A couple of weeks ago we really enjoyed driving over the new Te Ahu a Turanga | Manawatū Tararua Highway with its beautiful landscaping and artworks. It was such a pleasure. We were only sightseeing, but how uplifting for the regular users to have a few moments of joy in their day.

Today I read these savage words from our government about local roads (my emphasis):

Bishop revived the coalition's call for councils to tighten their belts and to focus their priorities on housing and infrastructure.

"It's okay to build a local road without spending hundreds of thousands on artworks," he said. "Not everything you do has to be an architectural masterpiece.

"The only awards your projects should be winning are for cost efficiency and effectiveness."

Via: Govt to halt 'pricey, pointless' council planning work ahead RMA overhaul.

Yeah, don't waste a single cent on bringing joy into the lives of the 95% of our population who are suffering the brutality of this government's cuts and chaos.