Hon Willie Jackson
Minister of Employment
24 April 2019
PĀNUI PĀPĀHO
MEDIA STATEMENT
An initiative to drive economic revival in the Tolaga Bay area by fostering the success of grass-roots business, and to
develop Tolaga Bay as a tourist destination was launched today by Minister of Employment, Willie Jackson.
Today Tolaga Bay Charitable Trust are launching four new businesses, with another four in the near future, and 10 in
total identified that will bring this vision to life.
This initiative is being launched in a geographically remote regional settlement where few traditional job or training
opportunities otherwise exist.
“It’s great to see the people of Tolaga Bay taking the lead on the regeneration of their community through
self-employment, and in doing so driving economic growth in Tolaga Bay,” Willie Jackson said.
Working in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, this will be achieved by creating a locally-led
wrap-around support structure that will support people from business design and financial management through to
marketing the end product.
“Tolaga Bay Inn Charitable Trust’s mission is to stimulate economic activity and bring money into the region by
harnessing the existing skills, cultural capital, and natural assets that exist in the community and surrounds. I
congratulate the work that has been done by local people to bring this initiative to fruition.”
“This could be a model that other communities with similar challenges could adopt; helping our people to live and work
where they choose while promoting and showcasing their goods and services to a national and global audience,” Willie
Jackson said.
ends