Latest floods a ‘dodged bullet’
"We just dodged another bullet.”
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown wasn’t mincing words when he renewed calls for Ashburton’s second bridge, hours after it had reopened following a second flood-related closure in two years.
The South Island was essentially cut in half for almost 12 hours after Waka Kotahi closed the State Highway 1 Ashburton/Hakatere River Bridge due to a build-up of debris on Sunday night.
It was an ‘I told you so’ moment and Brown didn’t hesitate.
“We need to do something.
“We had almost a third of our annual rainfall in 24 hours. The river got to half the flow it was two years ago and we got away lightly this time, but it may not happen next time.
“We need to build some resilience into this river to keep the South Island connected.”
During the 2021 floods, the river raged at 1500 cumecs and the bridge was closed for days after a pier slumped and needed to be repaired.
The river flow peaked at 723 cumecs at the Ashburton/Hakatere SH1 bridge at 4pm on Sunday, with Waka Kotahi officially closing the 90-year-old bridge at 7pm. It reopened at 6am on Monday.
The closure was warranted, Brown said.
“It was a precautionary measure.
“They had to monitor that debris that is building up in front of the piers of the bridge and they could not do that in the dark.”
It also highlighted the need for a second river crossing in Ashburton.
The council has done all the work on the second bridge project, with its $113.6m business case sitting with Waka Kotahi.
Former Minister of Transport Michael Wood had asked the council and Waka Kotahi to discuss ‘innovative funding options’ for the project.
“We were about to present those to him but he resigned.
“We have a new minister of transport and we will be working with him to push this case further ahead.”
Government MPs, including Rangitata MP Jo Luxton and Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty, are aware of the situation, Brown said.
“They just haven’t come out and said how they are proposing to solve the problem."
Luxton was on annual leave on Monday and deferred to McAnulty's office, as did Minister of Transport David Parker.
McAnulty said a decision on the potential funding of a second Ashburton Bridge is a work in progress.
Decisions would be made as part of the development of 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), he said.
"Waka Kotahi is continuing to work with the Ashburton District Council to explore potential funding options and to progress the business case for a second Ashburton bridge."
National has already pledged to build a second bridge in Ashburton in its first term if elected, but has stopped short of locking in the proposed Chalmers Avenue option.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.4% Yes
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46.6% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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