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Would this be our most expensive road?

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CONTENTS NORTHLAND: 3 | 2026 | REF CODE #V26N1

Northland home consents climb 891 new homes in a year, up 23%, with multiunits leading

10 Russell Road

reopens after Helena Bay slip 84,000m³ cleared and both lanes back a week early

26 Would this be our

most expensive road? Warkworth to Te Hana, at an estimated $3.5 billion to $4 billion upgrade continues New fuel tanks by November, then a replacement terminal next year

12 Manufacturing

40 Farmers prepare for

16 Kaitāia’s Northland

44 Golden Bay Cement

Apprentice of the Year Devin Gibson of Culham Engineering takes the national title Mill closes About 60 jobs go after the sale process finds no buyer

34 Kaitāia Airport

El Niño summer Westpac says a severe drought could cut a point off GDP growth

stays open A $60m Crown deal keeps the Portland kiln firing until at least 2040

Welcome... Things are moving up top. Northland consented 891 new homes in the year to August, up 23% and a touch ahead of the country, with the Far North climbing fastest. Golden Bay Cement’s Portland works will keep its kiln firing until at least 2040 under a Government deal worth up to $60 million, and that plant supplies close to 60% of the country’s cement. Not all the news is good, though. Juken’s Kaitāia mill has closed, and about 60 jobs went with it.

Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year, ask whether Warkworth to Te Hana will be our most expensive road, and explain why no Northland building is quakeprone any more. Plus, Russell Road’s reopening, brass thieves and getting ready for a dry El Niño summer. Enjoy, THE TEAM AT

We also meet Waipū’s Devin Gibson, the country’s

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Log truck veteran named Northland’s top forestry professional

Northland home consents climb Northland’s three councils consented 891 new homes in the year ended August 2026, up 23% on the year before, according to Stats NZ figures released on 1 October. That’s a touch faster than the national rise of 21%, which took the country to 41,268 new homes. Multi-unit homes drove most of the gain. The region consented 288 of them, a category covering townhouses, flats, apartments and retirement village units, up 77% from 163. Stand-alone houses rose 7% to 603. Whangārei district led with 459 new homes, up 18%. The Far North rose 37% to 307, and Kaipara 9% to 125. August on its own was strong. Northland consented 110 new homes in the month, nearly double the 57 in August 2025, and 66 of them were multiunit homes. Whangārei district alone accounted for 65.

The lift is coming off a low base. Northland’s annual count bottomed out at 727 last year and is still 42% below the 1,549 consented in the year to August 2022. The region now consents 4.4 new homes per 1,000 residents, against 7.7 nationally. Building activity across the country is levelling out rather than taking off. Rider Levett Bucknall’s crane index, released on 23 September, counted 106 long-term cranes across seven major centres, up from 102. Auckland still holds 58 of them, and none of the seven is in Northland. RLB director Bradley Coley called the result “tentative stabilisation rather than a broad-based recovery”. Bradley expects the recovery “to remain uneven across regions and sectors”, with interest rates still an important factor. Stats NZ’s September figures will show whether Northland’s August jump holds.

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A 30-year veteran of the log truck cab has taken out the top prize at the 2026 Northland Forestry Awards, held at McKay Stadium in Whangārei. Kevin “K.J.” Murray was named Northland Wood Council Skilled Professional of the Year, the awards’ supreme honour. He also picked up the Pacific Motor Group Distribution & Log Truck Driver Excellence Award for his work behind the wheel. The Northland Wood Council runs the biennial awards to recognise skill and professionalism across the region’s forestry supply chain. They were first held in 2016. This year’s event drew close to 500 people from across that chain, with harvesting, processing, transport, ports, logistics and environmental management crews all

represented on the night. Sixteen categories were contested in total. Ryan Watts (Northpine Ltd) took Competenz Trainee of the Year, while Mosese Radravu (Far North Forestry) won the Rosvall Sawmill Forestry Excellence Award. Walter “Cabby” Johnson (FNR Group Ltd) claimed the Forestry Co Roading Excellence Award, and Shane Costain (Mold Logging Ltd) won the Fortuna Harvesting Excellence Award. Other winners included Waipapa Pine, recognised for outstanding health and safety management, and Tokerau Logging Ltd, which took the environmental management award. Mold Logging Ltd had a second winner in Leevon (Libby) Popata, who took the INGKA Investments Women in Forestry Excellence Award. The Rosewarne family were named Forestry Family of the Year.

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Buyer found for $300 million Seascape tower A preferred buyer has been chosen for Auckland’s unfinished 56-storey Seascape tower on Customs Street East, one of the city’s most prominent stalled developments. Bayleys has confirmed an exclusivity agreement is in place, but the sale is still subject to due diligence before it becomes unconditional. Bayleys chairman and managing director Mike Bayley said the buyer was “highly capable and exceptionally well resourced from a financial and technical perspective.” He declined to name them, saying certainty was still a couple of months away. Work on the tower stopped in August 2024 after a dispute between developer Shundi Customs and contractor China Construction NZ. A tribunal ruled Shundi owed the builder

about $33 million, which went unpaid. Shundi Customs went into receivership in March 2026, and the receivers appointed Bayleys and its international partner Knight Frank to run a global sales campaign. About 50 local and overseas parties registered interest. The field narrowed to ten by August, and final bids closed on 28 August. At 187 metres, Seascape was set to become New Zealand’s tallest residential tower. That title is now expected to pass to the planned Downtown Carpark redevelopment, which has fast-track approval. The project launched in 2017 with 221 apartments and was due for completion in 2021. The structural frame was topped out in 2024, leaving the facade and interior fit-out to finish. The new owner is expected to complete the building rather than demolish it, and reports suggest it could become a hotel instead of apartments.

Russell Road reopens after Helena Bay slip Russell Road at Helena Bay Hill reopened to two-way traffic at 3pm on Friday 2 October, more than eight months after a major slip buried the route. Whangārei District Council had expected to reopen it in the week ending 9 October, but good progress and favourable conditions let crews finish early. The slip came down overnight on 21 January and cut the main access for about 800 homes on Whangārei’s northeast coast. Fulton Hogan and its subcontractors ran a two-phase clearance and rebuild. Phase one, finished in July, cleared enough material to assess the slip from road level. Phase two reinstated both lanes, with heavy machinery working through winter. By late September, crews had cleared more than 84,000m³ of material. They installed 11 permanent horizontal subsoil drains at the top of the slip,

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and engineers abseiled the slope to lay a 400mm Euroflo pipe that carries water from the upper slip to the culvert under the road. Hydroseeding across the slip and fill sites is helping stabilise the embankments. The road has reopened with speed restrictions, and it may not stay open in every weather. Permanent monitoring at the top of the slip watches for ground movement and gives early warning, so the council can close the road before conditions become unsafe. Heavy rain could also force a closure. The council may return to remove the last of the earth from the top of the slip once the ground has dried, though it doesn’t expect that to close the road. The final cost is still to be confirmed.

