Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: A storm in any port

216 Responses

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  • James Francis, in reply to Andre,

    Through Omaha? Oh, yes, I like it.

    St John's, Newfoundland • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Gareth Ward,

    In short, I don't think this would be solved if the Council said "oh don't worry, just get us 6%"

    That is what the return they were getting and it was above aprity with most other ports.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Graham,

    Not sure if anyone mentioned this - interviews with ex-Northland Port Director and more importantly, CEO of Mainfreight of the need for a port in Auckland - there are business imperatives to having the port close to the main population centre and neither Tauranga or Northland can replace this...
    RadioNZ interview

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Gareth Ward,

    In short, I don't think this would be solved if the Council said "oh don't worry, just get us 6%"

    What I meant to say earlier was - That 6% is the return, by admission of the Mayor and POAL, that they were getting and this return was above parity with the returns of most other ports.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to steve black,

    I was recently reading up on the 1951 Waterfront Dispute. Scary how much of what is written up there is still true today.

    Not scary really, those with power have always abused it and when the workers apear to have any power whatsoever it is seen as a threat to "civilisation".

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Gareth Ward,

    I thought it was a temporary structure to hide the tanks until the rest of the Tank Farm redevelopment can occur

    So, a waste of ratepayers money then.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Graham Dunster,

    And how come there is no connection being made between the dock workers and the Mfat employees? Surely exactly the same principles are at stake in both cases?

    Indeed. I advise everybody still breathing an honest breath to join a Union. If you think Unions are a bad thing then Jarvis Cocker had a point.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Andre,

    As a long-time resident of both Warkworth and Waikanae I think the former’s roading problems could be fixed by a rail link. Imagine the number of tourists who’d be keen on a Matakana day trip by train?

    Do you mind if I refer to you as a visionary who’s ideas could be the foundation of a district plan? Because this is the sort of thing we should be looking at as opposed to the short term increase in profits for owners of transport companies.
    Oh, hang on, there’s some cunts with dollar signs in their eyes again.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to James Francis,

    Through Omaha? Oh, yes, I like it.

    Trouble is it won't run through there. If we are talking Puhoi to Welsford, then we are talking about removing those annoying trucks from the Holiday Highway from Auckland to Omaha (who the fuck called it Omaha? what is it? a WWII beach head?)
    Omaha will become that place where you can escape from all the shit of the working klass, trucks an' all.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Omaha was used a practice run for the D Day Normandy landings, similar contour to Normandy. Before the groin a really good break too.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    It would be worthwhile to go and sit in the Employment Court and hear the arguments for and against the injunction being sought by the union to stop the permanent contracting out - any one interested should get along if they can.

    If an inunction is granted it may be that the POAL may be only able to organise a temporary workforce until the main action bought by MUNZ is heard on 22 March 2012.

    It grates, that I am hearing on the radio at least hourly the POAL apology message, as a rate payer I abhor this waste of Public Resources.

    It is really only the executives appointed to publicly owned or largely publicly funded concerns that waste resources on PR offensive – after all it is not as if they have to bear any consequence.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    So, a waste of ratepayers money then.

    There's a whole thread, or at least a hashtag worth of speculation into what the hell that structure is for. So far, the only really plausible one is that it's been purpose built for a James Bond movie.

    It's not quite high enough to enjoy a view over the remaining tank farm. Only short by about 4 or so meters. It does give a commanding view over the Wynyard Quarter, a sniper could pin down an area of about 10 hectares.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Oh dear, I meant to write groyne, naturally...

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to merc,

    Oh dear, I meant to write groyne, naturally…

    Of course you did... Otherwise it would be nuts anat, eh.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Here is how you convince folk to privatise any (already) efficient business.

    1} Fire the workers and contract the place out.
    2} Convince the organisation to increase it's levies so that private business can compete.

    ACC Chairman appears to be surprised as well:

    Mr Judge was also scathing about a Cabinet paper produced by former ACC Minister Nick Smith in which Dr Smith suggested the ACC charge employers "a surplus margin" for work account cover to allow private insurers to compete more readily with it.

    I think Smithy needs another holiday from the strain.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Roger, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Oh dear, I meant to write groyne, naturally…

    I missed a line in my MSc thesis... "the river is stabilized by a groin on either side of its mouth".

    Hamilton • Since Jun 2007 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Roger,

    Surely, this is on the wrong thread. Emma's thread is over there ===>

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Willie Jackson has handed POAL’s PR team tomorrow’s headline.

    And it looks like someone within PoAL has handed the union's PR team a headline of their own.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Graham Dunster,

    Something that has intrigued me for some time - despite the general antipathy towards unions there is one that gets very deferential treatment - the professional rugby players' one. They get everything (and more) that ordinary workers could desire and seemingly no management issues. Maybe they're considered to be honorary CEOs?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2009 • 184 posts Report Reply

  • Luke Williamson, in reply to merc,

    The halcyon days of the Omaha bar - 1973-76 approx - were the result of dredging in the nearby channel in the mid- to late-60s, i.e. man made. The groyne just hastened the return to slightly more "normal" contours of the beach post-dredging. I can flick you the whole story if you want.
    Would love to see a train line to Warkworth/Matakana (and on to the Sawmill for concerts!). Not sure if it would survive economically, however.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Graham Dunster,

    priests of a nostalgic national religion

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Luke Williamson,

    and on to the Sawmill for concerts

    Heck no - it would just encourage subdivision all along the route. Like Joyce's highway..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Luke Williamson,

    I surfed it breaking off the back of the groyne, perfect A frames breaking left and right, 1979, 3 of us out. Some days you just remember. The days 1973-76 were Whangamata and Raglan and Piha days for me, interesting what's happened there...wherever there are great breaks on the East coast, there will be development (Te Arai), then the West coast. Follow the Sun.
    Omaha was very special, there are still some breaks like that left though.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    And it looks like someone within PoAL has handed the union’s PR team a headline of their own

    Guessing it has come via one of the PR companies paid by POAL, although perhaps not directly to the blogger concerned.

    It doesn't stop there, though: the wider port wrangle is a vipers' nest. People associated with various lobbies and entities are trading scuttlebutt about each other. Quite an eye-opener.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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