Road Transport Forum NZ (RTF) commends the Government for its decision to negotiate directly with Tranz Rail to buy back the lease of the Auckland rail network.

Chief executive Tony Friedlander said the trucking industry had been seriously concerned at the lack of sound commercial principles demonstrated throughout the negotiations so far and agreed with the Government’s assessment that the $112 million price tag was grossly excessive.

“Our position from day one was that if the Government wanted to be involved in the buying back of former Government assets, the money should come directly from the proceeds of the New Zealand Rail sale and not from road users. It would appear they have accepted the logic of that argument,” said Mr Friedlander.

“Whatever arrangement the Government reaches with Tranz Rail, it should be made clear by them that road users must not be expected to subsidise any capital expansion or operating losses associated with the tracks, ”said Mr Friedlander.

ENDS

Details: Tony Friedlander Ph: 04 472 3877 Mob: 025 483 163

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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>>