By Nick James
Photo: 123rf
Infrastructure New Zealand has already written its Christmas wish list for the incoming government, with a faster consent process and more public-private partnerships for large-scale projects high on the agenda.
The industry body has penned an open letter to incoming prime minister Christopher Luxon regarding problems facing the sector.
The letter, seen by RNZ, includes a range of recommendations in the infrastructure portfolio.
These include:
- considering alternative funding and financing mechanisms for projects
- faster consenting for renewable energy infrastructure
- changes to the funding model of local government
- an examination of public sector delivery
- and a "modified" Three Waters reform programme.
To discuss the sector's issues, Infrastructure NZ wants to hold a forum with the incoming government before Christmas.
Nick Leggett Photo: RNZ/ Tom Kitchin
Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett said the summit - which he has already named 'Uplift New Zealand' - would bring together government, the infrastructure sector, iwi and wider communities.
Leggett said it would be an opportunity to identify "quick wins" and medium-to-long-term priorities.
"There's some good social infrastructure and economic infrastructure that can be probably rolled out quite quickly, and really get building to provide confidence to the infrastructure sector and the New Zealand public that the government's serious."
New Zealand had to widen the ways it funds infrastructure to get more built faster - including "better utilising the market" to drive efficiency and productivity, he said.
"If we can guarantee to the industry that there's more coming online and that it's well planned, well-funded and the business plans are in place we are going to get efficiencies."
The first cars drive down the new Transmission Gully section of the SH1 motorway on March 30, 2022 in Wellington. Photo: Getty Images / Lynn Grieveson
The sector had seen worthy projects like Auckland Light Rail and Let's Get Wellington Moving suck up a lot of money on preparing information - but because they lacked guaranteed funding, they got picked off and became politicised, Leggett said.
"We've got to get projects considered earlier, the planning in place, the funding committed so they can actually start building towards a much quicker outcome.
"I think Kiwis are sick of a lack of delivery and the incoming government has a real chance to harness the frustration and send all the signals to the infrastructure sector that it wants to deliver."
He said on the topic of Three Waters the status quo was "not an option".
"National and Act have committed to repealing the Affordable Water Act and that will be their prerogative if they get a majority with New Zealand First."
Infrastructure NZ's members were more interested in what happened after that, he said.
"Quite quickly we want the incoming government to be briefed by officials so it can actually map out a plan that gives New Zealanders confidence."
Leggett said the current system for managing water assets could not deliver and fund the investment needed to meet the standards that had been set for the environment and for health over the next decade and beyond.