Infrastructure New Zealand

As 2024 wraps up and the holiday season approaches, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued support of Infrastructure New Zealand in 2024. This year has been difficult for many, but it has also seen a renewed focus on the long-term system settings needed to deliver the infrastructure New Zealand requires. INZ has continued to advocate on behalf of the sector, and provide opportunities for networking and connection this year. We have delivered: 🔸13 submissions to public consultations: https://lnkd.in/gDHy73CB 🔸Published 8 editions of our InfraRead newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gSwuQJch 🔸Released 6 comprehensive reports in 2024: https://lnkd.in/gXdH8rSq 🔸Developed 3 new Policy Positions: https://lnkd.in/gf5Ge6Qd 🔸Achieved over 700 media mentions - an increase of more than 20% from 2023. 🔸Hosted 50 INZ events - a 163% increase from 2023. 🔸Our Women's Infrastructure Network NZ(WIN) delivered 21 events and delivered the WIN Career Camp, supporting women’s professional growth. 🔸The Infrastructure Collective (TIC), our network for emerging leaders, organised 17 events and ran the TIC Mentoring Programme. 🔸Building Nations welcomed over 1,000 attendees - a nearly 20% increase and our largest conference to date. In the new year, we will start a conversation focused on a vision for New Zealand. Our infrastructure is too often viewed as the ends rather than the means to the outcomes we are trying to achieve as a country. Investing in the right kinds of assets and using our existing infrastructure more effectively will require all of us to step up and paint a coherent picture of what Aotearoa can be, as a north star for discussions about how we get there. Looking ahead to 2025, we are also eager to strengthen our engagement with our members and champion the priorities in our sector. We aim to expand our influence and impact through continued advocacy, research, and collaboration. Watch this space for our events announcements in the new year. Keep an eye on your inbox and visit our website to register for upcoming events across Aotearoa. From all of us at Infrastructure New Zealand, we wish you and your whānau a joyful and restful holiday season! Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou Nick Leggett, Katrina Smith, Michelle McCormick, Martina Moroney, Issy Pasley and Hannah Pickard.

Join Infrastructure New Zealand and KPMG New Zealand, on Wednesday 12 February at 5:30pm, to hear from domestic and global leaders in infrastructure resilience and climate adaptation in the lead up to INZ and Brightstar’s March Infrastructure Resilience conference. We know that responding to the biggest challenge of the twenty-first century will take a coordinated, whole of society approach, but how can we catalyse the level of collaboration needed to effectively adapt to and prepare for growing climate risks? KPMG's Global Head of Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare, Richard Threlfall, will provide an overview of the global landscape for climate-resilient infrastructure, planning, and financing. Drawing on international examples, Richard will share case studies New Zealand can learn from. Richard will then join a panel discussion that will focus on how we can leverage international thinking to tackle highly localised challenges. With the backdrop of changes to funding and financing of infrastructure, we will unpick the question of how we make infrastructure to support adaptation investable and effective. We would like to thank KPMG for sponsoring this event. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gKpydB4i Nick Leggett Martina Moroney Issy Pasley Michelle McCormick Katrina Smith Hannah Pickard Hayden Cox

In amongst the flurry of Government announcements over the last week or so were key policy changes to how tolls are applied to new roads, including enabling the tolling of an entire corridor and linking tolling rates to inflation. The Government also announced that Ōtaki to north of Levin, Takitimu North Link and Penlink will all be tolled. The announcement can be read here: https://lnkd.in/gWgYnCQf   Infrastructure New Zealand is supportive of greater use of tolling because when it comes to the stewardship of our roading infrastructure, building the road is only the beginning. Modern roads, like all assets, require ongoing investment in maintenance and upgrades. Tolling means that those who directly benefit from a new road also help fund its upkeep.   NZ road users have been shielded from the true and rising costs of our land transport infrastructure for many years. RUC, fuel excise duties, registration fees and general taxation no longer provide the level of funding required to maintain and improve our network. Infrastructure New Zealand sees tolling as an additional important contributor. Nick Leggett Michelle McCormick Martina Moroney Hannah Pickard Katrina Smith Issy Pasley Hayden Cox

After a year of waiting, we finally got a little more information yesterday on the Government’s plans for the future of the Interisland ferries.   Fundamentally, it is critical that New Zealand has safe and reliable ferry services linking our two islands. Over $30 billion of freight and hundreds of thousands of people are moved across Cook Strait every year.   The Government’s plan, while lacking a lot of detail, is a way forward. We particularly welcome the intention to consider private sector options for both the procurement and operation of the new ferries. It must be about getting the best deal for NZ and if there is some kind of public-private partnership that can do that then we should have a good look at it.   The previous Government’s iReX project suffered from increasing costs and timeframes over the development of the necessary port side infrastructure. It is positive that the Government will work with ports on this as we believe the ports themselves should bare the costs, which they can spread out and pass on to users over the lifetime of the assets.   Read our full statement on the Government’s ferry announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gYW4ZsBv Nick Leggett Michelle McCormick Martina Moroney Issy Pasley Hannah Pickard Katrina Smith Hayden Cox

