Comments on: The Mad Hatter’s Job Summit

By: KD

KD — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:10:33 +0000

Have a look at the sheer numbers of bicycle tourists in europe and maybe that will give you an indication of what they’re aiming at.

its a sound idea, just the numbers dont add up yet. but thats all it is at this stage, an idea.

dont forget about other things that may spring up as a result of the cyclepath – motels nearby for cycle tourists?

NZ is a beautiful country and the more we can promote access to the remote areas the better.

By: BeShakey

BeShakey — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:52:32 +0000

Also interesting to note that few of those that complain now about the price paid to get KiwiRail back are so interested in the price when they were sold. Better to focus on what can be privatised now than focus on the failings of everything that was privatised the last time the Nats got a chance.

By: deemac

deemac — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:11:37 +0000

thanks for this clever post – and the reminder of Lewis Carroll’s genius

By: RedLogix

RedLogix — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:45:00 +0000

Roger,

Who purchased the blooming run down railways back at an exorbitant price?

Try informing yourself about what happened. I could supply a link, but the facts were that it was a very protracted hard-nosed negotiation over 18 months.

Toll’s asking price was $1 billion… at least twice the book value, but they held out because they knew there was no other possibly buyer and they were not especially in any need to sell. Indeed they more or less held the upper hand, because the alternative to not selling was to continue being happily subsidised by the taxpayer via the ongoing funding being pumped into the SOE OnTrack.

Cullen started under $500m and after a long battle they settled at $665m. (Not the $2.7b that the well named vidiot claimed yesterday). The whole notion of a market price is pretty tenuous in a market where there is only one possible sale, from one possible vendor to one possible purchasor. But these numbers suggest that Dr Cullen came out on the somewhat better end of the deal.

As for the ongoing money needed to repair a rail system stripped and raped under nearly two decades of private ownership…. why not bring yourself to correctly assign the true responsibility for that act of economic sabotage?

By: Steve Pierson

Steve Pierson — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:28:17 +0000

The railways have real economic value. The cycleway, while something I and a few other would enjoy, doesn’t.

If we want to boost cycling (and we should), it’s with cycleways in cities, not in the middle of nowhere.

By: Roger Harper

Roger Harper — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:04:09 +0000

Who purchased the blooming run down railways back at an exorbitant price? Short memories on this site.

By: QoT

QoT — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:53:16 +0000

Ah, but Michael, isn’t it so very, very telling that they’re only willing to talk about a country-long cycleway for tourism, as opposed to building cycleways and bike lanes throughout the country for commuters and people who are already here?

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:17:17 +0000

I’ve been after a national cycle way for years. Not for tourists but locals, well me to be exact.

There is a really cheap and easy way to make cities cycle friendly.
Remove all car parks on the side of the road and make them cycleways with a small tussock berm between the cycleway and road.

By: randal

randal — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:04:13 +0000

I hear hooton on the radio this morning still claiming it was policy that won National the election
bulldust
it was the constant cacophony raining down on the country from the right wing radio stations and the suborning of the hair and teeth jobs on teevee nz
same way the national socialist party won in germany in the 1930′s

By: Ianmac

Ianmac — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:45:03 +0000

Hilarious with a dose of truth. Clever. Thanks Eddie.

By: Kevin Welsh

Kevin Welsh — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:24:33 +0000

At least John admits he is a merchant banker, saves me the trouble of calling him one.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:14:47 +0000

Was interested to see old JK and his business round table friends wanting to start chain gangs to build their bike track! I wonder if any of those people were unemployed if they would be there working away with the gang…..NUP!

John needs to get into the REAL world and do something…..i’ve seen bugger all in their first 100 days (feels like one million days) that would give anyone confidence that they are wanting to do the best for the country……..the only people they want to do their best for are themselves.
If all else fails John can get another useless talkfest together to discuss problems raised and then organise yet another talkfest to discuss the problems that came from the problems outlined in the other talkfest….typical CEO mentality and John boy needs to lose it fast!

By: QoT

QoT — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:20:24 +0000

A++ would grin insanely again.

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:27:32 +0000

And on the bizarre theme. Build a cycle track the length of NZ for tourists (who will just love to cycle down main highway 1 on their metre of concrete – while we continue to make our cities bicycle unfriendly), but cut back on investment in railways which could have major tourist appeal as well as providing enduring transport infrastructure.

I doubt whether any of the people making these decision have ever been on a bike or a train.

They might just as well be the gardeners Alice found painting the roses because they are the wrong colour,

By: Edna

Edna — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:12:39 +0000

“and none of the others took the least notice of her going”

Are you talking about Alice or Helen??

Hat tip: Absolute Power