Quality job creation in Gisborne processing

Minister for Regional Development, Jim Anderton, is welcoming the
news that Ernslaw One Ltd. has purchased the Prime Sawmill in
Gisborne, with plans to create an extra thirty to forty jobs as it
expands its operations.

"The mill currently processes about 50,000 cubic metres of logs a
year and Ernslaw One plans to increase that by 400 per cent to around
200,000 cubic metres a year â€" that is good news for people looking
for secure, sustainable work in the industry and it is also very good
news for the Gisborne regional economy," Jim Anderton said.

The coalition government actively supports the strengthening of
regional economies through strategies such as the recently-launched
Tairawhiti Regional Development Strategy which includes support for
developing the forestry sector.

"We all know that there is no long-term future in harvesting forests
in an unsustainable manner because no one wins if we keep going down
that track.

"The most important thing we can all do to promote sustainable,
quality job creation in the East Coast is to encourage more
processing of locally-harvested wood in the region prior to export.

"The more wood processing we can have within New Zealand then the
more value we can add to New Zealand's overall wealth which will
deliver more and better paying jobs for Kiwis in our regions into the
future," the Progressive leader said.