Whangārei District Council had expected to reopen it in the week ending 9 October, but good progress and favourable conditions let crews finish early.

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From finding his feet to Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year When Culham Engineering apprentice Devin Gibson was named New Zealand Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year, it was recognition of the work that happens long before awards are handed out. Presented by Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing, Hon. Cameron Brewer, at the 2026 New Zealand Manufacturing Awards, the national award recognises apprentices who demonstrate technical excellence, leadership potential, professionalism and commitment to their trade. For the Waipū-based apprentice, who is completing his NZ Certificate in Engineering Fabrication (Trade) (Level 4) with Northland heavy engineering company Culham Engineering, the achievement marks the culmination of a journey that highlights the impact of great mentoring, workplace support and a commitment to continuous improvement. The award carries significance beyond individual achievement. Manufacturing remains one of New Zealand’s largest export sectors and relies on a steady pipeline of skilled tradespeople to support major infrastructure, energy and industrial projects across the country.

“The light bulb went on. He went from being a typical young apprentice finding his way to someone who really wanted to learn and improve.” Today, Devin enjoys tackling some of the workshop’s most technically demanding jobs, including fabricating complex square-to-round transitions from 25mm steel plate with a 2mm tolerance - an advanced fabrication skill requiring millimetre-perfect accuracy. “Anything that’s complicated or challenging is what I enjoy most. I like the jobs where you’ve got to think your way Culham Engineering apprentice Devin Gibson 2026 Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year through it and get it right first time,” says the apprentice. Culham Engineering has built a remarkable reputation for developing talent from within. Since opening its doors in 1958, the company has trained more than 800 apprentices, many of whom have gone on to become industry leaders, supervisors and senior tradespeople. Like many young people transitioning from school into the workforce, Devin’s first year involved more than simply learning a trade. “I left school in Year 12 and started here when I was 17,” he says. “You’re figuring out work, figuring out life and I had gone flatting as well. I wasn’t fully focused at the start. I’d be surprised if many people come straight out of school and immediately have everything sorted.”

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Culham Engineering Work-Based Assessor Gary Stables says that experience is common. “A lot of apprentices aren’t fully work-ready in that first year or year-and-a-half. They’re transitioning into the adult world, learning responsibility and how workplaces operate. That’s why support is so important.” The turning point came during a major vessel installation project in Tauranga.

That appetite for challenge is matched by a disciplined approach to learning. Rather than taking study home after a long day on the tools, Devin spends an hour each day after work completing his apprenticeship coursework. “If I leave it until later, life gets in the way,” he says. “I’d rather get it done while I’m still in work mode.” Gary says that consistency is what makes Devin stand out.

“We went down and saw it being installed and suddenly you could see the impact of what we’d been building,” says Devin. “It made you realise this work actually matters and made me want to take on more responsibility.”

“Being an apprentice takes commitment. You’ve got to turn up on time, do the bookwork and keep showing up every day. Devin’s become a role model for the younger apprentices because he understands that.”

Gary noticed the change immediately.

It’s not just Devin’s work ethic that impresses.

“He’s a nice fella, he’s motivated, he’s got initiative and people enjoy working with him,” says Gary. “At the end of the day, employers want people they can rely on. If I give Devin a job, I know he’ll give it his best shot every time.” Support from Competenz has also been an important part of Devin’s apprenticeship journey. “James is always there if you need help,” says Devin. “He’ll send through resources and make sure you’re staying on track.” Gary says Competenz Training Advisor James McRae plays an important role in keeping apprentices progressing. “James has a great way of connecting with apprentices. He keeps them accountable,

keeps them progressing and reassures them they’re on the right track.” For James, Devin’s turnaround has been remarkable. “He was initially a long way behind but then made up his mind to get going, completing close to 100 credits in his final year, which was an outstanding achievement. “Devin’s skillset and maturity also stood out, earning the respect of his peers for the quality of work he produced. “Culham Engineering’s apprenticeship programme is second to none. The equipment, technology and range of work gives apprentices a unique set of skills, while Gary has created a fantastic learning culture with dedicated study facilities and after-work study

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groups that genuinely help apprentices succeed.” For Culham Engineering, investing in apprentices is about much more than filling vacancies. The company currently supports 27 apprentices and sees training as essential to maintaining the skilled workforce needed to deliver complex infrastructure projects across New Zealand. “We need people with the right skills who can mobilise quickly,” says Gary. “When the global fuel crisis hit this year, we were asked to help with the Marsden Point fuel infrastructure project. Being in a position to respond almost overnight because we’d invested in building that capability was reassuring.”

Gary says apprenticeship training is also central to Culham Engineering’s commitment to the Northland community. “A lot of former apprentices have gone on to leadership positions here and throughout the industry. That’s something we’re incredibly proud of.” For Devin, the award is an important milestone – but not the destination. “I’d like to move into project management eventually,” he says. “I’d love to be involved in a major fabrication project, something like a skyscraper, and be the person coordinating how it all comes together.” Few would bet against him.

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Kaitāia’s Northland Mill closes Juken New Zealand’s Northland Mill in Kaitāia has shut for good, ending about 60 jobs after a search for a buyer came up empty.

Juken is also looking at selling the Northland Mill land and its remaining assets. Attention now turns to Triboard, which employs about 140 people making engineered wood panels for construction. Juken says it’s still pursuing a sale, and no buyer has been named. Auckland mayor Wayne Brown, a former Far North mayor, backed one of the consortia bidding for it in a private capacity.

