Where does New Zealand actually stand on infrastructure governance compared to other OECD countries?
Based on OECD research published in 2023 covering 33 member countries, New Zealand ranked 29th out of 33 overall for infrastructure governance. On the specific dimension of accountability and professionalisation in asset management, New Zealand ranked dead last — 33rd out of 33. This is not a matter of interpretation: it is the lowest possible position in a field of 33 advanced economies.
Murray Pugh, CEO of Apopo, described this result as particularly painful for everyone working in the profession. It is one of the most significant drivers behind Apopo's current reform agenda — including the establishment of the Asset Management Chartered Professional designation and its push to align New Zealand's practice standards with the global ISO 55,000 framework. You can hear Pugh explain the implications directly in Episode 13 of The Otago Opportunity on Listenly.
The ranking does not exist in isolation. New Zealand's National Infrastructure Plan, released in 2025, revealed that 12 out of 31 central government agencies do not even maintain a basic asset register — a foundational requirement for any structured asset management programme. When the infrastructure underpinning daily life lacks even this basic documentation, the governance gap the OECD identified becomes concrete and immediate.
"Unless we invest now, and maybe forego something else, then our children and our grandchildren are going to shoulder a very highly disproportional impact from failing infrastructure." — Murray Pugh, CEO, Apopo
About Murray Pugh
Murray Pugh leads Apopo — the peak professional association for infrastructure asset management in Aotearoa New Zealand — an organisation representing approximately 1,300 members, of whom around 55% come from local government and only about 7% from central government asset owners. His role places him at the centre of the national conversation about how New Zealand plans, manages, and renews the roads, water systems, and public buildings its communities depend on.
Under Pugh's leadership, Apopo established the Asset Management Chartered Professional designation, a structured accreditation pathway that has since been formally recognised by the World Partners in Asset Management as equivalent to their global certification scheme. This is a significant achievement: it positions New Zealand's asset management professionals within an internationally credible framework at the same time as the country sits last in the OECD rankings for accountability and professionalisation in this field. Pugh's authority on the OECD data is direct — he references these figures not as external commentary but as a primary driver of Apopo's own reform programme and strategic direction.
See also
Infrastructure asset management involves determining what services communities need, planning and overseeing the design and construction of assets, and ensuring those assets continue to deliver the expected services throughout their lifecycle.