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Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to Editor: water, Al Jazeera, Ardern
Today's letters to the editor include discussions concerning the Waitaki District Council, Al Jazeera, and opinions on Dame Jacinda Ardern. Recent opposition to the Waitaki District Council's preferred Water Well Done proposal is probably a reflection of the general lack of trust in the council rather than misinformation. Take the Proposed District Plan. This now legally enforceable plan allows that certain people are allowed to access private properties to cut, dig and build without the landowner's permission within the new wahi tupuna overlays. Conversely the same landowners can be required to consult with and pay whatever fee iwi deem appropriate in addition to council's own consenting requirements. The consulting process was haphazard and ultimately ignored the concerns of affected landowners. To their credit, councillors John McCone, Guy Percival and Brent Cowles opposed the plan which to the detriment of the Waitaki District community was approved in December. One councillor even stated that people affected by the PDP can now "share the same feelings of loss and disempowerment and identity ... caused by the Kemp Purchase of 1848". Our community deserves much better representation than being held liable for what happened over 175 years ago. Mark Hay Oamaru In-house backed I am tired of reading Ben Bell's accusations that Waitaki's decision to nix a joint water company with Gore, Clutha and Central Otago is the "misinformed" decision of only 161 submitters in our public consultation. Out of 300 submitters in the consultation, 85% favoured another option instead of the tie-up with those three districts. Only 15% supported Southern Water Done Well. Sentiment throughout the district was strongly in favour of keeping water in-house. Faced with an election in three months, the Waitaki councillors suddenly realised that public sentiment was so strong that it had to be respected. That's why the vote was 9-2 for continued in-house operation. The Gore councillors are wrong to claim that government required them to approve Southern Water Done Well. There are 19 councils nationwide which have chosen in-house. Minister Simon Watts may be trying to bully councils, but this hasn't scared the stronger councils in the past, nor will it in the future. Mike Sweeney Oamaru No, it's dire Dire wolves, mammoths, moa ... .why? Any effort to bring these back from the dead, at this stage is ridiculous, what you get is nothing like the original. What you get is a Claytons version. As has been shown, the dire wolves are only that in name. They are nothing like the originals, simply a white wolf with a few shredded DNA strands that amount to nothing. If there was going to be money sunk into these sorts of folly projects I would much prefer it be spent on saving our current flora and fauna Graham Bulman Dunedin Higher huts Re the tragic death of Wednesday Davis on Mt Ruapehu (ODT 14.7.25). This is very sad indeed and the circumstances appear to be particularly distressing for the family, and they have my full sympathy. I note however that the Whangaehu has been repeatedly reported as the "highest alpine hut in New Zealand". This is not the case by a significant margin. Whangaehu hut is at an altitude of 2080m while Empress Hut (at the top of the Hooker Glacier at Aoraki/Mt Cook) is at an altitude of 2472m, Plateau Hut (also on Aoraki/Mt Cook) is at 2200m, Centennial Hut (on the Franz Josef Glacier) is at 2400m. Stating that Whangaehu is the highest hut in New Zealand puts an erroneous perspective on the story. Derek Chinn Queenstown Overwhelming news and the bare essentials I watch the Al Jazeera news channel. Their news coverage can be difficult to watch. Images can be overwhelming and leave you questioning why some events on this planet are allowed to continue. The only thing on television at the moment that can put a smile on your face is an advertisement. It shows a naked skier, beautiful snow views and the background music is Age of Innocence by Enigma. It is very peaceful and you have to smile. Lorraine Adams Oamaru Enduring legacy I was horrified to read Neville McLay's letter (ODT 14.7.25). Can it really be true that the stadium will only last another 35 years, especially when you think that most old villas were built between 1890 and 1910. Many will have been renovated in the past 35 years when the houses were already nearly 100 years old. So the stadium is only to last about a quarter as long as the average old villa? George Livingstone Roslyn Boo Sir Ian It is so very sad to see all the knives pointed in direction of Dame Jacinda Ardern, the latest poison from Sir Ian Taylor. The combined threats and personal attacks made on her mainly through the cowardly medium of social media disgusted me. Dame Jacinda succeeded in saving many lives when the country faced a relentless and