PM to avoid any talk of cancelled Korean ferry deal while in South Korea despite official warnings
The Prime Minister is planning to avoid any mention of cancelling the half a billion dollar ferry contract with a South Korean company while he visits South Korea.
Despite lawyers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier warning the government of a risk to New Zealand’s relationship with South Korea and the need for “careful and deliberate communications” with the country’s Government if it broke the contract, Christopher Luxon will not be raising the issue when he meets with the South Korean President today – nor does he plan to raise it with anyone else he meets during his two day visit to South Korea. The Prime Minister also sees no need for any damage control with the ship builder itself.
“The Prime Minister has no meetings planned with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. He does not expect to raise i-Rex in any scheduled meetings,” Luxon’s spokesperson told Stuff.
Our PM is in the country that we just offended and refuses to meet with those who he has fucked over?
Talking of fucking us over…
Korea ferry cancellation talks were two texts sent within an hour of announcement
New Zealand officials notified their Korean counterparts they were scrapping the Interislander ferry project via text message less than an hour before the public announcement.
That’s despite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) earlier warning ministers cautious talks with South Korea would be required.
“Careful and deliberate communications with the Korean Government would be required in advance of any public announcement,” the Ministry said in an 8 December memo.
Asked for evidence of that communication under the Official Information Act, MFAT provided two text messages.
…two text messages?
How’s your mighty National Party looking like now comrades?
As TDB has been pointing out since the beginning, the Government’s knee jerk virtue signal to dump the IRex Ferries in favour of a smaller cheaper ‘Toyota Corolla’ will push the cost beyond a billion…
Finance Minister needs to explain ferry decision cost to taxpayer – Maritime Union of New Zealand
The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the cancellation cost for the iRex ship build is likely to come in at more than NZ $300 million, and could run up to a maximum cost approaching a half a billion dollars (NZD) at current rates.
This would be on top of around a half a billion NZD in sunk cost on the cancelled iRex project – figures the Maritime Union has been advised on after consulting with the maritime industry here and offshore.
Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says the Finance Minister needs to explain how this happened and why she should keep her job.
…let’s get this completely straight.
KiwiRail negotiates a sweetheart deal for 2 Rail capable Ferries for $550m at a time when boat builders were desperate for work.
It was a sweetheart deal because it gave us an upgrade to Rail that would be crucial to lower our emissions targets and to build capacity into the Cook Strait for more economic growth.
The cost ‘blowout’ was the necessary and predictable upgrade to the Ports. Labour should get a kick in the arse over how this managed to be a surprise to everyone, but the cost to upgrade the Ports was always going to be a necessity.
National get in and immediately kill the deal by rat-fucking KiwiRail so their Trucking Industry Interests are protected.
AND NOW after fucking this over so badly for bullshit virtue signal points, National are eyeing up privatising the whole thing after being the ones who destroyed it…
Government refuses to rule out privatising KiwiRail amid revelations contractor spend tops $8m
The Prime Minister’s refusing to rule out privatising the embattled KiwiRail or carving off Interislander.
It comes after revelations of eye-watering contractor spending by the state-owned enterprise which Newshub understands topped $8 million.
…this isn’t Governance, it’s spite!
Look I’m as pissed off as the next Labour supporter that the bloody bike lane over the harbour bridge that never got built cost us $150m, but sweet zombie Jesus, Labour shouldn’t be lectured on economic mismanagement again by a Government that have blown a billion on a Toyota Corolla!
That Luxon won’t even meet with the Ship Builders we screwed over while he pretends to build trading relations is a sick sad joke. Why would they trust anything out ion his mouth?
Two texts to cancel the deal. Not very professional IMHO ???
The guy is a child in a man’s body similar to Sir Simeon.
You could leave off the ‘man’s body’ and you’d be even more accurate.
The Todd Muller /Nikki Kaye combo disaster is now looking like an example of absolute professionalism compared to Clusterfuxon and knee jerk Nicola.
I mean..what…a…fucking…shambles…A joke looking for a punchline!
How can anyone take them seriously??
Party of the economy and doing business deals???pfffttt..
Absolute myth!!
A mature level headed leader is our Prime Minister Mr.Luxon doing a great job.Simeon getting more done in less than a year than the Labour Government did in 6 years.
An immature unlevel headed leader is our Prime Minister Mr.Luxon doing a terrible job.Simeon getting doing more damage in less than a year than the Labour Government did in 6 years.
what road has brown built this year dick head NONE ?
Grammar exposing you yet again Bob thick fuck, did you go to school?
like myself under national governments which clearly shows national knows fuck all about education
Bob. You can get help for your delusions you know.
