WEST COAST
The overall picture of the West Coast’s economy is one that is at the lower end of commodity cycles and in the process of structural change. The region’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employment is heavily concentrated in just a few sectors, with minerals, dairy, construction and tourism making up over 50 percent of the value of output and 40 percent of jobs.
Hokitika Gorge - Kokatahi, West Coast
The West Coast region has resourceful people, a rich history, a spectacular natural environment, and abundant resources. The same factors that have shaped its history and its people are what make the West Coast a challenging place to live and work. The Tai Poutini or West Coast region covers 23,000 square kilometres, or 8.5 percent of New Zealand’s land area. It is the longest region in New Zealand, spanning more than 600 kilometres from Kahurangi Point in the north to Awarua Point in the south.
Greymouth
The region in partnership with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment launched the Tai Poutini West Coast Growth Study which supports the region to build resilience and diversify its economy. The study explores opportunities to achieve growth in investment, incomes and employment in the region. It outlines the potential to strengthen infrastructure and diversify the economy of the West Coast region, while also identifying constraints to growth and recommending how these can be addressed.