It's been announced that the road from Christchurch to Kaikoura will be open soon, so it will be possible to drive to Kaikoura without having to go the inland route. That's fine, but why has there been no work on the massive slips north of Kaikoura?
The locals are fuming and justifiably so: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11767842
You know what I think has been going on in the background? Figuring out whether they'll even bother with it. That's right, they were thinking about closing SH1 north of Kaikoura and the rail line as well, maybe even closing all rail in the South Island.
C'mon people, this is a bunch of bean counters running the country, they've run the defence force into the ground, why would they not want to do that to the South Island as well?
I resent Gerry Brownlee resented deeply. Get off your lard arse Gerry and get diggers working. Is it that simple? Well it is actually, there are millions of tonnes to move and no time like the present to start, the job won't finish itself.
They say the job north of Kaikoura will take a year. My calculation says two years, and I've done a lot of earthmoving, so two years likely, possibly three or four if things go wrong, like major bank stabilisation being needed.
Kaikoura farmers and contractors, word of advice, scream your tits off. Demand action. They're the National party right? That's the farmers party, right? Little Bill English pretends to be a Southland farmer, they should be looking after you. Well wise up Kaikoura, they're only interested in the Auckland party vote, not the farmers, and English isn't a farmer, he'd struggle to turn a tractor on.
Showing posts with label Kaikoura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kaikoura. Show all posts
December 16, 2016
December 12, 2016
Kaikoura Earthquake and the South Island
I've been thinking about the recent Kaikoura earthquake and I may have badly underestimated its economic effect. I think the effects are far greater than is being discussed in the media. You don't hear much being said do you, and I'm not struck by the sense of urgency either, but I think the Kaikoura earthquake could be really bad and here's why:
The South Island is the engine that drives the New Zealand economy. I realise Auckland thinks it does, but the South Island is the productive sector and important earner of export dollars. The big earthquake has blocked State Highway 1 (SH1), preventing the efficient movement of freight by road from Christchurch and the rest of the lower South Island through to Picton (and the ferry to Wellington in the North Island). The Lewis Pass route is a serious detour and isn't a long term solution.
Then the rail line is also blocked. The freight from the South Island to Auckland can no longer be moved by rail.
With the road blocked not just points south of the blockage are affected, but also the top of the South Island. The ferry services across Cook Strait must now be in jeopardy as freight is now being moved by coastal shipping from Auckland to Lyttelton (Christchurch). Nelson, the whole Tasman region and Marlborough could become badly isolated if one or both ferry services shuts down.
Then without the rail line through Kaikoura, the whole rail system in the South Island is put in doubt. How many trains run on this system if not running from Christchurch to Picton? Not many is the answer. If the rail system goes bust and shuts down, those industries that do rely on rail (coal exports and milk powder plants) may become uneconomic after having to shift to road. In the case of coal exports, port facilities nearer the mines would take a while to upgrade.
The effects are much wider than just the immediate concern about Kaikoura, its farmers, tourist industry and residents. The whole South Island is going to feel the pinch.
We need to know what is being done and we need to know that the work is being given top priority. Leadership challenges within the government, what buildings they enjoy, cabinet line-ups and all that are a much lower priority. If SH1 and the rail line can't be fixed toot sweet then New Zealand is going to take a serious haircut.
The South Island is the engine that drives the New Zealand economy. I realise Auckland thinks it does, but the South Island is the productive sector and important earner of export dollars. The big earthquake has blocked State Highway 1 (SH1), preventing the efficient movement of freight by road from Christchurch and the rest of the lower South Island through to Picton (and the ferry to Wellington in the North Island). The Lewis Pass route is a serious detour and isn't a long term solution.
Then the rail line is also blocked. The freight from the South Island to Auckland can no longer be moved by rail.
With the road blocked not just points south of the blockage are affected, but also the top of the South Island. The ferry services across Cook Strait must now be in jeopardy as freight is now being moved by coastal shipping from Auckland to Lyttelton (Christchurch). Nelson, the whole Tasman region and Marlborough could become badly isolated if one or both ferry services shuts down.
Then without the rail line through Kaikoura, the whole rail system in the South Island is put in doubt. How many trains run on this system if not running from Christchurch to Picton? Not many is the answer. If the rail system goes bust and shuts down, those industries that do rely on rail (coal exports and milk powder plants) may become uneconomic after having to shift to road. In the case of coal exports, port facilities nearer the mines would take a while to upgrade.
