4th June 2004

Auckland Transport Bill Too Fuzzy

New Zealand First is disappointed that the Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Bill does not have clarity with regard to strategic planning.

Local government spokesperson Jim Peters said that not enough consideration was given to the work of the Auckland Land Transport Committee and the Auckland Land Transport Strategy.

“The Land Transport Committee includes all local authorities and other bodies as required by the Land Transport Management Act changes of 2003.

“As the majority funding provider for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) will be Auckland local authorities, the Bill should be clear about general direction from the local authorities and about the operational day-to-day role of ARTA.

“The Bill does not do that.

“New Zealand First will be arguing, as it did in select committee, for clarity and transparency of purpose.

“New Zealand First believes that ARTA, its duties and operations should be in harmony with Auckland local authorities and their ratepayers,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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>>