On 2023-08-06, Tony <lizandtony@orcon.net.nz> wrote:Just saw my typo. Apologies.
Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:
I cannot find an online URL for this editorial (about political >>>announcements this past weekend) from Milne. My comments follow it.I agree with your summary Crash.
=====
LetÂ’s call it a shell game. Three political announcements at the
weekend – shuffle them around a few times and then try to tell me
which one has any substance beneath it.
There’s the Act Party’s promise to issue “stop work notices” to public >>>sector chiefs to halt up to $1 billion of wasteful Government
spending. ThereÂ’s the GreensÂ’ free dental care for all. And thereÂ’s >>>LabourÂ’s plan to build two road tunnels and a light rail tunnel
beneath AucklandÂ’s Waitemata Harbour.
LetÂ’s look under the first policy Â… nope, that ainÂ’t going to happen. >>>Next one? Nothing there either. But what about this final plan?
The $45b harbour tunnels were announced by Chris Hipkins and David
Parker as "ministers", not as Labour spokespeople; they were backed
not just by the usual backbench noddies, but also by Waka KotahiÂ’s >>>general manager of transport services, Brett Gliddon.
Large numbers of Aucklanders were consulted for the plan, Gliddon told >>>media. “The consultation saw great support for improved public >>>transport, and building vehicle connection across the harbour.”
So ... should we interpret this as a substantial Government plan,
rather than a pie in the sky Labour election policy? It's difficult.
? First, was the drawn-out farce that ultimately left us flailing at
this point. Four years in the building, the original bridge was
already too narrow for traffic volumes by the time it opened in 1959. >>>Extra lanes were built in Japan and bolted to the bridge – the so
called “Nippon clip-ons”.
These were followed by a series of ill-fated plans for additional >>>bridges, tunnels, tolled cycle lanes and then in 2011 a 'SkyPath' to
be added to the clip-ons and to Auckland TransportÂ’s strategic
priority list.
And just two years ago, we were subjected to the unbecoming sight of >>>former Transport Minister Michael Wood being forced by his own
Minister of Finance to execute a red-faced u-turn on his plan for a >>>parallel cycle and pedestrian bridge built in the shadow of the
existing bridge.
- Despite Gliddon's assertion, neither Auckland's infrastructure
experts nor its travelling public have been consulted on the details
of this option.
Only one of the five options put out to the public this year even >>>remotely resembled this solution, and even then, the extension of
light rail through to Albany seems to have been an after-thought. >>>Projects of this magnitude can't be hastily drawn up on the back of an >>>election campaign flyer.
- Now, just two months out from an election, there's no time for
Hipkins and Parker to make a start on even the most basic aspects,
like securing the route, before they potentially lose their swipe card >>>access to the Beehive.
Christopher Luxon is promising to repeal the laws they have passed; he >>>won't blink at stopping a project that hasn't even been started.
- Finally, this flies in the face of every climate commitment this >>>country and its public has committed to.
How can rural NZ be expected to cut agricultural emissions; how can >>>provincial NZ be expected to get out of their cars; when Auckland is >>>being promised the most carbon intensive project imaginable – vast >>>quantities of concrete to construct not one, not two, but three
tunnels longer than any NZ has seen before. And do do what? To enable
us to keep more cars on the road.
This is not far-sighted government strategy. This is a populist, >>>political game. A shell game – in which the public is never the
winner.
Parliament doesn't finally adjourn until the end of this month, but
it's time for Prime Minister Hipkins to end the pretence that Labour
is still governing. It's not, it's campaigning for re-election. And >>>anything it "announces" should be done on the red-topped Labour Party >>>stationery, not on ministerial letterhead.
=====
Now I don't usually have much time for Milne because he has
consistently supported the Water reforms legislation that Labour has >>>introduced despite the provisions for co-governance. However he is >>>fairly direct here.
ACT and the Greens can announce any policy they like but none of it
will ever go anywhere unless they can get it into a coalition
agreement. The spending of 45 billion or so on cross-harbour
transport in Auckland is a last-ditch effort of a Party that knows it
is in jeopardy of losing the upcoming election.
