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

[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