New Zealand’s urban growth system is broken and must be revised to incentivise cities to grow, an infrastructure expert maintains   City leaders must be given the flexibility and tools they need to succeed, says Stephen Selwood, CEO of Infrastructure New Zealand. Continue →

The Orion Group has extended its advanced communications network across New Zealand with Motorola Solutions’ state-of-the-art digital radio systems The highly flexible communications network is enabling further growth and success for New Zealand’s critical industries including the aviation sector. Continue →

The private sector, as well as federal and state government, have a unique opportunity to leverage opportunities associated with Australia’s $70 billion infrastructure spend over the next decade, Grant Bowery believes This year, the federal government budget outlined additional funding for new projects including $9.3 billion for the Inland Rail, $3.5 billion allocated for roads of strategic importance and expenditure of $5 billion to $6 billion toward smaller road projects. Continue →

There are several simple steps that New Zealand could implement to achieve the goal of a low-emission economy, says Toyota New Zealand CEO Alistair Davis   The Productivity Commission’s draft on the move to a low carbon emission economy through a Zero Carbon Act is a sound report on what lies ahead. Continue →

The world will reach the crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels as early as 2030 That’s the stark conclusion of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which warns serious changes are needed immediately to cut the risk of extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty. Continue →

The Productivity Commission’s inquiry into local government funding and financing is welcome, but it is concerning to see the Terms of Reference will constrain an objective assessment of all options, says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Stephen Selwood It is particularly disappointing that ‘asset recycling’ – the process of selling down public shareholding in one public asset in order to invest in another more valuable asset – has been precluded from the terms of reference, he adds. Continue →

In the year to June, the deaths of between 40 and 45 Kiwis are believed to be linked to the use of synthetic cannabis. Continue →

Freight cost rises for a wide range of goods is inevitable says the National Road Carriers Association, the country’s leading road transport organisation “Road transport companies are under increased cost pressure from a variety of directions which will flow through to consumers,” says David Aitken, NRC’s CEO. Continue →

Mineral extraction – gold, silver, copper or iron – has always been constrained by access to water, Montgomery Simus observes Miners had to degrade or devour cubic metres of water to produce each gram, a virtual or ‘embedded’ amount known as each precious metal’s water footprint. Continue →

When showing up for work, going down to the local mall, spending time in a hotel, visiting clients, going to see the doctor… are all those buildings perfectly safe and fit for purpose? Continue →