And the new Prime Minister is .....Chippie!

[fungus pudding]

Well done Chris. I hope he picks Kerre Allen for deputy. Probably the best two to give National a run for their money in the coming election.

[Paint it Black]

Well done Chris. I hope he picks Kerre Allen for deputy. Probably the best two to give National a run for their money in the coming election.

Agree so long as they ditch 3 Waters and the Light Rail to Airport.

[Panda-NZ-]

We'll have a budget surplus next year.

Maybe the cost of living will ease up too, making luxon increasingly look like a fool going on about non-existent problems.

Or not.. hard to predict. The media will play a role in which issues they decide to focus on, and/or overlook.

[nztx]

10 months to achieve "Pass Marks" and remove all the unsavioury content
added to the text book might be a hard ask after being dropped in it as a new
accidental leader ;)

Do not Pass Go & start the 5 year course afresh might be the assessment
handed down by the judges in November :)


Oh and that uniform with the pairs of pants all split in the crouch may need a full replacement kit too :)

[676767]

Agree so long as they ditch 3 Waters and the Light Rail to Airport.

Not from Auckland so genuinely not in the know here... whats the issue with light rail to the airport? Cost? or would you have preferred one of the other options?

[nztx]

Seen elsewhere:


Hospital pass to first mate of Titanic on spotting the iceberg.


Mean while New Zealand's economic time bomb keeps ticking



and how will the NZ Sharemarket perform through the cloudy few months of 2023 ahead ?

[mondograss]

Not from Auckland so genuinely not in the know here... whats the issue with light rail to the airport? Cost? or would you have preferred one of the other options?

Most people whinge about the cost and the value for money but the reality is it’s not about getting to the airport at all, that’s just a happy coincidence. The line will predominantly run through an area of Auckland (Mt Roskill) which has no motorway access into the CBD, no rail access either, and a very congested road corridor that they simply can’t keep adding buses to. Light rail will give it a proper mass transit option and stop it grinding to a halt.

[tim23]

10 months to achieve "Pass Marks" and remove all the unsavioury content
added to the text book might be a hard ask after being dropped in it as a new
accidental leader ;)

Do not Pass Go & start the 5 year course afresh might be the assessment
handed down by the judges in November :)


Oh and that uniform with the pairs of pants all split in the crouch may need a full replacement kit too :)

You can’t even count 😀

[Dlownz]

Still find it amaxing people complain about duopolys ie supermarkets etc but always look past the fact labour and national ate the biggest of them all.

[GTM 3442]

And for the deputy?

A few boxes to be ticked there - I wonder if it's possible to tick them all.

[nztx]

You can’t even count ��

Actually I counted including the period on holiday .. just to see if you were awake ;)

[fungus pudding]

Actually I counted including the period on holiday .. just to see if you were awake ;)

There's no fear of that judging from his posts.

[777]

There's no fear of that judging from his posts.

Yes he is performing as expected.

[Balance]

From political journalist Andrea Vance

“Like Ardern, he also likes to keep an iron grip on messaging and political communications, although is much more relaxed with reporters.

Despite promises this would be an open, transparent government, as state services and police minister, Hipkins has regularly rubbed up against the Official Information Act.

In October 2021, he alleged three women who travelled from Auckland to Northland, sparking an 11-day lockdown, had done so on false information. It was later revealed he knew officials’ mistakes were to blame but has not apologised to the women, nor corrected the record that they were gang-affiliated sex workers.

And it was Hipkins who first described the 1pm pandemic briefings as the “one source of truth”.

Then, there’s Charlotte Bellis.

Plenty more to come out of what the leg spreader is really like - a petty minded small thinker.

Hipkins is but a CHIP off the Old Ardern block.

[warthog]

From political journalist Andrea Vance

“Like Ardern, he also likes to keep an iron grip on messaging and political communications, although is much more relaxed with reporters.

Despite promises this would be an open, transparent government, as state services and police minister, Hipkins has regularly rubbed up against the Official Information Act.

In October 2021, he alleged three women who travelled from Auckland to Northland, sparking an 11-day lockdown, had done so on false information. It was later revealed he knew officials’ mistakes were to blame but has not apologised to the women, nor corrected the record that they were gang-affiliated sex workers.

And it was Hipkins who first described the 1pm pandemic briefings as the “one source of truth”.

Then, there’s Charlotte Bellis.

Plenty more to come out of what the leg spreader is really like - a petty minded small thinker.

Hipkins is but a CHIP off the Old Ardern block.

They are both sociopaths. Vance is a political stenographer hack.

[Paint it Black]

Most people whinge about the cost and the value for money but the reality is it’s not about getting to the airport at all, that’s just a happy coincidence. The line will predominantly run through an area of Auckland (Mt Roskill) which has no motorway access into the CBD, no rail access either, and a very congested road corridor that they simply can’t keep adding buses to. Light rail will give it a proper mass transit option and stop it grinding to a halt.

