Te Waihanga
In te reo Māori Te Waihanga means a cornerstone, or to make, create, develop, build, construct, generate.
Our establishment
The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga was officially formed by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga Act 2019(external link) on 25 September 2019.
Te Waihanga is an autonomous Crown entity, listed under the Crown Entities Act 2004, with an independent board.
The Treasury consulted with public and private sector stakeholders in late 2018 to test their views on the shape and role of any new infrastructure body. Some 130 submissions(external link) were received. The feedback was used to inform recommendations to the Minister and in February 2019 the Government outlined(external link) the form, functions and name of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga. A Cabinet paper(external link) released at the time provided more detailed information.
Te Waihanga's mandate arises from its legislation, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Rules of Procurement(external link) and the State Services Investment Management System(external link) which sets out Cabinet’s expectations regarding the management of investments through their lifecycles.
Defining infrastructure
Infrastructure: "A system of inter-connected physical structures that employ capital to provide shared services to enhance wellbeing."