The veneer mill closed on 7 August, two weeks ahead of the planned 21 August date. Most staff had finished before then. Juken said final pay would include all entitlements through to 21 August. Juken put the Northland Mill and its neighbouring Triboard plant up for sale on 27 March, citing falling demand in key export markets and rising operating costs. PwC ran the process, which closed on 22 May without a buyer being identified. It did turn up options. In a joint release on 13 July, Northland Regional Council, Far North District Council and the regional development agency Northland NZ said an experienced operator had expressed interest in the

Juken put the Northland Mill and its neighbouring Triboard plant up for sale on 27 March, citing falling demand in key export markets and rising operating costs. PwC ran the process, which closed on 22 May without a buyer being identified.

Northland Mill site, with plans to upgrade its equipment and modernise the operation. A second operation would have turned waste and low-grade wood into woody biomass fuel. Triboard drew an expression of interest from a party wanting to keep it running. “That model would require investment by the government,” Northland Regional Council chair Pita Tipene said of the rescue proposal. The Government did not provide the requested investment, and Juken confirmed the closure in mid-July. “We explored a range of options, including a sale process and other potential business arrangements. Despite those efforts, we were unable to identify a viable pathway forward,” JNL director Yasufumi Tsuchiya said. Juken New Zealand’s accounts record a $39.7

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million loss for the year to 31 March. Workers First Union organiser Marcus Coverdale said workers were left with “a feeling of abandonment and disbelief that a solution could not be found to save the mill.” The union counts it as the seventh wood-processing closure of the current government’s term. Marcus has also pointed to what Kaitāia loses in processing. With the two mills side by side, Triboard used the top of the logs and the Northland Mill the middle, for veneers and mulch. “Without a buyer found for the Northland Mill, we’ll be taking the top of the log for tri-board and sending the other raw two-thirds overseas without any value added,” he said in June. Juken’s own figures show 28 staff have stayed with the

company, 19 at Triboard and nine in modified roles. Six more stayed on temporarily for site maintenance, and Juken expects three of them to move into permanent jobs. Juken is also looking at selling the Northland Mill land and its remaining assets. Attention now turns to Triboard, which employs about 140 people making engineered wood panels for construction. Juken says it’s still pursuing a sale, and no buyer has been named. Auckland mayor Wayne Brown, a former Far North mayor, backed one of the consortia bidding for it in a private capacity. Together, the two mills made up Kaitāia’s second-largest employer after the district hospital, in a town of about 6,000 people.

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Touchscreens distract Kiwi drivers More than nine in ten New Zealand drivers with a touchscreen in their vehicle say it has distracted them while driving. Fleet safety company AutoSense polled 476 New Zealanders, 367 of whom had a vehicle with a touchscreen. Of those, 93% said they’d been distracted by it. Almost one in four (22.9%) said it happened frequently, and close to half (48.5%) said occasionally. Asked which controls were easiest to use while driving, 49% of respondents chose physical knobs and buttons. Only 6% picked touchscreens, and one in five preferred a mix of both. Almost 61% named at least one screen, device or interface that commonly pulls their attention from the road, from navigation to work alerts and hands-free calls. AutoSense chief executive Charles Dawson says screens put more functions at a driver’s fingertips but can demand more of their eyes. “A knob or button gives you tactile feedback. Once you know where it is, you can often make an adjustment without taking your eyes off the road,” he says. “With a touchscreen, you may need to find the right menu, see where your finger is landing and check the vehicle has responded. None of those glances may feel particularly dangerous on its own, but they add up.” Vehicle safety ratings are starting to reflect this. Euro

With a touchscreen, you may need to find the right menu, see where your finger is landing and check the vehicle has responded. None of those glances may feel particularly dangerous on its own, but they add up.

NCAP’s 2026 protocols assess the placement, clarity and ease of use of essential controls, including whether physical buttons are provided for commonly used functions. Charles says commercial drivers face the same problem, often juggling navigation, dispatch systems, work tablets and job alerts. “Distraction doesn’t always look like somebody scrolling on their phone. It can be repeated, very short glances between the road and a screen, navigation prompt or work alert,” he says.

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That pattern is known as attention sharing, and it’s hard to spot. AutoSense says its Guardian Generation 3 system, developed by Seeing Machines, uses camera-based gaze tracking to work out where a driver is looking. It sounds an in-cab alert when a driver looks away from the road for a total of 10 seconds within a rolling 30-second window. If their gaze returns to the road for more than two seconds, the timer resets. Employers can review the recorded events. AutoSense says the data is also showing fleets where their own

processes add to the problem. Some New Zealand operators have changed when and how they send dispatch messages and new job notifications after the data showed these were repeatedly drawing drivers’ eyes from the road. “It isn’t always a case of blaming the driver. If the way work is being delivered is repeatedly pulling a driver’s eyes from the road, the operator has an opportunity and a responsibility to redesign that process,” Charles says. “Technology can improve safety, but only when it is designed around how people actually drive. Whether it’s the controls built into a car or the systems an employer asks a driver to use, keeping eyes on the road has to come first.”

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Builders back their own books New Zealand builders are more confident about their own order books than they were a year ago, but less confident about the industry around them.

Kennards found cost-of-living pressure affecting 98% of respondents, and it’s landing on the client side. Around 60% of New Zealand decision-makers say tighter customer budgets have delayed project approvals, against 48% of Australians, and 52% have seen less renovation and project work. 51% are under pressure to lift their project pricing.

The Master Builders 2026 State of the Sector survey, released at the Constructive 2026 conference in Auckland, found 68% of members reporting a strong or steady pipeline, up from 64% last year. The share calling it critically diminished has nearly halved, from 11% to 6%.

Delays and productivity problems were adding to costs for 96% of them. 67% put that down to coordination between suppliers and project managers, 61% to gaps in skilled labour and specialist knowledge, and 60% to material shortages or poor-quality materials.

“Conditions are still difficult, but our members are holding their ground,” Master Builders chief executive Ankit Sharma said. “The important point is that the work has not disappeared. Pipelines are holding up, and builders remain more confident about their own businesses than they are about the wider economy and construction market.” Sharma said many members had been through cycles like this before and knew how to manage risk, respond early and keep a business focused. Kennards Hire’s second annual New Zealand Construction Confidence Check, released in August, asked construction leaders about the industry and got a gloomier answer. It covered 617 senior business leaders and decision-makers across Australia and New Zealand, including 205 from New Zealand. 84% expect

The important point is that the work has not disappeared. Pipelines are holding up, and builders remain more confident about their own businesses than they are about the wider economy and construction market.

the sector to grow over the next five years and 79% say it’s been stable for the past 12 months, but overall confidence has fallen 9% year on year. “Confidence has not disappeared, but it is being tested,” Kennards Hire New Zealand general manager Richard White said. “There is an expected shift from cautious optimism to practical realism over the two years of the Construction Confidence Check in New Zealand,

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especially in the wake of issues like the global fuel crisis and an upcoming General Election.”

