Good progress in Taranaki

Every day, I’m reminded of the progress our Coalition Government is making on the issues that matter to New Zealanders. And last week was no different. On Friday, the Government announced the latest round of regional infrastructure investments as part of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, which includes investments in Northland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Otago, West Coast, Canterbury and Southland.

As part of that package, there are exciting things happening right here in Taranaki.

This Government is investing in Taranaki by making major upgrades to the Forgotten World Highway, which is a growing tourist route and also an important alternative to State Highway 3 from Taranaki northwards. This sits alongside the PGF’s earlier investment to seal the road through the Tangarakau Gorge.

It’s great to see the Government investing in projects that are estimated to grow Taranaki’s visitor numbers by up to 13,000 a year, leading to more jobs and opportunities for Taranaki locals.

The programme is the largest investment in infrastructure in a generation. It will help future-proof our country by delivering new and upgraded roads, rail, schools and hospitals across the country.

This builds on the Government’s other decisions to upgrade New Zealand’s facilities, which we’ve focused on since we were elected in 2017.

When we came to office, our schools and hospitals had fallen into a state of neglect and disrepair. The previous government hadn’t invested in infrastructure, meaning kids were learning in leaking classrooms, or in hallways or gyms, and our hospitals were mouldy or past their use by date.

This didn’t sit well with us. Labour, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, laid out our plan to do things differently, and we’re doing it. We’re making the investments needed to make up for the significant underinvestment in infrastructure over the last nine years and prepare New Zealand for the future.

Friday’s investment follows on from our previous investments here in Taranaki. Already, we’ve seen investment in our local schools, with almost every state school receiving a cash injection of up to $400,000 to get on with long-overdue school property upgrades.

We’re able to make these much-needed investments now because we’ve carefully managed the Government’s books by running surpluses and keeping debt under control. Our economy is growing faster than other countries we compare ourselves to, unemployment is low and wage growth is high.

Over the next few months you’ll start to see some of these projects get under way. Whether it’s an upgraded mental health or maternity facility, a safer road, or a new heat pump or classroom roof at one of our local schools, it’s going to make a huge difference.

Now is the right time to invest to rebuild New Zealand, and we’re getting on with the job. We know there’s more to do, but we’ve made good progress.