Matt Cowley: Businesses are frustrated with infrastructure progress

Western Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchards with Tauranga city and Mauao behind. Photo / Mead Norton

COMMENT:

There are few certainties at present, but one of them is the Western Bay’s steady long-term population growth.

It comes as no surprise that growing populations need continued infrastructure investment.

Over the past 20 years, the Western Bay has collated bin-loads of plans, strategies and research on what’s needed to support our growing population.

But the region has lacked delivery on those plans, and now our infrastructure is straining under the pressure.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, the region’s cornerstone companies and umbrella business networks have formed the Western Bay of Plenty Infrastructure Forum.

Members include Zespri, Ballance, Port of Tauranga, Tauranga Māori Business Association, Priority One, EMA, and Tauranga Business Chamber.

In my opinion, the forum keeps the spotlight on the region’s key projects and holds Government agencies and councils to account for their delivery.

This week, the forum presented their priorities to Minister of Infrastructure Hon. Grant Robertson and local councils.

There are no surprises in the forum’s infrastructure projects – after all, successive governments and councils have been researching our region’s transport and urban development needs for the past two decades.

Key projects include approving the Port of Tauranga extension, enabling a lot more housing, and continuing the Waikato Expressway through to the Port of Tauranga – aka the Exporter Expressway.

The forum asks Government agencies and councils to recognise the national significance of getting the Golden Triangle – Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty – sorted for New Zealand’s economic future.

The Western Bay is New Zealand’s export gateway to the world. We’re a critical component of the Golden Triangle, given the relationship with Tainui’s inland port at Ruakura and the obvious constraints of Auckland’s airport and seaport.

The Golden Triangle encompasses half of New Zealand’s population and GDP. The country’s economic outlook will largely depend on the success of the Golden Triangle, especially as a third of New Zealand’s total cargo is handled by the Port of Tauranga.

The forum’s infrastructure projects will require a range of funding sources. The private sector appears willing to pay its fair share, as long as they know what the plan is and have faith that the plan will be delivered.

But it’s not just transport projects; local businesses need the Western Bay to attract a talented workforce.

For this, local housing and rental options need to be more plentiful, and affordable, to keep us competitive against other beautiful locations throughout New Zealand, and even Australia.

In my opinion, the forum isn’t just asking for better funding and financing tools. It’s also asking for a more efficient system to make progress in a fair and just way.

I’ve mentioned before that New Zealand’s local government system is broken, as it operates in a sticky cobweb of conflicting priorities and laws set by central government.

I feel the Western Bay’s lack of progress is ultimately a result of a lack of leadership by central and local government over time.

The Infrastructure Commission suggests New Zealand’s current planning system slows down essential infrastructure projects. There is potential to cut our infrastructure decision-making planning processes from their current average of 15 years to eight years.

But the Western Bay’s infrastructure doesn’t have eight years to wait on key projects. All political parties need to be aware of the unique issues and opportunities the Western Bay holds for New Zealand’s economic prosperity.

Businesses will be very keen to see how parties respond ahead of the upcoming general election.

Matt Cowley is the chief executive of the Tauranga Business Chamber.