The Daily Blog Open Mic – Friday 10 March 2017

5
1

openmike

 

Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.

Moderation rules are more lenient for this section, but try and play nicely.

 

 

5 COMMENTS

  1. TO SAVE OUR EAST COAST RAIL WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE CHINESE TO PRODUCE THE INFRUSTRUCTURE TO CONNECT HB/GISBORNE TO THE MAIN TRUNK LINE TO AUCKLAND AS THE NZ GOVERNMENT HAS TURNED IT’S BACK ON THE EAST COAST COMMUNITIES AND GOOD RAIL SERVICES, SHAME ON THEM.

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/90227179/chinese-investors-show-interest-in-east-cape-tourist-rail-project

    Chinese investors show interest in East Cape tourist rail project

    Last updated 16:57, March 9 2017

    A proposed scenic rail track could run past Hicks Bay, at the northern end of the East Cape.

    A proposed scenic rail track could run past Hicks Bay, at the northern end of the East Cape.

    Chinese investors have shown an interest in financing a scenic rail link that would run more than 300 kilometres around the East Cape, a Gisborne business group says.

    The Gisborne Rail Co-operative Steering Group said building a rail line around the cape had the potential to attract large numbers of tourists to the region but was yet to progress beyond the discussion phase.

    Steering group interim chairwoman Nikki Searancke said it was among a number of business ideas being discussed with Chinese businesses interested in investment opportunities on the East Coast.

    The steering group has been driving a proposal to re-open the rail freight link south of Gisborne to Hawke’s Bay.

    The Gisborne-Wairoa-Napier rail link was mothballed in 2012 after storms damaged the line.

    Last year KiwiRail and Napier Port announced a commercial agreement that would see the port company run a dedicated log service from Wairoa to the port from late this year.

    The future of the Wairoa-Gisborne section of the line remains uncertain but last year the Gisborne Rail Co-operative Steering Group responded to a call from KiwiRail for expressions of interests from groups wanting to use the line.

    The steering group believes restoring rail freight out of Gisborne would provide a vital economic boost to the region.

    KiwiRail said it was reviewing submissions received on proposals for the use of the Gisborne-Wairoa line and would announce the outcome of the call for expressions of interest by the end of this month.

    – Stuff

    • It’s such a shame Mr Joyce hates rail so much.
      Fixing up the Gisborne line is actually a no-brainer.
      The short term thinking of this gubbamint is actually unbelievable, as it is with other local authorities and even lobby groups such as that Transport Blog which when last I read it was pushing for the light rail option or similar up Dominion Rd rather than a proper link onto the existing network.
      That option by the way, seems to completely miss the point that AK Airport actually serves regional interests and not that of the so-called Super City.

      Then there’s the missed opportunity to consider providing a rail link to ChCh airport following the EQC, red-zonong, etc and the need to consider a rebuild from the point of view of future needs.

      The potential for a rail link from Dunedin City to the airport isn’t all that hard either.

      When you look at a map of the rail tracks that existed a few decades ago, there should be a few that are kicking themselves at closures and ‘mothballing’. In some ways it seems they neglected to consider the type of rollong stock that would be possible rather than having it in their heads that the network should only be used for big freight (which it should – but not solely).

      I don’t have the expertise you do @ Cleangreen, but some things seem to be bleeding obvious.
      – Reinstate the Gisborne line
      – Rail to AKL airport
      – Rail (using small modular units – akin to buses on wheels) from Dunedin, Tauranga and Christchurch to respective airports for passengers

      – using such modular units, the potential for off-peak passenger traffic on Masterton to Wellington; New Plymouth – Stratford; Rolleston, Lyttleton, Rangiora to ChCh City; even Picton to ChCh when the line is restored linking ferry services.

      And this bullshit excuse for doing away with electric on the MTL.

      It’s almost as though Wisconsin Rail is still running the show.

      With a bit of investment (such as lowering a few tunnel floors) there are places where there is the potential for a kind of roll-on/roll-off system of wagons that allow trucks to be taken off unsuitable roads – ‘riding the rail’ such as is happening in the 3rd World.

