We owe the next generation clean drinking water, sewage that works and buses that arrive on time.
It's clear that our infrastructure system isn't working. We have chronically underinvested in infrastructure for decades and now have a $1 trillion spending shortfall over the next 30 years.
Decisions swing wildly between electoral cycles based on pork-barrel politics, poor asset management wastes resources, procurement processes lack standardisation, our construction workforce faces critical shortages and a creaking regulatory system delays essential projects.
All of this creates uncertainty for private investment, drives up costs through boom-bust cycles and leaves communities with inadequate transport, water, housing and climate resilience infrastructure – all of which constrains productivity growth and affordability for ordinary New Zealanders. We are in the bottom 10% of OECD countries for return on infrastructure investment for a reason.
It's time to break the wasteful cycle of cancelled projects and can-kicking with an intergenerational infrastructure plan to rebuild the basics we know we need – reliable inter-island ferries, long deferred maintenance, safe drinking water and more.
As the only party that can work with both the left and right blocs, Opportunity is well placed to convene and protect a long-term infrastructure strategy that:
- Sets a 30-year framework developed apolitically by the experts at the Infrastructure Commission.
- Raises public investment significantly, including making additional funding available to local government.
- Completes replacement of the Resource Management Act to speed up and simplify project approvals.
- Enacts user-pays and value capture where appropriate.
- Takes the politics out of maintenance by requiring infrastructure owners to meet asset management standards and plan maintenance and renewal as part of an integrated national pipeline.
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