Balancing development: Growth and the 'augmented workforce'

Tuesday, 29 October 2019

Robotics Plus' Autonomous Multipurpose Mobile Platform robot for harvesting and pollinating kiwifruit and apples.

Former prime minister Helen Clark will be one of several speakers discussing inclusive economies at the annual Economic Development New Zealand conference in Blenheim.

Helen Clark will draw on her experience as administrator of the United Nations Development Programme when she speaks at the Marlborough Convention Centre this week.

Former prime minister Helen Clark, pictured trekking in the Himalayas on June 14.

EDNZ chairwoman Pam Ford said this year's theme was delivering inclusive growth, or the fair distribution of economic growth and opportunity across society.

'The conference will be discussing how we confront rising inequality within New Zealand, and its adverse impact on economic growth,' Ford said.

The annual Economic Development New Zealand conference will be held at the Marlborough Convention Centre this week.

Cities and Regions NZ founding director Dr David Wilson will speak about developing regions.

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Leaders in economic development will be recognised at the EDNZ Best Practice Awards at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim.

'This is especially important in a time when the fourth industrial revolution, based on emerging technologies, is threatening many of our traditional jobs. There is no bigger policy challenge pre-occupying leaders both here and around the world than expanding social participation in the process and benefits of economic growth and integration.'

New Zealand First deputy leader Fletcher Tabuteau will present the EDNZ Best Practice Awards at Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim.

EDNZ chief executive Susan Houston said New Zealand's social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing was increasingly important if growth was to be truly inclusive.

'We'll be discussing practical ways of how to prepare for the future. With accelerating connectivity, new talent models and cognitive tools, work is changing. As robotics, AI, the gig economy and crowdsourcing grows, jobs are being reinvented, creating the 'augmented workforce'. This means we need to reconsider how work and jobs are designed to prepare for future growth,' Houston said.

'The focus needs to be on collaboration, innovation and capability lifting to ensure we have future-fit and digital-ready regional businesses and workforces, regardless of technology changes.'

EDNZ was a not-for-profit established in 2017 to champion organisations and individuals who were stimulating economic wellbeing and inclusive growth through campaigns and initiatives.

The organisation shared programmes and research on industry best practice, and recognised leaders in economic development through the EDNZ Best Practice Awards.

The awards would be presented by Ford and former economics lecturer, New Zealand First deputy leader Fletcher Tabuteau at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim on Friday.

Atlanta University Centre Consortium executive director Todd Greene would speak about the US's challenge in addressing economic mobility and income inequality, and investment in workforce training as key to improving productivity.

Other speakers would include Be.accessible chief executive Minnie Baragwanath, Hunter Research Institute applied regional economics chairman Professor Will Rifkin, Cities and Regions NZ founding director Dr David Wilson, and Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL) chief economist Dr Ganesh Nana.