The article about air services to Kaitaia was no doubt intended to strike joy into the hearts of all men at this festive season.
My reaction was slightly alloyed by the admission the Far North District Council is into the Socialise Risk, Privatise Profits mode local government and central Government in New Zealand are so wedded to.
Now I could be wrong, but the way the article read to me was, in any month where there were not enough posteriors to fill the seats to break-even point, the ratepayer (who was never asked) will top up.
But, in those months where more bottoms put themselves forward (or down), and the operator generates a surplus, that surplus stays with the operator, and none of it comes back to the ratepayer. Someone might be able to set us straight about this.
However, it might be as well to leave it as it is, because if word got out that ratepayers were getting a fair deal there would be a Bill in the House before you could say John Robertson.
