SouthPAN will provide infrastructure vital to New Zealand's economic future. Primary industries on both sides of the Tasman will benefit from 10-centimetre level satellite positioning accuracy without users needing to be online.
SouthPAN will enable public and private sector innovation and improve safety for the aviation, transport, and construction sectors. Combined with other technologies, it will support innovation in other industries to benefit our economy.
New Zealand's commitment to SouthPAN
New Zealand will contribute 25 per cent of the shared costs for SouthPAN. Australia is contributing the remaining 75 per cent of costs. Our total funding across the 19-year programme period is $NZD781m.
New Zealand will share governance on SouthPAN with Australia.
Benefits
SouthPAN will make our travel on air, sea, and roads safer. It will improve transportation efficiency and provide a platform for innovation in the New Zealand economy.
In 2021 LINZ commissioned EY to review the costs and benefits of SouthPAN. This review confirmed several sectors are likely to benefit from its introduction, including livestock ($376.2m), transport ($265.4m), construction ($130m), forestry ($33.7m), horticulture ($23.1m), utilities ($19.6m), and mining ($12m).
Once fully operational, SouthPAN will support aviation safety (known as Safety of Life certification). This will mean emergency flights and rescue helicopters can operate in extreme weather conditions. Domestic air travel will be safer and fewer flights will be disrupted by low visibility or bad weather conditions.
Combined with other technologies, SouthPAN will support innovation: from automation on the factory floor or the farm, reduced emissions through improved and efficient navigation, and enabling navigation for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Download the SouthPAN factsheet for more information.