Clutha-Southland MP Bill English joined Southland MPs and Southland leaders in Wellington today in campaign to lure people to live and work in Southland

Southland, the fastest growing region in the September National Bank regional trends survey, is desperately short of workers to keep up with its booming economy.

The situation is so extreme it has prompted The Southland Times and businesses to publish a special edition newspaper which is being delivered to 700,000 households around the country with newspapers over the next two days.

Mr English, Invercargill MP Mark Peck and National MP Eric Roy joined Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt and McDowell Transport general manager Gordon McDowell in downtown Wellington to launch the campaign. "Southland is topping the regional growth statistics for the first time in 22 years but its no flash in the pan. Southland is a great, friendly and beautiful place to live and work," Mr English said.

"We need more than 400 workers so this is a call to all those Southlanders who have left to find work elsewhere over many years and to all those workers who aren't home grown we have a big welcome awaiting!

Gordon McDowell of McDowell's Transport in Winton joined the politicians in Wellington today. "McDowells is experiencing huge demand because of the blooming dairy industry but his is just one of dozens of companies short of workers. Businesses like his can't go with the growth if they can't get workers," Mr English said.

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