Infrastructure
Gisborne CBD traffic lights back on after Cyclone Gabrielle
A set of Gisborne city traffic lights will be up and running next week for the first time since Cyclone Gabrielle struck.
Government rejected Spark's offer to invest millions in disaster-proofing networks
Spark's offer to swap $24 million it planned to spend on a 5G rollout came after towns were completely cut off following Cyclone Gabrielle. Audio
Long-term investment needed to secure NZ's water infrastructure - report
A group of researchers say Aotearoa needs a serious boost in infrastructure funding to survive the intensifying impacts of climate change. Audio
Plans underway to safeguard Wairoa against flooding
35 years after the Wairoa River burst its banks during Cyclone Bola - and three months after the same thing happened in Cyclone Gabrielle - plans are finally being laid to safeguard the community… Audio
Serious water infrastructure funding needed - researchers say
A group of researchers are calling for a serious increase to water infrastructure funding if the network is to survive the intensifying impacts of climate change.
A new report assessing damage from… Audio
Alexandra residents a hair's breadth away from softer water
A new water supply means softer water and potentially softer hair for the town's residents.
Wayne Brown not confident his preferred budget plan will pass muster
Auckland's Mayor is reminding councillors of the need for a balanced budget, with a month to go before it needs to be signed off.
Feedback sought on Marlborough Sounds road network, marine access
Marlborough's Mayor says the Sounds needs a road network that can cope with the damaging impacts of climate change, sea level rise and earthquakes well into the future.
Tarras airport plan: Proposed runway site to be revealed soon
Few details about Christchurch International Airport's plans to build an airport in Central Otago have been made public since they were first revealed in July 2020.
Why is there a 900 metre state highway in NZ?
At just 900m, Timaru's State Highway 78 (SH78), also known as Port Loop Rd, is the country's shortest state highway.
$70 billion for infrastructure in Budget
More than $70 billion dollars has been set aside by the government for new and existing infrastructure projects over five years following yesterday's budget. Capital spending will average $18.5… Audio
Auckland's billion-dollar flood recovery programme
Auckland's mayor Wayne Brown has proposed pushing forward with a billion-dollar flood-recovery programme for the city. Joining Kathryn is Matthew Bradbury - he's a senior lecturer in landscape… Audio
Iwi call on government to commit to forestry report recommendations
Immediate action is needed to address unsustainable forestry practices that have put an iwi's lands and waterways at risk, they say.
Mayor fuming after council's bid for exemption from chlorinating drinking water fails
The national water regulator has turned down an application for Christchurch's water to be exempt from chlorine.
Lessons from Bola unheeded: 'We created a false sense of security'
New Zealand has had decades of warnings about the effects of deforestation of hillsides, draining of wetlands and building behind stopbanks, a freshwater expert says.
Not enough money, labour to complete long list of infrastructure projects
Infrastructure leaders are considering new user charges as one way to make the most of a $92 billion wish list of projects over the next five to 10 years.
Reopening of SH2: Bailey bridges, boulders, dented rails and mist
The devastated stretch of SH2 between Napier and Wairoa has reopened, and reporter Kate Green drove the highway to get an early glimpse of how it lies now.
SH2 reopens between Wairoa and Napier
Three months since the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle, a vital lifeline has been reopened in Hawkes Bay, with traffic resuming on State Highway 2 this week between Wairoa and Napier Wairoa… Audio
Water woes: A small town faces the ultimate test in its supply choices
Analysis - Wairoa is years behind on some high-priority water supply projects, but the jobs it did put first paid off when Cyclone Gabrielle hit.
Government announces $1 billion in spending to help with flood, cyclone recovery
A nearly-billion dollar flood and cyclone recovery package will go towards road, rail and school repairs, flood protection, and mental health support.