[1][2] During a visit to Whangarei in February 2020, the Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand, Paul Blair, called for major changes to the Resource Management Act 1991.

[3] As part of planning for economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister for the Environment announced on 3 May 2020 that the Government would amend the law to allow fast-tracking of selected projects through the RMA.

He urged the Government to create sector-specific criteria that would allow the construction industry to return to work immediately, with appropriate health and safety measures in place.

Paul Blair said that the Government’s COVID-19 response provided a "once-in-a-generation chance to transform New Zealand" through infrastructure.

Top of mind at the conference was the challenge to create a system resilient to shocks and able to adapt to and anticipate key barriers to achieving the sector's shared ambitions.