Steven Joyce to speak at East Coast Hill Country Conference

Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister for Economic Development, has been confirmed as a key note speaker at the East Coast Hill Country Conference.

He will be speaking at the conference in Hastings on Friday 30 October at a lunchtime session.

The conference on 29-30 October will focus on the potential for economic, social and environmental growth of the hill country from Cape Palliser to East Cape. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is organising the conference, in association with Massey University, Ministry for Primary Industries, and both Horizons and Greater Wellington Regional Councils.

"The perspective of Minister Steven Joyce as a key note speaker will be important, particularly in terms of the work that has gone on along the coast looking regional economic development"" said Nathan Heath, Acting Manager Land Management.

The conference aims to involve a wide range of different perspectives on the long term future of our hill country on a broad range of issues and opportunities, not just from the primary sector but also from central and local government, iwi, and the wider rural community.

The conference will involve 30 speakers on a range of topics from new technologies and industry practices, through to sustainable land use, Māori agribusiness and rural communities.

Dr Morgan Williams and James Parsons (Beef & Lamb Chairman) will be speaking, along with leading researchers from Massey University, Waikato University and AgResearch, and expert advisors in Māori agribusiness, economics and farm sector groups.

The updated programme is available on www.imthere.co.nz/echcc2015.