--
Crash McBash
The stench of desparation is everywhere in this announcement.
It also shows that this Government has done nothing to improve the life in
NZ as they are incapable of doing anything to make this happen.
There is also the distraction factor. Talk about this and not the important >matters.
I cannot find an online URL for this editorial (about political
announcements this past weekend) from Milne. My comments follow it.
=====
Let’s call it a shell game. Three political announcements at the
weekend – shuffle them around a few times and then try to tell me
which one has any substance beneath it.
There’s the Act Party’s promise to issue “stop work notices” to public
sector chiefs to halt up to $1 billion of wasteful Government
spending. There’s the Greens’ free dental care for all. And there’s
Labour’s plan to build two road tunnels and a light rail tunnel
beneath Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.
Let’s look under the first policy … nope, that ain’t going to happen.
Next one? Nothing there either. But what about this final plan?
The $45b harbour tunnels were announced by Chris Hipkins and David
Parker as "ministers", not as Labour spokespeople; they were backed
not just by the usual backbench noddies, but also by Waka Kotahi’s
general manager of transport services, Brett Gliddon.
Large numbers of Aucklanders were consulted for the plan, Gliddon told
media. “The consultation saw great support for improved public
transport, and building vehicle connection across the harbour.”
So ... should we interpret this as a substantial Government plan,
rather than a pie in the sky Labour election policy? It's difficult.
? First, was the drawn-out farce that ultimately left us flailing at
this point. Four years in the building, the original bridge was
already too narrow for traffic volumes by the time it opened in 1959.
Extra lanes were built in Japan and bolted to the bridge – the so
called “Nippon clip-ons”.
These were followed by a series of ill-fated plans for additional
bridges, tunnels, tolled cycle lanes and then in 2011 a 'SkyPath' to
be added to the clip-ons and to Auckland Transport’s strategic
priority list.
And just two years ago, we were subjected to the unbecoming sight of
former Transport Minister Michael Wood being forced by his own
Minister of Finance to execute a red-faced u-turn on his plan for a
parallel cycle and pedestrian bridge built in the shadow of the
existing bridge.
- Despite Gliddon's assertion, neither Auckland's infrastructure
experts nor its travelling public have been consulted on the details
of this option.
Only one of the five options put out to the public this year even
remotely resembled this solution, and even then, the extension of
light rail through to Albany seems to have been an after-thought.
Projects of this magnitude can't be hastily drawn up on the back of an >election campaign flyer.
- Now, just two months out from an election, there's no time for
Hipkins and Parker to make a start on even the most basic aspects,
like securing the route, before they potentially lose their swipe card
access to the Beehive.
Christopher Luxon is promising to repeal the laws they have passed; he
won't blink at stopping a project that hasn't even been started.
- Finally, this flies in the face of every climate commitment this
country and its public has committed to.
How can rural NZ be expected to cut agricultural emissions; how can >provincial NZ be expected to get out of their cars; when Auckland is
being promised the most carbon intensive project imaginable – vast
quantities of concrete to construct not one, not two, but three
tunnels longer than any NZ has seen before. And do do what? To enable
us to keep more cars on the road.
This is not far-sighted government strategy. This is a populist,
political game. A shell game – in which the public is never the
winner.
Parliament doesn't finally adjourn until the end of this month, but
it's time for Prime Minister Hipkins to end the pretence that Labour
is still governing. It's not, it's campaigning for re-election. And
anything it "announces" should be done on the red-topped Labour Party >stationery, not on ministerial letterhead.
=====
Now I don't usually have much time for Milne because he has
consistently supported the Water reforms legislation that Labour has >introduced despite the provisions for co-governance. However he is
fairly direct here.
ACT and the Greens can announce any policy they like but none of it
will ever go anywhere unless they can get it into a coalition
agreement. The spending of 45 billion or so on cross-harbour
transport in Auckland is a last-ditch effort of a Party that knows it
is in jeopardy of losing the upcoming election.