Costs up, budgets down Rising construction costs are the most widely reported pressure for Master Builders at 93%, with 87% naming weaker consumer demand. That question allowed more than one answer, so the figures don’t total.

Asked what they’re doing about it, 40% named training and upskilling their people and 34% better project management and delivery. 32% are leasing or hiring equipment rather than buying it, 31% are moving to energy-efficient or sustainable equipment and practices, and 28% are outsourcing or subcontracting specialised work. A separate question found 54% were increasingly relying on hired equipment rather than buying it outright. 55% named economic uncertainty and its effect on investment and housing demand as a risk to the industry over the next five years, 53% low margins and financial instability, 47% planning delays and regulation, and 41% labour shortages. 59% were concerned about insolvency, business closures or employment instability

No one is pretending everything is easy. Cost pressures remain challenging, customers are more cautious, and finance and consenting can still make projects harder to get across the line. But what we are seeing is not a sector in collapse, it is a sector in transition — resilient, experienced, and adapting to a changing market. across the industry in the next 12 months. “No one is pretending everything is easy. Cost pressures remain challenging, customers are more cautious, and finance and consenting can still make projects harder to get across the line. But what we are seeing is not a sector in collapse, it is a sector in transition — resilient, experienced, and adapting to a changing market,” Sharma said. “A pipeline does not automatically become a viable project. Customers still need certainty around finance, cost and timing before they can commit.” “Leaders have moved beyond a hopeful stage to look at solutions. Specifically, how they can train and retain staff, deliver cost-effective solutions to labour and logistics, and what’s needed to future-proof their businesses,” White said. “And they’re doing it all while balancing global pressures, national cost-of-living roadblocks and the general uncertainty of an Election year.”

The homeowners who got through The homeowner half of the research covered more than 600 people who recently built a new home or completed a major residential project with a Master Builder. 91%

would recommend building to others, up from 88% last year, 75% had no significant delays and 57% finished within or under budget. “There never is the ‘perfect’ time to build. But these results show that homeowners are having good experiences, and that capable builders are ready to work with customers to turn their plans into reality,” Sharma said. That sample covers people who decided to build, chose a Master Builder and reached the end of the job. 63% of homeowners go to their builder for information, making builders the mostused source of guidance through a build. “That brings real responsibility. When something changes or a problem arises, good communication can be the difference between an issue being managed well and a customer losing confidence,” Sharma said. “Clear, regular conversations about cost, timing, changes, and expectations are fundamental to a successful build.”

Where both surveys overlap 68% of Master Builders say consenting delays have affected their projects, and among homeowners who hit significant delays, consenting was the main cause. On the Kennards side, 47% named

Ankit Sharma Chief Executive Officer - Master Builders www.masterbuilder.org.nz

planning delays and regulation as a risk. Regulation appears on the growth side of the Kennards ledger too. 37% named sustainability and ESG requirements and 36% government policy and incentives as contributors to industry growth over the next five years. Privatesector investment and housing demand led that list at 39% each, ahead of infrastructure investment at 38%. Almost all of them, 99%, said they were prioritising ESG work of some kind, from cutting emissions and improving energy efficiency to their suppliers’ ESG performance. On the workforce side, 45% pointed to a need for clearer career pathways, 43% to diversity and new workforce initiatives and 38% to investment in training and apprenticeships. “We support high standards, but achieving those standards should not require unnecessary cost, delay or inconsistency,” Sharma said. “A clearer and more proportionate consenting

Richard White General Manager - Kennards Hire NZ www.kennardshire.co.nz

The sector has weathered a difficult period, and its forward workload has held up. We now need to make it easier for viable projects to move from intention to delivery.

system would help builders deliver more efficiently, and give homeowners greater certainty about when their project will start, what it will cost, and when they can move in. “The sector has weathered a difficult period, and its forward workload has held up. We now need to make it easier for viable projects to move from intention to delivery.” “The businesses that remain resilient will be those that can adapt quickly, spend wisely, and keep projects moving despite the pressures around them,” White said.

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Hoskin: keeping Northland projects moving Northland-based Hoskin has built its reputation on the belief that successful infrastructure projects depend on strong relationships alongside technical expertise and local knowledge. The consultancy provides project management, civil engineering, environmental and asset management services across Northland. Its approach focuses on bringing together councils, funding agencies, contractors and communities throughout the life of a project. Their team brings together decades of experience across infrastructure, environmental, and planning work in Northland. They bring longstanding relationships, local knowledge, and a practical understanding of how to resolve issues before they become costly delays. That philosophy has helped the company establish a strong presence across the region’s infrastructure sector. The team has grown steadily as demand has increased, expanding to more than two dozen professionals across

project management, civil engineering, environmental and asset management. That growth reflects a steady pipeline of work across Northland’s transport and community infrastructure sector. With its entire workforce based in Northland, the company positions itself as a business committed to the region and its long-term development. Hoskin works closely with clients from the earliest planning stages through to project completion. Staff integrate with client teams to understand their systems, priorities and stakeholders, helping projects progress through planning, procurement and construction.

Hoskin focuses on communication, bringing clarity and momentum to projects and ensuring good decisions get made at the right time. In a region where infrastructure projects often involve multiple stakeholders and lengthy approval processes, Hoskin’s ability to keep everyone working towards the same outcome continues to underpin the firm’s growth. The firm’s project management services cover every stage of infrastructure delivery, including, feasibility studies and business cases, procurement and tender evaluations, programming, risk management, stakeholder engagement and management surveillance and quality assurance (MSQA). Their civil engineering team understand the terrain, the conditions, and the practical realities of delivering infrastructure in Northland.

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Because they work closely with the project management and environmental teams, design decisions can be made with the full picture, helping clients make better decisions early. Environmental services cover ecology, HAIL, planning and environmental monitoring. From the outset, they help clients understand what is needed to secure consent, manage risk and provide greater certainty through delivery. The result is a clearer path forward, fewer surprises, and environmental outcomes that are thought through from the beginning. Asset management forms another significant part of the business. The company carries out audits for roading maintenance contracts, collects and verifies infrastructure data, manages pavement testing programmes, assesses council facilities and prepares project scopes for future capital works. Clients can engage a full multidisciplinary team or draw on individual specialists depending on the scale of the project. The result is practical, resilient infrastructure that is safe, buildable, and suited to the environment it will serve.

