The Daily Blog Open Mic – Sunday 25th February 2018

1. Public COMMUNITY letter;
   24th February. 2018.

   Dear Ministers, – IMPORTANT;

   Our committee has requested a meeting with the Minister of Regional Economic Development, and the Minister of Transport please respond to me as Secretary of CEAC at clean.air@xtra.co.nz. (full details below please refer to them.)

   Subject is a community disappointment at the setback as no rail service to Gisborne after waiting six long years now.

   We remind you that it was the first labour government in 1937 who under Michael Joseph Savage that built the final leg of the East Coast Rail from Wairoa to Gisborne and finished it in 1942.

   In Gisborne; last Friday 25th February 2018 you concluded the release of the Labour /NZ First coalition deal representing all regions with “economic and transport issues” and we are responding to this here as a public community release in Gisborne/HB.

   We are wanting Labour to re-open our rail services that National wrecked by cutting the rail maintenance funds and it caused blocked drains and a rail washout,

   As a result of this media report today in Gisborne we conclude this;

   GISBORNE HERALD BAD PRESS – SUPPORTERS of the Gisborne to Wairoa rail line received a setback yesterday with not even a feasibility study for the line’s reinstatement included in announcements launching the Government’s $1 billion Fund

   Disappointment is rife here as we read it quoted that;
   “Shane jones Shane Jones indicated this was because lukewarm support existed in the district for reopening the line.”
   Full extract from Gisborne Herald.
   by Wynsley WrigleyPublished: February 24, 2018 10:41AM

   SUPPORTERS of the Gisborne to Wairoa rail line received a setback yesterday with not even a feasibility study for the line’s reinstatement included in announcements launching the Government’s $1 billion-a-year Provincial Growth Fund (PGF).

   Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones indicated this was because lukewarm support existed in the district for reopening the line.

   http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/3247477-135/government-to-address-infrastructure-deficit-in

   Our straight question to Shane Jones is;

   Where is our chance to meet you as Regional Economic Minister and the Minister for Transport, to show where the support for rail is please?

   You have challenged us by saying “there is little support for rail here”?

   This is patently incorrect.

   We produced an almost 11 000 signatured petition in 2012 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10802996 on behalf of all Gisborne/HB residents that was presented to parliament by our local MP Moana Mackay labour for Gisborne to Anne Tolley so we could produce our evidence in front of the Transport Select Committee chaired by David Bennett and he refused to allow us to be heard!!!!

   So now we ask for our chance to present our case to your Government now please?

   After all the MP Jacinda Ardern promised everyone will have a voice and be heard, and Labour will be an “inclusive” Government.

   We in HB have been for many years fighting to save the Gisborne rail service since the turn of this century, in 2000 when the last labour government emerged from the wilderness.

   We have over the last several months provided Shane jones emails among the list of Ministers about the reasons for saving the Gisborne rail for our future security and economic and environmental sustainability.

   It appears that Shane jones has never received our emails so we are concerned some blockage of community emails is being interfered with our rights to respond to the government here.

   I provide some past press releases about the past viability of rail services to Gisborne.

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/6170590/At-risk-rail-line-can-t-cope-with-demand

   http://www.berl.co.nz/assets/Economic-Insights/Infrastructure/Transport-and-Energy/BERL-economics-Napier-Gisborne-Rail11Dec.pdf

   The BERL study that proved the need for the rail to be restored to service.

   Lastly the new “The value of rail in New Zealand” Government report that was hidden by national 2 yrs ago but labour found it again. The study shows rail saves the country $1.5 Billion a year as is but would save vastly more if more rail was used. Report was produced for NZTA/Kiwirail in 2016 by Ernest Young accountants.

   http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/uploads/Publications/The%20Value%20of%20the%20Rail%20in%20New%20Zealand.pdf

   TO; Minister Shane Jones,

   In this article (below) in the Gisborne herald in 2016 it was your Labour Government in 2016 that promised to the Gisborne people that when next in Government you would reopen the Gisborne rail service again so you do need to honour your Government word here.

   Labour promises free-to-air RNZ TV channel
   HENRY COOKE
   Last updated 10:52, September 12 2017
   http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/2437884-135/labour-greens-united-on-rail
   QUOTE.

   Labour-Greens united on rail
   Published: August 23, 2016 11:17AM
   ‘Wrong government in place’ to make rail a reality: Labour and Greens.
   Labour-Greens united on rail
   Published: August 23, 2016 11:17AM

   QUOTE;
   ‘Wrong government in place’ to make rail a reality: Labour and Greens.
   THE Labour and Green parties last night committed to re-opening the entire length of the Gisborne to Napier rail line but pointed out that would only happen if the National Party was removed from office.
   but pointed out that would only happen if the National Party was removed from office. UNQUOTE;

   We say to labour;

   We will hold your Government to account here.as Jacinda has requested we do so in her speech at Waitangi day 2018.

   Labour has promised in the Gisborne Herald press to reopen the rail services to Gisborne from Napier in 2016 before the election.

   Please reply to this request for a meeting please as soon as able.

   Warmest regards,

2. +100 Go CLEANGREEN….keep up the fight for a good New Zealand rail system!

   This is an economic issue and a Green environmental issue and a safety issue

3. Did anybody watch The Nation or now called ‘Newshub Nation’ today or yesterday? Mike Wesley-Smith brought another story about the appalling treatment of those that were abused while in state care.

   He reported also that Crown Law, the taxpayer funded legal services the government uses, had sent private investigators after abuse victims and witnesses, to keep an eye on them.

   In a court hearing some time ago, the Crown, that is OUR STATE, as part of OUR GOVERNMENT, fought tooth and nail to take on any responsibility, when faced with an abuse case. They were doing nothing else than try and apply victim blaming, on a male, who as a boy was sexually abused.

   That is how LOW this country can sink.

   I looked up on the website, and NO trace is found of a video showing Mike’s report. It seems Crown Law managed to shut that program down now, so the CHILL factor was applied yet again.

   http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/newshub-nation.html

   We as tax payers pay Crown Law, that is the government using them, and we pay for services to be denied to some of us, as the state fears it could lead to a flood of claims, costing them too much.

   Even the last Labour government behaved like that. I am disgusted at this state of affairs.

4. Is this due to Nat friendly MoBIE staff putting the spanner in the works, or is there really a house of cards that Phil Twyford and Labour built with Kiwi Build before and during the election campaign? It seems they may have made too many promises, and the homes that are planned are not able to be built, at least not in the numbers anticipated, at affordable prices:

   An older RNZ report:
   https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/349955/kiwibuild-numbers-may-be-optimistic-mbie

   Today Newshub went on with their version of the story:
   http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/02/doubts-over-kiwibuild-s-affordability.html

Comments are closed.