‘Creative Industries’ add $3.5 billion to GDP - report

New Zealand’s creative industries add $3.5 billion to the country’s GDP, according to a new report from PwC.

The report by PwC done on behalf of WeCreate, a newly-formed organisation made up of 20 originations to represent the creative sector, outlines how different sectors in the creative industries market have performed.

The report centres around books, music, television and the film sector in New Zealand, revealing that combined they are a similar size to the forestry sector.   

Film and Television has the biggest impact on the economy in the industry, delivering more than $1.2 billion directly to New Zealand’s GDP.

Book publishing and the music industry provided $160 million and $205 million respectively.

South Pacific Pictures chairman John Barnett say PwC’s report highlights the significant contribution of the local creative sector to New Zealand’s economic well-being.

“WeCreate.org.nz gives a voice to the creative industry to ensure that government, media and New Zealanders at large are kept aware of the value of this sector in terms of local employment and its contribution to making New Zealand a better place."

As well as contributing to New Zealand’s GDP, the creative sector also adds thousands of jobs to the country.

The four creative sectors also support the full-time employment of up to 15,000 authors, publishers, musicians, actors and writers directly. The figure rises to more than 30,000 once other suppliers and associated businesses within the industries are counted.

WeCreate chairwoman Paula Browning says it’s an impressive result for the industry as a whole.

“This is the first time we have been able to truly demonstrate the real value New Zealand’s creators deliver to our economy. Based on four areas alone, we can already see the creative sector is thriving. 

“We are currently working with the games, art and photography industries to incorporate their data in future versions of the report, and we anticipate design and others will follow.”

PwC’s partner Craig Rice says this report shows the importance of these sectors collectively to the New Zealand economy.

He says this was done both directly, and through the broader impact they have on other industries.

Jason Walls is an AUT journalism student