Because, when you consider achievements like that, it makes it laughable that we don’t seem to be capable anymore of really simple stuff like fixing roads.
An example is Halswell Junction Road, in Christchurch. Three repairs in the past 12 months and now it needs to be done a fourth time. The local councillor has had a gutsful, and I don’t blame him.
What are some other examples that show just how average we’ve become? What about that time they flooded Cromwell and created the new lake? Was it just a fluke that we pulled that off without it leaking all over the place?
The Lyttelton tunnel. How on earth did we do that without it caving in?
We used to be able to do all those things. These days, we can’t even fix a road properly.
We can build rockets and send them into space. We can build boats that win the America’s Cup.
In fact, we’re better at those things than we are at fixing roads. Which is crazy, isn’t it?
City councillor Andrei Moore is saying today that the repair work on Halswell Junction Road has been sub-standard and parts of it still aren’t level.
What’s more, people are telling him that their houses are being shaken by traffic more than ever.
So why’s that, do you reckon? I’ll tell you what I think but, first, here’s the council’s explanation.
Its head of transport has told our newsroom that the problem with Halswell Junction Road is that it isn’t strong enough for them to use asphalt, and so they have to use chip seal.
And, obviously, chip seal is hopeless on that particular road - which is a major route.
The thing is, it’s not just Halswell Junction Road, is it? It seems to be everywhere. All over the place - so-called repairs are being done, over-and-over again.
Maybe calling them “repairs” is generous, because something is only repaired once it doesn’t need fixing again.
And do you know why this is happening? It’s easy. She’ll be right.
This “she’ll be right” attitude is rife everywhere. It’s rife in councils, where the processes they use to hire contractors has become so complex, that once a roading outfit is in the system, they’re pretty much there for life.
Even if they do cruddy work - they’re in the system, they’ve got a purchase order number, invoicing is all set-up and it's way too much work for the council to find someone who might do the job better.
And hey, we can still tick things off the to-do list - even if we have to get them back to do it all over again in three months time.
She’ll be right. The companies that do the actual work. If it doesn’t work first time, we’ll come back and sort it out. Don’t bother telling the council that chip seal is hopeless and we should be using asphalt. Don’t upset the apple cart. She’ll be right. Job for life.
And you and I, we’re part of the problem too.
Because, generally, we just shrug our shoulders and put up with this lame she’ll be right attitude when, what we should be doing, is making more of a noise about it.
And when I say noise, I mean actually putting people into these councils who are prepared to push back when they hear nonsense such as Halswell Junction Road not being strong enough to take the weight of asphalt.
I’m talking about putting people into councils who will push back at that and say, do something about that. Don’t just keep pouring chipseal. Make the road stronger.
People who will challenge the way their council monitors performance and quality.
People who will do there everything to get rid of “she’ll be right”.
Because, until that happens —until everyone ups their game— nothing is going to change. And the same repairs are going to continue to be done over and over again.
John MacDonald is the Canterbury Mornings host on Newstalk ZB Christchurch. This article was first published HERE
What are some other examples that show just how average we’ve become? What about that time they flooded Cromwell and created the new lake? Was it just a fluke that we pulled that off without it leaking all over the place?
The Lyttelton tunnel. How on earth did we do that without it caving in?
We used to be able to do all those things. These days, we can’t even fix a road properly.
We can build rockets and send them into space. We can build boats that win the America’s Cup.
In fact, we’re better at those things than we are at fixing roads. Which is crazy, isn’t it?
City councillor Andrei Moore is saying today that the repair work on Halswell Junction Road has been sub-standard and parts of it still aren’t level.
What’s more, people are telling him that their houses are being shaken by traffic more than ever.
So why’s that, do you reckon? I’ll tell you what I think but, first, here’s the council’s explanation.
Its head of transport has told our newsroom that the problem with Halswell Junction Road is that it isn’t strong enough for them to use asphalt, and so they have to use chip seal.
And, obviously, chip seal is hopeless on that particular road - which is a major route.
The thing is, it’s not just Halswell Junction Road, is it? It seems to be everywhere. All over the place - so-called repairs are being done, over-and-over again.
