Northland could join the golden triangle of Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty to form a "golden diamond", says Shane Jones, the new Minister of Regional Economic Development.
Jones, who has $1 billion a year at his disposal for regional development, says Northland is one of four regions that will benefit greatly from the fund. The others are Wanganui-Manawatu, Gisborne to Opotiki and the West Coast of the South Island.
"Upgrading rail to Northland and a spur line to Northport, it is simply going to happen," said the Northland-based MP, whose New Zealand First party campaigned on the issue and on moving Ports of Auckland to Northport.
Jones will oversee a "robust" review of the Upper North Island ports of Auckland, Tauranga and Northport, with a particular focus on Northport, in his other roles as Minister of Infrastructure and Associate Transport Minister.
"This is something you do once every 100 years, taking forward a strategy to transform through infrastructure a forgotten area of New Zealand.