True North

How much focus is our regional economic development agency placing on inward investment? Is Northland’s vibrant “no!” culture scaring investors away?

Why is take-up of space at the Ngāwhā Innovation and Enterprise Park so thin from companies outside Northland? Why has the promise of heavily discounted electricity not proven more of a game-changer for potential investors in the park?

What inward investment barriers does Northland fa...

How will our local roads be funded in future? Will commercial traffic be tolled? Is local road funding likely to keep up with population growth and usage trends?

In this episode of the True North podcast we speak with district councillor Ann Court, one of the most clued-up people in Northland on the vexed issue of our historically woeful road network.

Ann’s very clear – continued and ongoing conversations around Northland’s e...

How close did Northland’s iconic R. Tucker Thompson come to being driven onto the financial rocks? How did those at the wheel steer the ship into calmer waters?

In this episode of the True North podcast we speak with Jane Hindle, a perpetual energy source for the R. Tucker Thompson Sailing Trust, based around the beloved and iconic tall ship in the Bay of Islands.

Jane helped establish the Trust along with original owner Russ...

How can Northland businesses win Crown or Council work? Will new Government Procurement Rules eliminate the social engineering? Or is it the same old same old?

In this episode of the True North podcast we speak with George Hulbert of The Clarity Business, which specialises in helping businesses win bids and tenders. Particularly bids and tenders from government agencies and local government .

If you’re involved with any sort ...

Is Northland tourism choking on its own planning? Is anyone driving execution and delivery? Whose responsibility is this? Why is it always the same people?

In this episode of the True North podcast we speak with Northland tourism champion Riki Kinnaird about what the sector needs to do to get its mojo back. We’re at risk of talking and planning ourselves to death, he says.

Northland tourism is drowning in destination managem...

How will Northland fix its water infrastructure? How will we be able to afford to? What alliances and partnerships are being formed? Will deadlines be met?

In our third episode of True North we speak with Far North mayor Moko Tepania about our region’s crumbling water infrastructure. With the demise of the Three Waters initiative that would have seen central government investing in the upgrade and modernisation of regional water inf...

Is the promised 40-minute sea glider service between Whangārei and Auckland still on track? Why select Northport as the terminal instead of the Town Basin?

In our second episode of True North we speak with Ocean Flyer CEO Shah Aslam about his company’s plans and how they’re progressing.

Two years ago he told us this would be happening next year. Is that still the plan? How does he expect Air New Zealand to react? How is Ocean...

What industries will a Special Economic Zone at Marsden Point cover? Exactly how will it streamline investment and establishment? What incentives will be on offer?

For our maiden episode of True North we were lucky enough to speak with Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, to see if we could squeeze out of him some additional detail about his thinking around a Special Economic Zone at Marsden Point.

It was a revealing di...

Thanks for checking us out! True North is a podcast for business and community leaders in New Zealand's Northland region.

Follow us for regional business news and views, and for entertaining stories from some of the amazing and lesser-known high flyers who have chosen to make Northland home.

New episodes will be posted here every second Wednesday, kicking off on Wednesday 2 April 2025.

We rely on your support to continue doing wh...