New Govt freight and supply chain strategy ‘pragmatic’: Freight sector

Collaboration between Government and freight sector key to supply chain solutions says Transport Minister. Photo / Getty Images

A more “collaborative approach will be taken” between Government and the freight sector to fix supply chain system issues because no single entity can do the needed improvements, said Transport Minister David Parker, releasing the Government’s national freight and supply chain strategy.

The strategy sets out goals and focus areas for the next three, 10 and 30 years.

The 60-page document says across all goal areas the Ministry of Transport would work with the sector to find ways of partnering to achieve strategic direction and specific initiatives. It says the Government would “launch a second set of actions in 2024″ which would be a more substantive work programme developed with the sector.

By 2035, the ministry expects 20 per cent more freight to be moved around New Zealand but the country also needs to reduce its emissions by 35 per cent.

Four high-priority areas are nominated in the three-year horizon - ports and the connections to their communities; road freight decarbonisation; data sharing and inter-operability; international engagement.

The document does not specifically discuss the future of the Ports of Auckland.

Under the initial set of actions regarding ports it proposes developing “spatial analysis” of port connections to support future regulatory and investment decision-making and undertaking analysis of “alternative port models and strategic freight vulnerabilities”.

Parker said the strategy was the “first-ever” national freight and supply chain strategy. However, there have been more than 20 reports in the past on involving the freight sector, freight movement and ports.

In a statement, Parker said the strategy was backed by key industry figures.

It quotes Ports of Auckland chief executive Roger Gray saying he “fully supports” the direction of the policy and the focus areas.

However, there’s no mention in the statement of what the country’s biggest port and main export gateway, the Port of Tauranga, thinks of the strategy.

The listed port company has been approached for comment.

The National Road Carriers Association (NRC) and New Zealand Trucking Association (NTA) in a statement said the strategy was “a pragmatic document and where we need to go”.

NRC general manager policy and advocacy James Smith said: “The freight and supply chain strategy has been lacking the aspirational targets this document brings and the time horizons ... are helpful.”

NTA chief executive David Boyce said the strategy recognised the importance of the sector’s contribution to New Zealand’s economic wellbeing.

Andrea Fox joined the Herald as a senior business journalist in 2018 and specialises in writing about the dairy industry, agribusiness, exporting and the logistics sector and supply chains.