Opinion: Gisborne letters on wastewater fix, damaged road, beneficiary control

The entrance to Waingake Rd at Manutuke looking worse for wear.
OPINION
We all know that Gisborne’s wastewater infrastructure is old and incapable of handling current demands on it, particularly when it has to cope with the heavy downfalls of rain we are experiencing more frequently as a consequence of climate change.
So, as we also know, the system needs a major update.
But how will that happen?
Does the current Gisborne District Council (GDC) DrainWise programme go far enough? And where is the extra money coming from?
Well, Dana Kirkpatrick has the answer, at least to the last question, according to her opinion piece in last Tuesday’s newspaper.
The money can be made available through the Local Government Funding Agency legislation, which “is expected to be introduced [to Parliament] in December 2024 and passed by mid-2025″.
This brings us to two questions. The necessary investment in a system update will only happen if GDC makes it happen.
After many fruitless years of trying to prevent rainwater from getting into the system, it may be time to grasp the nettle and ensure the system is capable of taking it away – rather than backing up and necessitating the opening of sluice valves.
I suggest that GDC should rethink its approach and plan for major works to replace those parts of the wastewater system that lack capacity to handle the demand. It is an opportunity to solve current problems and future-proof the infrastructure.
GDC has another nine months to get ready with a detailed, costed plan.
Take the bull by the horns. The Government has determined that it is the responsibility of local authorities to implement such works, and is providing a source of long-term funding to cover such inter-generational issues. Procrastinate no longer!
Peter Wooding
The photo above is of the entrance to Waingake Rd at Manutuke. I had to stop as vehicles swerved from side to side trying to avoid the deep potholes.
Throwing in cold mix won’t help unless it’s done correctly.
Note that this road is used by forestry trucks and not all of the deep potholes are shown in this photo.
We need a council that uses our rates for what they are meant for, not to paint pictures on Grey St. Let’s also mention the filthy footpaths on our main street.
D. Brown
Some correspondents obviously believe that the worsening economy for beneficiaries could be solved by “ceasing to be beneficiaries”… I wish it could be so simple!
The inference that there must be plenty of “unskilled” jobs available out there to be taken up by beneficiaries is nothing more than a myth. Few of the available jobs are more than transitory in nature, and when transport costs etc are added, these fall far short of a living wage.
Yes, we are constantly importing workers from other countries who take up skilled and unskilled positions, and each case brings its own problems of housing etc – which combine to create many flow-on issues from the excessive immigration which is being forced upon our small country.
We have similar problems with qualified nursing staff, both our citizens and immigrants, who are needed to work in our health system – yet there is no finance available to employ them. To stay in this country, they will need to do those “unskilled” jobs that are mythically out there to be taken up by beneficiaries.
Dennis Pennefather