Earth moves for roading project
Team’s efforts set to be model for future government plans
The Te Ahu a Turanga project was set to impact New Zealand for the next 100 years so it was important to do it right Transport Minister Michael Wood
‘Igot a sense of how much has been achieved already on such a complex task despite Covid,” said Transport Minister Michael Wood after his visit to Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu¯-Tararua Highway.
This impression was despite the fact torrential rain the day before had turned the worksite into a bog, restricting a full visit.
However, sufficient viewing from several close vantage points impressed the minister who was surprised at the volume of earth that had already been moved and his close inspection of the massive machinery — some of the biggest globally he described as “having real grunt”.
Wood was impressed with the spirit of the Te Ahu a Turanga staff who had accompanied the visit on Thursday, March 24. He said project manager Jonathan Howe and his team showed enthusiasm and connection with the project.
He put it down to the planning that went into recruiting and training locals for the project, considered a model for future government projects.
Wood said the project took its time to set up a process of training locals to equip them with skills which will carry on being used after the project is completed. He described its “wellbeing app” as just one way the organisation keeps in touch.
Also making this project a model
for the future was the restoration of the environment, with 630,000 trees raised in nurseries to be planted out from the end of this month.
A planned course in conservation work is another example of skills training targeted at Tararua recruits.
Wood and Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty reminisced about the setting up of the project while they were in Opposition. McAnulty said he “felt quite proud coming into office with the commitment to spend $600 million on the project” and remembered fondly the signing of the agreement at Woodville Marae which signalled the partnership between government and locals, particularly iwi.
Both reiterated the Government’s commitment to seeing the project through.
Wood said it was in the national interest to connect two vibrant growing regions and thereby the rest of the North Island.
Labour had always been keen to “back the regions” not only illustrated by this project but by the commitment to “fix-up” Highway 52 and to improve the rail link between Wairarapa and Wellington.
Wood said policy was being put in place to mitigate the effects of carbon farming — a cause for which McAnulty had fought strongly.
“The Te Ahu a Turanga project was set to impact New Zealand for the next 100 years so it was important to do it right,” the minister said.