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.

Review author Raveen Jaduram couldn't have been much clearer.  

He said her not being available made the investigation more challenging and increased the chances of the reviewers getting something wrong.

His point was incredibly simple: if you can interview somebody, you can ask them directly what happened and where the evidence is.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis came on our programme on Thursday, and went even further.

"I think she should be made to front up," Willis said.

"And if I was the Mayor, I'd be saying 'Actually, we are publicly accountable,"

"You are paid well to take on significant responsibilities, your responsibility was to build a stronger relationship with Wellington Water. This Crown Inquiry waned to ask questions about that, and she didn't front.".

Now, here's where this gets even more extraordinary.

I am now being told Jenny Chetwynd doesn't actually live permanently in Wellington, and that she commutes from Auckland.

Now, I want to be absolutely fair here, I have not been able to independently verify the details of that arrangement, and I want Wellington City Council to tell us exactly what the situation is, but several sources have told me it's true.

It raises a number of questions for me:

Does Wellington City Counicl’s $440,000-a-year Chief Infrastructure Officer live in Auckland?

How many days a week is she physically working in Wellington?

Who pays for the travel?

And where was she for last night's Tiaki Wai public meeting?

Because this is about accountability.

You were hired into one of the most senior positions at Wellington City Council to help sort out our infrastructure.

Our infrastructure fails catastrophically.

A Crown Review wants to interview you — you don't front.

The media wants to interview you — you don't front.

There's a public meeting about our water infrastructure — you're not there.

And now there are questions about whether you even live in the city you're being paid nearly half a million dollars a year to help fix.

Enough.

Wellington ratepayers aren't asking for anything unreasonable.

Front up, Jenny Chetwynd, and answer the questions.

After several days of requesting answers to some of these questions from the Wellington City Council media team, they responded minutes before the start of our show on Friday.

"That is a highly unacceptable line of questioning that we will not dignify with an answer." A Council spokesperson said.

I'm bewildered.

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. &nbsp;
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.
Review author Raveen Jaduram couldn't have been much clearer. &nbsp;
He said her not being available made the investigation more challenging and increased the chances of the reviewers getting something wrong.
His point was incredibly simple: if you can interview somebody, you can ask them directly what happened and where the evidence is.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis came on our programme on Thursday, and went even further.
"I think she should be made to front up," Willis said.
"And if I was the Mayor, I'd be saying 'Actually, we are publicly accountable,"
"You are paid well to take on significant responsibilities, your responsibility was to build a stronger relationship with Wellington Water. This Crown Inquiry waned to ask questions about that, and she didn't front.".
Now, here's where this gets even more extraordinary.
I am now being told Jenny Chetwynd doesn't actually live permanently in Wellington, and that she commutes from Auckland.
Now, I want to be absolutely fair here, I have not been able to independently verify the details of that arrangement, and I want Wellington City Council to tell us exactly what the situation is, but several sources have told me it's true.
It raises a number of questions for me:
Does Wellington City Counicl’s $440,000-a-year Chief Infrastructure Officer live in Auckland?
How many days a week is she physically working in Wellington?
Who pays for the travel?
And where was she for last night's Tiaki Wai public meeting?
Because this is about accountability.
You were hired into one of the most senior positions at Wellington City Council to help sort out our infrastructure.
Our infrastructure fails catastrophically.
A Crown Review wants to interview you — you don't front.
The media wants to interview you — you don't front.
There's a public meeting about our water infrastructure — you're not there.
And now there are questions about whether you even live in the city you're being paid nearly half a million dollars a year to help fix.
Enough.
Wellington ratepayers aren't asking for anything unreasonable.
Front up, Jenny Chetwynd, and answer the questions.
After several days of requesting answers to some of these questions from the Wellington City Council media team, they responded minutes before the start of our show on Friday.
"That is a highly unacceptable line of questioning that we will not dignify with an answer." A Council spokesperson said.
I'm bewildered.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis.

You don't find many people more passionate about the capital than Nick, and he comes to Wellington Mornings after decades of success as the man behind some of the city's leading hospitality and entertainment offerings - Spruce Goose, Hummingbird and the Wellington Saints basketball team just to name a few.

Nick's proud of his city but also knows much can be improved on to make Wellington an even better place, and brings an honest, edgy, fun and engaging show to Wellingtonians each weekday from 9 'til midday.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis. You don't find many people more passionate about the capital than Nick, and he comes to Wellington Mornings after decades of success as the man behind some of the city's leading hospitality and entertainment offerings - Spruce Goose, Hummingbird and the Wellington Saints basketball team just to name a few. Nick's proud of his city but also knows much can be improved on to make Wellington an even better place, and brings an honest, edgy, fun and engaging show to Wellingtonians each weekday from 9 'til midday.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis.

Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

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

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ba10fd19-7cde-4d82-8947-b4c101737343/transcript