Public infrastructure stories
Projects that kept ferries running, roads safer and power supply secure were among the winners at Civil Contractors New Zealand’s awards in Wellington.
Warnings that Australia’s builders are at breaking point have prompted calls for urgent reform to deliver the USD $110 billion pipeline.
Developers in NSW face a new levy on land value uplift as the state seeks to fund infrastructure and future housing growth.
Delays and cost overruns in New Zealand infrastructure could ease if owners and contractors shared risk and data, Rob Bryant says.
Older spans are under fresh scrutiny as Australasia’s 57,000-plus bridges face heavier traffic, climate stress and overdue maintenance.
Up to 30 percent of Wellington’s drinking water is lost to leaks, prompting a unanimous council push for urgent infrastructure upgrades.
NZD $45 billion of new works will need smarter engineering and earlier ground planning if delays and overruns are to be avoided.
Mounting delays and mistakes on Transmission Gully have prompted an urgent independent review to be led by Australian road and rail expert Steve Richards.
New planning laws may still fail to fix housing shortages and infrastructure gaps unless councils and agencies get more capacity and funding.
Tender documents have been issued for two Auckland transport schemes, bringing planned roadworks a step nearer and easing congestion for growing suburbs.
Delayed project details are leaving construction firms unable to plan, risking job losses as ministers drip-feed a $2.6 billion infrastructure package.
Transport industry groups say decades of stop-start planning could end if National’s $31 billion road and rail programme goes ahead.
Councils face pressure to back long-delayed water reforms as NZD $761 million in funding is tied to fixing ageing networks and service failures.
Construction firms warn that without tender dates, thousands of workers could be laid off despite USD $2.6 billion already allocated.
Regional blocs and national champions could leave infrastructure slower to innovate, more monopolistic and less resilient as climate risks mount.
New Zealand’s wage subsidy extension and infrastructure spending are meant to blunt soaring unemployment as the economy heads into recession.
Cashflow support and clearer contract rules could help keep builders employed and speed New Zealand's economic recovery after the lockdown.
COVID-19-driven revenue losses could force councils to cut infrastructure spending, hurting local economies and slowing recovery.
One-third of construction jobs are at risk as firms brace for insolvencies and shift training and services online to survive the lockdown.
New roads, rail, schools and hospitals should help address years of underinvestment, though critics question whether USD $12 billion is enough.