deadly Covid virus. She was applauded and recognised upon the world stage. The mosque massacre and Christchurch earthquakes, she resolutely and bravely faced up to with utmost dignity sincerity and compassion. Clive McNeill North East Valley Bravo Sir Ian "Better late than never" as the saying goes. Recent comments ridiculing and criticising Sir Ian Taylor about his about-face opinion of Jacinda Ardern just goes to show that changing one's mind and an admission of being wrong, is frowned upon and not appreciated by many. I, however applaud his honesty and bravery in publicly admitting his previous error in judgement. Joyce Yee-Murdoch Cromwell Boo Sir Ian I was disappointed by Sir Ian Taylor's article on Jacinda. It read like a lovesick virgin teenager's lament on finding the object of their adoration had feet of plasticene and a far-from-saintly past. Most politicians who get the top job, with some exceptions, and Jacinda was no exception, do the best they can with the hand they are dealt. And with impeccable timing she quit when she realised she was no longer the solution but part of the problem. We don't need to look far in the contemporary world to find exceptions who did neither. So we should be grateful. I am absolutely delighted that Jacinda has found things to do and a means of earning a crust, after leaving us Kiwi ingrates for what she must see as greener and safer pastures. I suggest Sir Ian plants his sour grapes in our great Central soil where they can turn to fine wine, and saves his rocks for his own rockery rather than use them as ammunition. Morley Williams Cromwell
Scoop
08-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
First New Water Services Entity Springs To Life
Selwyn has become the first water services entity to be established under the Government's Water Done Well legislation. Local Government Minister Simon Watts attended the formal launch of Selwyn Water Limited today with Mayor Sam Broughton, local MP Nicola Grigg, and company chair Murray Strong. Watts confirmed at the launch that the Secretary for Local Government, Paul James, had formally accepted Selwyn's Water Services Delivery Plan. Selwyn Water Limited will deliver drinking and wastewater services to around 30,000 households and over 8,000 businesses across New Zealand's fastest-growing region. Broughton said the formation of Selwyn Water marked a major milestone for the District. 'After years of talking about water reforms, we're pleased to have moved to give our residents certainty for the future of drinking and wastewater services. 'Selwyn Water will deliver services that enable community and business development and protect environmental health, it will manage its finances prudently and operate independently from rates.' The councillors had voted 6-5 to move the district's drinking and wastewater to a council controlled organisation (CCO). That decision has received plenty of pushback, with 89% of the submissions calling for the alternative in-house model. Broughton previously said those submissions represented 1% of the population. At the opening, he said most of the things that had been raised by submitters had been considered by the council's three waters subcommittee. 'The council decision was already around a preferred WSCCO to set us up for the future.' Established under the Government'sLocal Water Done Wellframework, Selwyn Water Limited is the first CCO of its kind. It combines public ownership with customer services expertise and will be governed by an independent board. Over the next six months, the council will transfer relevant assets, staff, and systems to ensure a seamless transition and continuity of service. In its annual plan, the council has budgeted around $11 million for the transition to the CCO. It had already budgeted, in November, $2m to support the proposed establishment of a CCO and development of the Water Services Delivery Plan. Selwyn Water chairperson Murray Strong noted that the utility is being built on a strong foundation. 'Selwyn Water will be a 'best in class' public utility company, aligned with Council and Government expectations and subject to oversight from the Commerce Commission and Taumata Arowai. 'Our flexible structure also allows for other councils to partner in future, creating efficiencies and further cost savings across districts.' Broughton was confident that any future amalgamation of services with other councils wouldn't require a new CCO. 'This has been set up and designed from the beginning to be able to shape and change itself, and morph into whatever the future requirements are for the districts that want to be a part of collaborating for Canterbury.' Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg welcomed the launch as a practical response to the community's growth and infrastructure demands. 'I'm very pleased to see the council move to enable this ownership model and look forward to Selwyn Water delivering high standards of service for our people.'
