Ask Wairoa rapper Ratima Hauraki what young people in New Zealand's regions need and he'll tell you this: "Our rangatahi, nowadays, they need ... to believe that they can actually achieve something whether you failed at school or not."
They need, he says, to do work that's meaningful to them.
"If you go to Affco and ... ask the young ones, 'can you see yourself loving this job in five or six years?' I don't think any of them will turn around and go, 'yeah, bro. I love slaughtering meat'.
"You won't last long doing something you don't love."
The coalition government has promised support for the regions, and in the 12 months since it came to power it has poured millions into the Provincial Growth Fund to create jobs, fix infrastructure, diversify the economy and boost tourism.
But has it changed life for the people Hauraki speaks of? In the second episode of video series Beyond the Beehive, reporter Max Towle returns to Wairoa - a year after his last visit - to find out. He also heads to Northland to take the pulse there.
Watch the episode here: