As someone who spends their working life calling for good policy, on the rare occasions it comes along, it’s something to cheer about.

NRC doesn’t back political parties – we back roads being built properly and efficient freight movement. However, when a party policy looks like it will achieve that, it’s worth recognising.

Last week Act announced its transport policy – and it is good, sensible policy worth cheering about.

Called “Keep New Zealand Moving” it sets out six reforms aimed to get more transport infrastructure built from every dollar. If you haven’t read it already, take five minutes to do so.

Elections should be about voting for the parties with the best policies, not personalities, so staying informed is the best thing you can do to make your vote count.

The first reform is my favourite. Act would require “major projects to publish the lowest-cost safe option alongside the preferred option, including the cost, delivery time and benefit-cost ratio of each. Where excessive design assumptions materially increase cost, the additional cost and benefit must also be disclosed.”

This is not just good policy – it is essential. In a world where Fuel Excise Duty and Road User Charges will not be going up until 2028, we continue to live beyond our means with roading infrastructure.

Before we reach for the revenue tap, we need to get much better at spending the money we have wisely and holding those in charge of the purse strings accountable.

Talking to our members up and down the country, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to how much is being wasted. Transport operators driving our roads every day see a lot.. They see excessive traffic management for straight-forward projects. Many believe road builds are too often over-engineered and that we spend too much on landscaping and underused cycleways.

They have a point.

Infrastructure budgets must be spent on infrastructure. That doesn’t mean ruling out beautification or cultural elements, but it does mean reporting on exactly how much per project is being spent on top of the pavement build. We have a lack of transparency and visible oversight when it comes to projects that cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

In a democracy, we have the power to change things.

Justin