Revealed: Bay of Plenty leaders' wishlist for Government's $7.5b surplus

Investing in improving roading access to the Port of Tauranga is a top priority for many of the Bay of Plenty region's leaders.

Investment in roading, our transportation network and housing are on the wishlists for Bay of Plenty business and community leaders eyeing up the Government's $7.5 billion surplus.

As well as a bumper surplus, the latest Crown accounts reveal the lowest debt levels in almost a decade.

The surplus is $4b higher than what was expected in May's Budget - and $2b higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has hinted the Government is ready to spend more money on health, education and infrastructure to help stimulate a weakening economy.

National leader Simon Bridges said the Government's large surplus was at the expense of everyday New Zealanders and it was time to cut taxes.

"The surplus and low levels of debt show the economy is in good shape," he earlier said.

Bridges said the Government's extra cash should be used for tax relief for those who were doing it "tougher".

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said he would support investment in infrastructure, particularly roading and transportation.

"Not only will it provide ongoing benefits to increase business productivity, but I think it's a more enduring way of doing so than giving people short-term tax breaks," he said.

"Given the clouds of economic uncertainty on the horizon, I think this is critical, and if we get that across the line, this would be more than enough to address those concerns."

Tauranga's mayor Greg Brownless said the Government derived significant revenue from the region.

"To keep our economy growing, I'd like to see the Government provide more investment in our infrastructure especially improving our roading network, transport systems and opening up more access to land for housing," he said.

Western Bay District Council's Mayor Garry Webber agreed.

"This includes improvements to the Ōmokoroa, intersection, completing the Tauranga northern link and the major interchange on side roads on to State Highway 2 and SH29."

Webber said more government investment also needed to help Tauranga City address some other roading issues, including the Tauriko interchange and roading access to the Port of Tauranga, particularly on Hewlett Rd and the Totara St interchange.

Webber said there also needed to be more spending on increasing our housing stock.

Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt more investment in the region's transportation infrastructure, particularly the Port of Tauranga's transport corridor and housing, were top priorities.

"Secondly we need to improve our social housing stock to bring it up to at least the national average," he said.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick has called on the Government to spend some of its surplus on assisting with a housing plan for the city four-laneing Te Ngae Rd.

"Both these things are top priorities, but I do know as a former MP that, given all the scattered demands for how the surplus could be spent, a budget bid must be made."

Rotorua Business Chamber head Bryce Heard agreed more Government spending on roading infrastructure was vital due to severe traffic congestion in the region.

"We keep putting reduced speed zones everywhere, but it needs engineering solutions, not restricted speed limits, and we can't grow as a city or a region unless we have the infrastructure to service it, " Heard said.