Maybe calling them “repairs” is generous, because something is only repaired once it doesn’t need fixing again.
And do you know why this is happening? It’s easy. She’ll be right.
This “she’ll be right” attitude is rife everywhere. It’s rife in councils, where the processes they use to hire contractors has become so complex, that once a roading outfit is in the system, they’re pretty much there for life.
Even if they do cruddy work - they’re in the system, they’ve got a purchase order number, invoicing is all set-up and it's way too much work for the council to find someone who might do the job better.
And hey, we can still tick things off the to-do list - even if we have to get them back to do it all over again in three months time.
She’ll be right. The companies that do the actual work. If it doesn’t work first time, we’ll come back and sort it out. Don’t bother telling the council that chip seal is hopeless and we should be using asphalt. Don’t upset the apple cart. She’ll be right. Job for life.
And you and I, we’re part of the problem too.
Because, generally, we just shrug our shoulders and put up with this lame she’ll be right attitude when, what we should be doing, is making more of a noise about it.
And when I say noise, I mean actually putting people into these councils who are prepared to push back when they hear nonsense such as Halswell Junction Road not being strong enough to take the weight of asphalt.
I’m talking about putting people into councils who will push back at that and say, do something about that. Don’t just keep pouring chipseal. Make the road stronger.
People who will challenge the way their council monitors performance and quality.
People who will do there everything to get rid of “she’ll be right”.
Because, until that happens —until everyone ups their game— nothing is going to change. And the same repairs are going to continue to be done over and over again.
John MacDonald is the Canterbury Mornings host on Newstalk ZB Christchurch. This article was first published HERE
10 comments:
This is why we need something like Elon Musk's DOGE to sort out these taxpayer and ratepayer funded scams. NZ can certainly create infrastructure on time and within budget when things are properly managed, like the sewage tunnel in Auckland and bridge on the Arthur's Pass road. But while the saving of taxpayer's money is seen as a positive thing in the States (apart from those with a vested interest, like some of the Democrats) in NZ it is seen as terrible so the government won't tackle it for the risk of looking bad in the far left media.
Always interesting to talk with actual contractors. There is an element of planning to fail. Great DOGE opportunity.
Check the new highway from Wellington - transmission gully.
A four lane highway that started to break up months after being opened.
Typical radio jock analysis. Its not the contractor, they get paid for completing the DESIGNED PROJECT and if they do not construct to the DESIGNED PROJECT they do not get paid . Its the DESIGN .
Councils and many govt departments have become mere administrators of contracts. Any very able technical staff are enticed by outside firms for their ability or to remove technical or bribery obstruction, or both. It becomes impossible to maintain critical technical oversight. The contractors and their circle of consultants and engineers rapidly obtain monopoly status and local bodies and govt departments become mere travellers taken along for the ride. Now often by overseas owned and directed firms with no interest in NZ beyond profit.
Older roads did not have to handle 50 tonne trucks at 90+ kph transmitting 700 hp and with ability to lock the wheels laden.
The roading folks are a just a reflection of everything else in the country. We elect the governments and we elect the councils - if we bother to vote that is. Why don’t we hold them to account? If something brings NZ down it will be the complacency.
What they need is more un-elected paid Maori on these councils like Tauranga and Wanganui.
These Maori have no end of matauranga (ways of knowing) that can easily fix these roading issues - look at all the magnificent roads and infrastructure they had before all those nasty white people arrived and destroyed their paradise.
Yeah right.
Anon 11:01, yes we elect Councils, however, woke Councils now bypass the Ward proposals by installing paid unelected Maori onto their committees with full voting rights.
Did anyone vote for Drysdale to be Mayor of Tauranga knowing he was going to pull that dirty trick ?
Another Ardern with her hidden He Puapua plan.
Bring back the sedition laws for this treacherous abuse of power.
So much for democracy.
And at the end of the day, it is the long suffering taxpayers/ratepayers who pay the bill for elected officials incompetence
The Romans managed to design and build roads throughout Europe which lasted centuries. Surely it is possible to build here to a certain standard - with firm guarantees that contractors must adhere to. Do they have councils over a barrel? I hope not.
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