Luxon’s visiting Korea, but not the Ferry Company we screwed over???
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!!
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 .
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.
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?
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 “