Summary
- On the 5th of August 2025, Newsroom published an article on the Building Nations conference in Wellington and “the great privatisation”.
- The Building Nations is the “flagship annual conference” for the industry advocacy group called Infrastructure New Zealand.
- Infrastructure New Zealand self-identifies as “Aotearoa’s peak membership organisation for the infrastructure”.
- The article’s author, managing editor Jonathan Milne, highlighted a number of viewpoints, most of which were supportive of privatisation, asset sales, and asset recycling.
- Personnel from KPMG and WSP are quoted and paraphrased in the article.
- Various politicians who are pursuing asset sales or “asset recycling” are mentioned, including: ACT party leader David Seymour, Finance Minister Nicola Willis, and Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale.
- The article mainly argues that “asset recycling” of government and council infrastructure “is more than a euphemism” [sic] and different from the privatisations of the 1980s in New Zealand.
- The article paraphrases Stephanie Ward from KPMG New Zealand with the line “Previous privatisations had been founded in ideology, she says, but asset recycling is more pragmatic”.
- Jonathan Milne quotes the writing of “KPMG’s Canada-based infrastructure leader Jamie Samograd” without referencing the source of those quotes being the KPMG International Publication titled “The Great Reset: Emerging trends in infrastructure and transport”
Key Quotes
“Infrastructure New Zealand is Aotearoa’s peak membership organisation for the infrastructure sector. We promote best practice in national infrastructure development through research, advocacy, and public and private sector collaboration. We promote public and media discussion on issues of importance to the infrastructure sector. Our membership is comprised of around 140 organisations, including government agencies, consultants, contractors, financiers, utilities, and academics. These organisations employ approximately 150,000 people in infrastructure- related roles and are united in their commitment to creating a better New Zealand through outstanding infrastructure…”
Infrastructure New Zealand, Media Release 13 August 2025
To critics, it’s an unashamed fire sale of critical public assets. Even its champions call it ‘the great privatisation’.
But ministers at this week’s Building Nations conference in Wellington will hear a strengthening call for what’s now known as ‘asset recycling’ of public infrastructure.
And this is more than a euphemism.
Jonathan Milne, Infrastructure leaders push Govt to deliver ‘the great privatisation’ Newsroom, 05 August 2025
“Infrastructure leaders are getting a sympathetic hearing from the Government as they argue for a new model in which assets such as roads, airports or energy
networks are sold one piece at a time, to fund the next step in the critical infrastructure the country urgently needs.”
Jonathan Milne, Infrastructure leaders push Govt to deliver ‘the great privatisation’ Newsroom, 05 August 2025
Samograd says: “Governments are sitting on a treasure trove of assets. Indeed, a study of 38 countries by the IMF found more than US$100 trillion worth of assets on government books, including key infrastructure such as bridges, roads and utilities.
“And institutional investors are sitting on a treasure trove of capital. The world’s top 500 asset managers collectively manage more than US$128 trillion. The alignment is obvious.”
Until recently, he says, most governments had remained reluctant to transfer assets to the private sector, despite unsustainable levels of public debt. Many considered infrastructure to be the remit of the public sector. And they worried about the impact of privatisation on service quality, access and affordability
“Simply put, governments recognise the solution but are wary of pursuing it.”
Jonathan Milne quoting Jamie Samograd of KPMG Canada in Infrastructure leaders push Govt to deliver ‘the great privatisation’ Newsroom, 05 August 2025
Key to authentic asset recycling, he says, is first upgrading the assets to make them attractive to buyers – and that’s beneficial to the users, whether they be road users, power consumers or housing tenants.
Selling off social infrastructure like public housing is perhaps the more contentious form of privatisation – but it’s where Affan believes he’s seen the most personally satisfying results.
There were some real challenges with the quality of the public housing stock in New South Wales, he says. But the state government upgraded its stock for sale to community housing organisations.
Jonathan Milne quoting WSP executive Rami Affan in Infrastructure leaders push Govt to deliver ‘the great privatisation’ Newsroom, 05 August 2025
Article Details
Headline: Infrastructure leaders push Govt to deliver ‘the great privatisation’
Authored by: Jonathan Milne
Published on: 05 August 2025
Published by: Newsroom.
Link:
Further reading on this issue:
KPMG International Publication – “The Great Reset: Emerging trends in infrastructure and transport”
