Canty ‘reaching new age’

Press, 2 December 1989, Page 10

Canty ‘reaching new age’

By

RICHARD CRESSWELL

Canterbury is now at an age where people should not be judged by which ship on which they arrived, a Cabinet Minister, Mr Moore, says. He told a Going for Goals forum at Noah’s Hotel last evening that people should be judged by what they could contribute. “Christchurch used to be a great place for stopping things. I could have organised for you a few years ago, a group any time, to stop anything. But Christchurch is approaching a new age,” he said.

The Government had done a lot in the last five years to bring New Zealand into the global economy and Canterbury had a lot of natural advantages the rest of the country, and the world, did not have.

Canterbury had also achieved a lot because it had seized opportunities.

When the Government had introduced legislation to allow airports to become autonomous companies it had to force Auckland to be the first.

“Now they are glad they did,” he said. But Christchurch airport had leapt at the opportunity, he said. The airport was one of the most important assets the city had.

Changes to transport, telecommunications, ports and education would also bring oportunities to Canterbury. People should be encouraged to live here. Christchurch should be marketed as the adventure capital of New Zealand, and the rural sector, the traditional base for the whole region, should not be forgotten. New plans for the city included the Sydenham business park, and the proposed Antarctic Gateway Centre.