Commerce follows arterial routes and that was illustrated last month when the Northern Infrastructure Forum met at Hautapu alongside the Waikato Expressway. Senior writer Mary Anne Gill was there.
Taking it in at the Northern Infrastructure forum were from left: Chris Webb (Chris Webb Contracting), Peter Nation (NZ Fieldays Society), Roger Gordon (Waipa District Council), Jacqui Church (Waikato District Council mayor), Robert Dol (Colliers), Pamela Storey (Waikato Regional Council) Mark Morgan (Waikato Regional Airport), Cathy Balvert (Morrinsville Chamber of Commerce), Jimmy Ormsby (Waitomo Energy). Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Strength in numbers and consistency in messaging have been identified as the key requirements for a new group which wants to advocate for the upper North Island on infrastructure issues.
The Northern Infrastructure Forum – which describes itself as a voice for the upper North Island – drew business and transport representatives from Northland, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and Waikato in Cambridge last month.
The venue was C & R Developments in Hautapu which has grown rapidly as a business and commercial district since the Waikato Expressway opened and following Waipā District Council’s change to its District Plan enabling more industrial development there.
Di and Muz Reeve are cleaners and caterers at C & R Developments in Hautapu. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Waikato Chamber of Commerce hosted the forum which was established by the Auckland Business Chamber last year.
Waikato chief executive Don Good told attendees once-in-a generation decisions had arrived.
“We want connected decision-making; we want the North Island connected.”
The forum would need to lobby government and councils for a comprehensive North Island expressway network and each member would have to be as excited about a road in Kerikeri as in their own region.
“Think NZ Inc,” he said.
There had been heavy politicisation of infrastructure in the past and for things to change, a 30-year plan had to be put in place and that plan was not just about tinkering and fixing potholes.
The forum comprises members from Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty but membership needed to be expanded to broaden the focus from Auckland to include the whole of the upper North Island where 65 per cent of New Zealanders live, he said.
The cost to join the forum is $7500 a year for medium enterprises, small businesses, chambers and not for profits and $20,000 for larger corporates.
The fee would support proactive, sustained, impactful research and advocacy programmes, the forum’s presentation said.
By becoming a voice for upper North Island infrastructure, it would be a think tank rather than a lobby group. It would hold local and central government to account without jeopardising political relationships.
Barney Irvine talks about the background to the Northern Infrastructure group.
Forum coordinator Barney Irvine said research the group commissioned last year illustrated the economic benefits of the Cambridge to Piarere and Warkworth to Wellsford Expressway developments.
The research conducted by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) showed that if those roads went ahead, they would contribute almost $1 billion to New Zealand’s gross domestic product every year.
The Cambridge portion would be $487 million and the Warkworth one $497 million. Long term improvements included reduced travel time, greater freight efficiencies, fewer travel disruptions and improved access for regional economies connected by the corridors.
“But if we want a highway network to withstand the beating that took place a year ago (flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle), we need a 100-year plan,” said Irvine.
The government was prepared to listen to groups like the forum and was open to public-private funding options, said Good “because they’ve got no money.”
Waikato mayor Jacqui Church, centre, gestures as she makes a point at the Northern Infrastructure forum in the Ross Brothers museum at C & R Developments in Hautapu. Looking on are attendees from Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and Northland. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Karla Lee said her region realised the importance of working together last year. “That’s when we were made an island.”
In advocating to Government and opposition parties after the cyclone and flooding, Hawke’s Bay businesses stuck to the main subject which remained the same – roading and infrastructure.
By acting as one body, their messaging became stronger, she said.
Other research the forum wants to look at in the next 12-18 months include congestion charging – a way to ease congestion by charging road users at various times or locations – alternative funding and financing, an upper North Island highway strategy and electricity infrastructure.
Waikato mayor Jacqui Church welcomed the forum saying the country of five million people needed to get over themselves and make a 100-year strategic plan.
As an example, decarbonisation of the vehicle fleet would drive electricity demand and it was uncertain whether the country could cope.
Roading, water, growth and energy all go together as priorities, she said.
Northland Chamber of Commerce president Tim Robinson said chambers were able to bring more value if they did so together.
“If we’re divided, we won’t get what we want.”
Northern Infrastructure Forum
Venue for the Northern Infrastructure forum was C & R Development’s museum at Hautapu where participants were surrounded by car and rock music memorabilia. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
