The Waterview Tunnel is again in the news as residents of Waterview protest the siting of the massive Carbon Monoxide extraction towers near a local primary school.
It may be the time to reassess the need for this project.
In the first place we should be asking; Who are the beneficiaries of the massive Waterview motor way and tunnel?
Not the the people of Waterview who will suffer disruption of their community some losing their houses, or rental accommodation, or their factory, or place of work.
Not the immediate natural environment of Oakley Creek and Reserve, which is due to have it’s riverbed dug up and realigned, (not to mention ongoing motorway run off, noise and CO1 fumes.)
Neither the global environment or climate change will be benefit, instead suffering a further insult, of increased CO2 polliution.
It could be argued that even the people of Christchurch will suffer as thousands of construction workers and $millions worth of equipment and machinery needed for the rebuild, will instead be diverted into to Waterview. While Christchurch’s reconstruction is pushed further onto the back burner.
And will the citizens of Auckland really benefit, all that much, from a shortened commuting time during rush hour?
All the new motorways built in the Auckland area in recent years have made little, or no impact at all, on congestion at peak times.
As a regular motor way commuter myself, I can vouch that congestion actually appears worse.
All conclusions point towards the conclusion that the massive $2 billion earmarked for the Waterview tunnel project would be better spent giving Aucklanders a decent public transport system. This would be a far more sensible and sustainable long term investment in the city’s infrastructure than more motorways.
So who are the main beneficiaries of the huge waste of public money the Waterview Tunnel represents?
Have you heard of the “Well Connected Group”?
“The Well Connected Group” is the name that a powerful roading lobby group have given themselves. It is this roading lobby group, a combine of some of the biggest corporates in the country, who stand to benefit the most from the Waterview Tunnel and Motorway Project.
It is this combine who will get to distribute the $2 billion between themselves. In return the citizens of Auckland will get a glittering and obsolete, before it is finished, Climate Crime.
At a time when globally, gasoline use and private automobile use is dropping off. Why is the National government hell bent on spending up large on more motor ways, which on all projections will become a colossal concrete monument to stupidity, and waste.
A graphical depiction of the dramatic drop off in gasoline use in the U.S. here mirrors a world wide trend including this country.
In opposition to the corporate roading lobby, the Labour Party have issued an official press release on the topic of falling road use.
Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party
The Government’s ‘roads of national significance’ are tipped to become increasingly insignificant as high oil prices take their toll on road use, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says.
We now have a duty to call on Labour to go a little bit further. And agree to take this new policy direction into the real world and to advocate for sensible public policy around transport.
With a lead up time of two years before the main tunnel project commences; Now would be the perfect time to get Labour to agree to scrap the Waterview tunnel, and advocate for the $2 billion put aside for this project, to be instead used to fund free and frequent public transport.
This would achieve four public goods.
1) Protect the local community and environment from the wholesale destruction caused by the construction of a motorway and tunnel through houses and sensitive wetlands.
2) Get tens of thousands of Aucklanders out of their private cars, dramatically cutting traffic congestion and fossil fuel use at the same time.
3) Create permanent ongoing jobs
4) Leave the natural environment and homes and businesses of Waterview intact.
Phil Twyford’s concern for the need to cut back fossil fuel use because of dwindling supplies and expense, intersects with the environmental destruction caused by continued fossil fuel use. And the need to protect the human and natural environment from those who put private profit for themselves first.
The Un-aligned Left, Greenpeace, the Green Party and concerned locals, all opposed to the Waterview motorway extension need to link up with the Labour Party to finally drive a stake through the Waterview motorway extension project, and divert the $2 billion already put aside for this project, into public transport, instead.
The Waterview Motorway extension is one of the Roads of National Significance, or RONS that the powerful roading lobby who call themselves “The Well Connected Group” want the taxpayer to shell out for.
Already the self serving “Well Connected Group” have got the public to shell out half a $billion for the boondoggle, that is the Victoria Park tunnel. (The unloved, gold bricked tunnel to nowhere, except under a relatively small corner of grass sward.) Even if you like motorways, for a fraction of the cost they could have gone over the surface with a six lane carriage way.
Instead the roading lobbyists got the public to pay for a three lane tunnel – the most impractical, expensive and environmentally damaging option possible.
