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New Zealand s water workforce stretched to deliver multibillion-dollar investment
10 Apr, 2021 12:38 AM
4 minutes to read
Max Vollenbroich, of German firm Amex-Sanivar, works to repair a broken sludge pipe. Photo / Supplied
Wellington issues reporter, NZ Heraldgeorgina.campbell@nzme.co.nz
The country s water workforce is struggling to keep up with huge growth and infrastructure demands as decades of underinvestment in pipes is finally being addressed.
Water New Zealand s latest National Performance Review shows $1.6 billion was spent on capital improvements last year.
That s an increase of 44 per cent for water supply and 30 per cent for wastewater expenditure compared to the previous year.
The 2019/2020 review covers about 90 per cent of the population and 42 water suppliers.
MONIQUE FORD/Stuff
Record-keeping in the public sector is still inconsistent and worrying, a new Archives New Zealand report has found. Of 214 respondents in the new report – which includes ministries, departments, councils, district health boards, parliament offices and education entities – just 39 per cent had identified information that they hold which was of importance to Māori. “It is a significant finding,” chief archivist Stephen Clarke said. Of the respondents which said they don’t, or don’t know if they hold information that’s of importance to Māori, 61 per cent conducted business that intersects with the interests of Māori, including health, education, employment and the environment.
Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) this morning agreed to fund the operators, some of which do not yet pay their drivers the living wage.
Speaking before the decision was made, a representative of some of the operators asked them to push it back by a few weeks. Our simple request is for you to delay consideration of this paper for a few extra weeks, Transdev managing director Greg Pollock said.
Pollock was also speaking on behalf of other regional operators Tranzurban and Uzabus. Collectively, they make up 70 percent of the bus network.
He said all they supported drivers being paid the living wage, but he had concerns with the plan in its current form.
Wellington.Scoop
The Wellington City Council today voted to appoint one representative from each of Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira to sit on all Council committees and subcommittees with full voting rights from 1 July.
The only exceptions are the CEO Performance Review Committee, Community Boards, the Appointment Group, and the District Licencing Committee.
The vote was supported by eight councillors, and opposed by six. Deputy mayor Sarah Free was absent.
The council will reimburse each iwi by paying an annual fee, equivalent to the remuneration of a full time elected member, which is currently $111,225.