Wednesday, 19 May 2004

IPENZ says infrastructure stocktake lacks substance

The findings of the nationwide infrastructure stocktake are commendable. However, it lacks any analysis of whether existing processes, structures and initiatives are likely to solve any infrastructure deficits, said John Gardiner, Deputy Chief Executive, Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ).

“This snapshot of the state of New Zealand's transport, energy, telecommunications and water infrastructure has taken a long time to get done, for what is, in many respects, a statement of the obvious,” said John Gardiner.

“Sound infrastructure is essential to New Zealand’s economic advancement and most of the findings are valid. However, there is no ranking of the importance of each of the various issues identified, nor is there any statement of where we are doing well.

“While the Government has used the release as an opportunity to restate its initiatives in this area, there is no analysis as to whether these initiatives will solve the infrastructure shortfall problems,” he said.

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>>