Daily review 24/05/2022

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, May 24th, 2022 - 26 comments
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Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

26 comments on “Daily review 24/05/2022 ”

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  1. Poission 1
    24 May 2022 at 6:04 pm

    New initiatives in transport announced,the propulsion units for the new ferries,being diesel electric hybrids, (also future proofed for enhanced battery technology)

    The inter island vessels will be operating in inland waters on battery (sounds and wgn harbour) with charging facilities at both ports.

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-investment-boosts-coastal-shipping-aotearoa

    The other initiative is for funding for the supply of additional coastal shipping,

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-investment-boosts-coastal-shipping-aotearoa

      • Poission 1.1.1
        24 May 2022 at 8:09 pm

        Hydrogen has a large energy inefficiency,and arguments for an export market are limited especially for Japan that is to increase the speed of its nuclear restart,(which will also limit the necessity for lng imports) Heavy vehicle is an alternative use for Hydrogen,but enhanced battery EV with forklift swap over is also an alternative (as the weight exchange for battery is equivalent to the ICE engine and liquids) and the range equivalent is around the driver breaktime or depot hub.

        The same for rail,where you can still utilize in the NI the installed national trunk,and use a battery car for the flat runs into Hamilton AK or PN-WGN, with hybrid locos.The christchurch -little river train was a battery electric which was installed 95 years ago and ran for 7 years until a fire destroyed it.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_River_Branch

        • pat 1.1.1.1
          24 May 2022 at 8:29 pm

          Hydrogen is a dog with a deeply negative EROI and containment/transmission issues….why we are are considering wasting precious (and needed) electricity to produce even less energy god only knows…we wont end up exporting it as some other desperate mug closer to the requiring markets will provide it…and more fools them

          • Poission 1.1.1.1.1
            24 May 2022 at 8:37 pm

            I agree,and the use of electricity for direct use,rather then a convoluted distribution system ( with losses) is wasteful.They seem to be obsessed with technological risk,rather then well proven tech.

            Even now we have significant generation issues,and we should be trying for producing the cheapest electricity,

            https://www.transpower.co.nz/sites/default/files/interfaces/can/CAN%20NZGB%20Assessment%20for%20Potential%20Negative%20Generation%204343308381.pdf

          • KJT 1.1.1.1.2
            24 May 2022 at 8:59 pm

            Hydrogen has potential for long distance ships and planes, and high heat manufacturing like steel. Probably be a lot less of both, in an energy constrained world, though. Still has transport and storage issues to be solved, apart from the obvious ones of making it.

            Waste of time and effort for land based transport. Cheaper, easier and more efficient to produce electricity directly, and carry the "fuel" in wires.

            It should be regarded as an energy store, a battery, so long as there is sufficient excess renewable energy to make it viable. Batteries in themselves have a poor EROI. It is their enabling the usage of more sustainable sources that make for a significantly beneficial overrall EROI. Same with hydrogen.

            I'm puzzled why we aren't going for the low hanging fruit, like electrifying rail, coastal ships and ferries, building for passive heating and cooling, pumped storage, and more wind, geo thermal and solar, rather than hydrogen. Or maybe not puzzled. The oil industry wants a use for their "stranded assets".

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1.3
            24 May 2022 at 11:01 pm

            I'm with pat!

      • Scud 1.1.2
        24 May 2022 at 8:51 pm

        Just hold your horses or should that be Trains Pat😂

        There is a business case setting on someone's desk somewhere (might be Woody's Desk?) on new trains for the inter-regional communter trains which will be, to my understanding be Bi-Mode Sparks IRT to run on both the Wellington Network & the NIMT once the gaps a full in from Palmy to where it's is nth of Wellington & from the Tron to sth of Auckland.

        So watch this space, as it could be an interesting that time for Pax Rail in the Nth Is if it gets up.

        I'm not a fan of Hydrogen powered Trains, let's stick to Diesel Electric Loco's (the new Sth Is ones are going to be better than the Chinese DL's) Sparks Loco's/ Railcars at least the technology is tired & proven.

