Ambitious for New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, October 12th, 2010 - 18 comments
Categories: national/act government - Tags:

Don’t need to add much to these Herald headlines:
‘Tight-fisted Key deals blow to Brown’s rail plan‘. Do Nothing strikes again.
‘30 homes on offer in flagship Govt scheme‘. Thinking big. Genuine commitment.
‘CV error made by ‘somebody else’‘. For Nats, it’s always someone else’s fault.

18 comments on “Ambitious for New Zealand ”

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  1. Bored 1
    12 October 2010 at 9:20 am

    Maybe Key will solve the Auckland transport issue with….wait for it….drum roll….photo opportunity….a CYCLE WAY!

    • Jim MacDonald 1.1
      12 October 2010 at 1:01 pm

      After the vacuous policies of Nats’ hopeless reign of 2008-2011, donkey cycles away!
      Whoopdeedoo!

  2. BLiP 2
    12 October 2010 at 9:52 am

    Yep – those three headlines about sum up National Ltd™ – closed minded, small minded, and blame orientated.

  3. Bill 3
    12 October 2010 at 10:44 am

    The last two para’s in the “Tight Fisted Key…” piece are kind of revealing…

    “Mr Key said yesterday that he did not expect to appoint a minister to deal specifically with the Super City, saying such a concept had failed when Labour tried it with Judith Tizard.

    But he expected ministers in relevant portfolios to stay in close touch with the Auckland Council.”

    Question.

    If appointing a specific minister is a failed concept in relation to Auckland, then why is that not also the case for Christchurch?

    If it is sufficient that ministers in the relevant portfolios stay in close touch with the Auckland Council, then why is that not also sufficient for Christchurch?

    Far be it for me to suggest that the Government reckons it can push certain agendas far easier in Christchurch by removing democratic checks and balances, but sees a certain use/abuse of those same checks and balances in the Auckland context as a possible way to frustrate agendas it disagrees with.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.1
      12 October 2010 at 11:16 am

      Well Bill, it’s like this. NACT tried to set up dictatorial control over Auckland. If it had happened then the funds, and probably the minister, would have been made available as they would have been going into the sell off of Auckland’s assets. But it didn’t happen, we voted in a left-leaning council instead of the hard-right fascist one that they wanted (and gerrymandered for) this resulted in no minister and no funds as they would be going to make Auckland a better place rather than NACTs rich mates.

  4. NickS 4
    12 October 2010 at 10:44 am

    John Key, who with Transport Minister Steven Joyce is prepared to spend an extra $1.6 billion on what has been dubbed the “holiday highway” from Puhoi to Wellsford, said ratepayers would have to pay for Mr Brown’s plans to fast-track rail.
    Anyone care to guess which would have the greater projected economic benefit? Also the headline for that one should have been along the lines of “Key and Joyce still divorced from reality over the holiday highway”

    • Kevin Welsh 4.1
      12 October 2010 at 11:09 am

      Divorced from reality period. I am sure the Associate Minister for Roading, Tony Friedlander, has already gently whispered into the appropriate ears what is expected in Auckland.

      This has the potential to be a huge problem for Nact next year as we have a new mayor elected with a sound majority who has the backing of the new council who campaigned on the city loop rail project.

      Recent polls identified that public transport is the major concern for Aucklanders and they now have a mayor who not only agrees but has come out publicly and given it his full backing.

      If Key and the Minister for Roads, Joyce, cause problems over this then they can expect a backlash as a result. Wouldn’t want to be a National MP based in Auckland come the election next year.

      • NickS 4.1.1
        12 October 2010 at 2:00 pm

        Though any backlash requires the MSM actually bothering to make this into news, preferably with some actual experts noting that economic return on the Puhoi to Wellsford upgrade is pathetic compared to improving Auckland’s public and rail transport network and save time that would otherwise lost in grid-locks. And for Len Brown and Labour to actually get out there and make clear that National wants you to waste time stuck in grid-locked traffic.

        Though going off Key’s past performances he’ll likely try and smile and wave and give cheerful speeches about how teh holiday highway will solve the holiday chaos… Which only impacts during the holi-fucking-days and not the rest of the bloody year. Heck, some of those holiday issues could be solved by making better connections to SH 16 north of Wellsford, which from memory is mostly gravel roads and narrow asphalt roads, with little signage. For probably far less than a full scale highway upgrade would cost.

