Getting blood from a stone
Written By:
- Date published:
2:20 pm, May 27th, 2008 - 5 comments
Categories: national -
Tags: john key, oil, petrol, policy vacuum, transport
A reader has just written in as a followup to IrishBill’s post earlier today on National’s plans to line the pockets of oil tycoons with a four land highway stretching the length of the North Island.
Our reader notes that it’s not just us who think getting policy out of the Nats is like getting blood from a stone. The Editor of NZ Autocar apparently responds to a letter to the editor:
“You are not alone in finding that requests for National’s transport policies fall on deaf ears, particularly if they’re addressed to the member for Pakuranga. This leads to suspicions that National has yet no John Key-approved transport policy” – Ed.”
Now our understanding is that it’s certainly not Key who’ll be signing things off but the general point stands.
(Hat-tip: GN)
5 comments on “Getting blood from a stone ”
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Alright, I can’t stand the suspense. Who is it then who will be “signing things off”?
Well in 2005 it was the Insurance Council that signed off the ACC policy so for transport this time around it might be Exxon or Shell Oil?
“and still the little girl waits” (for National policy on….anything???)
Apparently, there’s been another flip flop from National on Kiwisaver.
http://newzblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/wilkinson-faux-pa-forces-flip-flop/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4562002a23917.html
I had no problem getting info out of Maurice when I emailed him from a pro-National point of view suggesting the money for electrification of Aucklands railways would be better spent on motorways. He agreed saying:
“Yes we do think the money would be better spent on the roading network. Unfortunately elections are 18 months away and a big part of the expenditure will have been committed. It won’t be feasible or sensible economically to pull the pin by then.”
However I don’t think much money has been spent on the electrification project, it hasn’t really started yet. So I would certainly say the Auckland electrification is at risk under the Nats.
Earlier I had emailed him several times asking about Nats policy on railways from a pro-rail point of view, and recieved no replies.