In a fucked up world there are great profits to be made from great losses. It just depends on which side of the con you’re on.
A $billion down you reckon… well, where did it go then, and who now has it?
Remember. Everything’s connected to everything else.
Luxon & Sir Simeon are all “Smoke & Mirrors”.
Yes Bob but the question is what is he ACTUALLY doing and what has he ACTUALLY done. As with every minister in this awful government absolutely nothing other than cut and paste and sanction the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. Poor Bob is being gaslit by his idols and false gods ,however the saddest thing is there is none so blind as Bob.
Yes I would have expected that would be his first port of call .Considering he keeps telling us how great he is at mergers and the like he should have fronted up and walked away with two ferries for free as he expects us to believe he is the god of the business world .But the reality is ,as with his failed attempt to take over of Virgin aus ,they would have said fuck off sonny boy .After all Hyundai probaly has a turnover as big if not bigger than the GDP of nz so Luxon is just a fly in the ointment .
Martyn – What would Labour have done with a project whose costs had blown out by hundreds of millions?
Say it was for climate adaptation and pay for the cost over-run out of the COVID Emergency funding…
Ada – Hmmm…good answer.
Concur with you both.
What would these voices of the left know about making business decisions . I imagine no e have owned a business or held a management position.
But the voices of the right simply fuck the people of our country over and over again with their ” business” decisions.
National are squeaky clean – Most of the time, but, over the ferries/port agreement…?
Yes Nate, we now won’t have ferries once their life expectancy runs out before new ones are built.
If only that could happen to politicians.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pandoro-closing-its-three-wellington-cafes-today-the-latest-in-a-string-of-hospitality-closures/LOIEJYTRGBE4JD7WJSE36SWRNU/
Not a great government for people in business.
The Conchords sing about dull Kiwis like the Nats et al and their ideas of what business is about, pathetic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZcYPEszN8
Flight of the Conchords: Business Time
Hey Trevor and Ada, do you like seeing all the 55 tonne trucks zooming down our roads smashing them to bits.
As far as I am concerned Simian and his desired legacy of more speed on more roads by more trucks reminds me of the kids at Kindy in the sandpit.
$3b plus on ferries and another $10b on rail would be a far better investment over Simians whatever imaginary amount he says he is going to spend.
Just look at his program, most of it is tagged with ” sometime ” in the next 10 years. He’ll be back in nappies before he gets the job done.
Nicoretti must be ecstatic knowing she’ll be here to fudge the budget because bugger all money will be spent. Her problem will be how to hand out more tax cuts to the rich and famous while actually pretending the money is still allocated to Simians imaginary transport improvements.
I wonder how they are going to find the money for the new ferries they say they will buy.
Maybe they will cancel all rail, cycling and walking tracks, close the conservation department, cut a few more billions from health even though Cigaretti and his tame Levy have just been proven to be LIARS. ( Cigaretti admitting his multiple layer staff chart doesn’t exist)
Then they will have to work out how many big trucks will need to cross the strait just to keep the freight up to the level to justify the expensive roads.
Trevor – well, yes.
I have owned a couple of significant successful businesses …
Remind us all now the number of businessess that, Luxon, Peters, Seymour and Willis have started from scratch and run successfully…
Answer….None!!!
Trevor -well no. Du Val a great example no brain Trevor.
Own a business and screw the tradies over, sorry Nathan.
That’s right Trevor. Simeon Brown is an experienced bank teller. And he’s brilliant lol.
Jesus Trevor get over your self. A business owner would not piss a billion down the drain instead of putting infrastructure in place that would make sense if you are going to grow the economy, reduce omissions etc. The decision was either lobby driven, ideological, or both.
no it was just fucken stupid from a stupid finance minister trying to hide the fact she was borrowing over a billion a month to fund tax cuts .
nathan – The NActFirsts have announced Thirty-Two Thousand and nine-hundred Millions of dollars 32.9 Billion for road projects https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2024/09/05/simeon-browns-32-9b-road-policy-isnt-a-sensible-infrastructure-policy-its-a-sexual-fantasy/ ,,,, many of which are of far less significance than our inter-island rail ferry connection ,,,,. They intend to spend five-thousand and five hundred $Millions, $5.5 Billion, on pot-holes — …. A Trucks fuck roads far faster budget and cost that WE pay ,,, not NActFirsts Donors (the trucking industry).
The hundreds of millions Nathan is focused on is small small change and a fraction of the money NActFirst will burn through for their Donars ….
