Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener|September 9, 2024
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Danyl McLauchlan
Staying ahead of the game

Game theory is the branch of economics that deals with trust and decision-making in an uncertain environment. When students first encounter it, they often feel as if the clouds have parted, and they understand all of the dysfunction of modern politics in an instant.

It does explain a lot. Consider infrastructure. The dire state of the nation's transport, energy, water, waste and environmental systems are well known - the cost, the inefficiency, the deterioration of basically everything.

One of the loudest complaints from the sector is about the political uncertainty around large builds. Because the two major parties cancel each other's grand projects nearly every time the government changes, it's almost impossible for the companies delivering these things to anticipate their workstreams and scale up their talent and capital to meet them.

A report commissioned by Infrastructure NZ estimated that more certainty could deliver an additional $2.3-4.7 billion in productivity benefits a year. Over a 30-year period, this could close a significant proportion (if not all) of our current infrastructure deficit.

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop is aware of this. In a recent speech to the sector, he lamented, "If I had a dollar for every time someone said, 'What we need is a long-term infrastructure plan for the country that can transcend political cycles', I'd be a very wealthy man."

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW ZEALAND LISTENERView all
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 mins  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024