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Lower Hutt Mayor Welcomes New Water Entity Reset For The Region
Wellington's metropolitan councils have agreed to form a new jointly owned water services entity that will be more efficient, reliable, and deliver greater value for money. Upper Hutt City Council was the final partner to vote in favour of the new entity today, following earlier support from Porirua, Lower Hutt and Wellington City Councils and Greater Wellington Regional Council. The new entity will take over the ownership and management of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure by 1 July 2026. Unlike Wellington Water, the new entity will own the water infrastructure that is currently owned by councils. The entity will be able to generate its own income, manage its own debt, and will not be constrained by council funding. Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry welcomed today's milestone saying the decision marks a reset for water services in the region. "The new entity unlocks the financial tools needed to make smart investments in water infrastructure, without placing an unsustainable burden on ratepayers. "It will enable better decision-making across the entire network and ensure more consistent service delivery." Barry said it was significant that all five councils have come to the table with a shared vision. "It shows we're putting what's best for our ratepayers and residents ahead of parochial politics." Barry said turning around historical underinvestment in water infrastructure will take time and water bills will still increase under the new entity to meet the needs of the region's ageing network. However, high-level modelling shows that any rise in water charges will be about 30% less than what households would face under the current model. "Our main goal is to introduce a new way of delivering water services that allows for more investment in the network with an entity that is more efficient; while keeping costs more affordable and sustainable over the long-term," Barry said. The entity will be governed by a board of independent professional directors who will be appointed by a steering committee of council and iwi representatives. The primary relationship of the entity will be with its customers (residents) not its shareholders (councils), giving the organisation the independence and accountability to deliver. The decision comes as part of the Government's 'Local Water Done Well' reform, which requires councils to decide on a long term water services model and submit delivery plans by September 2025.
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Staffing costs at Hawke's Bay councils - are they reasonable?
While Hastings District Council has fewer permanent staff, it spent $241m on people costs in 2024, the most of all Hawke's Bay councils. That figure includes not just staff salaries, but contractor and consultant bills. Napier City Council spent $97m. In Central Hawke's Bay, spending on staff wages and consultants was just under $8.5m. No cost for contractors was provided. In Wairoa, the cost of wages was just over $7m. No details for contractors or consultants were provided. At Hawke's Bay Regional Council, people costs were just over $42m. No information was given for contractors. The average salary of a Hastings District Council worker in 2024 was $82,864 and in Napier it was $92,829. The cost of staffing at Hawke's Bay councils has been in the spotlight for years. During a push for amalgamation it was noted by supporters of a singular council for the region that rivarly between neighbouring territorial authorities could drive up the cost of recruiting and retaining council staff. Savings on people costs are also part of the reason Hawke's Bay councils have opted for a region-wide Local Water Done Well model as their preferred option in ongoing consultation with the public. Chief executive and principal economist at Infometrics and one of New Zealand's leading economic commentators Brad Olsen said it was hard to contextualise what was a reasonable price for ratepayers to pay for staffing. Olsen said there was a tendency to 'vilify' contractor and consultant spending. 'But I don't think that's always warranted and is often a fairly surface-level concern. 'I don't think people with concerns about contractor and consultant spending really want this to be cut to zero if it meant no roading or water infrastructure investment. 'There's a clear and ongoing focus from councils to focus on delivering value for money, but costs for delivering council services continue to rise too, often above the rate of headline household inflation. Advertise with NZME. 'Although headline consumer prices have increased 23% since the end of 2019, Infometrics analysis of Stats NZ capital cost data shows that the cost of delivering transport infrastructure has increased by an average of 25% over the same period, and delivering water infrastructure has seen a 32% cost increase.' Olsen said contractors did what couldn't be done in-house and plenty of that would have been required post-Cyclone in Hawke's Bay. 'The scale of work can differ considerably between councils, and makes comparing spending levels challenging. 'For context, Hastings District Council's Annual Report 2023/24 shows $169m in capital funding, while Napier had $35m, with the difference in spending size driven by the size and scale of the infrastructure task and area covered by territorial authorities,' Olsen said. Hastings Hastings Council, as of June 2024, employed 517 permanent and fixed-term fulltime and part-time staff (headcount) with a fulltime equivalent of 478 on an average salary of $82,864. It paid $241m for the 23/24 financial year ($141.8m capital expenditure/$100m operational) to contractors and consultants including those involved in capital projects (things like road and bridge builds, demolition, three waters pipe facilities and networks) plus operational, a broad range from security services to key asset maintenance services, to expert and legal advice. