Last Thursday, Engineering New Zealand and Stuff did voters a real service by hosting New Zealand’s Big Infrastructure Debate. Cross-party spokespeople, one room, the choices laid out. Infrastructure underpins our standard of living, and voters deserve to hear those choices argued properly.

One line stood out. New Zealand First’s Shane Jones told the room he doesn’t “see ever another four-lane highway being built in New Zealand in my lifetime” - not because Northlanders don’t want one, but because politicians will struggle to justify the cost.

It’s election season, so we expect the odd comment to fly out of a politician’s mouth without much thinking behind it. Odd, though, in a week when the Government is progressing four lanes between Warkworth and Te Hana. There is a lot at stake. Freight is a $59 billion sector, and 93% of goods go by road. It deserves serious discussion, not throwaway lines.

Plenty of good points were made that night. Yes, we must invest in what we can afford. Yes, we must stop gold-plating our infrastructure. All sensible stuff. But declaring the end of four-lane roads is silliness, and it raises questions that deserve answers. What does it say about our expectations for population growth? For productivity? For our aspiration to live in a well-off, first world democracy?

Most importantly, what is the evidence base telling us we will never need a four-lane road again?

The unfortunate truth is that New Zealand doesn’t have one. We have no reliable way of choosing the transport infrastructure that delivers more for less.

That is why National Road Carriers is calling this election for a Minister of Supply Chain. We don’t need a Minister of Rail. We need a minister accountable for supply chain productivity and growth, and a Freight Advisory Council mandated to give that minister the expertise, insights and data needed to make good decisions.

That way, transport infrastructure decisions get made on fact, not fluff.

A footnote. It was pleasing to see Transport Minister Chris Bishop respectfully disagree at this week’s Civil Contractors NZ Conference: “I think we can and should build more four lane highways… We just need to find a way to do it in a more cost-effective way.” He challenged the room to help him.

National Road Carriers is more than happy to.

We'll shortly be sharing our 6 election calls so watch this space. If you missed the debate hosted by Engineering NZ head to the Stuff website to watch.

Justin