        • KJT 1.1.2.1
          24 May 2022 at 9:02 pm

          The whole rail system should be electrified. Also proven technology.

          Why invest in new diesal electric units that will, hopefully, be redundant once the whole network is electric.

          • Scud 1.1.2.1.1
            24 May 2022 at 11:07 pm

            1st is the up front costs,

            1, most of NZ's rail alignment hasn't changed since the last J, K, Ab Classes & other Mainline Stream Loco's were retired from service.

            2, maintenance of most of the Rail Network has been in some sort of managed decline or under the management speak of "Deferred Maintenance" like most of the NZDF infrastructure is atm since the 90's when Deferred Maintenance became a Cost Savings Measure by NACT.

            But fortunately for KiwiRail a huge amount of $$$ has been invested into Rail Maintenance since the NACT's got the boot & another $300m from the last Budget which also includes Hillside Workshops upgrade.

            3, Leading on from the Maintenance side of things. Both Speed & more importantly Axle Weights have dropped due to "Deferred Maintenance & Managed Decline Management Regime enforced by the NZG of the Day & under the failed Privatisation of the 90's.

            The speed on the Canterbury Lines before Privatisation was 100kph & now around the 80kph mark as has more important Axle Weights decrease over time.

            Which both have a huge impact of KiwiRail's Loading Gauge across the overall Rail Network, which totally different from its Operating Gauge of 3ft 6in or Cape Gauge.

            The new Diesel Electric Loco's for the Sth Is will get at least a minimum of 20-30yrs service unfortunately, as the Nth Is Network will be converted to sparks 1st & it's a shame the sparks were withdrawn between Arthurs Pass & Otira. As it could've been converted to sparks between Greymouth to CHCH very easily, I was once told many moons ago.

            convert

            • KJT 1.1.2.1.1.1
              25 May 2022 at 9:20 am

              The unfortunate thing about Muldoons "think big" and all the BS around it. Even the successes, like Marsden Point, were flogged off before New Zealanders got any benefit from it. Souring many on large State infrastructure investments.

              Electrifying and future proofing rail is a huge investment, sure, but one that will pay off for decades to come. Unlike pouring millions into mass air travel, which AGW requires to become a thing of the past.

              The one real highlight for AGW reduction however, is the recently released encouragement of coastal shipping. A much needed replacement for trucking and roads.
              Jobs for some of those out of work after the Marsden Point shutdown also.

    • Anne 2.1
      24 May 2022 at 8:07 pm

      That reminds me of something I witnessed back in the 1970s:

      A small group of us were bystanders at a protest outside the Auckland hotel where US Vice President Agnew was staying. Talk about over-kill. There were snipers planted all over the roof (presumably flown out from the US). We were laughing. A few Secret Service guys in their smart suits (complete with sunglasses) were wandering around observing the protest – and us onlookers with a keen eye. A local TV cameraman whom I knew was escorted by an SS guy to some rubbish lying in the gutter on the opposite side of the road to the protesters and close to where we were standing. He directed him to film the stuff and sure enough that evening the rubbish appeared on the TV news to all intents and purposes as being the protesters doing. It had nothing to do with them and probably had been there for days if not weeks.

      It was during the Vietnam War era.

      • In Vino 2.1.1
        24 May 2022 at 9:44 pm

        And let me guess – the Herald reported it with a big photo of the most weirdy-beardy guy there when he wasn't looking happy, and so made the vast majority of readers assume that only way-out nutters were against the war.

        I stopped doing anti-war protests because I could see that the media's coverage was slanted to make the protest utterly unproductive in that the majority of sheeple would see protesters as weirdo nutters.

        • Anne 2.1.1.1
          24 May 2022 at 10:23 pm

          It crossed my mind while telling that story that the US Secret Service guys might have put the rubbish there in the first place.

          Didn't Richard Nixon call the Vietnam protesters "weirdos"?

