OPINION: Emissions leakage risk real

OPINION: Emissions leakage risk real
Gavin Evans
Twenty years ago, New Zealand made virtually all its cement at two local plants. Now there’s only one – Golden Bay near Whangarei – and that’s meeting about 60 percent of our needs.The balance is imported – mostly from Japan - with a carbon content estimated by Golden Bay to be about 20 percent higher than the locally-made product.Twenty years sounds a lot but the big change came in 2016, when Holcim shut its aged plant near Westport, having replaced it with import terminals in Auckland and Timaru.That should be a reminder to Parliament’s envir...

More Infrastructure

Expressway bidder faces scrutiny amid Sydney rail allegations
Infrastructure

Expressway bidder faces scrutiny amid Sydney rail allegations

NZTA is monitoring the situation as it assesses a local bid involving Webuild.

Average home insurance tops $2,000
Infrastructure Risky Business

Average home insurance tops $2,000

Insurance premiums in New Zealand have increased dramatically in recent years.

Rates capping could hit council credit ratings
Finance

Rates capping could hit council credit ratings

Treasury warns rates are ‘significantly below’ sustainable levels.

Transpower to spend $1.1b on Cook Strait link upgrade
Infrastructure

Transpower to spend $1.1b on Cook Strait link upgrade

Transpower plans to spend $1.1 billion on upgrading the electricity link between the North and South Islands.The state-owned power grid operator said it had applied to the Commerce Commission for approval to invest in the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link.The proposal inclu...

Staff reporters 09 Sep 2025