I am obviously in the wrong job. It would be much better and more lucrative to be a consultant and be working on projects for the national Roads Board. It seems that NZ$212 million dollars has been spent since 2009. This amount is made up of consultants’ fees for some of the major projects that NZ needs to address.
Given that the Natio0nal party was most vocal about large amounts being spent by the previous Labour Government on consultants’ fees, then it’s a bit rich for them to allow even more money going into the hands of these professionals.
It is at times like this that I wish for a return to the old Ministry of Works and have their experts do that work. I know that it all seemed a bit bureaucratic and I suspect that in the good old days many mistakes were made too. We have run down many Government departments to ‘save money’ and the spectre of national waving the ‘fiscal knife’ isn’t going to go away any time soon.
I wonder if we could return to the past, but add a more professional model and build up these Government departments so that they have the skills they need to build our roads, dams and other major projects. Perhaps it would cost less if it is ‘in house.’ OK--- I’m being naïve, but would it cost as much as these consultants are charging? Let’s at least have the discussion.
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