Sector

Overview of current status

Transport

»  The significant investment programme in transport continues, along with increasing coordination and a developing evidence base to underpin discussions. Balancing supply side interventions with work to optimise the existing network, and ensuring the sustainability of the funding system, are key to meeting future challenges.

Telecommunications

»  The 700MHz spectrum has been prepared for auction and discussion documents for the two telecommunications reviews have been released. Continuing to ensure that the UFB and RBI network deployment programmes are on track remains a focus.

Energy

»  The energy sector is looking well placed to meet future demand with a positive outlook on gas supply, a medium term projection of low growth in electricity demand, a strengthened transmission grid, and a number of consented generation projects ready to be built when required.

Rural water

»  The next stage of the freshwater reforms has been announced, laying the foundations for consideration of allocation issues that impact on the certainty required for continued investment. In the paddocks, there has been a sustained increase in irrigation and most significantly, using methods that are more efficient and better utilise the water resource.

Urban water

»  The Better Local Government work programme has continued to progress, including a large number of initiatives to improve the range and quality of information available to communities. Local authority planning processes will be streamlined and the sector is starting to focus on increased capability.

Social

»  The Social infrastructure sector has come a long way, especially in areas of asset management, capital planning, procurement and the allocation of capital. There are further opportunities for the pace and scale of improvement to be stepped up, including more fundamental questions of how best to utilise the whole balance sheet and consider questions of ownership.

Auckland

»  Good progress has been made on implementing the Auckland Plan and the development of the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.  Announcements have been made on housing and the next generation of transport projects, but work remains on funding these and ensuring integration of land use and transport, as well as the most effective utilisation of existing and the provision of new infrastructure.

Christchurch

»  The focus has shifted from recovery to rebuild with the central city cordons down and plans well underway for the rebuild. With the horizontal infrastructure programme proceeding at pace, there is a real need to ensure a well integrated and sequenced construction programme of work.