Billions spent on big road projects show poor return
Mathew Dearnaley New Zealand Herald Feb 15 2012
Phil Twyford has come out swinging like a prize fighter against the corrupted rort the so called “Roads of National Significance” represents.
Mr Twyford said National had “corrupted” the process of setting priorities in transport funding by hand-picking the seven “so-called Roads of National Significance”.
“In the process they have squeezed funding for local roads, rural roads and public transport,” he said
In Blenheim Redwood Park recently:
A small dog runs across the park.
A horse chases the dog.
The Horse owner chases the horse.
The police chase and capture the wobbly man.
A lady captures the horse.
The police arrest man and dog.
The cricket match resumes.
Missed it in the news but apparently a woman drive into the centre of ellerslie racecourse during a meeting last year and her rouge German Shepard chased the horses, upset the favourite and she abused the police who were called as her dog was under threat….WTF.
She has a history of not controlling her dog and is a menace as well as a tad loony putting here dog at risk like that. How on earth she drove over the track into the middle on a race day is a worry.
Highly recommended and not at all out of place on a left-wing blog. Brilliant slam poetry in response to the phrase ‘man-up’. Enjoy. (Hat-tip The Lady Garden blog.)
In Blenheim Redwood Park recently:
A small dog runs across the park.
A horse chases the dog.
The Horse owner chases the horse.
The police chase and capture the wobbly man.
A lady captures the horse.
The police arrest man and dog.
The cricket match resumes.
Some interesting ideas written thoughtfully and with experience about how workers can gain better conditions and businesses can limit their vulnerabilities from problems such as predating takeover attempts and recessions.
All employees become shareholders based on their wages in John Lewis and Waitrose stores in United Kingdom. The employees don’t need a union because they have all the things that a union could obtain for them. A union as watchdog to prevent slipping of conditions and wages only would be ideal, and I wish that it could become the mainstream approach.
Note there is coverage of NZ experience with employee ownership too.
This was on radionz this a.m. The audio should be available soon.
11.05 Ideas: Employee-owned businesses
Britain’s deputy prime minister Nick Clegg recently called for the creation of a “John Lewis economy” and he’s far from the first politician to praise the ownership structure of the John Lewis department store. Peter Cox, the author of Speden’s Partnership: The Story of John Lewis and Waitrose, tells Jeremy Rose about the company owned by its 75,000 employees; and Chris Laidlaw talks to Keith Orr, a manager of Golden Bay’s Tui Bee Balm worker cooperative; and Richard Aitken the chief of executive of BECA – New Zealand’s largest employee-owned business.
Presented by Chris Laidlaw
Produced by Jeremy Rose
Really interesting. That John Lewis and Waitrose were co-ops surprised me. I think John Lewis was one of the few department store chains to increase profits in 2010, and both chains are at the high-end of the market in terms of presentation, if not price. I found this article interesting as well:
Then, a few days back, I heard from Ed Mayo, now secretary-general of UK Co-operatives, the trade body representing co-operatives nationwide. It points out that, “the co-operative economy is worth some £33.5bn and has 12.9 million members. Co-operatives,” it adds, “are the largest membership movement in the country”…
There are three countries where more than half the population are involved in co-operative membership – and all are in Europe. They are Ireland (70%), Finland (60%) and Austria (59%).
Is it just me or does Kiwiblog seem to be getting less and less comments?
If so, might I suggest that maybe the genuine and proper debate via various blogs is exposing the strengths and frailties of the political issues of the day and that this is leading to the failure of kiwiblog.
I seldom read the comments there. Ummm while I am waiting for MySQL to finish reindexing this database, it is time to indulge in some stat counting (while SQL is in my head).
Perhaps as the sheeple wake up to the reality of what the NACT is about they also realise kiwi blog is another front for its position as its tone isn’t moving with the mood.
Also with its virtually single source of commentary it’s all becoming rather predictable and quite boorish as DPF has always been.
But never mind. Moira introduced David Farrar on Friday as “the most read blogger in NZ” but did not mention his affiliation to National. Jim must have it right. The most read blog site I would have thought was the Standard. A range of writers makes it different I suppose.
4. National grid upgrades blamed for power price rises
Saw this on the news the other night and the person who said it said that some maintenance had been put off which, of course, had made it more expensive. The obvious conclusion was that the chasing of profits had made the power distribution companies inefficient. If they’d done the maintenance when it should have been done it would have been cheaper but they wouldn’t have had the same profitability. Now that they’re getting around to it they also looking at maintaining the excess profitability that they’d made when they weren’t doing their job.
