Joseph Mooney - MP for Southland
Record-breaking news for our region landed this weekend with Southland recording the highest GDP of any region in New Zealand.
Stats NZ figures show Southland overtook Wellington and Auckland to have the highest nominal GDP per capita in the year ended March 2025, at $95,061. This compared with $94,438 in Wellington, $89,521 in Auckland, and $85,095 in Taranaki.
This is the first time since Stats NZ’s series began in 2000 that Southland had the highest GDP per capita.
Whilst commentators were quick to attribute this substantial rise to the rural sector, particularly dairy farming, Queenstown-Lakes is also a major contributor with resurgent tourism numbers bouncing back beyond pre-pandemic levels.
Results like this show a healthy, growing local economy, however, events beyond our borders are having a significant impact.
Conflict in the Middle East is having a global effect, and Kiwis are feeling it at the pump. Rising fuel prices are felt acutely here in Queenstown-Lakes with day-to-day life often requiring trips of considerable length around our district.
The Government is taking this very seriously. A Ministerial Group’s been set up to monitor the situation, and some support for low to middle income families has been announced.
New Zealand has close to seven weeks fuel supply, with more coming. Some local stations have experienced brief outages - reflecting a local demand spike, not a national supply shortage.
The Government has also taken the practical step of allowing fuel that meets Australian specifications into the New Zealand market. The more supply options we have, the harder it is for disruption to bite. Countries with flexibility keep fuel flowing. We need to be one of them.
Looking further ahead, there’s a practical investment being made with the Government backing 2,500 new public EV chargers through $52.7 million in zero-interest loans to ChargeNet and Meridian.
For those who have the option of an EV, the biggest barrier has been the lack of chargers. This reduces that barrier and means New Zealand is slightly less exposed to global fuel shocks. A diverse transport mix is good for everyone’s energy security, whatever you drive.
Just as the previous National-led Government did with ultrafast broadband, we’re taking action to reduce barriers so regional New Zealand has better access to new technology.
Closer to home, there’s been the important health news of decision-making within Health New Zealand being delegated back to regional and district level from July, so hospitals can hire staff without waiting for sign-off from Wellington.
For communities like ours, decisions closer to patients is exactly the right direction. This move aligns well with the work I’ve led in helping develop an Otago Central Lakes Health Plan, working alongside fellow MPs, mayors and health professionals to highlight challenges and potential solutions our region faces in gaining access to care closer to home.
Speaking of care in our region, I had the pleasure of attending the celebrations to honour local legend Ella Wilson, who has amassed a whopping 60 years volunteering for Plunket. Thankyou, Ella, you have made a huge contribution to the lives of so many here in Queenstown-Lakes.
Congratulations are also in order for local Queenstowner Sir Rod Drury, recently named New Zealander of the Year. Whilst Sir Rod’s achievements stretch far and wide, it is great his can-do attitude, future focused innovative mindset and generous investment in local projects he has become well known for in our community, has been recognised nationally.
