Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is looking across the Tasman for inspiration as New Zealand faces mounting challenges in its infrastructure sector.
With a growing infrastructure deficit and projects often caught in political crossfire, Luxon, on his visit to Australia this week, signaled his desire to adopt a more stable and bipartisan approach to building the nation's future.
His first stop was Sydney, where he toured the city's almost NZD$27 billion Metro Line, a project he said showcased the kind of large-scale infrastructure that New Zealand needed.
"I think all New Zealanders back at home understand we've got an infrastructure deficit," he said.
"The reason why we're here today is actually spending time with the current premier and his team, and the former premier, to think about how New South Wales has developed big infrastructure projects."
1News Australia correspondent Aziz Al Sa’afin has been with Christopher Luxon on his quick trip across the Tasman, including for his foreign policy speech at the Lowy Institute. (Source: Breakfast)
The Prime Minister said he has long admired New South Wales for its approach.
"I look at NSW because they have done some good things with infrastructure development, as has Victoria," he said.
In a recent interview with Q+A Sean Sweeney, the outgoing CEO of City Rail Link, said political bickering over infrastructure is one factor costing the country dearly in sky-high build costs.
Sweeney criticised the "expensive" impact of politicians opting to frequently alter infrastructure priorities.
It follows the Government's decision to axe Auckland's light rail project amid fresh plans to build over a dozen new motorways and highways across the country. The former Labour-led government also re-prioritised transport projects after taking office in 2018.
"There's a view that they have the right to do that—they're elected on a mandate. I understand that view. What I don't think politicians or the public understand is just how expensive it's making building in New Zealand," Sweeney remarked.
Luxon said getting bipartisan support would provide certainty for those involved in projects.
"I think the challenge in New Zealand is you get a change of political cycle, and you get on-off, on-off, on-off, and nothing happens," Luxon said.
"We want to be able to put those mechanisms in place so that we can have bipartisan support so that irrespective of which colour of government is in, the projects still carry on as they should," he said.
For Luxon, his third Australia visit is more than just about infrastructure. He says it is also about forging stronger ties with our "strongest ally".
Today, he will be in Canberra for his annual leaders' meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Luxon gives major foreign policy speech
During his visit to Australia, Luxon delivered an address at the Lowy Institute in Sydney — his first major foreign policy speech given to an Australian audience.
He outlined his vision for Aotearoa and highlighted he wants it to become "one of the most successful small, advanced economies by 2040".
His speech touched on three main areas: global changes that are pressuring New Zealand and Australia's shared interests, New Zealand's foreign policy reset and what that means for the Pacific, and the strengthening of the enduring partnership with our trans-Tasman partner.
"Our strategic outlook is deteriorating more rapidly than at any time in our lifetimes," he said.
In a reference to the challenges posed by global conflicts, Luxon said: "We see states willing to abandon diplomacy for war as they seek to alter the status quo. Most blatantly, the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by a permanent member of the UN Security Council."
When it came to addressing New Zealand responsibility in the Indo-Pacific region, he expressed concern over the increasing militarisation and tension, particularly in areas like the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
Luxon also highlighted the security threats posed by climate change in the Pacific, where rising sea levels and extreme weather events are having a profound impact. He affirmed New Zealand's commitment to being a great partner to its Pacific neighbours, working closely with Australia to address these challenges.
He also praised the leadership of Winston Peters describing him as "the most activist and impactful of New Zealand's Foreign Ministers in a generation," and credited him with reshaping and driving an uplift in the Pacific region.
He also underscored the importance of maintaining strong relationships with key allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Five Eyes partners.
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