The Daily Blog Open Mic – Wednesday – 22nd June 2016

1. Just a question – if anyone knows the answer to.

   There used to be a bulk cement carrier ship/boat that operated between Westport and Auckland. It was decommissioned, and I presume it was part of ‘cost cutting’ measures.

   Could this have anything to do with the apparently chronic shortage of concrete now?

   • Hi Tim,

     I think you are onto something here as I recall hearing about a supply vessel scrapped after the cost of rebuilding it was to high.

     I guess sadly like almost everything else now the freight will be sent by road in trucks to the delight of the RTA but not anyone else.

     Will look into this and respond, thanks for the flag.

     Here’s’ my response to the Government U-Turn on road tax/tolls for future building/maintenance pricing now after the Auckland debarkle so Government will make this NZ wide policy now swinging transport hopefully back in favour of rail before we lose it entirely.

     40 cents a Kilometre toll charge to possibly be placed on all our regional roads per user mentioned in an interview with Minister of transport Simon Bridges this morning on RNZ 22nd June 2016.

     Subject ; IPENZ TRANSPORT STUDY REPORT on the NZ user pricing.

     Road users may finally begin to pay their “fair share of road wear/maintenance cost” as IPENZ (Institute of Professional Engineers) report recommends.

     http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201805424 – interview with Simon Bridges.

     Will this now make rail a more attractive modal Land freight transport choice?

2. I notice that in Guyon’s RNZ interview this morning with Simon Bridges, on AKL road toll’s, he happily lets Bridges accept the AKL council report on road toll’s, yet yesterday just as happily, let John Key not accept the Treasury report on the 90 day work trial pass by without a whisper, no explanation..just
   “We are very comfortable that the law is working, we think it is effective, and we just fundamentally disagree with the research.”

   This is one of the biggest problems in NZ today. Politicians being allowed to say what ever they want, but never (rarely) being asked to explain their position in full.
   ie, ‘What part or parts of the Treasury report did you not agree with and why’, would have been the obvious place for Guyon to start, in response to Key’s rejection of the report.

   We, the citizens, must contact our media (especially RNZ) EVERY time we see this lack of scrutiny, and keep the pressure on them to participate in a meaningful on our behalf, to keep us fully informed, and that we demand it from them!
   It is great to have places like this for people who are interested in politics to unpack the news, but most of the country don’t seem to have a clue what is going on, mainly because nothing is debated or properly explained to them in mainstream media.
   The media are letting the whole country down, and it must be challenged vigorously and often.

   • yes time for some aggressive very sharp interviewing…like Kim Hill used to do…NZ nacts get away with way too much and the country has gone down hill fast

3. @ cleangreen – sadly I believe all revenue collected by any road tolls will be simply twisted and turned to make ‘the books’ look good, and not spent back on road maintenance. Dare I say it, if ‘there was’ a half decent railway system in this country, a lot of New Zealanders WOULD CHOOSE to use it over road travel – as is done so internationally.
   I see road tolls as another money making scheme for the rich, fleecing from the middle and poorer of this country, that is all.

   • +100 Kim Dandy

4. At the time of writing this, I see that the “get rid of Hosking” petition has reached 16,000 signatures. Great stuff 🙂

   Hosking is a NatzKEY asset and the sooner he and his like, Henry, Smith, Williams are removed from public broadcasting, the better.

5. Oh btw @ Cleangreen ….. going on from our conversation the other day – re TS et al
   Check out the moderation on Stuart Munro on this post at 1.2
   http://thestandard.org.nz/our-zombie-economy/

   (ya vol herr kommandant)
   And I think lprent is old enough to recognise the ‘once was’ everyday figure of speech, and then contrast that with toleration of those intent on derailing and trolling.
   Bu then, as I said – his blog, his power trip and right to judge as he sees fit.
   I made the mistake of having a look because there are some good things on there mostly.

   Talk about precious!

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