The FLAG

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

The government could have paid for an additional $27-million worth of hip replacement operations instead for NZers in severe pain.

[reality]

...mm..or they could have sold kiwi rail and paid for over 1 billion dollars worth of hip operations, saving kiwis severe pain

[Calliope]

...mm..or they could have sold kiwi rail and paid for over 1 billion dollars worth of hip operations, saving kiwis severe pain

Or they could improve the rail services and get rid of all those polluting trucks off the road.

Actually is Kiwi Rail worth $1b?

[reality]

"Or they could improve the rail services and get rid of all those polluting trucks off the road. "

.......Trouble is, rail can't deliver to site so the product being transported needs to be reloaded onto a truck again, that's double handling and costs money....it would put the prices up on the goods...and take longer...guess who would be paying for those extra costs? 

"Actually is Kiwi Rail worth $1b?"

.......Wouldn't think so, but apparently because it loses over $200 million per year...the total loses to the taxpayer have already exceeded over $1b...I guess by the end of this financial year it will be up to $1.2b...probably quite a few hip replacements and quite a lot of pain relief

[Calliope]

Trucks to deliver from a railhead to site would not need to be the great hulking things that tear up our roads and terrorise little old ladies out for a drive.
Improved public transport would get cars off the roads cutting congestion and pollution
It was only to support the private sector (and their supporters) that a particular party ensured that Rail was deliberately chopped, mangled and almost completely destroyed.

[Alicat]

Trucks to deliver from a railhead to site would not need to be the great hulking things that tear up our roads and terrorise little old ladies out for a drive.
Improved public transport would get cars off the roads cutting congestion and pollution
It was only to support the private sector (and their supporters) that a particular party ensured that Rail was deliberately chopped, mangled and almost completely destroyed.

In my opinion, the railways are grossly under utilised. To utilise rail would take a lot of pressure of our already overloaded roads and highways.

[reality]

It's like a lot of these ideas...sounds good in theory but in practice they don't work well and can be expensive...
How would you force people to use rail, because at present it is under utilised...

..at present the market determines the share of transport between road and rail..

..somebody is going to pay more...the consumer or the taxpayer

..if the taxpayer needs to pay...where does the money come from

A) increased tax take...personal or gst (tax increase)
B)increased deficit, overseas lending ( or lower surplus as the case maybe)
C)or money taken from other areas of govt spending
...any suggestions

The problem with public transport is that people do not find it as convenient and don't like it


There always need to be new rules to "encourage" people to use it..of which there are now...but many still resist

[Calliope]

A) increased tax take...personal or gst (tax increase)

A better solution would be an increased tax on the users i.e. the businesses

[reality]

Yes..that is the easy way...but invariably the businesses will pass the cost on to consumers....then it just becomes a price increase....problem then is that the policy gets judged by our democratic process...at present it seems that the majority are happy with the status quo.....and I think if a party was to introduce a tax increase for business before the election as their policy I would be surprised if it got them a lot more votes...that approach does not seem to be doing much for the greens..in the end it's democracy keeping things in balance I guess

[Crusader]

Look to Singapore for a great example of public transport. Cars cost 6 figures (which is mostly in tax that pays for the public transport). Trains come every 4 min.

[reality]

Probably not really comparable to NZ...Singapore is about 5.5 million people in an area about the size of Great Barrier Island....a lot different prospect to create an efficient public transport system...and I think they are probably a lot more efficient and productive than your average kiwi

[Crusader]

Probably not really comparable to NZ...Singapore is about 5.5 million people in an area about the size of Great Barrier Island....a lot different prospect to create an efficient public transport system...and I think they are probably a lot more efficient and productive than your average kiwi

Would work for the JAFA roading problem though

[reality]

Yes...you would think that something could have been done...it's almost like there has never been enough forward planning....and the longer it's been put off  the more prohibitive the cost gets....now the growth has exceeded expectations...and it has become a nightmare...just glad I don't live there and often wonder why anyone would want to..but I guess there are a lot of different things available and most importantly there is an abundance of work for those who seriously want it

..Auckland needs a mayor who is really going to be an inspirational leader....sadly I doubt that is going to eventuate this time

[Crusader]

Yes...you would think that something could have been done...it's almost like there has never been enough forward planning....and the longer it's been put off  the more prohibitive the cost gets....now the growth has exceeded expectations...and it has become a nightmare...just glad I don't live there and often wonder why anyone would want to..but I guess there are a lot of different things available and most importantly there is an abundance of work for those who seriously want it

..Auckland needs a mayor who is really going to be an inspirational leader....sadly I doubt that is going to eventuate this time

All they need is a mayor with enough nuts to tax the locals big time to pay for the infrastructure required and that city would turn into a world class city.

