Our Priorities

We’re working to strengthen the role of airports as long-term community investors and critical enablers of regional and national prosperity.

When airports thrive, communities grow, businesses invest, and New Zealand stays connected.

This means:

• Fair and stable regulation that gives airports and their owners the confidence to invest.
• Modern planning laws that support airport development.
• Fixing the investment gap so every airport can grow, adapt and deliver for its region.
• A shared roadmap for sustainable aviation, driven by industry leadership and government partnership.

Airports can help power New Zealand’s economic recovery through both aeronautical and non-aeronautical investment. This could be boosted by Special Economic Zones, public-private investment incentives, and a long-term solution to regional funding.

We all want an aviation system that works better – that’s safe, secure and providing smoother journeys for all users.

We’re focused on removing unnecessary regulatory friction so the whole network can run smarter and more efficiently.

This means:

• Greater industry and government cooperation on the delivery of aviation security screening.
• Reforms to civil aviation regulations that enable better use of infrastructure, improving system-wide performance, efficient investment and resilience.
• Government processes that actively enable route expansion, from border agency resourcing to airline attraction.
• A world class seamless border with Australia and the serious consideration of a Trans-Tasman visa.

Airports are at the heart of New Zealand’s tourism system. It’s time to think bigger, with a tourism strategy that strengthens international connectivity and drives regional economic development, underpinned by visitor revenue flowing back to the regions that make it possible.

A thriving airline market means more choice, better service, and stronger regional connections. But today, many of New Zealand’s airports – especially in the regions – feel the effects of a tightly constrained domestic market.

We need more competition, more connectivity, and a better deal for passengers, businesses, and communities.

This means:

• Helping regional airlines grow, with cost of capital support so they can invest in aircraft, people, and new routes.
• Tracking airfares transparently, to give consumers visibility and encourage new market entrants.
• The best possible airport network coordination to mitigate fleet reliability challenges.
• Ensuring competition principles are front and centre in the consideration of alliance agreements.
• Championing aviation technologies with the right investment settings to support innovation and mobility into the future.

We cannot take a wait and see approach. Proactive steps are needed to strengthen competition, reduce vulnerability, and support sustainable airline growth across the country to provide the services New Zealanders need now, and into the future. We will coordinate efforts to attract new investment into domestic connectivity in New Zealand.