Articles tagged with Chris Bishop
New Zealand's Transition to Electronic Road User Charges for Fairer Road Funding
3 days ago | 263 viewsThe New Zealand Cabinet has approved legislative changes to transition 3.5 million light vehicles to electronic road user charges instead of petrol tax, marking a significant shift in road funding. The move aims to ensure all vehicles, regardless of fuel type, contribute fairly based on distance and weight, replacing the outdated petrol tax system. The transition will involve modernizing the current RUC system, allowing for digital records, multiple payment options, and fostering competition among RUC providers for a user-friendly and efficient road funding mechanism.
Tags: legislative changes New Zealand road user charges petrol tax Transport Minister Chris Bishop Fuel Excise Duty Road User Charges RUC vehicle fleet electronic road user chargingNew Lower Hutt After Hours Medical Centre Enhances Urgent Care Access
4 days ago | 179 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown and Hutt South MP Chris Bishop inaugurated the new Lower Hutt After Hours Medical Centre on Connolly Street, emphasizing its importance for urgent healthcare in the area. The facility aims to alleviate pressure on hospital emergency departments by offering faster access to essential treatments like diagnostics and urgent medicines. The center, set to begin daytime urgent care services in December 2025, will provide expanded care with consulting rooms, triage rooms, radiology services, and pharmacy access, enhancing healthcare accessibility for the Hutt community.
Tags: Simeon Brown Chris Bishop Health Minister Lower Hutt urgent care medical centre healthcare New Zealand emergency department radiology servicesTransforming New Zealand: Progress and Achievements Recap
1 week ago | 365 viewsThe speaker expresses gratitude to various individuals for their contributions to the National Party, highlighting achievements in law and order, education, healthcare, and the economy over the past two years. They emphasize the progress made in reducing violent crime, improving education, and enhancing healthcare services. The speaker also outlines plans to further stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and increase wages by streamlining processes for businesses operating on DOC land and implementing charges for foreign visitors at high volume sites to generate revenue for conservation efforts.
Tags: Christchurch Sylvia Wood Nicola Willis Chris Bishop Paul Goldsmith Mark Mitchell Erica Simeon Brown Ryan Hamilton Tama PotakaNew Ōtaki to Levin Highway Construction Contracts Signed for Improved Travel Times and Economic Growth
1 week ago | 267 viewsTransport Minister Chris Bishop has announced the signing of construction contracts by NZTA for the new Ōtaki to north of Levin Road project, aiming to improve travel times and support economic growth in Kāpiti and Horowhenua. The project involves two alliances focusing on different sections of the highway, with completion expected by the end of 2029. The new road is part of the Wellington Northern Corridor, enhancing safety, efficiency for freight trips, and urban development opportunities, while also featuring amenities like shared user paths and grade-separated interchanges.
Tags: Chris Bishop NZ Transport Agency Ōtaki Levin National Significance Kāpiti Horowhenua Wellington Northern Corridor Transmission Gully Mackays.New Zealand Vintage Vehicles & Private Motorhomes Shift to Annual Inspections from Sept 1
1 week ago | 371 viewsStarting from 1 September, vintage light vehicles and private heavy motorhomes in New Zealand will transition from six-monthly to annual vehicle inspections, as announced by Transport Minister Chris Bishop. This change aims to reduce bureaucracy for the approximately 128,000 vintage vehicles and 39,000 private motorhomes registered in the country, as these vehicles are less likely to have faults contributing to serious crashes compared to modern cars. Public support for this change was overwhelmingly positive, with 89% in favor of annual inspections for private heavy motorhomes and 98% for vintage light vehicles.
Tags: Transport Minister Chris Bishop vintage vehicles motorhomes inspections New Zealand Warrant of Fitness Certificate of Fitness Land Transport Rules Reform Programme light vehicles public supportMajor Safety Improvements Coming to SH2 Moonshine Hill Road Intersection in Upper Hutt
1 week ago | 222 viewsSafety improvements, including intersection upgrades and a speed limit review, will be implemented soon at the Moonshine Hill Road intersection on State Highway 2 in Upper Hutt, following Transport Minister Chris Bishop's announcement due to the high number of crashes at the intersection. The upgrades will involve installing traffic lights, signage, and line markings to enhance safety for motorists and cyclists. NZTA will consult the public on a proposed 80km/h speed limit, with construction scheduled to start in October and be completed by the end of the year.
Tags: safety improvements State Highway 2 Moonshine Hill Road intersection upgrades speed limit review Transport Minister Chris Bishop NZTA Whakatiki Street intersection speed limit consultationNew Zealand Introduces Tough Laws to Crack Down on Boy Racers and Dangerous Driving
1 week ago | 232 viewsNew laws aim to crack down on boy racers and dirt bike riders engaging in dangerous driving, with Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Police Minister Mark Mitchell leading the initiative. The Anti-Social Road Use Legislation Amendment Bill introduces tougher penalties, including vehicle destruction or forfeiture for offenses like fleeing Police, street racing, and excessive noise. The Bill will grant Police more powers to manage illegal gatherings and is set to undergo public consultation after its first reading in August.
Tags: Boy racers Transport Minister Chris Bishop Police Minister Mark Mitchell illegal vehicle gatherings vehicle destruction street racing Police powers excessive noise Select Committee.Government Unveils Plan to Combat Rising Homelessness Crisis in New Zealand
2 weeks ago | 340 viewsThe Government released the latest Homelessness Insights Report, addressing the issue of homelessness in New Zealand and the increasing numbers of people without shelter. Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka emphasized the need for targeted interventions and support services to combat homelessness, highlighting the complexity of the issue and the importance of engaging with frontline organizations. The Government is committed to long-term solutions, including reforms in the housing market, infrastructure funding, and social housing systems to address the root causes of homelessness and provide stable housing for all New Zealanders.
