After the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010/2011 and cyclones Hale and Gabrielle of 2023, we heard the word "unprecedented" with almost every news broadcast. Sadly, while the underlying intent was to relieve those whose job it is to plan for such events of responsibility for what ensues, that use does not stand up to scrutiny. We soon found that, actually Christchurch does have a history of earthquakes and the plains of the Hawke's Bay have always been flood prone. Wellington continues to dread "the big one" and Auckland sits in a volcanic field.
In each case, when we have a major disruptive event, our infrastructure has been found wanting - telecommunications, electricity, water, transportation and emergency services have all struggled. That also ignores the reality that our water services, electricity, transport network and health services are struggling in normal daily life. It would seem that we are paying the price for long under-investment in essential services in favour of nice to haves.
The critical but unanswered question is, what is essential infrastructure? and how should its availability be ensured?
The first begs the question - essential for what? While access to fresh drinking water is fundamental essential for life, a reliable internet connection may for some be a luxury; it is essential for much of the quality of life we have come to expect. In the past, you could phone the doctor's surgery for an appointment; today you might expire before a real person at the surgery answered the phone. Undoubtedly technology has changed how we live our lives, but has it ensured the accessibility of what we consider to be essential?
So, what would such a list look like?
- potable drinking water
- reliable and affordable electricity
- reliable telecommunications
- an efficient transportation network
- healthy, affordable food
- affordable housing
- accessible healthcare
- education for all communities
- law enforcement and access to justice
- a sustainable environment
- secure banking
You can re-order, expand on and add to that list at will, but there are things we expect in a first world economy. Each has also, at some point, been a political hot topic. We can agree, however, that some things are essential, and should be available for all without becoming a political football.
The next question is, who pays for it and what is the role of Government in ensuring the provision of essential infrastructure? The easy answer is, we all pay for it, one way or another; but how do we ensure that such services are available to all?
Successive Governments have reduced the role of government, whether through privatisation in the name of efficiency, ideological concepts like "user pays" or passing the cost to local communities in the name of "local democracy." Recent disruptive events have shown that the biggest driver in a free market is short term return rather than long term investment or redundancy; and local authorities have neither the skill nor the funding to discharge those responsibilities.
What our growing infrastructure deficit, ageing ferries, struggling hospitals and escalating electricity prices have revealed is that we need to have this discussion; agree an infrastructure investment plan and bind the major political parties to deliver the plan, with input from industry representatives, consumers and government departments; and then develop a sensible plan for how to pay for it. It won't happen over night, but it needs to happen in the long term.
If we continue the way we're going, however you define infrastructure, it will only be available to people who live in the wealthier suburbs of our larger cities. We can and should do better.