Just say no

The NZ Herald reports on Auckland local government "Former North Shore Mayor George Wood and former regional councillor Wyn Hoadley called for a collective approach on economic and social issues to tackle issues such as health, housing, job shortages and education."
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In other words a mega council to extend itself into social policy.
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Care for a 100% rate hike anyone? As a start?

Lunatic left rabidly against private roads

According to the NZ Herald, Citizens Against Privatisation, a far left ginger group linked to the Alliance has suggested it would blockade a new tunnel built through Avondale if it was build using (shock) private money and built privately. Apparently the fact they wouldn't be forced to use it and pay a toll isn't enough for these fanatics. One Marxist claim is "This PPP is aimed at putting more of the load on to the poor and the working class". Actually if done right, it will be privately funded, private enterprise will operate the road and yes nobody will be forced to use it (absence of force is an alien concept to socialists who believe in forcing everyone to pay for things).

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These nutcases, who presumably also claim to be environmentalists sometimes, would rather NON road users pay for it through income tax, than it be tolled. So a new road is built by subsidies from those who never use it. Great!

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Now I DO have criticism of the Waterview extension of SH20, mainly because it is overpriced gold/greenplated and should only be built if the benefits exceed the costs or tolls can fund the road. I doubt either are true, which means it shouldn't be built for now. However, I'm happy to let the private sector buy the land and build it and toll it, if it thinks it can make money from it, but I doubt it is true. However if it could, the leftwing lunatics would stop it, because to them "private" is evil. However, they will no doubt align themselves with the equally lunatic Residents Action Movement (who have conspiracy theorists about road policy) and the "make everyone else pay for my water" Water Pressure Group.

Don't tell them there are private cul-de-sacs all over Auckland, they might blockade them with their dribble when they realise how they have existed for decades without them noticing - the outrage, those bloody World Bank IMF international military industrial complex banker types screwing the proletariat again (I'm only half kidding, one of their activists talked with some of that language to me once).

Simple way to cut spending

Here you go, don't spend money subsidising the racing industry, for the reasons Sue Bradford says "there will be many others who will feel mortified at the bad name their industry is getting through Government sponsored handouts to the rich". Ignore he call for spending the money on the losers in the racing industry, but hell - how many examples like this can just be dropped? Shouldn't the Nats be fighting this?

Green party voodoo economics

Green MP Sue Bradford has put out a press release advocating regional development specifically by asking Dr Cullen to invest (read - spend your money without your consent on something that wont generate a return to you) "in promoting more diverse economies, rather than each town putting all its hopes on one industry. Each of our towns and provinces needs a range of successful primary industry and manufacturing businesses providing diversity and strength to our local communities"

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So she wants subsidies for business in effect, but she also says "It is obvious that benefit levels must rise" so she presumably wants to tax them more too. How putting up the price of labour and taxes for businesses in the regions is good for them is beyond me, and it's a bit much to hope that Sue's years in Maoist China before it reformed might have taught her something, besides Mandarin.

Shallow academic gets pay cut

The Melbourne Age reports that public transport evangelist Paul Mees of Melbourne University has had his pay cut after saying " the authors of a 2007 report on privatisation were "liars and frauds and should be in jail". It's called defamation you lunatic. He says it is an "attack on free speech". He claimed "the comments were not "insulting or derogatory"". What planet does he occupy?

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Well it isn't earth. Mees has long been an environmental evangelist's pinup boy eager to damn any road building and cheerlead on rail and especially light rail projects (you know the sort of people who when talking about this sort of thing sound like they are engaging in foreplay), with rather appalling economic analysis. He's had a pay cut of A$8,000 a year as a result. I wouldn't hire the man for A$8. Tim Blair pointed out that Mees persists that cars are no more fuel efficient today than they were in the 60s and no more cleaner burning, both of which are ludicrous claims.

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This same man claimed on the ABC once that the Melbourne Citylink toll road, which has been a roaring success, would be a failure and need taxpayer bailout.

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Of course the Green Party quotes him, for their anti-road fanaticism, so beware - the media often thinks academics on a subject don't have a barrow to push. Paul Mees is a leftwing, environmentalist car hating light rail enthusiast. If you ask for his opinion, I'd approach Wendell Cox for a rebuttal - and watch the sparks fly.

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Hat Tip: Tim Blair