Infrastructure Board formation praised

Federated Farmers has welcomed the Government’s appointment of an Infrastructure Board to provide independent strategic advice to the infrastructure Minister, the Hon Bill English MP.

“For far too long we’ve lived in the here and now and not thought about tomorrow’s world” says Don Nicolson, President of Federated Farmers.

“As farmers, we know how to plan maintenance and schedule the replacement of farm equipment. It’s timely the Government has taken a leaf out of our book to do the same.

“The power outages in Auckland over recent years, the state of the Cook Strait electricity cable and the painfully slow progress of road building, all show the pressing need for a 20-year National Infrastructure Plan.

“By planning for where we ought to be and not just where we are today, it will help put in place the tools for economic advancement. We have to think about the future and what we need to meet it.

“It also encourages major infrastructure developers and utilities to work with and not against one another. It’s not a case of how much you spend but how effectively it is spent. Planning lies at the heart of this.

“Federated Farmers is particularly pleased with the calibre of appointees.

“We’d like to think we’ve had a hand in seeing Dr Terrence Heiler appointed to the Board. Dr Heiler is one of New Zealand’s foremost experts on water infrastructure and water is vital to sustained economic growth.

“Federated Farmers ‘water, let’s store it’ campaign is predicated on developing reliable and affordable access to water to keep grass and crops growing. This is then converted into food and fibre, which is exported to generate money New Zealanders need to buy goods and services from overseas.

“The current ‘green drought’ in parts of New Zealand shows what happens when we lack for water. This is inexcusable in a country blessed with ample rainfall as New Zealand is.

“Federated Farmers looks forward to engaging with the Infrastructure Board and its members. It’s a bold idea whose time has truly come,” Mr Nicolson concluded.