National unveils big spendup

National Party leader Judith Collins has announced plans for what she calls ‘‘the biggest infrastructure package’’ in New Zealand’s history.

If elected, a National government would spend $31 billion on transport projects during the next decade, about half of which would go towards projects in the upper North Island.

In a speech in Auckland yesterday, Collins said that as well as building a fourlane expressway linking Whanga¯ rei, Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga and transforming them into an ‘‘economic powerhouse’’, National would scrap plans for light rail to Auckland’s airport and instead build a heavy-rail line from Puhinui to the airport in 2026, which would later be extended to Onehunga.

The party would abolish the Auckland regional fuel tax within 100 days of being elected, kick off $300 million worth of ‘‘digger-ready projects’’ in the city, such as filling potholes, and expand the ferry network to improve crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.

She acknowledged the need for a second Waitemata¯ Harbour crossing, adding it would likely take the form of at least one tunnel which would be tolled, with the consenting process fast-tracked so work could start in 2028.

She said National was ‘‘sceptical’’ about the $360m SkyPath pedestrian and cycle path on the Harbour Bridge proposed by Transport Minister Phil Twyford.

The package is part of National’s ‘‘Plan to Get New Zealand Working’’ and is the first policy announced since Collins was elected party leader on Tuesday.

The expressway would be completed some time in the 2030s and would include tunnels through the Brynderwyn and Kaimai mountains. Motorists would be charged a ‘‘small toll’’ to use the roads.

Collins said Auckland was in the midst of a ‘‘congestion crisis caused by decades of short-term thinking and expedience’’.

The Resource Management Act, which is the main piece of legislation for managing the environment, would be repealed if the party got into power, with Collins calling it ‘‘New Zealand’s biggest barrier to future development’’.

The act would be replaced by an Environmental Standards Act and an Urban Planning and Development Act, which would be introduced to Parliament by the end of next year.

National Party leader

‘‘In practice, a ‘just-in-time’ approach to infrastructure means ‘too late’ – sometimes much too late.’’ Judith Collins

Collins said National’s package was about future-proofing infrastructure, as opposed to starting projects when they were needed.

‘‘In practice, a ‘just-in-time’ approach to infrastructure means ‘too late’ – sometimes much too late. National’s approach to infrastructure is simple: Make decisions, get projects funded and commissioned, and then get them delivered, at least a couple of years before they are expected to be needed.’’

Collins – flanked by new deputy leader Gerry Brownlee, National finance spokesman Paul Goldsmith and transport and infrastructure spokesman Chris Bishop – said National would allocate $7b from the Government’s $20b Covid Fund to fund part of the package.

However, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said National’s infrastructure package was riddled with ‘‘big holes’’.

‘‘National assumes the New Zealand Transport Agency will borrow a billion dollars a year ... every year for the next 10 years. But at the same time there is no answer as to how they will pay that back.

‘‘They are saying they will increase NZTA’s debt, while delivering the same number of projects but keeping its income to repay the extra debt the same. It just doesn’t square.’’