Six Calls, One Clear Message:
Fix the Freight System
Every New Zealander pays the freight bill at the checkout – around 12 percent of what’s in your trolley is the cost of moving it there.
Cost of living will dominate this election, and as a $59 billion sector, freight has a real role in the answer. Fix how we move it, and small imporovements compound into significant national gains
That’s the case NRC has taken into the 2026 election setting out six calls to the next government, whoever forms it, on what the system needs and how to get there.
NRC's 6 Calls to action
1.Spend smarter on infrastructure
Prioritise investment that moves the most freight for every dollar and build a more productive, connected transport network.
2.Adopt proven international vehicle standards
Stop reinventing rules in New Zealand and enable safer, more efficient freight technology to reach our roads faster.
3.Build a more resilient energy system
Strengthen fuel security while accelerating domestic energy and the transition to low and zero-emission heavy vehicles.
4.Raise the bar for freight operators
Strengthen licensing and compliance, remove unsafe operators and introduce greater responsibility for businesses purchasing freight services.
5.Compete for the drivers New Zealand needs
Recognise truck driving as skilled work, create a pathway to residency and ensure drivers meet clear competency standards.
6.Appoint a Minister of Supply Chain
Put one minister in charge of the end-to-end freight system and establish a unified, long-term supply chain strategy.
Download the full NRC manifesto
These calls aren’t abstract policy points. They’re the potholes, the driver shortages, the fuel bills and the licence loopholes our members deal with every day.
NRC know the pain points because we hear them constantly — at conferences, on site visits, in every conversation with an owner-operator trying to keep a truck on the road.
NRC’s arguments are specific, constructive and we’re ready to help build the solutions.
Now it’s time for whoever wins in November to act.