Yep, underinvestment by Transpower, and we have our own past Governments to blame for that mismanagement. However:
“Mercury general manager James Munro said its charges for electricity has risen by about 3.5 per cent, including “across the board” cost increases, such as the added cost of retaining customers as competition increased.”
I am sure we all would love to “own” shares (But we do !!) where by when costs go up we are able to increase our selling price accordingly or by a margin higher than the cost increase. Many industries have been in the situation of having to do best as costs go up to absorb this increase tension with the market does not allow for prices to increase without losing volume.
“Mercury general manager James Munro said its charges for electricity has risen by about 3.5 per cent, including “across the board” cost increases, such as the added cost of retaining customers as competition increased.”
And yet I received a letter from Mercury telling me my monthly bill would be increasing by 6.2%
Phoned Mercury Energy, callcentre dude said James Munro was taking about increased costs already incurred but not the future power generating costs which are the main part of their increases.
Typical call centre tho just trying to get rid of a difficult question.
A customer just told me that she received a letter on Sat saying her incease with Mercury is going to be 4.2%.
Syria is sad but theres always Iraq. When you hear the likes of that scumbag Key and his acolytes expressing support of the American actions in the Middle East, and their support for “outsourcing” the role of the state, selling it off etc you need to keep abreast of the headlines.
Here in the New York Times we see the ultimate triumph of free enterprise US style applied to warfare:
* last year more more defense “contractors” (aka mercenaries) died in Iraq than US military personnel.
* core military functions now are firmly in the hands of and delivered by corporate contractors.
* many dead contractors were uncompensated by their comapnies for dying….
* US Generals in Iraq employ private sector body guards…
So what Patrick Strange is saying is that after years under his control, he has allowed under-investment and now we the public pay for his and his boards incompetance, nice one.
Difficult these days to engage anyone or anything. Early onset dementia or Alzhemier’s perhaps.
Speaking of which … anyone recall (16 Mar 2009):
“The Government wants an end to the practice of state-owned enterprises paying staff large performance bonuses. It wants SOEs to share the pain of the economic downturn, which has seen private companies freeze pay and do away with bonuses. Despite a raft of power cuts, which have cost New Zealand businesses millions over the past few years, the state-owned monopoly rewarded staff with $5 million worth of performance bonuses last year.
“Frankly, any of these profits or any of these bonuses should be pumped into upgrading the National Grid,” says Newmarket Business Association chair Cameron Brewer.
CEO Patrick Strange refused to comment, and State Owned Enterprise Minister Simon Power was keen for them to front up.”
And the one calling for folks to front up has now backed out and sought refuge with banksters?
Oh, and how much are these power or Power types get in their pockets?
What is State-owned Mighty River Power chief executive Doug Heffernan’s pay package (“long-term incentive payments”, “short and long term bonuses”)? Guess Heffernan’s is more than Strange’s. Anyone?
I don’t know why you would pick on a guy like Patrick Strange or even Doug Hefferenan for that matter. These guys aren’t the ones taking the piss. For outrageous piss taking you need to pick on guys like Captian Fuckall. See:
I call him Captain Fuckall because that is all he has ever achieved and is all he will ever ahcive. . Strange and Heffernan have done a great deal for all of us.
Patrick Strange joined Transpower in 2007. The underinvestment goes much further back than that and responsibility lies at the feet of board’s past. . The immediate previous CEO Ralph Craven tried to get investment in the main grid going but faced strong oppositon from the Electricity Commission and the Waikato farmers. Craven made some headway but Patrick and the current board have got things going.
Don’t comment on something you know nothing about.
Thanks for the query John Dalley, I doubt you are really as interested in Transpower’s work as you are in one liners for the Standard but seeing as you ask, the Transpower 2011 annual report notes:
“Strengthening the grid
Our major grid investment programme is well underway. Our two largest projects are the North Island Grid Upgrade (NIGU) project and the construction of Pole 3 of the high voltage direct current (HVDC) link. They are well advanced. However, due to a delay in Germany to the development of the control system, the HVDC Pole 3 project schedules are tight. The scale of the work and the need to maintain the system’s reliability while this work is carried out present significant challenges for our workforce and operations.
