Kerre Woodham: Does everyone have their price?

The Government's not here to shag spiders, is it? It's planning to turbocharge its fast-track regime, speeding up the process to acquire private land for major infrastructure projects, and they intend to do that in part by offering cold, hard cash. Sweeteners or “premium payments” will be offered to private landowners, whose land is acquired under this new accelerated process. Changes to the Public Works Act, announced yesterday, would see owners paid a bonus 5 percent of the land's value —up to $92,000— for acquisitions. Those who chose to sell before a Notice of Intention would also get an extra 15 percent - up to $150,000 - on top of that, for a total of up to $242,000, as Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking this morning:  

“Paying a bit more upfront will massively lower costs in the long term, so we're offering a 15% incentive payment. If the Government comes along and basically says, look, we're going to build a Road of Natural Significance here or another piece of infrastructure listed on the Fast-track Act, we're going to give you a 15% incentive payment and then a 5% recognition payment as well. That will massively lower the cost of doing that infrastructure because it means we've got the certainty that you can plan the construction out, you can sequence it properly.  

“At the moment there are a number of examples around the country, it just causes huge delays because of the length of time it takes to acquire the land. And so it's just another step we're taking to fast-track infrastructure projects. Much of the projects we're talking about here are New Zealand Transport Agency projects, so this is central government coming along and saying, look, we're building a road of national significance here, here's the route, we need your land. 

“And look, no one likes taking land, we don't do it with a great degree of passion, but the reality is if we want to build stuff in this country and get those roads going that we need, and public transport projects that we that we need, it will require taking land, that’s just the simple reality of it.” 

So most of those who object to land acquisition for critical infrastructure projects won't be able to go to the Environment Court. Instead, they'll submit their objections directly to the relevant decision maker for faster resolution. Under the changes announced, the Crown will be able to acquire private land much faster for some public projects listed in the fast-track legislation, as well as Chris Bishop said. the government's Roads of National Significance. So the overhaul of the Public Works Act is already underway and expected to be completed by early next year.  

Infrastructure New Zealand is welcoming the government's land acquisition incentive payments and a faster process for objection. It says it's going to really get things cracking. The government says this kind of turbocharging is needed to rebuild the economy. Do you support this? Would it make a difference? Does everybody have their price? Would an extra quarter of a million, there or thereabouts, make you realise that your house is not necessarily a castle, but a valuable asset? I mean, isn't that fabulous Australian film, ‘The Castle’, built around the whole concept that infrastructure has its place, but not when it's a man's home, it’s his castle? And there are stories of landowners who have held up major works for years and years and years because they don't want to leave their home. It's their home and no amount of money would make them change their minds.  

But Governments weren't talking about extra payments of nearly a quarter of a million dollars, were they? Does everybody have their price? If you have land or property that's either been acquired or in the firing line, does this make a difference? If you're a developer, is this exactly the sort of change and turbocharging you wanted to see? 

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