    • Muttonbird 2.2
      24 May 2022 at 9:37 pm

      Were you listening to Hoskins this morning? He was interviewing NZ Rugby League legend Richie Barnett about The Warriors.

      Starts well, Barnett talking in an empathetic way about Harris-Tavita's decision to quit RL. But then, of young Harris-Tavita:

      Hoskings: I love The Warriors, but why would you want to hang out with a bunch of losers.

      Silence.

      Barnett: Beep, beep, beep.

      Hockskin: Heh, heh, he's gone. He didn't like hanging out with losers.

      It's a real problem. The highest rating broadcaster in the country has zero empathy for others, even for those he supposedly loves. He's provably sociopathic, and borderline psychopathic.

      • In Vino 2.2.1
        24 May 2022 at 9:48 pm

        So Hockskin loves a bunch of losers.

        Didn't know just how charitable that jumped-up windbag could be!

      • Ad 2.2.2
        25 May 2022 at 9:29 am

        All Mike Hosking did was tell the truth about the Warriors.

        They have been in a near-permanent state of failure for a decade.

        The silence around failure of elites needs to be broken so good on Hosking for calling it.

  3. Anker 3
    24 May 2022 at 7:46 pm

    The no evictions policy from Kainga Ora homes is a demonstration of this Govt treating poor disadvantaged citizens who want a peaceful life with contempt.

    I can't imagine anything worse than having to live with threatening, anti social tenants who treat their neighbours with contempt. Of course this no eviction policy would be dropped like a ton of bricks if any of the Labour/Greens politicians had these anti social tennants living next to them.

    • Descendant Of Smith 3.1
      24 May 2022 at 9:06 pm

      Moving workers out of State Housing doesn't help long term either. It conglomerates the poorest all together instead of having a mix of workers and those on benefit. A community needs to be mixed.

    • KJT 3.2
      24 May 2022 at 9:18 pm

      Good bit of benny bashing. Someone will start going on about "Ferals" shortly.

      Lived in two areas with shockingly bad and abusive neighbours. One was threatening to kill me over a long period. The cops did sweet FA. Eventually we had to move. Both times they couldn't be evicted. They owned their houses, in rather expensive areas.

      Our first house was surrounded by State houses. The residents were mostly friendly and helpful, even though rather noisy.

      • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.1
        24 May 2022 at 9:59 pm

        Nah that wasn't what I meant.

        I was simply making the point that communities that thrive are made up of a mix of people – not an agglomeration of just a few types and that state housing when originally built was intended and used as much for the working class as it was for those on benefit.

        I equally dislike retirement villages because they take old people out of communities also. Those old people still have a role to play in thriving communities – helping the young parents, giving advice, and so on.

        It is a matter of policy to boot people out of state housing once they are working these days. It never used to be like that. Now the working class get to barely survive through excessive rents.

        • KJT 3.2.1.1
          24 May 2022 at 10:08 pm

          I was replying to Anker.

          I agree. Ghettoed communities, whether of poor, old or rich, are not good for a cohesive society..

        • SPC 3.2.1.2
          24 May 2022 at 11:06 pm

          They would have to – even those working find income related rent is lower than market rent. There are 25,000 on the waiting list – many of whom are not working and whom do not own homes (such as those out of the workforce because of sickness, or old age).

          The solution is for the government to buy up 25,000 homes (new debt = new asset) or a mash up (with 5-10,000 helped into shared equity ownership).

      • Anker 3.2.2
        26 May 2022 at 6:49 pm
        • KJT, if the comment about bene bashing was directed at me, you are incorrect in your interpretation.
        • living in a home with anti social tenants is my idea of hell and is likely to lead to severe stress for most of us. I am very sorry you had the experience you did and had to move. I would like to see stricter controls over anti social neighbours.

        my comment about evicting anti social tenants is because unlike yourself, the poorest and most disadvantaged (who are mostly beneficiaries) have very few if any opportunities to move out.

        and yes anti social tenants can come across all stratas, including for example rich entitled young people who think the world revolves around them.