Business View Magazine | June 2020

89 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JUNE 2020 a positive recruitment tool for trained medical staff – doctors, nurses, physio – to come here.” Buller District is keen to offer itself as an IT hub and, as part of that initiative, Chorus is currently installing fibre throughout the District, which will allow people the opportunity to live and work on the beautiful West Coast, knowing there is reasonably good internet infrastructure and fast broadband available to them. In addition, EPIC Westport offers 350 square meters of open plan co-working spaces, fully serviced offices and meeting rooms. The space houses creative, innovative individuals, small businesses or teams from large businesses that take advantage of the collaborative environment to develop and grow their ventures around the globe. The region is fortunate to have a robust Tai Poutini West Coast Economic Development Strategy (2018-2025) that seeks to determine how to diversify the economy and move away from the traditional mining sector by focusing BULLER DISTRICT AT A GLANCE 2019 economy Industry proportion of GDP, 2019 20.5% 17.7% 7.7% 7.2% 7.1% 6% 21.5% Agriculture,Forestry, Fishing Mining Unallocated Electricity,Gas,Water Construction Owner-OccupiedProperty Operation Rental,Hiring,RealEstate RetailTrade Health,SocialAssistance Allothers $542 million in 2019 prices 0.2% of national total Gross domestic product, 2019 Economic growth, 2009-2019 Annualaverage% change 2019 Last 10 years BULLER DISTRICT 2.3% -2.8% NEW ZEALAND 3.0% 2.5% Economic growth, 2001-2019 BullerDistrict NewZealand 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 -25% 0% 25% Biggest contributors to economic growth, 2009-2019 Construction $13m Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services $6m Retail Trade $4m Wholesale Trade $4m Public Administration and Safety $3m All other industries ($211)m Total increase in GDP ($181)m labour market 4,086 Filled Jobs 0.2% of national total Total employment, 2019 Employment growth, 2009-2019 Annualaverage% change 2019 Last 10 years BULLER DISTRICT 0.6% -1.9% NEW ZEALAND 1.9% 1.5% Employment growth, 2001-2019 BullerDistrict NewZealand 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 -20% 0% 20% Industries which created most jobs, 2009-2019 Construction 68 Wholesale Trade 38 Public Administration and Safety 29 Administrative and Support Services 11 Arts and Recreation Services 10 All other industries -1,020 Total increase in employment -864 Self employment rate, 2019 20.4% 16.2% BullerDistrict NewZealand 0% 10% 20% 30% Surfers courtesy of Wavewise Westport Main Street Constant Bay courtsey of Geoff Schurr BULLER DI STR I CT COUNC I L , NZ