Project management, civil engineering, environmental and planning, and asset management – by people who know this place.

Hoskin cover the full project lifecycle: project management, civil engineering, environmental and planning, and asset management. Most projects draw on more than one of these disciplines. Having them under one roof, with people who already work well together, creates the momentum to keep things moving and ensures good decisions are made at the right time. We have offices in Whangārei and Kerikeri, but our team reaches well beyond those bases, with people living and working in communities from Kaitaia to Mangawhai. Being local shapes how we make decisions, the relationships we build and the care we take with what is left behind long after a project wraps up. Project Management

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We work alongside you - fully embedded, invested in your outcomes, and accountable from feasibility through to final delivery. We know the clients, contractors, hapū and communities involved, and how to bring the right people together to keep projects moving.

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We provide practical advice that helps optimise asset performance and guide investment decisions. Backed by strong asset intelligence and hands-on delivery experience, we also undertake MSQA, quality assurance, and performance auditing.

Get in touch with the Hoskin team Kevin Hoskin Managing Director Kevin@hoskingroup.co.nz

Grace Henty General Manager Grace@hoskingroup.co.nz

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We are Found Real Estate Found is a boutique agency with a bold approach, built right here in Whangārei and led by local real estate professionals Brooke Gibson and Richard Lyon. With over 21 years of combined industry experience, we bring bold marketing, honest advice and a genuine passion for this community to every property we touch. We are not here to blend in. We are here to deliver results that speak for themselves. We believe real estate is about people first and property second. From the moment you get in touch, you will notice the difference. Polished, strategic marketing that makes your property stand out, consistent communication that keeps you informed at every stage and a supportive team that genuinely has your back from the first conversation through to settlement. Whether you are buying, selling or simply figuring out your next move, we show up with energy, care and a commitment to making the process as smooth as it should be. Whangārei deserves an agency that truly knows it and loves it. Ready to explore the Found difference? Get in touch with us today.

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Would this be our most expensive road? The first stage of the Northland Expressway is edging closer to construction, and if current estimates prove accurate, it could become the most expensive road ever built in New Zealand. The 26-kilometre Warkworth to Te Hana section is widely estimated to cost between $3.5 billion and $4 billion, surpassing the per-kilometre cost of projects such as Transmission Gully. While an updated official project cost has not yet been released, the scale of the investment has already sparked debate over whether the benefits justify the price tag. The route is the first stage of the Government’s planned Northland Expressway, a 100-kilometre strategic corridor linking Warkworth and Whangārei. The project includes four lanes, three interchanges and an 850-metre twin-bore tunnel through Dome Valley, with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi aiming to

Several factors contribute to the unusually high cost. The route traverses challenging terrain, requiring significant earthworks, major bridge structures and the twin-bore tunnel through Dome Valley. Rising construction costs, inflation and increasingly stringent environmental and engineering requirements have also pushed up the price of large infrastructure projects across New Zealand.

begin detailed design and construction by the end of 2026, subject to final contract approvals. Several factors contribute to the unusually high cost. The route traverses challenging terrain, requiring significant earthworks, major bridge structures and the twin-bore tunnel through Dome Valley. Rising construction costs, inflation and increasingly stringent environmental and engineering requirements have also pushed up the price of large infrastructure projects across New Zealand. Unlike many previous highway projects, Warkworth to Te

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Hana is also being delivered through a public-private partnership (PPP). Under this model, a private consortium finances, designs and constructs the motorway before being repaid by the Government over an agreed period. Supporters argue the approach allows major infrastructure to be delivered sooner, while critics point to the long-term repayment commitments that accompany PPP arrangements. The Government and NZ Transport Agency say the project will deliver more than simply a faster journey north. The new expressway is intended to improve freight

reliability, reduce crashes, strengthen resilience along a corridor frequently affected by weather events and support long-term economic growth across Northland. Travel times between Warkworth and Te Hana are expected to improve by up to 10 minutes while providing a safer alternative to the existing section of State Highway 1 through Dome Valley. The route also forms part of a much larger transport corridor designed to improve connections between Auckland and Northland over coming decades. Not everyone is convinced the investment represents the best use of public money. Transport commentators have questioned whether a multi-billion-dollar motorway is justified given projected traffic volumes, arguing that targeted safety upgrades, resilience improvements, rail investment or expanded public transport could deliver greater value at a lower cost. Others argue that the project’s long-term economic benefits will outweigh its substantial upfront expense.

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NZ’s $2.5 billion shoddy building bill: How to fix the ‘build now, fix later’ culture By Mark Kirby, Construction Industry Consultant, Auckland University of Technology

New Zealand’s residential construction industry contributes roughly NZ$26 billion annually to the economy and employs around 70,000 workers. Yet despite its significance and scale, the sector’s productivity levels have flatlined since the mid-1980s.

In housing construction, “productivity” isn’t a simple measure of output per worker; it refers to the industry’s ability to deliver the right quantity of high-quality homes without significant delays or flaws. If a builder spends ten hours rectifying avoidable mistakes, for instance, their productivity for the day is effectively zero. And this has become all too common within the sector. 92% of new houses surveyed had compliance defects.

In housing construction, “productivity” isn’t a simple measure of output per worker; it refers to the industry’s ability to deliver the right quantity of highquality homes without significant delays or flaws.

Subsequent analysis carried out for BRANZ by the New Zealand Institute for Economic Research estimated the annual cost of defective building to the overall economy:

If a builder spends ten hours rectifying avoidable mistakes, for instance, their productivity for the day is effectively zero. And this has become all too common within the sector.

“The results show that economy-wide effects of an increase in productivity would see New Zealand’s GDP rise by $2.5 billion, as the industry’s overall costs of production decrease.”

A 2014 study by the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) confirms

That means nearly 10% of the sector’s total value is lost to systemic quality

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failure. Based on the average construction cost of an Auckland house, that loss represents around 5,000 missing homes every year. Recognising the productivity problem, the government last year introduced major reforms aimed at speeding up consent processes and allocating financial liability for defective buildings to those responsible. But while poor productivity is often blamed on procurement methods, technology or labour, our research suggests better quality management is key to remedying the industry’s “build now, fix later” culture.

