Roading projects a 'priority' but progress will take two-three years, Finance Minister says

The Finance Minister says the impact of the $12 billion investment into infrastructure will take time to be felt but is a priority for the Government.

Grant Robertson yesterday announced an $8 billion investment into new infrastructure projects including roads, rail and schools and making state owned buildings become low carbon.

Another $4 billion will go towards the Government’s multi-year capital allowance.

Mr Robertson did not release specific details of the projects, waiting instead until early next year. But roading made up the bulk of the spend, with $6.8 billion going to transport, mainly roads and heavy rail.

Questions have already been asked about how many of the projects are "shovel-ready,’ but the minister did not elaborate, telling TVNZ1’s Breakfast that roading is a priority but will take time.

“There’s a mixture in the package that we’ve put together of things that we can get to straight away and things that will take a little longer.

“Obviously with things like roading projects you do need to get consent, you need to make sure that the site works are done and then you can get on with the building,” he says.

He says the big impacts will come out over the next two-three years due to the fact that roading projects “take time”.

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“A big part of this is about certainty, it is about making sure that we’ve that pipeline of projects for people to see.”

He said the full details of the projects will be released early in the new year.