2 Jul 2010

Aviation industry seen as dragging its wings

5:42 pm on 2 July 2010

The country's aviation industry is expected to earn $15 billion a year by 2015 but a new report says that's not good enough.

A New Zealand Trade and Enterprise report says a number of factors - including lack of support from government agencies - are holding the industry back.

Up to 14 government agencies oversee the aviation sector.

The chief executive of Aviation New Zealand, John Nicholson, says that these agencies often work to their own agendas, making decisions in isolation, and that aligning their functions would bring a number of benefits.

Estimating that the industry earned almost $10 billion last year, the report suggests that the space industry, helicopter operations and maintenance and repair of aircraft are areas for growth.

The Minister of Research, Science and Technology, Wayne Mapp, says that the aviation sector is capable of substantial growth and that the report provides a good starting point for development.