$5bn of Lower North Island infrastructure investment key to Labour’s economic plan

“The impacts of COVID-19 have made it clear that we need a strong platform of infrastructure investment across the country to give regions certainty and to provide a pipeline for jobs across the country,” Jacinda Ardern said. 

“A core part of our economic plan to tackle debt and rebuild from COVID-19 is infrastructure. If re-elected, Labour will continue rolling out more than $5 billion of infrastructure investment in the lower North Island which will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in every community in the region.

Our investment begins with shovel ready projects that will roll out over the next 18 months, including:

• Sarjeant Gallery ($11.6m)
• New Whanganui Police Hub ($25m)
• Marton Rail Hub ($9.1m)
• Enabling Infrastructure in Tairaka ($25m)
• Social and affordable (key worker) housing for Ruapehu District ($7.8m)
• Horowhenua Business Park Infrastructure ($2.9m)
• Route 52 Improvements ($14.6m)
• Climate Resilience Package with the Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Councils ($26.9m)

Following these investments, our pipeline of infrastructure will continue to support the region over time, including through:

• Transport projects like the new Melling interchange, which will have consents lodged later this year
• The Manawatū Gorge replacement highway, due to begin in November
• The Capital Connection upgrades beginning next year
• Health investments, which will see new acute mental health facilities in Palmerston North and the Hutt Valley
• Education investments, including 205 school improvements that will be continuing across the region

“Our prudent economic management over the past three years means we have been able to invest significantly in transport projects, schools, water infrastructure and hospitals around the country, tackling on our long-term challenges and rebuilding back better,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“We stand proudly on our record of investment in our regions and will continue to help these places where half of our people live, and most of our exports derive, to thrive,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“As a government we will continue to invest in capital beyond this investment, particularly in health, education and through local government, but our allocated investment to date shows a pipeline of infrastructure investments that we will roll out across the lower North Island,” Grant Robertson said.

“We’ve managed the books wisely and have historically low interest rates, which makes our much-needed investment in infrastructure both affordable and the right thing to do,” Grant Robertson said.

Further information on the Lower North Island regional infrastructure investment can be found in the attached documents.

Note – the Lower North Island includes Wellington, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Whanganui and Palmerston North, including Mid-Central DHB.

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