In last December's NZ cabinet reshuffle, anti-rail Steven Joyce was promoted to number 4 in the cabinet and given the role of "Minister of Economic Development" (which in practice means Minister of Road Development) while the Transport role was given to Gerry Brownlee (see earlier posts).
Early last week a storm caused three big washouts – one of which measured about 100 metres and another about 40 metres – along a three-kilometre stretch of the Napier-Gisborne line between Gisborne and Wairoa. According to KiwiRail chief executive Jim Quinn, "from what can plainly be seen, the damage is extensive and any repairs would take considerable time to complete." Mr Quinn said he did not know how long the line would be out of action and he would not comment on whether the damage would have any bearing on its future.
As those who read this blog know, the future of the line has been in question for some time. KiwiRail said last year that it would make a decision on its future later this year, with mothballing or closure possible options.
Tonight on the Campbell Live show on TV3, Steven Joyce was interviewed on whether his ministry would make funds available to repair the line. As could have been expected, Joyce could barely conceal his delight in saying "no" to John Campbell's question, at the same time trumpeting his spending of $2 billion on roads. This despite the fact that on the preceding filmed item, the manager of Gisborne transport company Weatherall Transport said he wanted the railway to continue. Last year it became KiwiRail's "retail provider" and put additional business on rail. And not only Weatherall Transport - several other business owners also say that it is essential. But clearly we'll have to wait until there is a change of Government.
3 comments:
It really is a sad state of affairs when we have people such as Joyce with such tunnel vision on the long term effects.He also in a roundabout way spoke of upgrading Gisborne Port, one thing from experinace having sailed in there, its not as safe a port as Napier, with tides often wipping up strong undercurrents so in port ships can be moving in their berths, not good for cargo handling. That aside I am just glad no rail staff were killed in the slip. The millions being poured into the constant brouchures from NZTA we get about the ideas for the expressway could have been used for assistance in projects like this. Present Government have only proved they are a bunch of complete tossers.
The Gisborne port uneconomically duplicates facilities at Napier. Unfortunately it is a port that should be closed and the merchandise sent by the railway to Napier.
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