Commercial viability before quality control We surveyed the views of 106 residential construction professionals, including general managers, construction managers, site managers, project managers and subcontractors. They were asked about the influence of quality management on improving residential construction productivity, and about the effects of government policy. The views expressed suggested a culture prioritising time and cost over quality is a systemic norm at the industry level. We then traced the industry’s problems back to the major policy shifts that began in the mid-1980s. Before then, building quality was anchored in the prescriptive standards set by the Ministry of Works. By specifying how to build, the ministry acted as a national governor of technical standards. Continues over page >

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But by 1988, those standards were viewed as a barrier to efficient market operation, effectively ending the era of the state as master builder. The New Zealand Building Code subsequently replaced the previous prescriptive system with a performancebased model focused solely on outcomes. Without strict procedural guidance, the industry moved towards a culture that prioritised speed and commercial viability over rigorous quality management.

A ‘tick-box’ culture To understand why industry performance stalled, we refer to what’s called the “theory of constraints”, which argues a system is only as strong as its weakest link.

In New Zealand’s residential construction sector, we argue, the weakest link is not just poor quality control but the absence of a quality-focused culture in general. The 1980s shift to a handsoff, self-regulated model helped foster a “tick-box” culture rather than genuine organisational reform. This has meant that with every step forward, the industry is pulled back by the need to fix previous errors, stalling productivity. On the building site, this manifested as a disconnect between the “work as imagined” (the manuals and checklists from head office) and the “work as done” by builders and subcontractors. The worst outcomes are well known. New Zealand is still paying for the nearly $47

billion legacy of the leaky homes crisis, which peaked in the early 2000s. Poor quality, damp and mouldy housing contributes to respiratory illnesses costing $145 million annually in hospitalisations. While policies such as the healthy homes standards for rental properties now exist, such measures mainly treat the symptoms of a deeper problem. In Auckland alone, one-third of all projects fail their final inspection. The high volume of remedial work required chokes the entire system’s throughput.

The government must lead Fixing an annual $2.5 billion problem requires a structural shift. Our research proposes a framework where the state, as the primary funder and driver of major construction, sets the standard the rest of the industry must adopt. The proposed framework is underpinned by “lean principles” designed to minimise waste and encourage continuous improvement through a “plando-check-act” cycle. It uses the ISO 9000 standards New Zealand already has in place for exports. To help achieve this, we argue the government would need to do two things: • Establish a national construction, productivity and quality commission. This would be a nonpartisan body staffed

by industry and academic experts to ensure reform survives beyond three-year election cycles. • Mandate quality management systems that align with existing ISO 9000 standards for all government-funded residential projects.

To help achieve this, we argue the government would need to do two things. • Establish a national construction, productivity and quality commission. This would be a nonpartisan body staffed by industry and academic experts to ensure reform survives beyond three-year election cycles. • Mandate quality management systems that align with existing ISO 9000 standards for all governmentfunded residential projects.

The aim is to create a trickle-down effect, driving culture change throughout the industry. To win stable government contracts, subcontractors would be forced to up-skill and formalise standards-based oversight of their work. Improved quality and productivity should not be aspirational. New Zealand has 2.5 billion reasons to create the genuine structural reform required.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license

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Auckland transport infrastructure gap widens By Ben O’Connell

A new report from the think tank Committee for Auckland is urging immediate and decisive action on Auckland’s transport system. It warns that delays in reform are compounding costs and constraining growth across the city’s development pipeline.

Infrastructure NZ chief executive Nick Leggett says progress is falling short. “Auckland’s transport challenges are well understood. What’s been missing is the commitment to follow through.

The report argues Auckland is at a “critical juncture”, with population growth continuing to outpace transport investment, a gap that is already being felt across construction, freight, and project delivery. Infrastructure NZ and the Committee for Auckland partnered on the report and say Auckland doesn’t need more plans, strategies or debate; it needs delivery. Infrastructure NZ chief executive Nick Leggett says progress is falling short. “Auckland’s transport challenges are well understood. What’s been missing is the commitment to follow through.” Auckland is home to roughly one‑third of New Zealand’s population, about 1.8 million people or around 33 % of the nation’s residents, making it by far the country’s largest urban centre. In economic terms, the region punches above its weight, generating around 38 % of New Zealand’s total GDP and significantly more than any other region. “There is a high degree of alignment

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on priorities, from making better use of what we already have, to progressing key rapid transit corridors and improving connections across the city,” says Committee for Auckland Executive Director Rupert Hodson. The challenge is execution. A central theme is the disconnect between where housing is being delivered and where transport infrastructure is being prioritised. Greenfield developments on Auckland’s fringes continue to expand, but without the transport links needed to support them at scale. This has flow-on effects for developers and builders, who are increasingly working in areas where access, labour movement, and material delivery are less efficient. Another issue is congestion, which is no longer a commuter issue and is now a productivity one, too. Extended travel times are increasing labour costs, delaying site access, and reducing efficiency for trades operating across multiple projects. For freight and materials, unreliable transport networks are adding further pressure to already tight margins. The report points to Auckland’s continued reliance on private vehicles, combined with limited rapid transit expansion, as a key constraint on network performance. Rather than small-scale upgrades, the Committee for Auckland is calling for a more integrated and longterm approach, centred on rapid transit investment and

better coordination between government agencies. “Auckland is too important to Aotearoa’s future for transport policy to remain stop-start,” Hodson says.

Transport Strategy that will be developed under the impending Auckland Transport reforms provides a useful mechanism to capture and deliver many of the recommendations from this summit,” Hodson says.

It highlights the need to prioritise high-capacity transport corridors that can support both population growth and intensified development, particularly as Auckland continues to push toward higher-density housing.

“We cannot keep avoiding the question of who pays,” Leggett says. “We need a clearer, long-term transport vision for Auckland, backed by a sequenced programme of investment and credible funding pathways.”

