Backing Waikato: Investing in growth

Waikato is New Zealand’s productive heartland.

It is where much of our food is grown, our energy is generated, our exports are made and our freight moves through. Hamilton and the surrounding towns are growing quickly, while rural and coastal communities depend on strong connections and reliable services.

National is backing that growth with the infrastructure Waikato needs for the future.

That investment is anchored by two major projects. National is extending the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere and building the new Waikato Medical School in Hamilton, which will provide 120 additional medical training places each year from 2028. But the investment goes much further. We are progressing Hamilton Southern Links, expanding Hamilton Airport, strengthening transport resilience in the Coromandel, adding classrooms and specialist education capacity, increasing health capacity, supporting more housing, and backing major productive infrastructure across the region.

We also invested a record $1.9 billion into the Waikato’s roads through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Fund, ensuring the region’s roads are up to standard. Construction has also begun on replacing the SH25 Pepe Stream bridge, the SH25 Ramarama Stream Bridge and the SH27 Ohinekaua Stream bridge – improving the resilience of the wider Waikato state highway network and keeping local communities, freight and emergency services moving.

We are building the housing our most vulnerable in the Waikato needs, with more than 900 additional social houses being delivered in the Waikato under National.

We are also working to make Waikato communities safer. Ram raids have fallen sharply from their peak, theft and robbery are down, Police foot patrols have more than doubled, and tougher laws are giving Police stronger tools to target gangs and repeat offenders.

There is more to do. National will keep building the infrastructure Waikato needs to grow, while making sure families, businesses and communities can share in the benefits..