Government to push back on 15 percent US tariff
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RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Lack of planning led to Kaitāia's aquifer project budget blow-out and delays, review finds
Work gets underway in 2020 on a pipeline bringing bore water to Kaitāia's water treatment plant. Photo: Peter de Graaf A report on a Kaitāia water project that took 14 years instead of five and cost millions of dollars more than expected has found a lack of planning was one of the key reasons for the project's troubles. In 2011 the Far North District Council, under the former mayor, decided to drill two bores into the Sweetwater aquifer north of Kaitāia to stop the town running out of water during its frequent summer droughts. However, bore water only started flowing through the town's taps early this year, prompting councillor Mate Radich to call for a judicial review. Radich had also become frustrated by being unable to establish the project's total cost. In May this year, councillors voted to seek an internal review instead, given the high cost of a judicial review. The report, presented at Thursday's council meeting in Kaikohe, finally provided a definitive project cost of $18,016,070. Of that, just $2.4 million was spent developing the initial bore site from 2011-17. The bulk of the money, $14.9m, was spent on bore improvements and pipeline construction between 2020 and 2024. A significant part of that, just under $2.5m, went on "access costs" including land purchase ($250,000) and easements/compensation payments to landowners ($1.63m). Another $708,000 was spent this year on a membrane bio-reactor treatment trial, when it became apparent Kaitāia's existing treatment plant was unsuited to the silica-rich water from the aquifer. The town's water is usually drawn from the drought-sensitive Awanui River. The money came from rates and reserves ($3.3m), loans ($11.7m) and external grants ($3m, mostly from the Provincial Growth Fund). The report found the key reason for the delays was "the absence of a single, over-arching project plan". The project lacked a proper business case, which would have identified all the components required, provided an overview of the expected cost and delivery timeframe, and established key milestones for reporting and decision making. Failing to engage early with affected property owners and mana whenua forced re-designs and cost time, while the use of external project managers increased the expense. The report also found delays resulted from inadequate asset management and the "stop-start effect" caused by staff turnover. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Tariffs and Kiwisaver
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER New Zealanders have withdrawn more than $1.3 billion from KiwiSaver for hardship in the past five years. The growing withdrawals could result in over $5b missing from retirement funds by 2045. New Zealand is being hit with 15% tariffs, and Stats NZ is set to release unemployment rates next week. New Zealand Herald business editor-at-large Liam Dann is here to break it all down. Liam Dann Photo: Eleanor Dann
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
And the award goes to …
It will probably come as no surprise that beer is still the most popular alcoholic drink in Aotearoa. It actually accounts for almost 1% of New Zealand's GDP according to a report earlier this year by the Brewers Association. But who brews the best of the best? Tina Panoutsos, Head Judge at this year's New Zealand Beer Awards being held in Christchurch tonight, speaks to Susie about what ticks the taste test. Photo: Unsplash / Lucas Santos
