Road freight lobby group Transporting New Zealand has welcomed the release of the Infrastructure Commission’s National Infrastructure Plan, tabled in Parliament by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop.
Transporting New Zealand chief executive Dom Kalasih says the plan takes a well-reasoned, long-term view of the country’s infrastructure needs and funding arrangements, including road and rail networks.
“The plan emphasises the importance of maintaining existing assets, the need for road revenue reform, and the importance of ensuring that party politics don’t disrupt the delivery of good infrastructure maintenance and improvements,” Kalasih says.
Quoting the plan, he adds: “Not every major project will attract consensus, but that need not prevent progress. Political contestability is normal, and priorities will shift over time. What matters is staying focused on the fundamentals – looking after existing assets, delivering projects well, planning efficiently, and being transparent about costs and outcomes.” (National Infrastructure Plan, page 33)
Kalasih says Transporting New Zealand strongly supports those pillars and is looking forward to the Government’s formal response to the plan later this year.
“We encourage all opposition parties to do the same.”
He says recent severe weather and travel disruptions highlight the importance of prioritising asset maintenance and renewals, which the Infrastructure Commission says should account for 60% of total infrastructure spending. Total infrastructure spending is currently about $20 billion per year.
“A strong message we hear from our road freight members is the importance of maintaining the existing road network. That has been historically underfunded by successive governments.”
Kalasih says he is looking forward to discussing the plan, along with feedback from Transporting New Zealand members, with the Infrastructure Commission and elected officials.
