Nick Mills: Is the WCC's Chief Infrastructure Officer commuting from Auckland?

OPINION:

I want to come back to Jenny Chetwynd today, because frankly, I think Wellington ratepayers deserve some answers.

Chetwynd was appointed Wellington City Council’s Chief Infrastructure Officer in 2024.

This was a big appointment.

The council talked up her experience, her leadership and the enormous job ahead of her — water, transport, waste, emergency management and major infrastructure projects.

She was the infrastructure fixer.

And she is being paid accordingly — around $440,000 a year.

Then Moa Point happens.

Fourteen billion litres or thereabouts of untreated sewage ends up being discharged into the marine environment, and we get a Crown Review trying to establish how the hell Wellington allowed this to happen.

And what does our Chief Infrastructure Officer do?

She doesn't sit down for an interview with the Crown Review.

She provides written information.