Tags: Government Homelessness Insights Report New Zealand Housing Minister Chris Bishop Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Auckland City Mission Salvation Army Emergency Housing Transitional HousingNew Zealand's Fast-track Approvals System Boosts Economic Growth with Streamlined Project Processes
2 weeks ago | 315 viewsThe Fast-track Approvals system, established six months ago, aims to streamline project approvals in New Zealand for economic growth. The system allows for expedited processing of project applications through expert panels, with over 50 projects applying so far. Additional projects can be referred into the process, with decisions expected on key projects by the end of the year.
Tags: New Zealand RMA Reform Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop Regional Development Minister Shane Jones Expert Panels Panel Convenor Project referrals Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Artificial Intelligence Data Centre.Government-Funded Infrastructure Projects Worth $6 Billion Set to Boost Economy and Create Jobs Nationwide
2 weeks ago | 381 viewsBillions of dollars in government-funded infrastructure projects are set to begin in the next few months, creating thousands of jobs and driving economic activity nationwide. The projects include new roads, hospitals, schools, and government buildings, aimed at improving infrastructure quality to boost the economy and help with the cost of living. The Infrastructure for Growth work program has delivered on actions to strengthen the infrastructure pipeline, with future projects totaling $207 billion planned across various sectors.
Tags: Nicola Willis Chris Bishop infrastructure projects economic activity jobs roads hospitals schools construction government buildingsNew Zealand Government Establishes School Property Agency for Safe and Sustainable Learning Environments
3 weeks ago | 348 viewsThe Government is establishing the New Zealand School Property Agency to address issues in the school property system, including high costs, delays, and inefficiencies. The agency will be a separate entity responsible for planning, building, and maintaining school properties, allowing the Ministry of Education to focus on education policy. The new agency aims to improve project delivery, transparency, and value for money in managing the school property portfolio, with a dedicated board overseeing informed investment decisions.
Tags: Government School Property Agency Kiwi kids Education Minister Erica Stanford Ministry of Education New Zealand School Property Agency Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop Ministerial Advisory Group Murray McCully Mark BinnsMajor Upgrades Begin on SH76 Brougham Street in Christchurch to Enhance Safety and Economic Growth
3 weeks ago | 237 viewsTransport Minister Chris Bishop announced that major upgrades to State Highway 76 (SH76) Brougham Street in Christchurch will commence to enhance economic growth and improve safety and mobility in the city. The project, funded by the Government, aims to address congestion and safety concerns on one of Christchurch's busiest streets, accommodating over 45,000 vehicles daily and serving as a key freight route to Lyttelton Port. The first stage will focus on constructing a pedestrian and cycle bridge to improve accessibility for school children and individuals with mobility challenges, with subsequent stages including traffic signal improvements, T2 lanes, crossings, and a shared path.
Tags: Chris Bishop Christchurch SH76 Brougham Street Transport Minister Fulton Hogan Lyttelton New Zealanders NZTA Budget 2024 Crown fundingGovernment Acts to Streamline Planning Process in Anticipation of New System
3 weeks ago | 339 viewsThe Government, led by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, is implementing reforms to simplify New Zealand's planning system and speed up project approvals. These changes include amendments to the RMA, fast-track approval processes, and upcoming legislation to replace the RMA with two new Acts focusing on land-use planning and the natural environment. To ease the transition, councils will be relieved of mandatory plan reviews and changes, with exemptions for certain critical areas like natural hazard management and Treaty settlement agreements. Additionally, councils can seek exemptions to continue work aligned with government priorities such as housing and urban development.
Tags: Government councils officers RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop planning system New Zealand primary sector renewable energy housing supplyMinister Chris Bishop to Explore Urban Development Strategies in New York and Texas
1 month ago | 446 viewsInfrastructure, Transport and Housing Minister Chris Bishop will travel to New York and Texas tomorrow for a range of meetings across housing, planning, urban development and transport, including a keynote speech at the Urban Design Forum’s Global Exchange Programme. “In New York I will be holding a series of meetings with city officials and other stakeholders about their introduction of congestion pricing. The early results for New York are very promising, and with legislation allowing time of use charging schemes in New Zealand soon to report back from select committee, I look forward to bringing home lessons learned to ensure our scheme is a success from the start,” Mr Bishop says.
Tags: Chris Bishop Infrastructure Transport Housing Minister New York Texas Urban Design Forum Edward Glaeser affordable housing planningNew Zealand's State Highway Road Renewal Success: Enhancing Safety and Infrastructure for Better Journeys
1 month ago | 808 viewsThe Government’s focus on improving roads across the country is well on its way, with the successful completion of one of the largest state highway road renewal programmes in New Zealand history, Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed today. “We are focused on ensuring government agencies are better at looking after the infrastructure assets we already have, to ensure New Zealanders get the most from their public infrastructure,” Mr Bishop says. “That’s why we’ve invested in road maintenance and renewals through the $2 billion State Highway Pothole Prevention fund, which ensures vital work is carried out to keep our roads safe and suitable for the people that use them.
Tags: Government roads infrastructure maintenance renewal Transport Minister Chris Bishop State Highway Pothole Prevention fund road rebuilding NZ Transport Agency road users