Kiwis had a helluva of a whine in 2023. From neighbours' trees blocking the sun to rubbish bins blowing their tops, New Zealanders had a field day airing their grievances to their local councils.
So much so, the Snap Send Solve app, used to report issues to local councils around NZ, witnessed a mega 106,979 complaints throughout the year, with nearly 82k of them being from one whingy region alone.
If you’re from Southland, a round of applause to you, you guys were the chillest of the pack. With only 53 complaints, and a third of them relating to car parking, you lot seem to be 'laxed.
Car parking isn’t just an issue down south, the Bay of Plenty aren’t so stoked with it either. 88 complaints related to the issue have left us wondering if it's about illegally parked vehicles or just a lack of prime parking available.
Wellingtonians had the most trouble with water and pipe-related complaints - 273 reports of leaks and burst mains.
Over in Northland, the roads seem to have hit rock bottom – seriously. A quarter of their 383 complaints were all about the potholes covering the region.
Now, you’re expecting the country’s largest city to take the complaining crown. But in a shocker of a twist, Auckland ranks in second place with 10,198 complaints - which I've gotta admit isn’t so bad considering almost a third of our team of 5 million live in the city of sails.
So, which of us Kiwis complain the most? Well, it’s the whiners of Canterbury with a massive 82,884 whinges.
Graffiti, rubbish, and drama with the bloody trees were right up there giving the Cantabrians a wedgie.
I'm a Cantabrian through and through, but I've gotta admit, these stats got me face-palming a bit. I mean, yeah, we're all about keeping it real, but c'mon, do we really gotta be raising a ruckus over every minor thing?
Ah bugger, now I’m doing it… Complaining about the complainers. Well, isn't that just the most Cantabrian thing ever? Right, I'm proving their point, aren't I?
I’d like to think we Kiwis will do a shitload less moaning this year, but with 8,709 complaints already sent to Snap Send Solve this month, things aren’t looking too shiny.