The report, Transporting Auckland Forward: A Call to Action, comes after a summit of more than 60 senior leaders from across business, infrastructure, and government. “The 30year Integrated Auckland

At a project level, the impacts are already material. Longer travel times across Auckland are reducing the number of productive hours trades can spend on site each day, while increased congestion is adding variability to delivery

schedules that projects are not priced to absorb. For contractors, this is showing up in tighter margins, more conservative programming, and increased risk allowances in tenders— particularly on projects located in outer growth areas. For developers, the disconnect between housing and transport is also becoming a feasibility issue. Sites that look viable on paper are becoming harder to deliver efficiently, as labour access, subcontractor coordination, and material logistics all become more complex and costly without reliable transport links. Without a step change in delivery, these inefficiencies are likely to compound. Slower

We cannot keep avoiding the question of who pays. We need a clearer, long-term transport vision for Auckland.

build times, higher costs, and reduced capacity across the sector risk constraining Auckland’s ability to meet both its housing targets and broader infrastructure pipeline. In that context, the report’s call for execution is less about long-term planning and more about maintaining the viability of projects already in the system.

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Kaitāia Airport’s $7.8 million upgrade continues Kaitāia Airport is getting its first dedicated aircraft fuel facility in more than 10 years. Work to install new Jet A1 and AvGas tanks began in August, and Far North District Council (FNDC) expects construction to finish in November. The tanks are the latest stage of the airport’s Resilience Upgrade Programme, funded with $5.4 million from Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, and $2.4 million from FNDC.

and visitors to enjoy.” The airport carries more than scheduled passenger flights. It’s regularly used for patient transfers and to fly medical professionals in to Kaitāia Hospital.

The main runway and apron were resurfaced in May. Crews also upgraded swales and laid new subsoil drainage along both sides of the runway, which the council says has substantially cut the flood risk there. A replacement terminal is next, with work expected to start next year. That project also covers car parking, road access and the surrounding gardens.

Tyler Ngapo, airports manager at Far North Holdings, says the terminal is the stage he’s most looking forward to. “The construction of the new airport is particularly exciting. This will be the most visible part of the resilience upgrade programme and will incorporate elements that reflect the Te Hiku community as well as providing a modern, secure facility for airlines, passengers

Far North Holdings is delivering the programme for FNDC alongside the airport’s owners, Ngāi Takoto, and representatives of Te Paatu, Patukoraha and Ngāi Tohianga. Together they make up the Airport Partnership Team. The council says the work is meant to keep the airport running safely and reliably for at least the next 10 to 15 years.

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Northland builds out of quake-prone system No building in Northland can now be classed as earthquake-prone. The Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2026, passed in September, takes the upper North Island low seismic zone out of the system, along with Auckland and the Chatham Islands.

MBIE says the change follows the 2022 National Seismic Hazard Model, which found these areas are less likely to experience strong shaking.

Councils will remove every previously designated building in those areas from the earthquake-prone register, and owners can take down their notices. No new notices can be issued.

Owners no longer need engineering assessments by law. Whangārei District Council says they “can now consider seismic upgrades in their own time as part of ongoing building

Owners no longer need engineering assessments by law. Whangārei District Council says they “can now consider seismic upgrades in their own time as part of ongoing building maintenance.” Ratings against the New Building Standard (%NBS) become voluntary, and a score under 34%NBS no longer makes a building earthquake-prone. maintenance.” Ratings against the New Building Standard (%NBS) become voluntary, and a score under 34%NBS no longer makes a building earthquake-prone. Both MBIE and the council say some risk remains. MBIE says the risk of earthquake damage to buildings hasn’t changed, and that some buildings may not perform as well as others.

Workplace rules shift too. From 1 April 2027, the Health and Safety at Work Act won’t ask owners for anything beyond the Building Act on the seismic risk of building elements such as ceilings and staircases. Employers, Northland ones included, will still have to manage nonbuilding risks such as securing large furniture. MBIE says guidance will be published before April. The rest of the new national system starts on 1 July 2027. MBIE’s online seismic map, searchable by address, shows what applies to a given building.

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Farmers prepare for El Niño summer A severe El Niño drought could slow New Zealand’s GDP growth by as much as 1 percentage point, Westpac NZ economists estimate, and the bank is telling farmers and growers to start planning for a dry summer now. It comes as Earth Sciences New Zealand forecasts a very strong El Niño through spring and summer, with drier than normal conditions across much of the North Island and the north and east of the South Island. Earth Sciences expects it to peak around November or December. It doesn’t expect a return to neutral conditions before April or May 2027. Westpac NZ head of agribusiness Richard Anderson says farmers and growers shouldn’t assume the worst, but they need to plan so they can adjust quickly. “Every farming and growing operation is different, so now is the time to think about what El Niño could mean for your business and what steps you can take to manage the risks,” he says. But he says the sector is well placed. “Arguably the industry is in the best position it’s ever been to face into El Niño, thanks to generally low debt levels and high commodity prices. “However, on-farm inflation

Beef + Lamb New Zealand forecasts average sheep and beef farm profit to fall 20% to $267,200 in 2026-27, as farmgate prices ease and farm spending rises 4.2%. It lists dry El Niño conditions alongside rising costs as a pressure on margins, with a risk of slower pasture growth and lighter carcass weights. driven by higher fuel and fertiliser costs is a dark cloud on the horizon for many customers we’ve talked to.” Farmers’ own numbers back the bank on finances, but they’re less worried about the weather. Federated Farmers’ latest confidence survey of 634 farms found 72% making a profit, the highest share since it began asking in 2016. Two in five expect to reduce debt, against one in nine expecting to borrow more. Rising input costs were farmers’ top concern, named by 33%. A possible El Niño drought was named by just 11%. Arable growers were the only group

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negative on current profitability and the only one expecting to take on more debt. Beef + Lamb New Zealand forecasts average sheep and beef farm profit to fall 20% to $267,200 in 2026-27, as farmgate prices ease and farm spending rises 4.2%. It lists dry El Niño conditions alongside rising costs as a pressure on margins, with a risk of slower pasture growth and lighter carcass weights. Richard says the place to start is the last El Niño. “If you’ve owned the property for a long time, think about what worked for you and what didn’t. If you’re new to the property

since the last El Niño event, talk to the previous owners if you can.” For livestock farmers, he says water and feed come first. That means checking dams, troughs and reticulation, reviewing supplies of baleage, silage and hay, and locking in feed contracts before demand rises. Growers should check irrigation for leaks and faulty valves or pumps, and find out what water restrictions could apply in their area. DairyNZ’s El Niño guidance also recommends setting trigger points early, such as pasture growth falling behind budget, and securing supplementary feed well before shortages hit. Richard says cash is the other half of the plan. “Make sure you have enough cash on hand, keep an eye on markets for demand and price trends, and be prepared to change your approach as weather forecasts change.”

