Downsizing the Wellington City Council
This was published in the Post weeks ago but in case you missed it....
My recent Official Information Request to the Wellington City Council was very revealing. My request was sparked by reading that Wellington Water alone has eight people in "Communications". Wouldn't these 'Spin Doctors' be better employed by Wellington Water as plumbers to fix the leaking pipes?
It gets worse. The OIA revealed that the Wellington City Council employs between 53 and 65 people in "communications", as well as 12 in "cultural", 12 more in "Maori Liaison", 16 in "Cycle Planning" and a staggering 35 people in "Climate Change!" Am I alone in thinking that at least half of these positions should be closed? What actual function do they perform in a city of 216,200 with a declining population?
If it's good enough for the new central government to downsize the boated public service, then isn't it time that the WCC did the same?
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
Wellington’s identity is built on its cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.
We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️
We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?
Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.
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42.9% I avoid spending money on coffee
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47.1% I still indulge at my local cafe
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10% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
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