I attended Transporting New Zealand’s Road Freight Decarbonisation Update and launch of its Green Fleet Self-Assessment Tool a couple of weeks ago at TR Group’s Penrose facility. In attendance were representatives from the various political parties, who updated the attendees on their parties’ environmental and infrastructural focus and efforts.

If you missed it, you can read about the event here.

As each MP had their opportunity to speak, I was surprised by the fact that, despite their expected differing views, there were obvious parallels in what they were all saying, and individual points that certainly were complementary. Obviously, not everything aligned, but they weren’t as opposing as I’d expected them to be.

The Greens’ Julie Anne Genter (joining by Zoom and proud to have avoided the emissions of a flight to Auckland – not that there’s anything wrong with that at all) even agreed with ACT’s Cameron Luxton at one point! Who’d have guessed?

Of course, my inner cynic will always caution that politicians speaking to a particular interest group will tell them what they want to hear. But, even then, it struck me that if some big, divining power could pick the best views and ideas of each and put them together in some great big political blender then, perhaps, some meaningful progress could be made across transport, infrastructure, environmental sustainability – any area, really – without each incumbent stubbornly reversing what’s been done before because it was “their” ideology.

I believe that concept somewhat amounts to something called bipartisanship.

In the latest October 2025 UDC Business of Trucking podcast, Dave McCoid commented (again) that we run the risk of falling into the Republican/Democrat trap where one party goes in one direction so the other by default does the opposite, sowing division. And he’s right, that’s a very real threat with New Zealand politics – with each change of government, it’s one step forward, two steps back.

This week, the government launched its new Fuel Security Plan, and it really highlights how critical finding common ground is for New Zealand’s future prosperity. The previous regime blindly shut down our ability to produce our own fuel; this one’s now trying to ensure we don’t run out for as long as possible if worse comes to worst … but then, what will the next do?

And the same applies to the likes of major infrastructure builds – whether it be the current Roads of National Significance, port expansions, power supply, Dunedin’s hospital … it doesn’t matter – we can’t keep playing this game.

Timelines on these projects are long, the investment is huge, the returns are not immediate – so they require commitment. And we haven’t even gotten started on fixing vital issues like the education and social support systems.

Not everyone will agree with everything each government does, but when it comes to fixing the things that are holding us back and committing to those that will drive us forward, there must be a shared vision for the future of New Zealand somewhere in the mix. Why would we choose to live in a perpetual argument that nobody ever wins?

Take care out there,

Gavin Myers
Editor