The establishment of a new National Infrastructure Agency will assist and hasten the funding and delivery of critical New Zealand infrastructure, says Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett.

“The National Infrastructure Agency will have a crucial role in the future infrastructure uplift for New Zealand,” says Leggett. “It will act as a shop front for the private sector and those who want to bring a market-led proposal into the system.”

“Currently the private sector has to hustle across multiple agencies within an incredibly complex system to get its proposals heard. This is extremely time-consuming and expensive.”

“To support the National Infrastructure Agency’s delivery focus, we also require the Infrastructure Commission to deliver on its core mandate and focus on the development of the 30-year infrastructure plan and Infrastructure Priorities Programme that is politically sustainable,” says Leggett.

Along with Rau Paenga (Crown Infrastructure Delivery), who can provide in-house project capability to all agencies, there is now far more clarity and coherence in the government infrastructure system.

“Effective infrastructure development requires a plan for how we do things better and a system that facilitates the delivery of that.”

“To be truly effective, the National Infrastructure Agency’s newly announced functions need to be accepted as a bi-partisan re-arrangement of the system,” says Leggett. “Infrastructure New Zealand will hold our political parties to that, because the endless tinkering and flip-flopping has to stop.”

“We must look beyond short-term thinking and ideological politics.”

Infrastructure New Zealand also cautioned that the sector needs to see projects come to fruition sooner rather than later.

“The infrastructure sector and frankly, our communities, are struggling at present with the lack of ready to go projects of all sizes,” says Leggett. “It is therefore critical that the Government’s plans and policies translate into activity on the ground as soon as possible.”

“New Zealand is at an inflection point in our history. Over the next few years, we can set our country on a path towards economic and social prosperity, but we need to get started now.”

Note: Infrastructure New Zealand is Aotearoa’s peak membership organisation for the infrastructure sector. We promote best practice in national infrastructure development through research, advocacy, and public and private sector collaboration. We promote public and media discussion on issues of importance to the infrastructure sector. Our membership is comprised of around 140 organisations, including government agencies, consultants, contractors, financiers, utilities, and academics. These organisations employ approximately 150,000 people in infrastructure-related roles and are united in their commitment to creating a better New Zealand through outstanding infrastructure.

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