The Tapuae Roa 2025/26 Action Plan officially launched at a sold out event in New Plymouth today, with over 250 locals attending. Facilitated by Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, the regional development agency, and developed through collaboration between Taranaki mayors, iwi, and sector leaders, the updated Action Plan outlines key priorities for the region, focusing on driving innovation, investment, and sustainable growth.

The full Tapuae Roa 2025/26 Action Plan is now available.

Read the Action Plan

The plan prioritises pragmatic projects and initiatives that will help Taranaki leverage its strengths. "Adapt or perish" is the strong message from the region’s Mayors.

Stratford Mayor and current chair of the Mayoral Forum, Neil Volzke said, "While Taranaki has strengths in some sectors, such as energy and food, we cannot ignore that the global economy is changing. The world is grappling with the need to reduce emissions while maintaining economic security, and we must position ourselves to grow sustainably in the face of these challenges."

"We are committed to working together to make Taranaki the best place to do business, driving smart, sustainable growth, and ensuring that our children and grandchildren inherit a region full of opportunity. This Action Plan reflects our collective determination to unlock investment, remove barriers to sustainable development, and drive high-value opportunities across our key sectors."

The Action Plan builds on the long-term regional strategies of Tapuae Roa - Make Way for Taranaki, originally launched in 2017, and Taranaki 2050, which have been shaped through years of collaboration and consultation with local leaders, iwi, businesses, and the wider community. It highlights specific priority areas including energy, food and fibre, tourism, Māori economic development, and fostering innovation through new industries and investment.

"This is a plan for everyone in Taranaki and it celebrates our unity going forward to adapt in the face of change," said Kelvin Wright, Chief Executive of Venture Taranaki, the regional development agency.

"As a region we’re known for our strong Team Taranaki collaborative approach, which has enabled Taranaki to be a leader and future-focused region that doesn’t shy away from challenges, but rather looks at how we can turn them into opportunities. We encourage our community to read it, engage with it, and be part of the journey as we work together to create a strong and sustainable future."

The launch event at the Devon Hotel in New Plymouth saw leaders from across the region come together to present the updated plan and reaffirm their commitment to working collaboratively.

The event featured talks from regional and sector leaders highlighting the importance of continued partnership to achieve shared goals. Among others, speakers included Mayor Neil Holdon (NPDC), Ross Dingle (Port Taranaki), Danielle Gibas (Wild for Taranaki), Jo James (Juno Gin), and 10-year-old Miller Joyce-Flutey (Ōmata School), who represented the youth of Taranaki.

Key Highlights from the Action Plan

The Tapuae Roa 2025/26 Action Plan introduces several forward-focused initiatives aimed at fostering investment and supporting emerging industries. Some of these include:

- Taranaki Applied Innovation Centre: Plans to establish a hub for biotechnology and high-tech industries, positioning Taranaki as New Zealand’s leader in innovation while fostering collaboration between experts, students, and the community.

- Māori Economy Development Strategy: Developing a strategy to align Māori economic growth with regional opportunities, enabling collective investment and innovation.

- Economic Innovation Zone (EIZ): A proposal to create a designated area to stimulate economic growth, attract investment, and foster collaboration between businesses, research institutions, and governments.

- Taranaki Maunga Tourism Opportunities: Understanding current visitor data, and developing sustainable visitor products centered around Taranaki Maunga, including new trails and upgraded visitor facilities.

- Driving renewables and innovation: Continuing to catalyse offshore wind opportunities, and supporting projects that convert renewable energy into sustainable fuels (Power-to-X), like green hydrogen and methanol.

- Strengthening Engineering Supply Chain: Strategies to retain and develop the region’s skilled workforce, while positioning the region as a national and international hub for energy and industrial supply chain expertise.

- Land Diversification Initiatives: Expanding initiatives like Branching Out to explore new crops and value chains, ensuring resilience and sustainability for the region’s agricultural sector.

The Tapuae Roa 2025/26 Action Plan will be reviewed annually and updated every three years to remain responsive to changing regional and global dynamics. Future updates will align with local councils’ Long-Term Planning processes to ensure the plan’s initiatives are fully supported and resourced.

About Tapuae Roa - The regional economic development strategy

The Action Plan has been guided by the collective visions of Tapuae Roa - Make Way for Taranaki (TR 2017) regional economic development strategy, and Taranaki 2050, a strategic roadmap co-designed by regional leaders and the community through public consultation. Both provide a long-term vision for a transition to a resilient, equitable, low-emission economy.