The cabinet endorsed Auckland Light Rail Option with its long tunnel from the Wynyard Quarter to Mt Roskill seems to be more of a heavy rail option than light rail. The published endorsed option comprises up to just six widely spaced stations between the University and Mt Roskill, involving accessing underground stations, and just one at the surface between Mt Roskill and Onehunga. Surely a function of light rail is to conveniently collect and offload passengers at street level so as to maximise patronage even for short distances. Much better is to complete the heavy rail loop between Onehunga and Manukau, via the airport to enable a direct baggage friendly link from Britomart and the south, and to fully surface run the light rail up Queen Street, Symonds St, Dominion Rd, and onwards to Onehunga. This could be done in stages to balance the cost between the heavy and light rail modes. Much excellent work has already been done on this route which would reinvigorate the CBD and integrate far better with Britomart, ferries and tourism when it returns.
It seems Labour’s pursuit of light rail to the airport, and its consequent need to minimise travel time with widely spaced stations, has sacrificed the benefit of passenger accessibility in both the CBD and suburbs. Auckland is a beautiful city which can be showcased even better with a modern surface system more enjoyable to use instead of burying it all the way to Mt Roskill from the Wynyard Quarter. At the moment millions of dollars of take payers money will be wasted on 'consultants' investigating the long tunnelled option which will never see the light of day!

[dobby41]

Agree so long as they ditch 3 Waters and the Light Rail to Airport.

It seems from a recent survey that 3 Waters is unpopular but Light Rail is popular.

[nztx]

Any number of looks out the window since Mahuta came stumbling in with 3 waters should have given
ample idea on how well that was regarded :)

The pile of other large carnage might have obscured the view .. who knows

[Paint it Black]

It seems from a recent survey that 3 Waters is unpopular but Light Rail is popular.

I'm also in favour of Light Rail but let's keep it on the surface servicing both the CBD and suburbs where it is most efficient, not trying to stretch it all the way to the airport. Imagine international travellers with their baggage trundling to and from the airport on a crowded tram. 'Light Rail' has been popularised as a vote winner by Labour especially Jacinda and the MP for Mt Roskill (Michael Wood). This is fine to service the rapidly populating suburbs they represent into the city, hospital and universities but please let it stop at Onehunga and then link it up with a heavy rail network to the airport.

[GTM 3442]

I'm also in favour of Light Rail but let's keep it on the surface servicing both the CBD and suburbs where it is most efficient, not trying to stretch it all the way to the airport. Imagine international travellers with their baggage trundling to and from the airport on a crowded tram. 'Light Rail' has been popularised as a vote winner by Labour especially Jacinda and the MP for Mt Roskill (Michael Wood). This is fine to service the rapidly populating suburbs they represent into the city, hospital and universities but please let it stop at Onehunga and then link it up with a heavy rail network to the airport.

This international traveller has nothing but praise for Edinburgh's airport-to-city tram. Brilliant!

[850man]

Same incompetent team that have delivered none of their election promises in 5 years, just a new mouthpiece to massage the truth and issue the propaganda. Add to that he outrageous taxpayer money wasting on things of zero actual value to people that is not going to reduce, violent crime that is essentially out of control because it's more important for Labour to reduce prison populations than keep society safe from criminals. Businesses across the board hit be all sorts of compliance costs and regulation. Now lets look at the structure of the party itself - how can it be in any way right for a political party to have an internal race selected faction (the Maori Caucus) essentially vying with the rest of the party? We have a country now divided by race, ruled by a political party, themselves divided by race - WTF!

Light rail to the airport - talk to any business that has been on the path of the relatively small CRL. It's been a complete nightmare of disruption. Light rail will be run down Dominion Rd so it will be that same CRL disruption x 1000 fpr people and businesses along it's path. The cost will blow out as it always does. If they ever get it running, within the 1st week, someone will be hit or nearly hit by a silent tram so they will reduce the speed of it to a crawl, not that it's fast anyway. The journey from the airport to the city will take hours. it will become NZ's biggest and most costly white elephant. A far more sensible solution would be heavy rail from existing close-by stations and it could have been built by now if it wasn't for Ardern's vanity.

[Paint it Black]

This international traveller has nothing but praise for Edinburgh's airport-to-city tram. Brilliant!

Yes but the Edinburgh Light Rail is less than 14km from their airport to CBD while it is double that from Auckland's CBD to the airport. A totally different situation. That's why I say stop it at Onehunga to then tie in with an extended heavy rail system which loops from Onehunga via the airport to Puhinui. Airport travelers can then have a high speed uncongested route to the airport from Britomart while avoiding the shoppers and commuters on a tram. Do you see a tram going to Heathrow? No we now have the heavy rail Elizabeth Line.

