The quarry industry meets this week in Wellington facing escalating demand for what they produce and dwindling supply.
Aggregate and Quarry Association CEO Wayne Scott says you don’t need an economics degree to work out that Kiwis soon face steeply rising prices for the foundations of every building and road.
“That will be the focus for our annual QuarryNZ Conference. We’ve for years talked up the risk to New Zealand of virtually no new quarries being approved and crunch time is now here.”
Wayne Scott says billions of dollars of new Government infrastructure projects are now adding demand to a rampant housing market.
“We’ve got little new supply coming through because getting a resource consent for a new quarry is up there with winning Lotto. Existing quarries have ramped up production but many are approaching the end of their lives.”
He says successive Governments have been warned that the lack of new quarries and difficulties getting renewals or extensions would lead to supply shortfalls and steep price rises.
“The current Government has established the Infrastructure Commission to look at such issues. Our key note address is from its CEO Ross Copland. We know he and the Commission are aware how critical things are becoming and so advising.
“The bigger question is whether the Government will act quickly enough to stop its road, infrastructure and housing programmes from facing savage price increases in base materials as demand totally outstrips supply.”
Contact: Wayne Scott wayne@aqa.org.nz 021 944 336