Civil Contractors New Zealand conference heads to Wellington

Civil Contractors New Zealand will bring its annual industry conference to Wellington, with more than 600 delegates expected to attend.

The gathering will focus on infrastructure construction and policy, with contractors, suppliers and political representatives set to discuss transport, roads and other essential community assets. As New Zealand approaches a general election, the programme will place greater emphasis on government priorities, procurement and the future pipeline of work.

Chief Executive Officer Alan Pollard said Wellington was chosen deliberately. “Civil construction underpins the vital services New Zealand relies upon to function and this year is a great opportunity to make sure that message resonates with the people who will be shaping policy for the next three years,” Pollard said.

The conference will feature a ministerial address from Chris Bishop, who holds the transport, housing, infrastructure and resource management reform portfolios, along with a cross-party panel with representatives from National, ACT, New Zealand First, Labour and the Green Party.

Pollard said the line-up reflected the sector's importance to the wider economy and the need for direct engagement between policymakers and the firms that build and maintain public works.

“Having spokespeople from every major party in the same room, talking directly to the contractors who build and maintain New Zealand's infrastructure, is exactly what an election year calls for. It's an opportunity for both sides to listen as much as they speak,” Pollard said.

Policy focus

Expected discussion topics include the long-term pipeline of infrastructure projects, procurement practices in local and central government, and the industry's ability to recruit and retain workers. Civil Contractors New Zealand has also highlighted concerns raised through a series of nationwide events, which informed its calls for a more unified national approach to infrastructure.

Together, those themes reflect a sector trying to balance political uncertainty with practical delivery pressures. Contractors want greater visibility over future work, while public clients remain under scrutiny over project planning, delays and value for money.

The programme also includes technical and business sessions focused on day-to-day issues facing firms, from crisis reputation management and changes in temporary traffic management to recruitment and environmental management.

Industry voices

Economist Shamubeel Eaqub is scheduled to provide an economic update, drawing on recent work on the cost of delaying infrastructure. Peter Nunns, General Manager of Strategy at Te Waihanga, the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, is also among the keynote speakers after helping shape the National Infrastructure Plan and the country's first Infrastructure Strategy.

Artificial intelligence will also feature, with generative AI specialist Matt Ensor set to speak on how contractors can use the technology in their operations. The topic sits alongside broader concerns across the construction sector about productivity, labour shortages and pressure to deliver more complex projects within tighter budgets.

Alongside the conference sessions, delegates will be offered visits linked to two major Wellington region infrastructure projects: the Ōtaki to North of Levin Te Pae o Tararua highway and Te Ara Tupua, the shared walking and cycling route connecting the Hutt Valley and Wellington. Teams involved in delivering those works are expected to guide the tours.

Awards night

The event will also host the CCNZ Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards, the Z People Awards and the Connexis Civil Industry Training & Development Awards. The programmes recognise projects, workers and training initiatives across the civil construction field.

The awards add a second strand to the conference beyond politics and policy, offering a snapshot of where contractors see progress in project delivery, skills development and workforce recognition as the industry works to strengthen both public confidence and internal capability.

For Wellington, the conference brings one of the country's main civil construction gatherings to the capital at a time when infrastructure remains a central political issue. For contractors, it creates a forum where commercial concerns, labour pressures and national policy debates can meet in the same room.

More than 600 contractors, suppliers and other industry figures are expected at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre.