If re-elected National will tackle traffic congestion in Queenstown, including possibly backing a gondola-based mass transit system, party leader Christopher Luxon told the South Island Election conference in Christchurch today.

The Prime Minister told the conference, staged by the South Islands combined chambers of commerce and which has attracted about 650 attendees, that the South Island needed infrastructure that kept communities connected and supported future growth. 

“Queenstown is also one of the fastest-growing parts of the country and SH6 and 6A is its single most important piece of road,’’ the policy document released by Mr Luxon said.

“This is the corridor that carries workers to the airport, freight to the supermarkets, and visitors to the town that earns this country billions in export revenue. It needs to work, but instead, it’s chronically congested.

“A re-elected National government will support innovative public transport solutions like gondolas, as well as practical road-widening to improve connectivity and efficiency along this stretch of road.’’

Other proposals announced by Mr Luxon included developing a new Government Policy Statement on Mining and Extraction to confirm that mining and extractive activities qualified to access the fast track approvals scheme, and that a re-elected National government would require that new data centre projects are accompanied by new, firmed electricity generation.

Before the conference, the combined chambers issued a “policy platform’’, which asked parties to commit to South Island GDP per capita reaching at least $130,000 per capita by 2035, and for it to be sitting ``clearly above’’ the national average.

“This would require backing the innovative South Island businesses already competing on the world stage and building on the sectors where the South Island has clear competitive advantage,’’ the platform document said.

Those sectors included agriculture, aquaculture, food processing, wine, manufacturing, renewable energy, technology, universities and tourism.

“With the right settings and investment these strengths can support stronger businesses, better incomes, greater export earnings and more resilient communities.’’

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is scheduled to speak later this morning.

Also on the agenda for today is an economy panel featuring Finance Minister Nicola Willis, her Labour opposite Barbara Edmonds, Act New Zealand leader David Seymour and Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick.

Other MPs taking part include senior National Cabinet Ministers Chris Bishop and Erica Stanford, Dunedin Green party candidate Francisco Hernandez, and representing New Zealand First its Taieri candidate Mark Patterson.