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Why brass keeps going missing

Thieves took nine brass plaques from St John’s Cemetery in Invercargill late last year, four of them from the graves of returned service personnel. Three brass memorial plaques went from Whakatāne’s Mitchell Park in March, came back, then went again between April and May. Overnight on 11 August, plaques disappeared from Latimer Square and the Bridge of Remembrance in central Christchurch, including the one honouring the staff and students killed in the CTV building collapse. Brass is mostly copper, and copper is at record money. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange has set successive all-time highs this year, reaching near US$14,900 a tonne on 10 September. Southern District police said in March that scrap copper values

Brass is mostly copper, and copper is at record money. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange has set successive all-time highs this year, reaching near US$14,900 a tonne on 10 September.

had risen over the previous month and reports of copper theft had risen with them, taking in cylinders, wire and copper pulled from buildings and power company assets. The jobs are getting bigger. Canterbury police recovered about $200,000 of copper cable at a Lincoln commercial property in July. In Waikato, three people were charged over more than 200kg of copper taken from a Frankton site across several break-ins in a week and allegedly on-sold in Auckland. “This investigation highlighted the importance of quality, multi-layered security systems on commercial premises including CCTV, alarm

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systems and outer perimeter measures,” Sergeant Michael Palmer of the Waikato Tactical Crime Unit said. Dealers carry real duties. Under the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2004, a licensed dealer must record a seller’s full name, address, phone number, date of birth, signature and how their identity was checked. Every item has to stay unaltered for 14 days after the transaction, stored where police can inspect it. Getting either wrong carries a fine of up to $10,000. Copper is caught “in any form”, so offcuts and stripped wire count. Brass is caught through items “made substantially of” it, which puts a plaque in scope.

Those duties catch some of it. The man later sentenced over the Invercargill plaques sent his son to a local scrap business with them in a bag. The manager opened it, seized the lot and told him they were going to police. Christchurch won’t put brass back in Latimer Square. “We are looking to replace it as soon as possible with a different material to prevent this happening in future,” Rupert Bool, head of parks at Christchurch City Council, said. Material choice is a security question worth raising at design stage. On site, the cheapest protection is paperwork. When Counties Manukau police searched a Papakura address in May and found eight stolen gas califonts, the serial numbers one owner had recorded let officers return five of them. “Record the serial numbers of tools and valuable items,” Detective Senior Sergeant Natalie Nelson said.

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Golden Bay Cement stays open under $60m Crown deal

New Zealand will keep making its own cement. On 20 July, the Government committed up to $60 million to Golden Bay Cement, securing the Portland works near Whangārei and pulling the country back from a future in which every bag and bulk load of cement arrived by ship. The distinction that matters is what the plant actually does. Portland, about 10 kilometres south of Whangārei, is the only fully integrated cement facility left in the country. It does not just grind imported clinker. It fires limestone in its own kiln to make the clinker itself, and it supplies close to 60% of national demand, with about 95% of what it produces sold here. That kiln was the thing

In return for the funding, Golden Bay Cement has committed to keep producing cement and clinker at Portland until at least the end of 2040, and to invest at least $150 million of its own capital over that period in operations, resilience and decarbonisation, phased over time and subject to its normal capital approval processes. The support is a grant with clawback rights, not a loan. If the company does not hold up its side, the Government can recover the money, and the deal carries extra reporting and auditing.

at risk. Fletcher Building chief executive Andrew Reding said that without Government support, “increasing costs, including carbon emission costs that our competitors importing cement from overseas do not currently incur at the same level, would likely have required us to close the plant and move to an import-only model from 2030.” For the people who actually pour and place the material, that is not an abstract policy question. “Cement has no practical substitutes,”

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Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has said. A country that made none of its own would be a captive import market, exposed to shipping disruption, currency swings and the price power that comes with being the only buyer at the dock. In return for the funding, Golden Bay Cement has committed to keep producing cement and clinker at Portland until at least the end of 2040, and to invest at least $150 million of its own capital over that period in

operations, resilience and decarbonisation, phased over time and subject to its normal capital approval processes. The support is a grant with clawback rights, not a loan. If the company does not hold up its side, the Government can recover the money, and the deal carries extra reporting and auditing. Ministers did not give Fletcher everything it asked for. The company had argued for a carbon border adjustment, or an equivalent mechanism, to level the field with imports. None was granted. The Government also looked at easing the plant’s Emissions Trading Scheme costs and rejected that, with Willis deciding a carve-out for one participant could weaken the scheme and cost more. The $60 million was the tool ministers were willing to use, and no more. Willis framed it as a oneoff. “This is an exceptional case, which meets the very Continues over page >

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high bar needed to justify taxpayer support,” she said, and the reasoning came down to supply security. Losing domestic cement production, she added, would “leave us massively exposed to potential global supply disruptions.” That risk is sharper for a country that builds with concrete and carries its own seismic and weather risks, because its only source of locally made cement could be switched off and replaced by a single line running over the water. The plant also underpins work, employing more than 150 people at its plant and quarries and supporting around 450 more across the Whangārei district. The decision has its critics, with economist Cameron Bagrie among

those calling it corporate welfare. Supporters point to the clawback, the 2040 commitment and the $150 million Fletcher has pledged to invest, and argue the taxpayer exposure is capped and conditional rather than open-ended. Set against Fletcher’s own estimate that shutting the works would have cost up to $345 million, with up to $165 million of that a non-cash write-down, the $60 million reads less like a windfall than the price of keeping a hard-to-replace asset running.

The open questions now are about delivery. Whether the promised decarbonisation spend arrives on schedule, and whether locally made cement stays cost-competitive with imports once the support is in place, will decide whether this is a genuine save or a stay of execution. For now, the country keeps making its own cement to the end of 2040, and the trade keeps a domestic supply it would have felt the loss of first.

That comparison has limits, because the write-down is an accounting loss rather than money out the door. Either way, the deal buys the two things the sector had been asking for, time and certainty.

The plant also underpins work, employing more than 150 people at its plant and quarries and supporting around 450 more across the Whangārei district. The decision has its critics, with economist Cameron Bagrie among those calling it corporate welfare. Supporters point to the clawback, the 2040 commitment and the $150 million Fletcher has pledged to invest, and argue the taxpayer exposure is capped and conditional rather than open-ended.

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