In a move that's got Aucklanders rummaging for answers, the Auckland Council has decided to embark on a bin-purging spree, leaving certain suburbs feeling a bit more rubbish than others. Preliminary figures unearthed under the Local Government Official Information Act reveal a trashy truth: not all parts of Auckland are created equal when it comes to bin distribution.
Prepare to roll out the green (or blue, or black) carpet for this shocking revelation: almost a third of the city's rubbish bins are on the chopping block, all in the name of saving a whopping $9.5 million over the next eight financial years. Now, if you think this garbage gambit is evenly spread across the region, think again.
Take a stroll through the western and southern suburbs, and you'll find yourself face-to-face with the bin apocalypse. The Henderson-Massey Local Board area, encompassing suburbs like Henderson, Massey, and Te Atatū, is poised to bid farewell to a staggering 53 per cent of its beloved bins. It's a bin-bereft scenario, leaving each resident with a measly one bin for every 545 people. Ouch.
Meanwhile, in the leafy enclaves of Albert-Eden and the affluent Ōrākei Local Board area, it's a different story altogether. With only around 21 to 25 per cent of bins facing extinction, residents can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they'll still have roughly one bin for every 200 people. Talk about a binomial distribution!
But fear not, for there are bin-saviors among us. Four local boards - Manurewa, Franklin, Papakura, and Rodney - have taken matters into their own hands, opting to keep all of their public rubbish bins intact, despite the looming binocalypse.
Brooke Loader, a Massey-Henderson Local Board member, isn't mincing her words when she calls foul play on the bin bonanza. She's got a point - why should some areas be left holding the bag while others remain unscathed?
"We've had a number of bins removed that everyone has a habit of using. It's concerning when they're removed more in our area than other areas," Loader lamented.
But fret not, fellow bin enthusiasts, for Auckland Council's Julie Pickering assures us that the binocalypse isn't set in stone just yet. There's still time for some trashy negotiations before the final bin tally is tallied.
"Local boards were provided with a list of bins the council proposed to remove in their area. Boards had the opportunity to give feedback on the proposed bin removals," Pickering explained, offering a glimmer of hope in this bin-filled saga.
So, as the bin saga unfolds, remember this: whether you're from the west, the east, or somewhere in between, the fate of your rubbish bin hangs in the balance. Hold onto your lids, Aucklanders - it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Blog by
Bharat
