Public infrastructure stories
Recycled traffic sheep and a former mall hut are giving special needs children more to explore at Christchurch’s sensory playground, without landfill waste.
WorkSafe says six workers escaped serious injury after a Panmure Bridge scaffold collapse exposed failures in safety oversight.
Demand for crash-rated barriers and bollards is rising as facility managers in New Zealand seek stronger protection against hostile vehicle attacks.
Contractors say New Zealand’s ageing water networks need faster decisions, after ministers deferred reforms and left regulation unresolved until late 2019.
Pressure is mounting for councils to focus on community wellbeing as water reform exposes funding and delivery gaps in local services.
Road freight operators say the new works will ease bottlenecks, but they want four-lane routes to match future traffic growth.
Craigieburn motorists could soon drive on a 300-metre test road made from 200,000 plastic bags and 63,000 glass bottles.
The trip will examine road pricing and value capture as New Zealand seeks faster, more integrated infrastructure planning from Asia's benchmarks.
Poor procurement could leave New Zealand’s record infrastructure pipeline facing higher maintenance bills and weaker project outcomes.
A 5% lift in project selection and delivery could add GBP £5 billion to New Zealand’s planned infrastructure spend over the next decade.
Record transport spending will not ease congestion or housing shortages fast enough, according to Infrastructure New Zealand, which says funding still lags Australia.
Councils say delayed decisions on adaptation funding and relocation could leave communities exposed to climate risks across New Zealand.
Corrosion control is emerging as a costly priority for utilities, as Brisbane hosts training on extending pipeline life and cutting maintenance spend.
Road spending is set to top AUD $20 billion this financial year, but rail projects may crowd it out after 2018 as costs rise.
Councils may struggle to meet tougher freshwater and drinking-water standards without clearer funding, LGNZ warns in a new review.
Australia’s public works boom is nearing its peak, with activity forecast to fall next year as LNG projects finish and government spending eases.
Residents will get softer, less intrusive lighting as the NZD $7.2 million upgrade cuts glare, boosts safety and saves power.
Specialised procurement is being urged to keep NZD $42 billion in capital spending on schedule, as costs could rise if projects are poorly sequenced.
The UK Government will invest $42bn in net capital spending over the next five years to support public services and infrastructure development.
Urban water and sewer repairs can now be done with less digging and lower disruption as Australian-made epoxy relining gains ground across Asia-Pacific.