Infrastructure New Zealand welcomes the Government’s guidance issued yesterday around ‘strategic leasing’ of privately owned and maintained infrastructure by public sector agencies. Earlier this year in the report, Developing and refining the Public Private Partnership model and other infrastructure financing tools in New Zealand, we recommended consideration should be given to providing for these kind of leasing arrangements so we are pleased that the Government has listened to our industry’s advocacy.   Leasing models are particularly useful where Government requires an asset and the services that asset provides but does not need to necessarily own or exercise day-to-day control over it. Smaller health clinics and facilities are a really obvious candidate for this. The Government’s announcement is available here: https://lnkd.in/giZb-SNV Read the Developing and refining the Public Private Partnership model and other infrastructure financing tools in New Zealand here: https://lnkd.in/gARiQCem

A few weeks ago we launched a report on unlocking the value of New Zealand's existing infrastructure assets through the greater use of asset recycling to allow for the delivery of new and upgraded infrastructure. In today's NZ Herald Dynamic Business Report, our CE Nick Leggett discusses how asset recycling can be another useful tool in our infrastructure funding toolbox, how it has been used successfully both here and overseas and why we need a national policy direction for it. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/g38BRuCH You can read Nick's column here (paywalled): https://lnkd.in/gTeK-iqD

Earlier in the week The Post and The Press ran a column from our CE Nick Leggett on the Commerce Commission’s recent decision to increase revenue limits for Transpower and local lines companies. Nick points out that while the increases to power bills will place a burden on some households and businesses, the revenue raised will facilitate necessary investment in the infrastructure that will help to ensure reliable transmission and distribution of power through the national grid into the future.   “Fundamentally, it is about striking the right balance between keeping consumer costs reasonable in the short term and raising enough capital to make the necessary investments that ensures we have a reliable First World electricity system over the longer term.”   You can read Nick’s column, The necessary pain of higher power bills, here: https://lnkd.in/gt4HXjMw.  

Over the past two weeks, Infrastructure New Zealand hosted our Holiday Celebration events in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. These gatherings were a wonderful chance to connect with our members, celebrate the achievements of 2024, and to look ahead to 2025 for INZ and Aotearoa New Zealand. A special thanks to WARREN AND MAHONEY for generously hosting us in Christchurch and Wellington, and to Bell Gully for their support in Auckland. Wishing everyone a joyful and restful festive season. Here's to an exciting and impactful 2025 as we continue to grow and work towards a stronger future for infrastructure in New Zealand! Nga hararei koa Nick Leggett Katrina Smith Michelle McCormick Martina Moroney Issy Pasley Hannah Pickard Hayden Cox

It was standing room only at Chapman Tripp in Auckland yesterday for the 2050 Infrastructure Forum, hosted by Infrastructure New Zealand in partnership with The Post. The event featured Infrastructure Minister Christopher Bishop, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, and Leader of the Opposition Chris Hipkins, all emphasising the urgent need for cross-party planning and agreement on funding and delivery. Following this, a panel discussion hosted by The Post’s Luke Malpass brought insights from Business NZ's Katherine Rich, Downer's Craig West, and Stuff's Dita De Boni. Katherine made the point that while blaming previous Governments won’t help us build the infrastructure we need, focusing on what all parties agree on, will. A new poll by The Post and Freshwater Strategy unveiled at the event showed strong public support for Public-Private-Partnerships, and road tolls, and unsurprisingly, a real desire for all parties to get on and deliver. Thanks to The Post’s editor Tracy Watkins and her team for their work with the INZ team to deliver what was a full and frank assessment of what’s needed. Nick Leggett Martina Moroney Michelle McCormick Katrina Smith Issy Pasley Hannah Pickard Hayden Cox

Future Proofing New Zealand: The 2050 Infrastructure Forum is brought to you by The Post and Infrastructure New Zealand with support from Chapman Tripp will be livestreamed on The Post website today from 4.30pm. Join us then www.thepost.co.nz - this is an important ongoing discussion for our nation. Christopher Bishop, Chris Hipkins and Shane Jones will address the forum, which will also have a live audience. It will be moderated by Post national affairs editor Andrea Vance and will wrap up with a panel discussion led by Political and economics editor Luke Malpass Auckland business editor Dita De Boni Business New Zealand chief executive Katherine Rich and Downer country lead Craig West Michelle McCormick Martina Moroney Hannah Pickard Caitlin Smart Issy Pasley Katrina Van Houtte Katrina Smith Hayden Cox Tracey Ryan Rhys Clark Fraser Wyllie Dr Alayna Pakinui Rā (nee Renata) Graham Mitchell Natalie McClew Stacey Millar Ben Hayward Fraser Robertson Susan Lucking