      (My Jesse Mulligan opinions will have to wait for another day – see yesterday – but in short:
      Jesse on RNZ is able to actually discuss things with his guests without limitations and having to bounce his ego off other ‘celebs’ in the name of ‘humour’ – Aha ha ha ha ha

      Whereas Jesse on +hr=e? is
      contrived, formulaic, rehearsed, superficial and truncated – which often means important issues (such as that 1st up last night) are minimalised:
      5 only preset questions. Audience clap clap clap in approval – don’t larf – this is a serious issue, But WAIT, next up we can have a bit of fun

      Then the agenda is to get a larf rather than deal with the issue.)

      Probably one of the best (and most testing thing) they could do is get rid of the bloody autocue and let it stand or fall on its (and the panel stand or fall) on merit rather than taking us all for complete fuckwits.

      After seeing it, one is tempted to consider the RNZ Jesse in a completely different light – but then …… Poor Jesse: having to bike all the way to FLowers Street, or wherever it is these days to indulge in 20 minutes of that shit.)

  2. This morning I heard Sue Bradford on a panel with two neoliberal privatisers on RNZ National. As usual there was a great deal of media bias in the clip.

    I am coming from a position of seeing the present hysteria about the demographic “bomb” as being more about the privatisation of the pensions system than any real problem. While we don’t have full employment, keeping more that 20% of young workers either un or under employed there isn’t a demographic problem. There is also an irony in parallel to this hysteria is another about robots taking all our jobs. (I apologise now for the word hysteria if anyone thinks I intend a slur on women)

    However the comment I want to make here is that Sue, although she did very well, was up against two neoliberal privatisers and a presenter who cut her short and allowed both right wingers talk over her as she developed real points.

    There was no balance there at all. Kia kaha Sue

    • There’s an even bigger issue @ Steven here. You seem a bit concerned at least about the state of Public Service media (the last remaining bit manifests itself under the name RNZ – once Radio New Zealand – the ‘rebranding’ in and of itself is symbolic of something that even the wonderful Kum Ill is unconcerned with. Priorities eh?).
      The PS Media is the worst of it.
      The Public Service as a whole an even bugger usshoo (going forward).

      I think things might have to get to their very worst before a bleeding obvious ferocious little carnivor called Chucky, representing a pissed off Public jumps up and starts ripping the balls off a few politicians and people who claim 4th Estate membership. (In most cases, they’ll not miss their balls).
      I’m not sure, though how Chucky is going to deal with a Paula Bennett (for example).
      There’s a CountryBoy that’d have a simple solution (pragmatism and expediency and efficient and effective use of resources) . versus . a Frank, and I, and a few other whimps who’d rather spend a lifetime on ‘having conversations’, negotiating, avoiding the inevitable crime and violence ahead, and even pissing in the wind. I’m only now beginning to understand the level of feeling of disempowerment, disenfranchising, lack of representation and all the things that brought that horror story ‘Trump’ to power.

      It’s all a bit pathetic really, but if a countryboy solution eventuates (it actually seems inevitable following current ‘vectors’ [“going foward”, “eza meta a fek, ekshully” and “in the foolniss a toim” of course]), I know where my sympathies will lay when a State-Nation wakes up in desperation and bites itself in the bum).

  3. Here’s a tip:
    The SECOND someone prefaces their utterances with:
    “The reality is…..”
    “so…. there’s really no alternative”
    etc.
    etc.
    etc.
    ALERT ALERT ALERT Will Robnson.

    And in the case of the current Proim Munster, everything is preceded with a
    “well …………, a rubharb and a STEVIE CHOICE, and kebnit soldearitty, and a CT spin word, and a “SO”.

    It’s all wearing very very thin @CT. I think yu shud kinsida lowring ya fees (goan forwid). Start planning to re-image and re-invent yaselves – and buy yourselves a Thiel-like bolt hole if you haven’t already done so.
    (Posted as a public service message)

Comments are closed.