The first seven Roads of National Significance (or RoNS) were announced in 2009 by then-transport-minister Steven Joyce. “These are seven of our most essential routes as a country,” he said at the time.

By 2023, National was campaigning with a promise of 13 more RoNS at an estimated cost of roughly $17bn. This then expanded to an even more ambitious list of 17.

The estimated cost of these 17 roads has since ballooned to more than $50bn – more than half the value of New Zealand’s entire highway network. And so, last week, it was announced that only six of the projects will actually be going forward any time soon. The rest of the projects have been put in the slow lane, only progressing “subject to funding availability”.

Speaking to press last Thursday, transport minister Chris Bishop said, “It would be fair to say our 2023 commitments were very ambitious … in our defence, things have changed quite a bit in the last couple of years.”

Filmed and edited by Isaiah Tour.
Written and presented by Robbie Nicol.
Made with the support of NZ On Air.