The North Auckland and Northland (NAaN) project is a new underground cable through the Auckland central business district (CBD) and to the north. All major approvals have been received, and work is underway. Together, these three large grid projects will cost nearly $2 billion.”
I can only guess how much of Patrick Strange’s time since 2007 has been taken up getting those projects up and running but I am picking it would be a lot given the processes he would have to work through. He also has to do the job of running a critical piece of New Zealand’s infrastructure: 25,000 towers, 16,450 poles 11,812 kms of tranmission lines. For y/e June 11 he achieved 98.4% availability for the bulk of the grid. It was at that level primarily due to extensive replacement of aged conductors in the lower North Island, ahead of our original schedule. This was achieved without any adverse impact on customers.
I repeat, he inherited the grid in this state and is doing something about it. I think he is doing a great job.
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
The Waterview Tunnel is again in the news as residents of Waterview protest the siting of the massive Carbon Monoxide extraction towers near a local primary school.
It may be the time to reassess the need for this project.
In the first place we should be asking; Who are the beneficiaries of the massive Waterview motor way and tunnel?
Not the the people of Waterview who will suffer disruption of their community some losing their houses, or rental accommodation, or their factory, or place of work.
Not the immediate natural environment of Oakley Creek and Reserve, which is due to have it’s riverbed dug up and realigned, (not to mention ongoing motorway run off, noise and CO1 fumes.)
Neither the global environment or climate change will be benefit, instead suffering a further insult, of increased CO2 polliution.
It could be argued that even the people of Christchurch will suffer as thousands of construction workers and $millions worth of equipment and machinery needed for the rebuild, will instead be diverted into to Waterview. While Christchurch’s reconstruction is pushed further onto the back burner.
And will the citizens of Auckland really benefit, all that much, from a shortened commuting time during rush hour?
All the new motorways built in the Auckland area in recent years have made little, or no impact at all, on congestion at peak times.
As a regular motor way commuter myself, I can vouch that congestion actually appears worse.
All conclusions point towards the conclusion that the massive $2 billion earmarked for the Waterview tunnel project would be better spent giving Aucklanders a decent public transport system. This would be a far more sensible and sustainable long term investment in the city’s infrastructure than more motorways.
So who are the main beneficiaries of the huge waste of public money the Waterview Tunnel represents?
Have you heard of the “Well Connected Group”?
“The Well Connected Group” is the name that a powerful roading lobby group have given themselves. It is this roading lobby group, a combine of some of the biggest corporates in the country, who stand to benefit the most from the Waterview Tunnel and Motorway Project.
It is this combine who will get to distribute the $2 billion between themselves. In return the citizens of Auckland will get a glittering and obsolete, before it is finished, Climate Crime.
At a time when globally, gasoline use and private automobile use is dropping off. Why is the National government hell bent on spending up large on more motor ways, which on all projections will become a colossal concrete monument to stupidity, and waste.
A graphical depiction of the dramatic drop off in gasoline use in the U.S. here mirrors a world wide trend including this country.
In opposition to the corporate roading lobby, the Labour Party have issued an official press release on the topic of falling road use.
We now have a duty to call on Labour to go a little bit further. And agree to take this new policy direction into the real world and to advocate for sensible public policy around transport.
With a lead up time of two years before the main tunnel project commences; Now would be the perfect time to get Labour to agree to scrap the Waterview tunnel, and advocate for the $2 billion put aside for this project, to be instead used to fund free and frequent public transport.
This would achieve four public goods.
1) Protect the local community and environment from the wholesale destruction caused by the construction of a motorway and tunnel through houses and sensitive wetlands.
2) Get tens of thousands of Aucklanders out of their private cars, dramatically cutting traffic congestion and fossil fuel use at the same time.
3) Create permanent ongoing jobs
4) Leave the natural environment and homes and businesses of Waterview intact.
Phil Twyford’s concern for the need to cut back fossil fuel use because of dwindling supplies and expense, intersects with the environmental destruction caused by continued fossil fuel use. And the need to protect the human and natural environment from those who put private profit for themselves first.
The Un-aligned Left, Greenpeace, the Green Party and concerned locals, all opposed to the Waterview motorway extension need to link up with the Labour Party to finally drive a stake through the Waterview motorway extension project, and divert the $2 billion already put aside for this project, into public transport, instead.
The Waterview Motorway extension is one of the Roads of National Significance, or RONS that the powerful roading lobby who call themselves “The Well Connected Group” want the taxpayer to shell out for.
