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It’sÌýfair to sayÌýthat we all love nothing better thanÌýto complain about what gets up our collective nosesÌýright?ÌýÌý

Whether it’sÌýthe weather, a perennial goÌýto over a cuppaÌýwith friends or the cost of living; we’veÌýall got something to say – and we love letting others know how we feel.ÌýÌý

But there’sÌýa big differenceÌýbetween whingeingÌýto yourÌýmates and taking that step forward towards action that’llÌýmake a difference. Although there’sÌýnot a great deal any of us can do about the weather;Ìýother issues that simmer close to the surface have gotÌýmany of us taking photos and demanding action from our local councils.ÌýÌý

Good luck getting any action out of Upper Hutt or Wellington City Councils. But there’sÌýa massive difference around the country about what we complain about, and the timelines taken to get things sorted.ÌýÌý

Some of the regular offenders on the list for councils to deal with are things like neighbour'sÌýtrees impinging across boundaries, overflowing rubbish bins,Ìýand stuff mounting up around charity clothing bins.Ìý

The ‘Snap Send Solve’Ìýapp used by councils across the country received 106,979 reports over the course of last year.ÌýIf you’reÌýa photo snapper of offending situations, I’mÌýsure you’llÌýknow about this avenue for complaining.ÌýÌý

Wellington features with 273 complaints relating to water leaks, along with the associated photo evidence. Northlanders sent in 383 snaps and complaints about their pothole collection.Ìý

You’dÌýthink Auckland would be up there with the biggest number of complaints to council,Ìýright? Wrong. Auckland sent in 10,198 complaints to council. The biggest city of whingersÌýturns out to be… wait for it… this may shock the pearls of your necklace… Christchurch.ÌýÌý

I was as shocked as you are! Yes indeed, Cantabrians sent in a whopping 10,833 complaints to their council. The stuff that got up the noses of the good people of Canterbury were broken water pipes, graffiti, tree issues, and potholes too.ÌýÌý

Now of course, some councillors will say that some of these complaints were unnecessary,Ìýand some were genuinely useful; my message to you is simple: don’tÌýstop whingeing! ÌýÌý

When you seeÌýsomething that’sÌýbroken, overflowing, or graffiti where it shouldn’tÌýbe – which is anywhere you see it – get stuck in! Take those photos! Fire up your councilsÌý‘Snap, Send, Solve’ app and lodge it all with them.ÌýÌý

If we continue to slip into this insidiousÌýmalaise of ‘she’ll be right’ lackadaisicalÌýstupidity, then things will only get worse. I’mÌýsure there’sÌýnothing more a council would like to see than having no complaints to deal with.ÌýÌý

Pick your battlesÌýthough. Don’tÌýuse this as a means toÌýcreate your own version of war with your spitefulÌýneighbourÌýfrom hell… the one who always plays The Bee Gees at full volume when they’reÌýon the gin and tonics, late into the night.ÌýÌý

We shouldn’tÌýtolerate graffiti. We definitely shouldn’t tolerate valuable clean water running down the road.ÌýWe’veÌýbeen conditioned to accepting mediocrityÌýover recent years. If we don’tÌýcomplain, why should we expect anything getÌýbetter?Ìý