The effects are much wider than just the immediate concern about Kaikoura, its farmers, tourist industry and residents. The whole South Island is going to feel the pinch.
We need to know what is being done and we need to know that the work is being given top priority. Leadership challenges within the government, what buildings they enjoy, cabinet line-ups and all that are a much lower priority. If SH1 and the rail line can't be fixed toot sweet then New Zealand is going to take a serious haircut.
November 30, 2016
Kaikoura Earthquake: Dredging the Harbour
Who is paying for dredging Kaikoura harbour?
After the earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, the harbour floor has been raised and now the Whale Watch and Seal Watch businesses cannot take to sea. The floor is solid rock, and dredging will involve cutting, drilling and blasting.
Whale Watch is owned by the Ngai Tahu tribe and their commercial interests are substantial, they own commercial property and many businesses. That said, were they earthquake insured, and was the harbour asset insured by whoever owns it? If not why not? It's not like they didn't have fair warning as there have been thousands of earthquakes a few miles south of them and one of those quakes substantially wrecked the central business district of Christchurch with eastern residential areas a write-off as well.
In relation to the the port of Lyttelton, the port company received a large insurance payout as a result of the 2011 earthquake and those funds are being applied to port redevelopment. Are you with me so far?
The taxpayer should not be paying to dredge the harbour at Kaikoura as that is propping up private interests. If the taxpayer is stumping up, then they should receive a share of the businesses that operate out of that harbour - including Whale Watch.
Now I don't want to sound churlish. Heaven forbid, but I've noticed complete silence on the subject of who is paying for this job of dredging Kaikoura harbour.
After the earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, the harbour floor has been raised and now the Whale Watch and Seal Watch businesses cannot take to sea. The floor is solid rock, and dredging will involve cutting, drilling and blasting.
Whale Watch is owned by the Ngai Tahu tribe and their commercial interests are substantial, they own commercial property and many businesses. That said, were they earthquake insured, and was the harbour asset insured by whoever owns it? If not why not? It's not like they didn't have fair warning as there have been thousands of earthquakes a few miles south of them and one of those quakes substantially wrecked the central business district of Christchurch with eastern residential areas a write-off as well.
In relation to the the port of Lyttelton, the port company received a large insurance payout as a result of the 2011 earthquake and those funds are being applied to port redevelopment. Are you with me so far?
The taxpayer should not be paying to dredge the harbour at Kaikoura as that is propping up private interests. If the taxpayer is stumping up, then they should receive a share of the businesses that operate out of that harbour - including Whale Watch.
Now I don't want to sound churlish. Heaven forbid, but I've noticed complete silence on the subject of who is paying for this job of dredging Kaikoura harbour.
November 23, 2016
Kaikoura Earthquakes: Bring Back Ministry of Works?
Chris Trotter is proposing New Zealand re-create the Ministry of Works, given the monumental clean-up required after the Kaikoura earthquakes:-
>>Read about it here<<
It's a good idea, the old MOW should never have been sold off. The NZX-listed Opus now claims to be a direct descendant.
Back when the original MOW was established, there were very few of those newfangled bulldozers in the country. Now there are, and there is no shortage of earthmovers, civil engineers and contractors.
What is more needed, and Trotter does not directly address this, is a fully prepared disaster relief agency, which I propose we roll into the defence force. Such an organisation would have bridges, water purification and desalination units, temporary accommodation and the like, paramedics and hospital supplies, with the ability to get ashore in New Zealand or in the Pacific Islands.
Then with the disaster relief in place, proper planning can be undertaken and reconstruction carried out. With the events in Kaikoura, you just know that right now, not a lot is being done by the government, they're just as likely to permanently close State Highway 1 through Kaikoura.
>>Read about it here<<
It's a good idea, the old MOW should never have been sold off. The NZX-listed Opus now claims to be a direct descendant.
Back when the original MOW was established, there were very few of those newfangled bulldozers in the country. Now there are, and there is no shortage of earthmovers, civil engineers and contractors.
What is more needed, and Trotter does not directly address this, is a fully prepared disaster relief agency, which I propose we roll into the defence force. Such an organisation would have bridges, water purification and desalination units, temporary accommodation and the like, paramedics and hospital supplies, with the ability to get ashore in New Zealand or in the Pacific Islands.
Then with the disaster relief in place, proper planning can be undertaken and reconstruction carried out. With the events in Kaikoura, you just know that right now, not a lot is being done by the government, they're just as likely to permanently close State Highway 1 through Kaikoura.