Export NZ A.G.M.

Thursday 25 August 2005

• Christchurch is the trading city for New Zealand. The Canterbury economy is the one the economists all watch because we are the first to show any signs of impacts from the global economy.
• We are an outward-facing city economically based on real trade, unlike Auckland which is a services driven economy.
• Politically and economically, we are in a time of huge global change. Technological change and the political and economic changes as the world centre of power shifts to China and India.
• Political leaders have to help drive this change for their cities and regions. Like the trading cities of the Renaissance, we now have to be prepared to make our own way in the world economy.
• City to city links in the emergent world economy are vital.
• This is all important to understand when it comes to areas like infrastructure. Christchurch has a great record for a wonderful, boring but useful obsession with keeping our infrastructure in good nick.
• Part of our present prosperity comes from the fact that the basics have always been done well and with an eye on investment in the future.

Tonight will talk about where we are with infrastructure and where we are heading.