[GTM 3442]

Yes but the Edinburgh Light Rail is less than 14km from their airport to CBD while it is double that from Auckland's CBD to the airport. A totally different situation. That's why I say stop it at Onehunga to then tie in with an extended heavy rail system which loops from Onehunga via the airport to Puhinui. Airport travelers can then have a high speed uncongested route to the airport from Britomart while avoiding the shoppers and commuters on a tram. Do you see a tram going to Heathrow? No we now have the heavy rail Elizabeth Line.

Be that as it may, experience is that the Edinburgh Tram is the most convenient way to get from Edinburgh Airport (with luggage) to the centre of town.

And the connections to the Scottish Rail system make it even better!

[dobby41]

Yes but the Edinburgh Light Rail is less than 14km from their airport to CBD while it is double that from Auckland's CBD to the airport.

Even more reason to have it in Auckland.
Auckland and National are well known to be short-term thinkers, unfortunately.
If they had followed Sir Dove-Myer Robinson vision many years ago they'd be light years ahead now, at much lower cost.

[Paint it Black]

Be that as it may, experience is that the Edinburgh Tram is the most convenient way to get from Edinburgh Airport (with luggage) to the centre of town.

And the connections to the Scottish Rail system make it even better!

It's horses for courses. Not doubting Edinburgh has a good system which suits their more condensed city layout. A heavy rail loop from Puhinui via the airport to Onehunga would open up quick access to the airport from the south as well as Auckland's CBD which the current Light Rail scheme will not do. I'm very concerned Michael Wood and his hired international guns are blinkered with Labour's commitment to Light Rail to the airport and it will soon become too late to change direction as with 3 Waters. As with the Cycle Bridge millions and millions of tax payers money has and continues to be wasted on expensive international consultants who unfortunately are only too pleased to invoice the NZ tax payer on these vanity projects. I really hope when National take over that they undertake an enquiry into what is happening here.

[JAYAY]

Don't forget. He promised to leave charter schools alone. Then as soon as he got into power he couldn't wait to shut them down. He's almost as big a liar as Comrade Ardern.

[nztx]

Looks like on all the Media articles that the Chips could be in danger of being burnt to a Cinder
yet again and in grave danger of being biffed out ;)

Wonder if someone remembered to get a Hangi ready incase all else failed ? ;)

[Fortunecookie]

Don't forget. He promised to leave charter schools alone. Then as soon as he got into power he couldn't wait to shut them down. He's almost as big a liar as Comrade Ardern.

He is currently in the honeymoon period. I thought he was about to lose his cool when the panel on the project said he was the first ginger PM.

[pierre]

While I'm not a supporter, it was refreshing to watch Hipkins' press conference a few minutes ago following his meeting with Auckland business leaders. The word Aotearoa wasn't uttered once, but New Zealand and New Zealanders were mentioned on numerous occasions.

[fungus pudding]

While I'm not a supporter, it was refreshing to watch Hipkins' press conference a few minutes ago following his meeting with Auckland business leaders. The word Aotearoa wasn't uttered once, but New Zealand and New Zealanders were mentioned on numerous occasions.

Was that on News - if so which channel? TIA

[blackcap]

While I'm not a supporter, it was refreshing to watch Hipkins' press conference a few minutes ago following his meeting with Auckland business leaders. The word Aotearoa wasn't uttered once, but New Zealand and New Zealanders were mentioned on numerous occasions.

Overseas media have picked up on that fact too. He used NZ. Long may it continue.

[fungus pudding]

Overseas media have picked up on that fact too. He used NZ. Long may it continue.

Where can I see any info on this, including the press conference?

[mwri]

Like it or not, we likely will change it to Aotearoa in the next decade or two. I don't really understand the loyalty some people have to NZ or maybe its just stubborness

[pierre]

Was that on News - if so which channel? TIA

I watched on the NZ Herald app. The video is on the Politics page.

[yabster]

I don't understand why you would use Aoteroa? It is not likely to change at all- no one wants it except woksters....- meaningless name especially overseas- it was never the name Maori used for all of NZ either- it onyt referred to the Nth Island. It will always be New Zealand in my mind and it still says New Zealand on all those graves of kiwis who fought and died for their country.

[fungus pudding]

I watched on the NZ Herald app. The video is on the Politics page.

Great = thanks.

[bull....]

Like it or not, we likely will change it to Aotearoa in the next decade or two. I don't really understand the loyalty some people have to NZ or maybe its just stubborness

oversea's branding over many yr's has been made in NZ not made in aoteroa

[Slartibartfast]

Overseas media have picked up on that fact too. He used NZ. Long may it continue.
It'll continue until November if by some miracle he gets them back in. Then watch them take he puapua out of the filing cabinet pronto.

