Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has announced plans for a National Infrastructure Agency.

“Right now, our infrastructure system is not performing as well as it needs to be. We rank in the bottom 10% of high-income countries for the quality and efficiency of our infrastructure investments. Put simply – we get less and poorer quality infrastructure for our spending,” Bishop said.

Bishop also revealed the development of a National Infrastructure Plan. “The Government has instructed the Infrastructure Commission to develop an independent National Infrastructure Plan by the end of 2025,” he said. “This plan will outline New Zealand’s infrastructure needs over the next 30 years, planned investments over the next 10 years, and recommendations on priority projects and reforms.”

In addition, Bishop announced the establishment of a National Infrastructure Agency (NIA) by December 1, 2024. The NIA will act as a central body to facilitate private sector investment in infrastructure projects, partner with agencies, and manage central government infrastructure funds.

“Our intention is that the NIA will unlock access to more capital for infrastructure and give the private sector a one-stop shop to partner with Government,” Bishop said.

Addressing the political division over infrastructure policy, Bishop criticized the politicisation of different modes of transport and infrastructure projects. “It’s frankly pretty trite and unsophisticated,” he said, calling for a more united approach. “Things need to change,” Bishop said. “This Government is not here to make tweaks around the edges. We are ambitious, and we are here to fundamentally shift the way we plan, invest in, build, and look after our infrastructure.”

BusinessNZ Advocacy Director Catherine Beard responded positively to the Minister’s address, highlighting the importance of bipartisanship in infrastructure planning.

“The Minister’s commitments to an independent National Infrastructure Plan, the use of independent agencies in planning, and the commitment to have the Infrastructure Commission regularly communicate with all parties represented in Parliament on progress towards the National Infrastructure Plan all indicate that we are moving on from the blight of wasteful stop-start infrastructure provision,” Beard said.

“The private sector will be encouraged to invest in new projects only if there is confidence in the continuity of a pipeline of infrastructure, unaffected by changes in government. Business will be extremely supportive of a long-term approach to infrastructure that transcends political cycles,” she added.

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