- By Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister and MP for Botany
Thousands of jobs will be created as a result of billions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure projects getting under way this year.
Last weekend, our Government released a list of infrastructure projects getting under way between now and Christmas.
This includes $6 billion worth of projects, including new roads, hospitals, schools and courts.
Not only will these projects, when completed, make all Kiwis better off, this investment will support those in and around the construction sector by creating thousands of jobs across the country.
Economic growth is great for everyday New Zealanders.
More and higher paying jobs help keep local businesses open and allow Government to invest in the things Kiwis care about – making everyone better off.
National-led infrastructure projects have already contributed to this – think Waikato and Kapiti expressways which have reduced travel times across the Lower and Central North Island.
Now, projects like Otaki to North of Levin, roading upgrades in Drury, and the Brougham Street upgrades in Christchurch will continue the work of the last National Government.
It’s not just roading. A new mental health unit in the Hutt Valley, health technology upgrades in Auckland, and a new sterile services unit in Dunedin will help ensure all Kiwis get the timely and quality healthcare they deserve.
Some $800 million worth of school property projects will also get under way between now and the end of the year.
This is just the start. The National Infrastructure Pipeline now shows planned future projects totalling $207 billion across central government, local government and the private sector.
This will lead to the kind of sustained economic growth that reduces the cost of living for all Kiwis.
Many Kiwis are still doing it tough. However, there’s hope on the horizon.
Inflation is low, interest rates are falling, exports are growing, and a pipeline of significant infrastructure projects are kicking off.
Those are things that make Kiwis’ lives better.