[nztx]

oversea's branding over many yr's has been made in NZ not made in aoteroa


think there might be 3 'a' 's in that 'a' word there - my friend :)

[ralph]

oversea's branding over many yr's has been made in NZ not made in aoteroa

It is certainly being force fed to us ,with a good dose of bull sh"t , why the woke would you

[Felonius]

This international traveller has nothing but praise for Edinburgh's airport-to-city tram. Brilliant!

And what was the cost of that ?

[mwri]

And what was the cost of that ?

From Wikipedia, £776 million

[Sideshow Bob]

From Wikipedia, £776 million

At current FX rates, circa $1.5 billion NZD.

So that means it will cost in NZ at least $4.5 billion......and then by the time they build it and have the blowouts, it will be $7.5 billion. :mellow:

[Entrep]

How long before Chippie apologises on behalf of all white men to Marama Davidson and offers her the role of PM?

[Balance]

How long before Chippie apologises on behalf of all white men to Marama Davidson and offers her the role of PM?

He needs the Greens to have a chance to stay in government so he will keep kissing her culturally brown arse.

Here’s Davidson trying to get the House to kiss her cultural brown arse.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/watch-live-chris-hipkins-and-christopher-luxon-clash-in-parliament-on-education-white-cis-men-apology/EXBFFEQPIVGSBM5NBNOITCQQRI/

[GTM 3442]

And what was the cost of that ?

G*d alone knows what the cost was.
As a guess, I would start at absolutely humungous and work my way toward the stratosphere!

As I understand it, they paid double the budget to build half the route. However a decade or so later, they're at the operational testing stage for the second half of the route.

One suspects that New Zealand's public transport advisory and consulting community have been swarming over it, learning all sorts of lessons.

But, as a way of getting this international traveller from the airport to the town, it's bl**dy marverilllious!

[garfy]

He needs the Greens to have a chance to stay in government so he will keep kissing her culturally brown arse.

Here’s Davidson trying to get the House to kiss her cultural brown arse.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/watch-live-chris-hipkins-and-christopher-luxon-clash-in-parliament-on-education-white-cis-men-apology/EXBFFEQPIVGSBM5NBNOITCQQRI/


What an obnoxious post!!

It says more about the abuser than the person involved

[Balance]

What an obnoxious post!!

It says more about the abuser than the person involved

Still mourning the loss of Clueless & useless Cindy, I see.

Well, you have a new one in the culturally brown arse Davidson to hero worship.

Enjoy!

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1678414265541-3IELT254AUWUFDFOWJQF/Artistic+Licence.jpg?format=500w

[Waltzing]

Chirpi Chippee...

and whats a few billion for getting to the Air Port on Time....

Looks like Cabinet will have to surrender running the country to the RBNZ anyway....

Ok Chirpi Chippee sorry from the RBNZ your budget is bare...

[Entrep]

Still mourning the loss of Clueless & useless Cindy, I see.

Well, you have a new one in the culturally brown arse Davidson to hero worship.

Enjoy!

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1678414265541-3IELT254AUWUFDFOWJQF/Artistic+Licence.jpg?format=500w

Meng Foon, the MORON who though calling the cops racist was a good idea.

God we have some idiots in high positions in this country.

[Waltzing]

"Meng Foon" needs to be sued by small business for loss of profits from his previous outbursts....

But they would not be able to afford it. Out of control commission that one.

And Chirpi Chippe has got this one wrong... Ma Ma Hoota has probably been up to no good and why she was put out to cruise the world...

Now this .....

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/political-roundup-stuart-nashs-sacking-means-a-deeper-probe-into-cabinet-insider-trading-is-required/ITH2DLKURJEPXIU3GVIPMPUQHM/

[fungus pudding]

Meng Foon, the MORON who though calling the cops racist was a good idea.

God we have some idiots in high positions in this country.

That's not exclusive to NZ.

[mike2020]

Yeah but traditionally we did do a fair bit better than we are now. It has irked me for quite some time that the current party in power were so vocal in opposition, so morally offended by the govt of the time, yet have no actual standards of their own. Yet the nats by and large have given them a pass on so many things that annoy the crap out of me that I have lost count. The only one who has an actual opinion backed with common sense is David Seymor, who has less chance of having an impact than Winstone. The world we live in.

[Entrep]

Meng Foon, the MORON who though calling the cops racist was a good idea.

God we have some idiots in high positions in this country.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/race-relations-commissioner-meng-foon-resigns-over-undisclosed-conflict-of-interest/PRAMDLKPZ5FAJDQQFRWQQ4WY7Q/

And the conflict of interest is, he is a racist buffon!

https://media.tenor.com/9kVkf3nXh5oAAAAC/gtfo-gtfoh.gif