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Home / Gisborne Herald / Opinion

SSE sets high expectations for its work on East Coast roads

Gisborne Herald
18 Mar, 2023 10:09 AMQuick Read

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A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

New East Coast roads contractor Services South East came out combatively last week when its managing director appeared to criticise previous operators HEB and Fulton Hogan.

The Victoria-based company took over the maintenance of 886km of roads on the Coast in October, its first job in New Zealand — a five-year contract to look after local roads and State Highway 35, worth $59.3 million.

SSE’s Robert Portbury told the council’s infrastructure committee that retraining staff taken on from the other operators had been “an enormous task”.

Each roading job required an initial assessment to decide what methods and plant were required in both a dry or wet situation.

“It’s a challenge they should know. But they don’t and that has been a big shock to us.”

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He also downplayed the challenges that the contract represented, saying SSE had 45 years experience maintaining thousands of kilometres of remote roads in Australia in “similar and worse” conditions to those here.

They had brought in 62 pieces of plant and had lots more on the way. A local industry innovation programme had delivered three purpose-built machines that were a first in the district — a combined edge-marker cleaner and efficient weed sprayer — as well as a modified hillside tractor and berm mower, and tractors with front and rear mowing units.

Mr Portbury said SSE had a big focus on training and was determined to set a new precedent for standards. They also had a cadet programme for unemployed youth, with the first six graduating last week to join 37 local staff already employed at several locations on the Coast.

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Both Tairawhiti Roads and SSE discussed the focus on outcomes in the new contract, which required a proactive rather than reactive approach. “Requests for service” would be followed up but actual work would be done in a logical and rational way.

Deputy Mayor Rehette Stoltz applauded SSE for its enthusiasm and said they would now await the results. The newcomer has certainly not shied away from raising expectations.

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