2 Apr 2020
One of Engineering New Zealand’s key strategic pillars is influence, in terms of using our leverage to engineer better lives for New Zealanders.
In our usual day-to-day work that means maintaining relationships across Government and industry, supporting, wherever possible, the informing and shaping of agendas. It’s being part of working groups, regular meetings with Government officials (including Ministers) and industry leaders, and driving programmes of work across Government and industry.
Today New Zealand is facing a crisis unprecedented in our lifetimes. In the first instance, it’s a public health crisis, as our country flights to prevent the devasting impacts of Covid-19 on New Zealanders. In the second instance, it’s an unfolding economic crisis, whose ripple effects will be widely felt.
How can we influence right now? We are advocating for action across long-established channels and relationships, working to connect Government and industry leads in productive conversations and teaming up with our allies, like ACE New Zealand. It’s our key priority today, alongside supporting our members.
We would like to see more announcements like Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s yesterday that it will provide Advanced Entitlement Payments for contractors who currently have National Land Transport Programme funded projects in construction. We think this model could be expanded to other parts of the chain and other sectors, and we’ll be having conversations to this end.
Read Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's announcement
We are part of work happening through the Construction Sector Accord to buffer the construction industry through this time. This means working with other industry voices to develop and deliver collective messaging and leverage opportunities for joint discussion and intervention. And we are working to develop a strong advocacy platform for the days and months ahead – one that’s based on all the intelligence we can gather from members, political contacts and other players.
To do this effectively we need to understand what matters most to you right now. Let us know what you think we should be saying and how you think engineers can get us through the days and months ahead – and how the Government can best make a difference.
