Why has the City of Darwin Council spent many, many thousands of dollars on a ‘memorial’ sculpture, which looks like an emaciated mango tree?

Why has the Council installed parking meters that will only accept credit card payment, and which are so far apart that those parking often have to walk a considerable distance from their parked vehicles to and from the meter?

Why does the Council plant trees that are never pruned or maintained, so they grow up to become quite hazardous to both traffic and pedestrians?

Why are councils loathe to focus on the basics of roads, rubbish, and vegetation maintenance and prefer to become involved in policy areas well and truly beyond the brief of local government?