[reality]

"All they need is a mayor with enough nuts to tax the locals big time to pay for the infrastructure required and that city would turn into a world class city."

...that would be a great idea if it already had not been done....rates have been increasing alot already..

...its what happens when you have a mayor who has been preoccupied with trying to satisfy the insatiable appetite of his primative reproductive urges

..nah..I think they need to sell stuff to finance infrastructure..or just suck up the kaos

[reality]

...excellent idea....let us have a good look at it


Alternative flag will fly on Harbour Bridge

11:55 AM Wednesday Jan 20, 2016

Kyle Lockwood and his winning design. Photo / File.

The alternative flag will fly on the Auckland Harbour Bridge ahead of a referendum to decide if it will replace the current New Zealand flag.
The black, white and blue silver fern design will fly on the bridge from Friday, and will fly alongside the current flag.

"Having the two flags flying side by side around New Zealand will help people compare the designs before making a decision in the final flag referendum, which runs from March 3 to March 24," deputy prime minister Bill English said.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges said he approved the request from the Flag Consideration Project to fly the alternative flag on the Auckland Harbour Bridge alongside the current flag from 22 January to 24 March.

"The proposed alternative flag will be flown alongside the current flag each day on the Auckland Harbour Bridge until the end of the referendum period, except for Waitangi Day when the current flag will be flown alongside the Tino Rangatiratanga flag."


Presently, only three flags, alongside the New Zealand flag, are allowed to fly on the Auckland Harbour Bridge - the Tino Rangatiratanga flag on Waitangi Day, the Australian flag on Anzac Day, and the Merchant Navy flag on Merchant Navy Day.

Earlier this month, a Weekend Herald editorial called for the alternative flag to be flown from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, arguing that the "most visible poles in the country" should be utilised to give people an idea of how the flag looks in real life.

The silver fern flag with black, white and blue colours will go head-to-head with the existing flag in a second referendum in March, which will decide whether New Zealand changes its flag for the first time in more than 100 years.

Whether New Zealanders choose to ditch or keep the current flag, March 24 will bring to a close a process that officially began in October last year when Prime Minister John Key announced that a two-stage referendum would be held on the issue.

- NZ Herald

[Alicat]

...excellent idea....let us have a good look at it


Alternative flag will fly on Harbour Bridge

11:55 AM Wednesday Jan 20, 2016

Kyle Lockwood and his winning design. Photo / File.

The alternative flag will fly on the Auckland Harbour Bridge ahead of a referendum to decide if it will replace the current New Zealand flag.
The black, white and blue silver fern design will fly on the bridge from Friday, and will fly alongside the current flag.

It hasn't won anything yet.

[reality]

It has won the right to be the challenger to the current flag...a bit like the America's Cup...only difference is we know that NZ will win

[Alicat]

It has won the right to be the challenger to the current flag...a bit like the America's Cup...only difference is we know that NZ will win

NZ lost the America's Cup.

I'd hardly call what has been put forward as an alternative a 'challenge' - more a case of being the less offensive of the ones that were put up to consider in the referendum.

[reality]

ali.."NZ lost the America's Cup.
"

..ahh ...yes...but I can assure you that we will win the flag referendum

[Calliope]

did someone reply to you Ali? I thought I heard a squeak but then it might have been a mouse

[reality]

did someone reply to you Ali? I thought I heard a squeak but then it might have been a mouse

..ah.....no.....doubt if you would hear anything...unless you have noises in your head...the post was written which would require you to be able to read or at least  have some basic level of literacy 

[Alicat]

did someone reply to you Ali? I thought I heard a squeak but then it might have been a mouse

I thought I heard a squeak to Calliope but then .... nah ... nothing there.

[reality]

haha..looks like the kiddies have formed an anti rightie gang...what a formidable team it will prove to be