Just listened to the ever-energetic and sharp Richard Prebble being interviewed by Paul Henry on the issue of the rail by-back.
He calls the move 'looney'. The government paid way over the odds and are now subsidising the largest Australian-owned trucking company in NZ. Prebble says government in NZ has owned railway for over one hundred years through about 40 different governments, none of which have been able to run it successfully, so why does this Labour government think it can?
He has a neat solution for National's folly in putting their head in the noose by promising no asset sales in their first term. Since when has rail in New Zealand been an 'asset' he asked? Quite.
(My own further thoughts) The truly awful aspect of this is the PM's statement that 'we are not in this to make money'. No. They are in it to lose money. Your money.
But why stop here? Why doesn't Cullen buy Foodstuffs and run it as a not-for-profit organisation? Food prices are hurting New Zealanders much more than rail costs. Is that a good idea? And we could subsidise Woolworths at the same time, seen as profit and competition aren't important.
I am living in a nuthouse of a country.
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9 comments:
I am living in a nuthouse of a country.
well that's why most of us are in Aussie, innit!
Isn't it just madness.
And what angers me aside from the fiscal idiocy, is the breathtaking arrogance of Clark & Cullen in just buying the bloody thing and then telling everybody; fait accompli.
Strange how "consultation" is imposed upon everybody else, except the imposers themselves, eh.
But what it does show is that the bastards know their days are numbered - and are ramming as many of their pet project through in the time left.
Lindsay, after all these years I'm now listening to Paul Holmes on breakfast. (Had my own private boycott going on!). He's all but lost his silly little socialist, politically correct ideas and is scathing of its stupidity. He's changed his mind with regard to AGW, too, and is now routinely quoting local skeptics.
I can't listen to Pacific, or whatever the hell it calls itself now. Too many wets for this little black duck! :)
Sus, Pleased to hear Holmes is skeptical. If you have any communication with him you might mention that the Great Global Warming Swindle is going to view on Prime on May 25 at 8.30pm. Must be replacing the Seven Ages of Rock. I have my son telling people at school to watch (his teachers are GW proponents surprise surprise and much to his frustration).
I wonder if people are now even more wet as a response to the ongoing mythology surrounding the economic reforms. You have to hand it to the left. They never give up and the easy solutions they tout are the simplest to understand despite being the most harmful.
The problem with Prebbles' comment is that Labour doesn't think it will be running the rail system. They know they will be booted out of office when the voted are counted. What they have done is intentionally create a major mess in order to cause problems for National. I'm confident National, especially under Me-Too leadership is capable of messing up entirely on their own.
But the goal here is to make the next govt. look bad not give Labour a new toy to play with.
I'm confident National, especially under Me-Too leadership is capable of messing up entirely on their own.
National's record, for the last 20 years at least, is far, far better than Labour's. Certainly they have never done anything as stupid as this every - even if you go back 30 years to "Think Big".
And, on the plus side, National has the 1990 budget. When they were placed in this situation by Labour last time around, they didn't equivocate, they place their manifesto to one side and did what needed to be done. Labour has squandered much of that, but we can be sure that National has the will to take such decisions for the country again - whatever "Kiwi" Key says before the election.
The times, after all, make the man.
The socialisation of NZ continues unabated.
Another stupid move for which we'll all pay handsomely in the medium/long term.
Cullen (and Labour) must go!
".. but we can be sure that National has the will to take such decisions for the country again .."
Can we? Has it?
I wish I had your faith, Anon.
Linday, I just heard Leighton Smith promoting TGGWS on Prime this morning. I suspect he'll promote the hell out of it for the next two weeks. Thanks for that.
Sus, I heard that thanks. Coincidentally Wellington is getting his programme today.
We need to be telling everyone long and loud...."An "Asset" is something that "brings in value"....a liability is something that takes it away....So what are Rail, Air NZ,roading,etc etc....?
Simple rule of thumb...If it needs State subsidising it needs Taxpayer euthanising...the "market" ie: free people choosing for themselves what THEY value with their OWN moneyl.. NOT wanting to put their money into some socialist dog that makes them poorer.
PS....Sus....you are too weak with Smith...take the gloves off and tell him what you raelly think...
;-) xxx
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