Already the self serving “Well Connected Group” have got the public to shell out half a $billion for the boondoggle, that is the Victoria Park tunnel. (The unloved, gold bricked tunnel to nowhere, except under a relatively small corner of grass sward.) Even if you like motorways, for a fraction of the cost they could have gone over the surface with a six lane carriage way.
Instead the roading lobbyists got the public to pay for a three lane tunnel – the most impractical, expensive and environmentally damaging option possible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boondoggle
Where is the CO2 increase coming from when Carbon Monoxide is the main gas coming from vehicles…
Step 1: get a dictionary
Step 2: look up “main”
Step 3: look up “only”
Step 4: compare & contrast the outputs for steps 2 & 3
Step 5: piss off, troll
The Well Connected Group’s cash cow is questioned.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10785604
Phil Twyford has come out swinging like a prize fighter against the corrupted rort the so called “Roads of National Significance” represents.
Sorry to sidetrack from your serious story Jenny but this has to be straight out of Monty Python but it is true! Check http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/6399006/Horse-chasing-dog-stops-cricket-match
In Blenheim Redwood Park recently:
A small dog runs across the park.
A horse chases the dog.
The Horse owner chases the horse.
The police chase and capture the wobbly man.
A lady captures the horse.
The police arrest man and dog.
The cricket match resumes.
Missed it in the news but apparently a woman drive into the centre of ellerslie racecourse during a meeting last year and her rouge German Shepard chased the horses, upset the favourite and she abused the police who were called as her dog was under threat….WTF.
She has a history of not controlling her dog and is a menace as well as a tad loony putting here dog at risk like that. How on earth she drove over the track into the middle on a race day is a worry.
Highly recommended and not at all out of place on a left-wing blog. Brilliant slam poetry in response to the phrase ‘man-up’. Enjoy. (Hat-tip The Lady Garden blog.)
http://stronglywrong.tumblr.com/post/17387893231/jessicavalenti-ten-responses-to-the-phrase-man
Excellent piece. I liked it.
My post on the horse that chased the dog disappeared. Tried reposting. Message says it is a duplicate??
There maybe a link that has resulted into going to spam, I am sure that those overseeing the site will be on to it soon 😉
Yeah it was in the spam folder – don’t know why. Released it now…
Ta.
Try again”
Sorry to sidetrack from your serious story Jenny but this has to be straight out of Monty Python but it is true! Check http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/6399006/Horse-chasing-dog-stops-cricket-match
In Blenheim Redwood Park recently:
A small dog runs across the park.
A horse chases the dog.
The Horse owner chases the horse.
The police chase and capture the wobbly man.
A lady captures the horse.
The police arrest man and dog.
The cricket match resumes.
Paul Holmes abuses Maori – and the English language:
http://www.readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/lazy-maoris-and-idle-words.html
Holmes is a senile has been commentator……fits the granny profile of informed opinion perfectly.
‘the boy’ and i have cranked out another political cartoon..
..this time turei and peters..
http://whoar.co.nz/2012/cartoon-what-the-pols-read-on-their-hols-an-ongoing-series/
[email look alike deleted].
Some interesting ideas written thoughtfully and with experience about how workers can gain better conditions and businesses can limit their vulnerabilities from problems such as predating takeover attempts and recessions.
All employees become shareholders based on their wages in John Lewis and Waitrose stores in United Kingdom. The employees don’t need a union because they have all the things that a union could obtain for them. A union as watchdog to prevent slipping of conditions and wages only would be ideal, and I wish that it could become the mainstream approach.
Note there is coverage of NZ experience with employee ownership too.
This was on radionz this a.m. The audio should be available soon.
11.05 Ideas: Employee-owned businesses
Britain’s deputy prime minister Nick Clegg recently called for the creation of a “John Lewis economy” and he’s far from the first politician to praise the ownership structure of the John Lewis department store. Peter Cox, the author of Speden’s Partnership: The Story of John Lewis and Waitrose, tells Jeremy Rose about the company owned by its 75,000 employees; and Chris Laidlaw talks to Keith Orr, a manager of Golden Bay’s Tui Bee Balm worker cooperative; and Richard Aitken the chief of executive of BECA – New Zealand’s largest employee-owned business.
