17 June 2004

Transport reorganisation a positive move

Government’s revamp of the land transport sector is potentially a very good step forward, but the proof will be in the quality of land transport policy in the future, Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Officer Tony Friedlander says.

“Focusing transport policy-making in a single body, the Ministry of Transport, will mean a long overdue strengthening of the Ministry’s policy making role. It reduces the level of duplication and the potential for conflict between the various Government agencies in the transport sector.

“Putting revenue management and expenditure together under Transfund will allow more efficient management of cash flow and removing an entire organisation’s administrative structure will mean a saving in overheads. This should mean more money for desperately needed roads.”

However Mr Friedlander warns that improving processes doesn’t guarantee better outcomes. “The proof of the value of these changes will be in whether we see an improved quality of transport policy. Much of the recent Green-dominated policy we have seen over the past few years leaves a lot of room for improvement.

“If the political policy directives are poor, there will be little an improved and strengthened Ministry of Transport will be able to do. It doesn’t matter how good systems are, if you put garbage in you get garbage out.”

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>>