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. A spokesperson for the council said almost $46m of the operational spend was directly attributable to Cyclone Gabrielle, as was $56.3m of the capital spending. The council is not planning any large-scale restructuring of its organisation in 2025. CEO Nigel Bickle's remuneration for the year ending June 2024 was $435,880. The council says in October 2024 it agreed to a pay increase for Bickle from July 1, 2024, but he declined it. All mayors' salaries are set by the Remuneration Authority. Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was paid $166,910 for 2024/25. This expires on June 30, 2025, when the authority will replace it with another determination. The most recent mayoral pay increase was July 1, 2024, (when it was increased to the current amount). Before that, there had not been an increase since 2022. Napier Napier City Council employed 785 people with an average wage for fulltime staff as of February 28, 2025, of $92,829 including some who work 42.5 hours per week. ($43.46 per hour). In 2024 it paid $24,449,562 (including GST) to 448 different suppliers for consultancy and contractor services. The council says it relies on a diverse range of external contractors and consultants to support the delivery of essential services and infrastructure to the community. 'It includes critical areas such as roading, water services, and waste management, as well as specialist expertise for projects where it is more cost-effective or practical to engage external providers rather than maintaining in-house resources year-round. Advertise with NZME. 'This approach ensures we can respond flexibly to project demands, access specialist skills when required, and maintain value for money for our ratepayers. The spending reflects the scale and complexity of the services we deliver, as well as our commitment to ensuring high-quality outcomes for the community. 'We monitor and manage contractor arrangements to ensure they deliver strong value and contribute effectively to our service delivery goals.' The council supported regular (formal) working-from-home arrangements. When working from home on a regular basis, it is generally expected a maximum of two days per week (60% working in the office and 40% working from home) will be agreed on. Its chief executive Louise Miller, who was employed on March 13, 2023, was paid $384,000 for 23/24. Mayor Kirsten Wise was paid $160,000 for the same period. Central Hawke's Bay Central Hawke's Bay District Council, as of June 30, 2024, employed 92.5 fulltime staff at an average wage of $84,288. Seven were externally funded and there were 10 vacancies. For the calendar year 2024 it paid eight consultants a total of $640,000 including GST. A council spokesperson said they were doing the work like ordinary staff, and CHBDC paid them directly. 'We also have contractors employed, but these fall under contracts and we don't have direct oversight of the number and how much they are paid. This includes the mahi to look after our water services, plants and reserves and roads.' Chief executive Doug Tate's salary was $257,852 at June 30, 2024. Mayor Alex Walker's salary is $119,272. Wairoa Wairoa District Council employs 89 staff, with an average wage of $82,340. It said it would only provide information around its costs for consultants and contractors if required to under the Local Government Official Information Act. 'Given the amount of resource required to process it, we have decided to charge for making the requested information available'. The first hour was free, but then the charge to collate the information would cost $38 for every half hour of work, estimated at four hours. Local Democracy Reporting declined the offer. Mayor Craig Little was paid $116,979 for 23/24 and for 2024/25 $121,307. The CEO's salary for 2024 was $215,000. Former CEO Kitea Tipuna resigned in April. Malcolm Alexander is now the interim chief executive. Regional At Hawke's Bay Regional Council, there are 311.6 full fulltime staff (as of June 30, 2024) with an average pay of $96,776.34 - this includes the executive leadership team's salaries. In 23/24 HBRC spent $12,220,706.45 on consultants. This excludes professional (legal/audit etc.) fees and contractors and is only for external consultants. No information was given for contractors. Chief executive Dr Nic Peet's current salary package is $356,536. Chair Hinewai Ormsby's salary package for 23/24 is $148,043.
Otago Daily Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
‘Reflection' of cost tensions
Bryan Cadogan. PHOTO: ODT FILES. Low resident satisfaction in a recent council survey is a reflection of escalating cost tensions, the Clutha district's mayor says. The Clutha District Council released its annual resident survey this week, which it has been running since 2013. Last year, satisfaction in the council plummeted and, despite a slight increase in the headline figure for overall council performance in the latest survey, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said work remained to be done. "This will be the last time I'm in the mayoral hot seat to receive the survey results. It's a very trying time currently with the vice that Three Waters has us in, and these results are a clear reflection of that," he said. He said he and councillors were "as frustrated" as all ratepayers by rapidly escalating rates. Some Clutha ratepayers are facing 25%-plus rises this year. "It's a ridiculous situation all councils have been put in [by central government]. But we have to address the issues in front of us, and we continue to look for solutions and savings every day, by going through everything with a fine-tooth comb." Satisfaction in decision-making, planning and leadership of elected members was up from 47% to 53%, and overall satisfaction in the council also up, from 55% to 60%. In contrast to the dissatisfaction with elected members, council staff received a glowing report. Satisfaction with delivery of "quality of life" services uniformly topped 90%. Among the highest performers were libraries (97%); Balclutha Pool (95%); community centres and halls (95%); and parks and reserves (94%). Mr Cadogan said residents had an opportunity to contribute to the future of water decision-making at present. Local Water Done Well submissions are open until June 6. • Local Water Done Well consultation meetings take place next week at Milton Coronation Hall on Monday; TPŌMA Balclutha on Tuesday; and West Otago Community Centre, Tapanui on Wednesday (all 6.30pm).