Presented by Chris Laidlaw
Produced by Jeremy Rose
Really interesting. That John Lewis and Waitrose were co-ops surprised me. I think John Lewis was one of the few department store chains to increase profits in 2010, and both chains are at the high-end of the market in terms of presentation, if not price. I found this article interesting as well:
I think that democratically run worker owned enterprises are seriously the way ahead.
Is it just me or does Kiwiblog seem to be getting less and less comments?
If so, might I suggest that maybe the genuine and proper debate via various blogs is exposing the strengths and frailties of the political issues of the day and that this is leading to the failure of kiwiblog.
I seldom read the comments there. Ummm while I am waiting for MySQL to finish reindexing this database, it is time to indulge in some stat counting (while SQL is in my head).
Perhaps as the sheeple wake up to the reality of what the NACT is about they also realise kiwi blog is another front for its position as its tone isn’t moving with the mood.
Also with its virtually single source of commentary it’s all becoming rather predictable and quite boorish as DPF has always been.
But never mind. Moira introduced David Farrar on Friday as “the most read blogger in NZ” but did not mention his affiliation to National. Jim must have it right. The most read blog site I would have thought was the Standard. A range of writers makes it different I suppose.
Took a glance at the Stuff homepage overnight, and the “money” section was showing the following four headlines, in order:
1. Quake city assets set to be popular
2. Feltex class action swells
3. Banks take $3b profit overseas
4. National grid upgrades blamed for power price rises
What could possibly go wrong, New Zealand?
Facepalm.
Saw this on the news the other night and the person who said it said that some maintenance had been put off which, of course, had made it more expensive. The obvious conclusion was that the chasing of profits had made the power distribution companies inefficient. If they’d done the maintenance when it should have been done it would have been cheaper but they wouldn’t have had the same profitability. Now that they’re getting around to it they also looking at maintaining the excess profitability that they’d made when they weren’t doing their job.
Yep, underinvestment by Transpower, and we have our own past Governments to blame for that mismanagement. However:
“Mercury general manager James Munro said its charges for electricity has risen by about 3.5 per cent, including “across the board” cost increases, such as the added cost of retaining customers as competition increased.”
Good business if you can get it.
Fantastic for power companies to announce price increases now before they get flogged off.
Also fabulous for power companies now to announce upgrades.
On second thoughts, it would be even better for power companies to time their plans and announcements according to the electoral or political cycle 🙂
I am sure we all would love to “own” shares (But we do !!) where by when costs go up we are able to increase our selling price accordingly or by a margin higher than the cost increase. Many industries have been in the situation of having to do best as costs go up to absorb this increase tension with the market does not allow for prices to increase without losing volume.
“Mercury general manager James Munro said its charges for electricity has risen by about 3.5 per cent, including “across the board” cost increases, such as the added cost of retaining customers as competition increased.”
And yet I received a letter from Mercury telling me my monthly bill would be increasing by 6.2%
Akldnut you could do us all a favour by calling Mercury, asking that question and letting us know what they say.
“You can check and manage your Mercury Energy account online or ring us on 0800 10 18 10”
My pick is they focus on your precise consumption pattern but I would be interested to know.
Phoned Mercury Energy, callcentre dude said James Munro was taking about increased costs already incurred but not the future power generating costs which are the main part of their increases.
Typical call centre tho just trying to get rid of a difficult question.
A customer just told me that she received a letter on Sat saying her incease with Mercury is going to be 4.2%.
Hang on Draco….
Isn’t that what happenned to NZ Rail?
And what eventually happenned to that ..
jINKSKEY
Whitney Houston dead @ 48 years old – absolute waste!
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/obit/story/2012-02-11/whitney-houston/53053070/1?csp=34news
It’s always sad when anyone dies too young.
And in Syria in the rebellion, 46 people died on Saturday and over 30 on Friday.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/02/2012211131327549801.html
Syria is sad but theres always Iraq. When you hear the likes of that scumbag Key and his acolytes expressing support of the American actions in the Middle East, and their support for “outsourcing” the role of the state, selling it off etc you need to keep abreast of the headlines.
Here in the New York Times we see the ultimate triumph of free enterprise US style applied to warfare:
* last year more more defense “contractors” (aka mercenaries) died in Iraq than US military personnel.
* core military functions now are firmly in the hands of and delivered by corporate contractors.
* many dead contractors were uncompensated by their comapnies for dying….
