All articles by James Paul

On 5 April 2025, New Zealand’s aviation regulatory landscape underwent its most significant transformation in over three decades. The Civil Aviation Act 2023 (the 2023 Act) replaced the Civil Aviation Act 1990 (the 1990 Act), streamlining outdated legislation while expanding regulatory tools to address the realities of 21st-century aviation, from drone regulation and airport master planning to climate change and safety-sensitive operations.

The logistics sector has long balanced on the tightrope between rugged operational reality and fast-moving technological possibility. But in 2025, the signals are clear: successful logistics operators are turning to technology not just to keep up, but to get ahead.

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Making it easier to build critical infrastructure is the Government’s aim in reviewing the Public Works Act 1981 (PWA), with proposed amendments progressing through Cabinet since late 2024.

The Ministry of Transport has launched a new report, the Transport Network Performance Report, providing a comprehensive picture of how Aotearoa New Zealand’s air, road, rail, port and public transport networks are performing at a national level.

IKEA New Zealand has officially opened their external warehouse at The Landing Business Park, Māngere, following a blessing of the building by Te Ākitai Waiohua. The 20,000 square-metre warehouse, designed and built by Auckland Airport, will ensure IKEA products can be stored locally for countrywide distribution via the IKEA Sylvia Park store.

Touted as a one-stop shop, the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill was introduced under urgency in March 2024 to try and establish a permanent regime that streamlines the approval process for infrastructure and development projects of significant regional or national importance.

New Zealand’s approach to road construction has long been dominated by asphalt, but as infrastructure demands evolve, the question of long-term cost-effectiveness and sustainability has become increasingly pressing. Recognising the need for a thorough analysis of concrete pavement as an alternative, Concrete NZ commissioned Infometrics Ltd to reassess the case for concrete roads.

The proposal includes constructing new infrastructure to enhance the trail’s appeal and accessibility. “We’re aiming to create one of the largest cycleways in New Zealand,” Mr Kirton says, “attracting year-round tourism, generating jobs and boosting local businesses.”

The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission’s latest report, Taking Care of Tomorrow Today: Asset Management State of Play, shines a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities in managing New Zealand’s aging infrastructure.

Drowsy driving has long been a silent threat on the roads, responsible for countless accidents and near-misses worldwide.

James Paul talks to Jim French of Teletrac Navman about the state of the civil construction sector and why local supply chain challenges may persist. The 2024 Construction Industry Survey, an annual collaboration between vehicle and asset management provider Teletrac Navman and industry association Civil Contractors New Zealand (CCNZ), reveals a civil construction sector in crisis, resulting from a lack of work in the market. 

Infrastructure and asset management professionals are lauding the Government’s 30-year National Infrastructure Plan. The president of Āpōpō Gary Porteous says it’s long past due that New Zealand has a bi-partisan, strategic view about infrastructure development and management. 

The freight and supply chain system faces substantial changes over the coming years but a new strategy sets out goals and focus areas for the next three, 10 and 30 years.

Cyclone Gabrielle claimed the lives of 11 people, described as the worst weather event of this century. It devastated Hawke’s Bay, causing unprecedented damage to lives and livelihoods. There was also a loss of life to the north, in Tairawhiti, while two volunteer firefighters died in a Muriwai landslide. But while life has returned to normal for many in Hawke’s Bay, many thousands of others across the region still face a long and difficult journey to return to some semblance of normality.