic Development Unit's functions are the collection of activities aimed at increasing employment, income and investment in the District through the encouragement and promotion of the Tairawhiti District's economy.

This is done through the delivery of programmes and initiatives which aim to:

Assist the retention and expansion of existing businesses to build robustness and diversity.
Promote opportunities to increase awareness and interest amongst individuals and organisations, to increase trade and investment.
Increase demand for the district's goods and services nationally and internationally.

Gisborne

Gisborne recorded the largest increase in retail sales across the regions, lifting 1.1 percent from March and contrasting a 1.5 percent decline nationwide. The region recorded a large jump in rural real estate sales - large farm sales rose 91 percent and lifestyle blocks nudged up 2.3 percent. Nationally the respective figures were -5.5 and -3.5 percent. Commercial building permits posted a strong increase (up 69 percent) but the number of dwelling approvals issued fell 12 percent. Employment in the region rose 0.6 percent, but this rate of increase was only half that of the nation. Accommodation guest nights slid 6.5 percent, overshooting the national drop of 4.6 percent. Overall economic activity rose 1.4 percent in the quarter, contrasting a nationwide decline.

Balancing on the knife edge

The number of regional economies advancing in the June quarter equalled the number of regions to retreat. However, with the Auckland economy being one of the regions in decline, on balance the nationwide measure of economic activity shrunk for the second consecutive quarter - easing 0.5 percent from March.

Four regional economies mirrored the nationwide trend, with back-to-back declines over the past two quarters: Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay. The inter-Island spilt also registered two successive declines in economic activity in both the North and South Islands (-0.6 and -0.1 percent respectively). At the other end of the spectrum was the West Coast, which recorded two consecutive quarterly increases in economic activity over the first half of 2008.

Business Training & Events Calendar

Gisborne training providers offer a range of comprehensive individual and organisational development to help advance your business above those of your competitors. Access you Gisborne Business Training & Events Calendar and book your attendence directly with the course provider today.

Averaging the quarterly growth profile over the first half of this year reveals that eleven regions reported an overall decline in economic activity. Only Gisborne and West Coast recorded an increase in economic activity in the first half of 2008, while the level of activity in the Nelson-Marlborough economy was unchanged.

Based on our composite index of activity, annual average economic growth eased to 0.8 percent for the nation as a whole in June. This is the lowest year-on-year rate of increase since 1999. The South Island's annual growth rate was 1.5 percent, twice the 0.7 percent increase recorded in the North Island.

Year-on-year economic growth sunk into negative territory in Manawatu-Wanganui and Bay of Plenty. Taranaki topped annual economic growth in June. Along with Gisborne, they were the two regions that recorded an acceleration in economic growth.

You can read the report in its entirety.