Budget 2024: Northland wish-list includes four-lane highway, more social housing

Business Tai Tokerau chief executive Darryn Fisher says the Government needs to take bold and swift action to restore business confidence, while Dr Clair Mills from Child Poverty Action Group says Northland youngsters worry where their next meal is coming from. Photo / supplied / Michael Cunningham

A four-lane highway to Auckland and prioritising social housing are some of the key things Northland leaders are hoping the Government will deliver.

The coalition Government will announce its first Budget on Thursday, outlining central government spending for the next 12 months.

The Budget comes as Northland business confidence is extremely low, according to Darryn Fisher, chief executive of Business Tai Tokerau, formerly NorthChamber.

He has been meeting major businesses in the region and found the private sector is ready to invest at least $2 billion in the short-term, as long as government policies and decisions support their efforts.

“The Northland region has a vast potential but confidence is extremely low. For this potential to be fully realised, it is imperative the Government takes decisive action.”

The first thing the Government needs to do is commit to a four-lane highway from Warkworth to Whangārei, to improve transportation efficiency and support economic activity in the region, Fisher said.

A report commissioned by the Northland Corporate Group found a four-lane Northland Expressway would have huge economic benefits, not just for Northland but also for New Zealand’s GDP.

But Fisher said as well as making commitments in the Budget, the Government needs to make clear, concise, and swift decisions to give business certainty.

He wants the Government to:

• Accelerate the release of fast-track consents so critical projects - such as the Northport expansion - can start.
• Provide clear guidelines and policies on the Emissions Trading Scheme, to ensure businesses can plan and invest with confidence.
• Finalise and conclude the fuel security inquiry, which could encourage Channel Infrastructure to invest.
• Approve key projects under the Regional Infrastructure Fund. The criteria for the fund is set to be announced after the Budget.
• Review and plan for Te Pūkenga, New Zealand’s largest tertiary education provider, to ensure it effectively meets the skills and training needs of the region.

Fisher said the Government has talked enough about what it will do, now it needs to deliver.

“The political cycles are way too short to wait until just before the next election - they’ve only got three years to get on with it.”

Youth just want healthy food and a warm house

Good kai - such as a continuation of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches Programme - is what matters most to Whangārei students. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The plight of Northland’s low-income whānau is of greatest concern for Dr Clair Mills, a public health medicine specialist and member of Child Poverty Action Group Whangārei.

The group interviewed students from Tikipunga and Whangārei Girls’ high schools about their futures and what they thought the Government should invest in with the Budget.

The students were concerned about the cost of living and the financial stress their families are under, with access to “good kai” being their chief concern, Mills said.

“Some of them are working after school to support their [families]. They’re worried about having healthy food, worried about housing, the lack of housing security, plus things like vaping, mental health, and education.”

Mills said the Government needs to make social investments to improve the mental health of youth, such as increasing social housing.

“A couple of them, despite being only 17, were saying, ‘we want our kids to have a better life than we’ve had’,” she said.

“One of our major concerns is around affordable housing as having a warm, safe home can really transform the life of the whānau - it gives them security ... Having a warm home is also really important for health, as we know children living in mouldy homes are more likely to stay in hospital.”

Mills is concerned families with the lowest incomes are unlikely to get any relief from tax cuts in the Budget.

“We have real concerns about low-income whānau and many whānau in Northland with children are on the low side.”

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.