The government has announced the members of its infrastructure board to map a long-term path for New Zealand’s infrastructure development.

Dr Rod Carr will chair the board, which will consist of industry luminaries such as Sir Ron Carter, Lindsay Crossen, Dr Arthur Grimes, Dr Terence Heiler, Rob McLeod, John Rae and Alex Sundakov.

The board will report to the new National Infrastructure Unit (NIU), a body within the Treasury designed to “permanently lift sustainable the growth rate of the economy.”

It in turn reports directly to Infrastructure Minister Bill English, and other related ministers.

NIU is designed to improve the public sector’s management of existing infrastructure assets and boost forward planning, including the formulation, with the board, of a 20 year infrastructure plan.

The plan will be completed by the end of the year, and reviewed every three years.

The NIU’s resources will be drawn largely from Treasury staff and resources, with the addition of staff seconded from other departments.

Mr English says the new arrangements will bring New Zealand into line with other countries, including Australia.

More specific details concerning the NIU’s role will be threshed out when its statement of intent is announced at this week’s budget.

Dr Carr is vice-chancellor of the University of Canterbury and a former managing director of Jade Software Corporation. He has also served as deputy governor of the Reserve Bank and has held senior executive roles at the Bank of New Zealand and National Australia Bank. He us also vice-president of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and is a director of Lyttelton Port Company and Taranaki Investment Management.

Sir Ron was a founding director, chief executive and chair of Beca Group, the award winning engineering group. He has extensive experience in the field and still operates as a consultant. He sits on the board of Trustpower, Rugby World Cup 2011 and Rural Equities.

Mr Crossen is a civil engineer who was New Zealand operations manager, then chief executive, for Fulton Hogan New Zealand from 1998 to 2008.

Dr Grimes has been a Reserve Bank director since 2002. He is a senior fellow of Motu Economic & Public Policy Research Trust, chairman of Hugo Group, and adjunct Professor, University of Waikato.

Dr Heiler is an engineering consultant and researcher at Lincoln College. He has worked at Landcare Research for seven years.

Mr McLeod is the managing partner of Ernst & Young New Zealand and has been a specialist tax practitioner for more than 20 years.

Mr Rae is chairman and managing director of the Stevenson Group, and has worked in New Zealand and London in various treasury and capital market roles. He is currently of the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development.

Mr Sundakov is an economist who has worked at NZIER, the IMF and the treasury. He is the executive director of international public sector advisors Castalia.