07 May 2001

Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton today announced the thirty businesses and entrepreneurs who will receive Enterprise Award Scheme grants in Round 5 of the scheme managed by Industry New Zealand.

"I am pleased to see that this round has a grant to a theatre company. Indian Ink, the production company responsible for Krishnan's Dairy and other stage plays, will received an award of $8,800 to help them improve their marketing.

"There is also an award for Al Fresco gardening and lifestyle Magazine to investigate regional inserts tailored to each region's gardening information needs.

"Creative Industries are a priority under this Labour Alliance Coalition Government and Economic Development staff are preparing papers on ways that music and other creative groups can be assisted. The Irish music industry earns $600 million of foreign exchange a year and New Zealand has the talent and skill to do better than we have been doing.

"This is NZ music month and only last week we announced that Industry New Zealand would be part funding the inaugural NZ Fashion week.

"The 30 awards in this round of the Enterprise Award Scheme brings the total number to 140, and the number of applications and the range of businesses applying continues to grow.

"More and more businesses are becoming aware of this scheme which recognises innovative ideas. In this round we have makers of businesses software, household ventilation system filters as well as industrial vehicle seatbelts," said Jim Anderton.

Other award recipients include a manufacturers of possum traps, fertiliser and the designers of a new computer mouse.

Entrepreneurs or small business owners can receive a maximum of $20,000, which can be used to fund up to 50 percent of the total cost of a project.