* US Generals in Iraq employ private sector body guards…
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/world/asia/afghan-war-risks-are-shifting-to-contractors.html?_r=1&hp
Maybe not NZ yet but this is the bollock brained system Keyy and Nact support, iits only a matter of time.
Islam the religion of peace I think not
I 100% agree with the last 3 words of your statement.
@james111
Christianity the religion of peace I think not. What religion could be regarded as peaceful, Buddhists perhaps?
So what Patrick Strange is saying is that after years under his control, he has allowed under-investment and now we the public pay for his and his boards incompetance, nice one.
The trade-off was long term underinvestment versus short term profit-maximisation and obscene remuneration/bonuses? Yippee!
Nald I suggest you engage your brain before typing “submit comment” too.
Difficult these days to engage anyone or anything. Early onset dementia or Alzhemier’s perhaps.
Speaking of which … anyone recall (16 Mar 2009):
“The Government wants an end to the practice of state-owned enterprises paying staff large performance bonuses. It wants SOEs to share the pain of the economic downturn, which has seen private companies freeze pay and do away with bonuses. Despite a raft of power cuts, which have cost New Zealand businesses millions over the past few years, the state-owned monopoly rewarded staff with $5 million worth of performance bonuses last year.
“Frankly, any of these profits or any of these bonuses should be pumped into upgrading the National Grid,” says Newmarket Business Association chair Cameron Brewer.
CEO Patrick Strange refused to comment, and State Owned Enterprise Minister Simon Power was keen for them to front up.”
http://www.3news.co.nz/SOE-bonus-culture-must-end-says-MP-Power/tabid/419/articleID/95571/Default.aspx#ixzz1mLoH72gV
And the one calling for folks to front up has now backed out and sought refuge with banksters?
Oh, and how much are these power or Power types get in their pockets?
What is State-owned Mighty River Power chief executive Doug Heffernan’s pay package (“long-term incentive payments”, “short and long term bonuses”)? Guess Heffernan’s is more than Strange’s. Anyone?
Hi Jim,
I don’t know why you would pick on a guy like Patrick Strange or even Doug Hefferenan for that matter. These guys aren’t the ones taking the piss. For outrageous piss taking you need to pick on guys like Captian Fuckall. See:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5598574/Englishs-brother-lands-big-contract
I call him Captain Fuckall because that is all he has ever achieved and is all he will ever ahcive. . Strange and Heffernan have done a great deal for all of us.
You don’t want us to examine Strange and Heffernen any closer then?
Agree that Strange has done a damn fine job, on reading further.
CV are you feeling OK?
Patrick Strange joined Transpower in 2007. The underinvestment goes much further back than that and responsibility lies at the feet of board’s past. . The immediate previous CEO Ralph Craven tried to get investment in the main grid going but faced strong oppositon from the Electricity Commission and the Waikato farmers. Craven made some headway but Patrick and the current board have got things going.
Don’t comment on something you know nothing about.
@Lulu. So what’s happened since he has been in charge?
Thanks for the query John Dalley, I doubt you are really as interested in Transpower’s work as you are in one liners for the Standard but seeing as you ask, the Transpower 2011 annual report notes:
“Strengthening the grid
Our major grid investment programme is well underway. Our two largest projects are the North Island Grid Upgrade (NIGU) project and the construction of Pole 3 of the high voltage direct current (HVDC) link. They are well advanced. However, due to a delay in Germany to the development of the control system, the HVDC Pole 3 project schedules are tight. The scale of the work and the need to maintain the system’s reliability while this work is carried out present significant challenges for our workforce and operations.
The North Auckland and Northland (NAaN) project is a new underground cable through the Auckland central business district (CBD) and to the north. All major approvals have been received, and work is underway. Together, these three large grid projects will cost nearly $2 billion.”
I can only guess how much of Patrick Strange’s time since 2007 has been taken up getting those projects up and running but I am picking it would be a lot given the processes he would have to work through. He also has to do the job of running a critical piece of New Zealand’s infrastructure: 25,000 towers, 16,450 poles 11,812 kms of tranmission lines. For y/e June 11 he achieved 98.4% availability for the bulk of the grid. It was at that level primarily due to extensive replacement of aged conductors in the lower North Island, ahead of our original schedule. This was achieved without any adverse impact on customers.
I repeat, he inherited the grid in this state and is doing something about it. I think he is doing a great job.