Canterbury’s meth use is now almost 40% above its average level from last year, recent wastewater testing shows. National consumption has risen to an estimated 36.6kg per week.  This level of methamphetamine use has a weekly social harm cost of almost $40 million. Cocaine use has decreased since it spiked in the October 2025 quarter, […]

Budget 2026 gives the construction sector a clearer picture of where government investment is heading over the next four years. While the headline figure is around $7 billion in new capital investment, the Budget shows a shift towards resilience, renewals and maintaining existing infrastructure alongside major new projects. Funding includes a new ward tower at […]

The search for the next generation of skilled workers remains one of the biggest challenges facing New Zealand’s infrastructure and construction sectors. As demand for civil works, utilities and transport projects continues to grow, the industry is increasingly looking beyond traditional recruitment pathways to attract new talent and inspire groups that have historically been underrepresented […]

Residential construction costs continue to edge higher even as fuel prices ease. New Stats NZ data shows petrol prices fell 3.8% in May, while diesel dropped 11.4%, in line with short-term eases in global fuel pressure after a volatile start to the year. This movement will be welcome news for transport-heavy industries but the reduction […]

Councils and waste operators face rising volumes of contaminated material from demolition, renovation, and infrastructure upgrades. Much of the concern stems from ageing building stock, where asbestos-containing products installed decades ago are now being disturbed during redevelopment, placing additional strain on disposal systems that still rely heavily on long-term burial. Health and safety authorities continue […]

There is a moment in most renovations when the consents are signed, the builder is two weeks out, and the homeowner is standing in the half-emptied lounge with a crowbar and a bag of frustration. Pulling stuff out yourself is the cheapest hour of the whole project, and the most satisfying. It is also the […]