Rebuilding New Zealand

Michael Bassett's column
www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/michael-bassett-cyclones-and-politics

couple of excerpts
Cyclone Gabrielle’s devastation far exceeds Bola’s. Some of the TV images of landslips, and mud-invaded homes, farms, and orchards, are heart-breaking. My wife and I quickly gave a donation to the Red Cross relief effort. But a great deal more than voluntary donations is needed. Jacinda Ardern would have been in her element, hugging the suffering and commiserating with those who had sustained huge personal losses. But not much else. Somehow, Chris Hipkins appears dwarfed by the challenge; tiny, insignificant, almost missing-in-action. This crisis demands mature, decisive leadership. No Prime Minister can restrain the elements, but right now there is need for authority when dealing with their trail of destruction.

The recovery phase will test this government big time. Its leading lights are all former student politicians who have read little, and who are captives of ancient left-wing dogma about the need to centralize decision-making to keep it out of the hands of capitalists. Note their health reforms which are removing local health boards. And Three Waters where the rule of many competent regional organisations like Auckland’s Watercare is under threat. Current Labour ministers instinctively distrust local government as their proposed reforms to the sector demonstrate. There is an urge in the Beehive these days to over-ride local attitudes when they don’t align with those of a minister. Michael Wood’s “Yellow Brick Road” to Auckland Airport at an estimated cost of $29 billion is still on the books despite city hall’s reluctance to have anything to do with it. Already more than $50 million has been spent on Wood’s rapid rail plans that ultimately won’t go anywhere. The as-yet unspent money is needed for the cyclone rebuild.

and

The recovery project will only succeed if it is driven locally. Mayors, councils, farmers and local enterprises are better placed to plan road re-alignments, bridge re-building, new stop-banks and drain expansion than the bloated Wellington bureaucracy the Ardern-Hipkins government has constructed. Alone, Wellington revealed a mindset that is out of kilter with the rest of us at the recent local elections when it voted for a far-left green mayor. In the areas destroyed by floods and damaged infrastructure, locals need empowerment and genuine partnership in implementing recovery, not wacky ideology.

interesting technical read on the history of landslides at Muriwai and how land that was red zoned for building after a landslide in the 60's was allowed to be built on in the 80's
theconversation.com/landslides-and-law-cyclone-gabrielle-raises-serious-questions-about-where-weve-been-allowed-to-build-200250

Seriously want to rebuild NZ roads, drainage etc Get the bloody Japs/Chinese in with their machines, do it once do it properly

But would they charge $60m per km?? Was there not a rumour that after ww2 the yanks offered to build a free 2 lane hwy cape to the bluff?

Yip and a tunnel... 

In the year 1946, the American government put forth an ambitious proposal to the government of New Zealand. The proposition entailed the construction of a three-lane highway in both directions, spanning the length and breadth of the country. In exchange for this monumental undertaking, the Americans sought complete and unencumbered access to New Zealand's vast oil fields. The proposal was a testament to the great faith and confidence that the American administration had in the potential of New Zealand's oil resources.

Despite the potential benefits that such a grand project could bring to the country, the government of New Zealand made the difficult decision to turn down the offer. The primary factor contributing to this decision was the fear of potential political fallout that may arise from granting unrestricted access to the country's oil fields.

However, the Americans did not take the rejection as a closed door, and in a bid to sway the government's decision, they came up with a counteroffer. The new proposal entailed the construction of a high-speed cargo train tunnel that would span the distance of 1850 kilometers between Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand and Malacoota, Victoria in Australia. This ambitious project would have been a marvel of modern engineering and would have revolutionized transportation and trade between the two countries.

Unfortunately, the proposed tunnel was also declined by the New Zealand government due to concerns over potential political and economic repercussions of giving away the country's oil rights. While the projects were never realized, the proposals remain a testament to the ingenuity and forward-thinking of both nations, as well as a reminder of the delicate balance between political decision-making and economic advancement.

The transport industry has to take some responsibility too. When the "H" plate trucks were introduced all the usual assurances were given that these would only use main routes on roads designed for their axle loadings and be rigidly controlled. But now it is turning into a bit of a "free for all" with a huge proliferation of these truck and trailer. rigs all over the place.  Amazed at the increase in numbers I have seen passing thru Warkworth over the last couple of years. These are knocking the crap out of the roads. Using your example SH27 was not built to handle the trucks, both volume and weights passing over it now.
As far as the cost of building a road goes, well I have a spreadsheet open on my work screen right now that shows the cost of building a certain bit of road. Just think about all the grizzles people have about the cost of getting a house built and in particular all the bureaucratic compliance issues, then multiply that a thousand fold. Building the actual road is the easy part, it is all the peripherals that really drive the cost up.
Sure you could bring a Chinese contractor in, they would not have any environmental controls, piss off all the neighbours, tell the Iwi to take a hike and leave a road behind that needs reworking after only a few years. Yes I know there have been problems with Waikato Expressway and TG, and that's why we have multiple layers of QA oversight on top of us.

remember this infamous occurrence in Shanghai, brand new block

This is not to say that Chinese contractors cannot produce products/jobs to a reasonable quality, they can if you have the right company and oversight every step of the way. They do not have the same sense of pride in their product that Japanese have (or the Germans before accountants took over from engineers).
The big problem is the take over of technical institutions by corporate and bureaucratic types with engineers sidelined.
Look at the NZTA board, of 9 members only 1 engineer, amongst others a Maori dude whose sole experience listed is about treaty settlements and that oxygen thief Tracey Martin ex NZ First who is being well rewarded by Labour for supporting them.
The CEO of NZTA is ex Worksafe, knows diddly squat about roads.
AT is similar, the acting Chairman (I assume appointed by Wayne Brown after the previous chair did a runner)is an engineer, ex CEO of NZTA and I understand was quite well regarded. The rest a bunch of hanger's on, including the CEO of NZTA.
We all used to crack jokes about the old MoW/MWD (Ministry of Waste & Destruction) but they got stuff done and it has lasted way beyond design life. I am full of admiration in particular for the NZED Engineers from the 50's and 60's for the robust network they designed and built, which by and large has survived way beyond design life and load, often with inadequate maintenance.