Press release, Peter Brown, NZ First

Trucks to Carry a Heavier Load - A Welcome Innovation.

New Zealand First Deputy Leader, and Transport Spokesman Peter Brown has today welcomed the proposal by Land Transport Safety Authority to allow for larger trucks, but has warned the roads on which these heavy vehicles run must be capable of supporting them.

"The proposal is logical given the growing expansion of our transport requirements, and despite grandstanding from the Greens, will be environmentally friendly since trucks will be more efficient and will be required to make less trips for the same load.

"The transport cost is a heavy burden on the economy, especially since the price of fuel has climbed recently. Everything produced must be transported in some way. The advantages of lowered freight charges would be significant for the national economy. The Greens simply do not seem to have thought this issue through, but as we have come to expect, have seen this as an opportunity to grab headlines.

"A recent survey conducted by the Road Transport Forum showed that a 10% reduction in freight costs would lead to a 3.7% increase in GDP, 33,000 new full-time jobs and export growth of more than $1.5billion. With such a favourable forecast it is essential that the Government reacts positively.

"We will be asking that the Transport Minister Mark Gosche moves quickly to ensure that our major freight corridors are brought up to standard so that we can take advantage of new technology," concluded Mr Brown.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>