        • Jim MacDonald 4.1.1.1
          12 October 2010 at 2:43 pm

          Key’s holiday-highway and cynical cycleway??
          Actually, NZ needs more than his vacuously proclaimed ambition, aspiration or reasonable aggressiveness to significantly lift economic performance.

    • come get some 4.2
      12 October 2010 at 2:32 pm

      as far as i know the holiday highway has a benefit cost ratio of 0.8, so every dollar we spend we’ll get 80cents back..

      considering every 1 passenger creates $17 worth of benefits for road users ( http://transportblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/economic-benefits-pt2.jpg ), i’m quite sure which will be better, howover the business case for the tunnel is due out in a few weeks, then Joyce’s head will roll (Both of the Hughe’s in parliment have grilled Joyce over it, but he refuses to answer questions until the business case is released)

  5. nzfp 5
    12 October 2010 at 11:17 am

    ratepayers would have to pay for Mr Brown’s plans to fast-track rail

    But it doesn’t need to cause a rate increase. Len Brown needs to be made aware of the The Public Finance Act 1989 No 44 (as at 30 July 2010) facility:

    […] The Public Finance Act 1989 No 44 (as at 30 July 2010), Public Act section 65L and section 47 explicity states that the “Minister, on behalf of the Crown, may lend money to a person or organisation […] on any terms and conditions that the Minister thinks fit” (ss65L) […]

    This Act allows the Finance Minister, via the Reserve Bank, to lend to any institution it chooses on any terms it chooses – such as zero interest at a period of 100 years.

    Len Brown and the Super City could borrow what ever it needs to repay any outstanding debts it currently has to Private Banks that incurs an interest fee. Consequently, capital will be released from servicing interest on Debts – this newely freed capital could then be used to build Mr Brown’s plans to fast-track rail without incuring a rate increase while reducing over-all debt.

    I’ve written on this before and I will again and again until Len Brown – the mayor of New Zealands single largest entity – forces the Treasury and the Government to implement what is clearly stated in New Zealand law!

    Captch: guns – Len Brown has the BIG GUNS now, does he have the balls to use them?

    • freedom 5.1
      12 October 2010 at 11:43 am

      will the MSM hear the blasts?

      • nzfp 5.1.1
        12 October 2010 at 11:56 am

        Who cares about the corporate media – I’ve got “the Standard” right here – not to mention the individual blogs of most of the commentators and authors – many of whom I don’t agree with but I feel I get a more rounded story from them then I ever would from the corporate media.

        Seriously – who give a flying *** about MSM?

        Actually does anybody know how many small independent News Papers there are in Auckland? Fairfax and Newscorp aren’t the only papers on the block!

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.1
          12 October 2010 at 2:07 pm

          Actually does anybody know how many small independent News Papers there are in Auckland?

          Yes, none. The only independent newspaper in the country is the Otago Daily Times and that works in association with APN as well.

          Fairfax and Newscorp aren’t the only papers on the block!

          Well, actually, it’s Fairfax and APN although, last time I looked, Newscorp had bought up 7.5% of APN in preparation for buy out. I don’t know if they still have it but I’m sure the buy out hasn’t actually occurred.

  6. Irascible 6
    12 October 2010 at 3:36 pm

    The principles that Key stands for are well illustrated in this article from Gordon Campbell. “Smile & Wave, Scuttle & Run” sums up everything Key stands for. His declaration of war against the new Hide developed Super City now that it has an elected left leaning council and his consistent displays of ignorance about local & international affairs are demonstrations of how shallow and weak he is as a leader. http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2010/10/12/gordon-campbell-keys-backbone-problem-with-china/

    • BLiP 6.1
      12 October 2010 at 10:03 pm

      Yep – Campbell sums it up in relation to National Ltd­™ and John Key’s response in relation to Liu Xiabo. As he says, Key’s comments amount to:

      Offhand, it is hard to think of a more shameful statement – ever – by the person who represents New Zealand on the world stage.

      True dat.

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