Adam Pearse: NZ Herald political reporter on the three bidders confirmed for the new Northland Expressway

Three groups of construction and infrastructure companies will be bidding to build the next section of the new Northland Expressway after the shortlist was unveiled.

Minister Chris Bishop today revealed the three consortia, selected by the NZ Transport Agency, would move on to the next step in the bidding process to build a 26-kilometre, four-lane expressway from Warkworth.

NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says the three groups will put through proposals for the new stretch of road.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Do you know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Now?

Speaker 2 (00:13):
As New Zealand Herold Deputy Political Editor Adam Pierce, Good morning.

Speaker 3 (00:16):
Adam, good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey, we got some movement on the Northland Expressway.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Yeah, we certainly do. We've got a shortlist confirmed by
NZTA to build the next section of the new expressway
going north. So these have basically groups of companies from
infrastructure construction from here and abroad who are putting up
their hand and saying they want to buy into this
PPP public private partnership that the government is looking to engage.

(00:46):
So we've got Northway, Go North and Together North. Those
are the three groups and they feature companies who are
some pretty heavy hitters and some of them have been
involved in projects here and the passing transmission gully, even
the Tongedito hydro scheme. So now they'll put through proposals,
talking about the final and seeing the design, construction management,

(01:09):
and then they'll go through a preferred bit. It will
be picked about early next year. By the middle of
the next year you'll get contract signed, negotiations will conclude
and then hopefully fingers crossed by the by the end
of the year will get construction started.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Okay, so twenty end of twenty twenty six construction starts.
And is there any indication of how the timeline develops
from there when it will be complete?

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, this is this is always a big question, and
we've had Transportmaster Chris Bishop even today acknowledge that there
are some pretty ambitious deadlines involved in this project, you know,
I mean, and you look at the context of this.
You know, the government's calling this quite a win for
its investment summit that it held in March. You know,
a lot of these a lot of these companies and

(01:53):
more were involved here and it was all about bringing
in overseas capital to be able to get infrastructure moving.
And I think it will come as no surprise to
anyone that things happen move pretty slowly in new On,
particularly with roading. You know, I mentioned transmission gully there.
You know, people of Wellington will know exactly how long
these things can take. So the question will be whether

(02:16):
they can actually meet these these targets, these deadlines. One
of the companies involved, we Build, you know, specifically talked
about its experience in New Zealand and how deadlines were
always met. So I'm not quite sure whether most New
Zealanders would agree with that. But again, you know, especially
when we're looking at the politics of it, national running

(02:37):
on getting things done, getting things back on track. So
if they're seen as not being able to hit these deadlines,
it's not going to go down well for them.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, it's good to see things are moving, but this
is going to be New Zealand's most expensive infrastructure project today,
is that right?

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yes, it's estimated to be by the Infrastructure Commission, So
it's a big it's a big investment. I think, you know,
anyone who's driven north knows that that road isn't desperate
need of an upgrade. You you need to walk down
the walk down the streets of any Northland settlement and
they'll tell you just how bad it is. The further
north you go, the worse it gets. But I think,

(03:13):
particularly as Auckland grows, particularly as people are living further
north and through the south of obviously that main hub,
the roads will have to get better, the transport links
have to get better. I think the government will be
given a bit of latitude on this. But as I say,
it's all about whether they can hit those deadlines.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Adam, thank you so much for talking us through that,
really appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
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