--I agree with your summary Crash.
Crash McBash
Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:
I cannot find an online URL for this editorial (about political >>announcements this past weekend) from Milne. My comments follow it.I agree with your summary Crash.
=====
LetÂ’s call it a shell game. Three political announcements at the
weekend – shuffle them around a few times and then try to tell me
which one has any substance beneath it.
There’s the Act Party’s promise to issue “stop work notices” to public >>sector chiefs to halt up to $1 billion of wasteful Government
spending. ThereÂ’s the GreensÂ’ free dental care for all. And thereÂ’s >>LabourÂ’s plan to build two road tunnels and a light rail tunnel
beneath AucklandÂ’s Waitemata Harbour.
LetÂ’s look under the first policy Â… nope, that ainÂ’t going to happen. >>Next one? Nothing there either. But what about this final plan?
The $45b harbour tunnels were announced by Chris Hipkins and David
Parker as "ministers", not as Labour spokespeople; they were backed
not just by the usual backbench noddies, but also by Waka KotahiÂ’s
general manager of transport services, Brett Gliddon.
Large numbers of Aucklanders were consulted for the plan, Gliddon told >>media. “The consultation saw great support for improved public
transport, and building vehicle connection across the harbour.”
So ... should we interpret this as a substantial Government plan,
rather than a pie in the sky Labour election policy? It's difficult.
? First, was the drawn-out farce that ultimately left us flailing at
this point. Four years in the building, the original bridge was
already too narrow for traffic volumes by the time it opened in 1959.
Extra lanes were built in Japan and bolted to the bridge – the so
called “Nippon clip-ons”.
These were followed by a series of ill-fated plans for additional
bridges, tunnels, tolled cycle lanes and then in 2011 a 'SkyPath' to
be added to the clip-ons and to Auckland TransportÂ’s strategic
priority list.
And just two years ago, we were subjected to the unbecoming sight of
former Transport Minister Michael Wood being forced by his own
Minister of Finance to execute a red-faced u-turn on his plan for a >>parallel cycle and pedestrian bridge built in the shadow of the
existing bridge.
- Despite Gliddon's assertion, neither Auckland's infrastructure
experts nor its travelling public have been consulted on the details
of this option.
Only one of the five options put out to the public this year even
remotely resembled this solution, and even then, the extension of
light rail through to Albany seems to have been an after-thought.
Projects of this magnitude can't be hastily drawn up on the back of an >>election campaign flyer.
- Now, just two months out from an election, there's no time for
Hipkins and Parker to make a start on even the most basic aspects,
like securing the route, before they potentially lose their swipe card >>access to the Beehive.
Christopher Luxon is promising to repeal the laws they have passed; he >>won't blink at stopping a project that hasn't even been started.
- Finally, this flies in the face of every climate commitment this
country and its public has committed to.
How can rural NZ be expected to cut agricultural emissions; how can >>provincial NZ be expected to get out of their cars; when Auckland is
being promised the most carbon intensive project imaginable – vast >>quantities of concrete to construct not one, not two, but three
tunnels longer than any NZ has seen before. And do do what? To enable
us to keep more cars on the road.
This is not far-sighted government strategy. This is a populist,
political game. A shell game – in which the public is never the
winner.
Parliament doesn't finally adjourn until the end of this month, but
it's time for Prime Minister Hipkins to end the pretence that Labour
is still governing. It's not, it's campaigning for re-election. And >>anything it "announces" should be done on the red-topped Labour Party >>stationery, not on ministerial letterhead.
=====
Now I don't usually have much time for Milne because he has
consistently supported the Water reforms legislation that Labour has >>introduced despite the provisions for co-governance. However he is
fairly direct here.
ACT and the Greens can announce any policy they like but none of it
will ever go anywhere unless they can get it into a coalition
agreement. The spending of 45 billion or so on cross-harbour
transport in Auckland is a last-ditch effort of a Party that knows it
is in jeopardy of losing the upcoming election.
