I'm not an overt protester by nature, but I will be joining tomorrow's march for the new Dunedin Hospital. Frankly, the handling of this essential infrastructure project has been deplorable by successive Labour & National governments. Yesterday's announcement was shocking and breaks an election promise to build what was designed. This protracted project is just another flop in a series of projects, some of which haven't gotten past the thought-bubble stage.
Which begs the question, why is NZ so bad at infrastructure?
Just to cite some examples: Auckland light rail. I know. Six years, not a meter of track laid and $228 million down the drain. Auckland's harbour bridge cycle lane has cost over $51 million, with nothing to show for it. Transmission Gully was completed - 27km cost the taxpayer about $1.25 billion. It took six years to build it. Christchurch's new stadium is projected to cost $683 million - the government agreed to pay $220 million of taxpayers' money towards this project.
The inter-island ferry debacle is now a complete mess (and is embarrassing) with, let's hear it, close to half a billion dollars spent on this project. And no new ferries. Nothing. Just the current unreliable relics running aground or losing power mid-voyage and having to be rescued. This is a disaster waiting to happen and needs to be sorted.
What we need is a Ministry Who Can Get Shit Done (at the risk of sounding Potter) and the sooner we sort this shambles out, the better. It's called project management, something central & local government seem terrible at.
And please, just get on with it and build this hospital.
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