Donars expenses are the invisible elephant in NActFirst Govt spending….. how many thousands of millions is this costing us????
*********************************************
Trevor would be very good at the ‘Bail-outs & Bankruptcy’ parts of private commercial business management ,,,, the parts that despite rip-off give-away prices have happened time and time again when state owned things are sold/privatised ,,,
Right-wingers like Ruth Richardson, Jenny Shipley, Mark Blumsky etc etc … have proven just as incompetent and destructive in private business as they were in Govt ….
…. and if we factor in Greed & Corruption it’s a bad shit sandwich that gets made … one Trevor will happily munch down on all day long…. I can see him saying ‘this Foods better than any lefty could make’,, with a shit eating grin
they would have got on and finished it as they did with trans gully remember ?Oh you forgot that didnt you
Good luck getting new ferries built anywhere in the world after this load of crap .His fail to front Hyundai is just a show of poor business skills and will be noted the world over .Why would any reputable company want to do business with a bunch of small fry rank amatures.
This government and their trucking company donors knew all too well the consequences of reneging on the deal. The long term effect on this vital piece of NZ infrastructure is slowly dawning on Nat voters.
All so Landlords got a tax cut.
Speaking of tax cuts, I see the $125* per week tax cut has done wonders for the economy /sarc.
Tribal Nat voters enjoy being played.
(*may include any amount down to and including zero)
‘Dawning’ I should coco! Peering through twilight are Nats and their creatures.
Spelling exposing you yet again gordon,did you go to school?
yep under national standards it seems .And if my spelling is a problem to you to fucken bad .At least I add to the conversation unlike your self who says shit every day .
Brilliant as always Gordon. Got the attention of the resident TDB troll Bob thick fuck.
If that’s all you can find to say about Gordon’s post Bob then you must actually agree with it. Obviously you can’t find anything of substance to criticize.
Spot on Uncle Tom, which just confirms Bob to be the illiterate troll that he is.
Willis’s Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation
Written By: Mountain Tui – Date published: 9:23 am, September 4th, 2024 – 24 comments
Categories: infrastructure, International, nicola willis, same old national – Tags: Interislander, iRex, Kiwirail, Luxon, south korea
This article is a repost from the Mountain Tui substack.
Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes before-hand
And by text.
https://thestandard.org.nz/the-bungling-of-the-kiwirail-interislander-cancellation/
Tony Veitch 5.1
4 September 2024 at 3:28 pm
Thom Hartmann sums up the USA neoliberal approach very well, and much of what he says can be applied to NZ!
The neoliberals know the cost of everything, and the value of nothing!
10 minutes long.
FDR Saved America—Then the GOP Ripped Us Apart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idlG3qEOqdk&t=215s
While he is over there they will get his measure. They might at least be able to sell him a nicely tailored suit, with special hidden pockets and cheaper than the others (whomever) can supply. Or perhaps some decadent black satin pyjamas – do Koreans have a fascination with dragons in their art?
I love that sinking ship image…Ai generated course. Only problem…it’s very much afloat. So maybe change the logo on it Greens or Labour…
Luxon needs to learn about the loss of face which all Asians adhere to.. by not even acknowledging the ship bldg coy he smears their face in it… bad move there..
They made the call to base their clients from the bloated public servants in the area .As they lost their jobs the customer count went and they were not profitable. It happens all the time in hospitality so I their closure is no reflection on the government.
Many hospitality outlets suffered from.covid which left them with few financial reserves to weather another down turn.
Nicola Willis is only just out of her nappies, very little real world experience IMHO ??? Sarc
I see her parading around northland in her new green party suit with a group of slobbering old fuck witts just waiting to grope her fat arse .What an appaling bunch they were .They probably threw their jackets down to keep her gauchi shoes out of the numerous pot holes .One old cunt on the news even said all the spending was from her government which we all know is a lie as this work was planned and funded ,and started under the previous government as were all the current works being done that this government will claim as theirs .This government has actually planed ,funded and started nothing .They keep making anouncements about new funding but thats as far as it goes .
Gordon your riposte is a bit of a rip.
Remember state hiway 25 washout ?.The last government planed ,funded and built a new bridge in 12 months .What have these fuckers done in that time ? nothing all talk and no action .Mean while the country is burning and the economy is in reverse which is where it will keep going as these cunts have no idea that the world is changing away from growth at all cost to sustainable business and green energy .Just saw a story on the Maori owned dairy factory near Taupo and how it is using green energy for all its needs ,even moving to hydrogen power for its tanker fleet .
Luxon is our very own “ Colin from accounts “