Infrastructure fund skips region

Nelson, Tasman and much of the South Island have missed out in the Government’s latest infrastructure package.

On Wednesday, the Government announced $12 billion of infrastructure funding. So far, $8b worth of projects have been announced, with most of those being in the North Island.

Though Canterbury and Queenstown both got a look in, with $159 million and $90m worth of projects respectively, the only project announced in the entire top of the south so far is the $5m replacement of boilers at Blenheim’s Wairau Hospital.

The entire South Island will receive less funding in total than a 22-kilometre four-lane road in Northland, which is receiving $692m.

Nelson MP Nick Smith said the needs of Nelson and Tasman had been ‘‘ignored’’ in ‘‘an appalling oversight’’.

‘‘The congestions on our roads in Nelson and Richmond is getting worse, and it’s insulting that there is nothing to address this or improve road safety. We also have the most earthquake-prone hospital buildings in New Zealand, but again, there is nothing.’’

He said the region’s population made up 2 per cent of New Zealand’s population, and by that measure ought to have received ‘‘a $160 million share of this package’’.

‘‘The salt in the wound of this infrastructure package is that the Government has repeatedly increased our fuel and road user charges.’’

However, West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O’Connor said there would be another tranche of money coming for regional projects. ‘‘We’ll wait for the Budget in terms of other funding potential.’’

O’Connor said he met with the NZ Transport Agency late last year to follow up on individual projects in the region, like the upgrade of the High St section of State Highway 60 through Motueka.

‘‘My view is action needs to occur.’’

A business case for the longawaited upgrade was finished in 2019 but no money has so far been allocated for the physical work.

O’Connor said he was told that the NZTA would be monitoring traffic over summer, and he would ‘‘absolutely’’ be chasing the agency’s findings.

SH6 around Richmond was another area in need of attention, and the creation of double lanes for the Richmond Deviation was clearly needed, O’Connor said.