finally admitted in ODT after my questioning, after years of refusing to print the renewals underspend graphs that I presented repeatedly. RENEWALS is what we should have been spending on, and should be spending on now instead of $60 million George st/Exchange pedestrianisation, $20 varsity ‘surface treatments’, and $53 million transportation ‘mode change’ projects.
https://www.odt.co.nz/…/water-repairs-backlog-needs…
Lee Vandervis 
I also really hope the council focus their attention more on spending money effectively on solid basic infrastructure renewals like this for example before feeling they have the footing for more adventurous spending of borrowed money. I’m not sure of the current state of piping under the city but I see we take the prize for the oldest average age for water, storm water and sewage piping in the country so it’s probably safe to say it’s not good. I’m sure Wellington wish they hadn’t put themselves on the back foot over these issues in hindsight.
Aurora Energy………
Where did everyone’s lines maintenance charges over all these years go btw?
Today’s article in the ODT paints a pretty wild picture in my eyes in relation to all of this. Trying to achieve a set high level of capital spending seems counterintuitive to that spending being as efficient as possible not to mention it’s effect on the actual direction of spending. What exactly is the bottleneck in spending for this year to have it fall short of target?
Communities in thrall to debt will live in their own sewerage uncomplaining. There is no stick or kind word that will free the willing debt slave. Except perhaps debtors prison. Many are working multiple jobs, contract out child rearing to daycare and dark screens, in order to get ahead. I suspect even pointing out sewerage running down the street will have little impact. Correctly identifying debt as an evil might. All forms of free stuff is debt. When stuff is free, you are the commodity. You are being consumed.