--
Crash McBash
The stench of desparation is everywhere in this announcement.
Crash <nog...@dontbother.invalid> wrote:
I cannot find an online URL for this editorial (about political >announcements this past weekend) from Milne. My comments follow it.
=====
Let’s call it a shell game. Three political announcements at the
weekend – shuffle them around a few times and then try to tell me
which one has any substance beneath it.
There’s the Act Party’s promise to issue “stop work notices” to public
sector chiefs to halt up to $1 billion of wasteful Government
spending. There’s the Greens’ free dental care for all. And there’s >Labour’s plan to build two road tunnels and a light rail tunnel
beneath Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.
Let’s look under the first policy … nope, that ain’t going to happen. >Next one? Nothing there either. But what about this final plan?
The $45b harbour tunnels were announced by Chris Hipkins and David
Parker as "ministers", not as Labour spokespeople; they were backed
not just by the usual backbench noddies, but also by Waka Kotahi’s >general manager of transport services, Brett Gliddon.
Large numbers of Aucklanders were consulted for the plan, Gliddon told >media. “The consultation saw great support for improved public >transport, and building vehicle connection across the harbour.”
So ... should we interpret this as a substantial Government plan,
rather than a pie in the sky Labour election policy? It's difficult.
? First, was the drawn-out farce that ultimately left us flailing at
this point. Four years in the building, the original bridge was
already too narrow for traffic volumes by the time it opened in 1959. >Extra lanes were built in Japan and bolted to the bridge – the so
called “Nippon clip-ons”.
These were followed by a series of ill-fated plans for additional
bridges, tunnels, tolled cycle lanes and then in 2011 a 'SkyPath' to
be added to the clip-ons and to Auckland Transport’s strategic
priority list.
And just two years ago, we were subjected to the unbecoming sight of >former Transport Minister Michael Wood being forced by his own
Minister of Finance to execute a red-faced u-turn on his plan for a >parallel cycle and pedestrian bridge built in the shadow of the
existing bridge.
- Despite Gliddon's assertion, neither Auckland's infrastructure
experts nor its travelling public have been consulted on the details
of this option.
Only one of the five options put out to the public this year even
remotely resembled this solution, and even then, the extension of
light rail through to Albany seems to have been an after-thought.
Projects of this magnitude can't be hastily drawn up on the back of an >election campaign flyer.
- Now, just two months out from an election, there's no time for
Hipkins and Parker to make a start on even the most basic aspects,
like securing the route, before they potentially lose their swipe card >access to the Beehive.
Christopher Luxon is promising to repeal the laws they have passed; he >won't blink at stopping a project that hasn't even been started.
- Finally, this flies in the face of every climate commitment this
country and its public has committed to.
How can rural NZ be expected to cut agricultural emissions; how can >provincial NZ be expected to get out of their cars; when Auckland is
being promised the most carbon intensive project imaginable – vast >quantities of concrete to construct not one, not two, but three
tunnels longer than any NZ has seen before. And do do what? To enable
us to keep more cars on the road.
This is not far-sighted government strategy. This is a populist,
political game. A shell game – in which the public is never the
winner.
Parliament doesn't finally adjourn until the end of this month, but
it's time for Prime Minister Hipkins to end the pretence that Labour
is still governing. It's not, it's campaigning for re-election. And >anything it "announces" should be done on the red-topped Labour Party >stationery, not on ministerial letterhead.
=====
Now I don't usually have much time for Milne because he has
consistently supported the Water reforms legislation that Labour has >introduced despite the provisions for co-governance. However he is
fairly direct here.
ACT and the Greens can announce any policy they like but none of it
will ever go anywhere unless they can get it into a coalition
agreement. The spending of 45 billion or so on cross-harbour
transport in Auckland is a last-ditch effort of a Party that knows it
is in jeopardy of losing the upcoming election.
--I agree with your summary Crash.
Crash McBash
The stench of desparation is everywhere in this announcement.
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