The report: Valuing the role of Construction in the New Zealand economy, was commissioned by the Construction Strategy Group (CSG) and launched by Mr Williamson at a CSG meeting in Auckland today.

The report highlights the key role the construction sector has played in the economic growth of the country and focuses on how Government and industry can achieve more economic growth by removing red tape and lifting the industry’s skills.

“There are many things the sector can do to improve career pathways and make businesses more productive and profitable,” Mr Williamson says.

The Government has partnered with the sector through the Productivity Partnership to help fix some of the problems.

“The Partnership aims to lift productivity in the sector by 20% by 2020. This will add around $3 billion to GDP. When you see these sorts of figures, it’s easy to see how important the sector is.”

The draft Central City Plan adopted Wednesday proposes a host of new developments and financial incentives to encourage businesses and residents to return to the central city area that has suffered heavily in the recent earthquakes, said the Herald.

However, critics are questioning whether the city can afford such grand projects, when many Christchurch people are still in need.

Much of the city centre’s existing fabric is being torn down because of quake damage, and Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said it presented a rare opportunity to create a world-class city centre, the report said.

According to the Herald, the plan calls for the creation of a “safe, sustainable, high-tech, low-rise city in a garden”, with an emphasis on a smaller central business district, plenty of green space and a $406 million light rail system which will connect the city centre to Canterbury University in the city’s northwest suburbs.

Mr Parker said the estimated $1.9 billion for projects outlined in the plan would be covered by reprioritized local funds, insurance, subsidies, borrowing and the Christchurch City Council would be seeking contributions from the Government, noted the Herald.

Engineers have concluded most of the land in the central city is safe to rebuild on, but liquefaction-prone areas closest to the Avon River – which runs through the city centre – will not be built on.

The smaller CBD would be characterized by new low-rise buildings, no greater than six to seven storeys. Most of the deaths in the February quake were in multi-storey buildings, indicated the report.

To encourage businesses and residents to make the city centre their home, the council has proposed a series of grants and rebates.

Residents could be offered financial assistance to reduce the deposit required for a house in the area, while the council may underwrite loans for businesses and provide grants per employee for a business which agrees to set up in the central city, said the Herald.

The council also proposed doing away with the requirements of school zoning for families who chose to live in the city centre, so proximity to schools of their choice was not a barrier, noted the report.

McConnell Group Managing Director David McConnell noted that the company is operating the Harker business out of the same premises and re-employing the same team of people. McConnell truly value their experience and expertise, said McConnell. Leigh Bishop will continue to manage the business, drawing on his 15 years of microtunnelling and pipe jacking experience.

The McConnell Group, Inc. (TMG) is a health sciences company that provides a comprehensive selection of professional and technical services and products designed to enhance the success of companies in a rapidly changing marketplace. The company was built on a need for a single-source company to meet the infrastructure needs in biomedical research, while addressing and solving some national and world needs in the field of health services.

TMG applies its energy and creativity to a wide range of professional services. The commitment of its employees and each individual’s contributions has driven the company’s success. With offices in San Antonio, TX, Rockville, MD, and Dublin, PA, TMG is poised to continue recruiting the best of available resources.

Harker Underground Construction is an Auckland-based company that offers microtunnelling and pipe jacking services for the installation of pipelines and / or conduits.

Harker Underground Construction has been operating New Zealand wide since 1988. The company’s specialty is the trenchless installation of pipe using microtunnelling and pipe jacking methods in built up / CBD areas; under existing buildings; for crossings under motorways, arterial roads and railway lines; and for pipelines installed at depth.

Hacker was one of the first contractors to pipe jack through Wellington City’s harbour reclamations and undertaking the longest pipe jack (600 metres of 2100mm ID pipe) to date in New Zealand.

It is also the only New Zealand company to have pipe jacked 3000mm diameter concrete pipe in New Zealand and installed the country’s first curved pipe jack (400 metre radius on a 2000mm diameter pipe).

Hacker owns the largest and most modern selection of TBMs in New Zealand, capable of installing pipe ranging from 450mm to 3000mm in diameter. Currently, it is the only company in New Zealand and Australia that is able to offer clients a complete range of TBMs, with the ability to design and manufacture their own TBMs of comparable standard to plant and equipment available overseas.

Fletcher was obliged to increase the cash component of its offer for Crane shares by A4 cents, to A$3.47 a share, after the Fletcher share price fell following the hostile bid. The bid still values Crane shares at A$9.35 apiece.  Among the reasons given for rejecting the bid was that the “offer price will be reduced by the amount of any dividend declared or paid by Crane Group, including the 2011 interim dividend expected to be announced shortly.”

The company’s strong financial position allowed the move. Documentation from both Fletcher and a target company statement from Crane should be in shareholders’ hands by Jan. 31, directors said. Crane shares rose 0.75 per cent to in ASX trading today to be nine cents above the offer price at A9.46, while dual-listed Fletcher was trading unchanged at NZ$7.78 on the NZX.

Fletcher Building Ltd is New Zealand’s biggest listed company. Just recently, Fletcher lifted the cash component of its takeover bid for the Australian Group. The Auckland-based construction company lifted its cash offer by 4 Australian cents a share to A$3.47, according to a replacement bidder’s statement lodged with both the NZX and ASX.

Crane’s board rejected the bid as originally structured, deeming it to be an inadequate and opportunistic offer at the bottom of the industry cycle.  Fletcher has already acquired 13% of Crane from institutional investors at the offer price, and plans to operate Crane as a separate division. However, if the offer is successful, Crane shareholders will own about 10% of Fletcher.

Crane Group Ltd is an Australian plumbing and building supplies firm. Just last week, Fletcher Building gave notice of an offer of one Fletcher Building share plus $A3.43 ($NZ4.58) for each Crane share, valuing the target in which it has built a 14.9 per cent stake at $A740 million.

Investment bankers said the takeover process still had some way to go as the bid had not yet been formally lodged. A bidder’s statement is expected within the two weeks of the notice to bid. Once the bid is formally lodged, Crane Group will respond with a target statement.