Letter to the Editor Thursday March 20, 2014

Say no more

Focus New Zealand is astounded with KiwiRail's decision, made public last week, to remove all rail services from Northland and other provincial areas of New Zealand.

Such action illustrates the current New Zealand government's attitude to rail in the provinces.

Unfortunately this is another example, in a growing list, of the government's approach to the provinces receiving left-over resources and centralising priorities to the cities.

Why couldn't they leave us a skeleton service that worked 24-hour/day shifts?

KiwiRail must take charge of the costs incurred by the affected areas, and someone in the organisation's management must be accountable for this ridiculous scenario.

It can be reasonably anticipated that this situation will put extra pressure on the substandard roading system in Northland, with the productivity costs expected to be absorbed by the affected producers in Northland.

This is typical of the quality discrepancy imposed on New Zealand compared to the products delivered to us.

New Zealand producers are forced to comply with NAIT and many other 'quality controls,' whereas our history of importing products is peppered with examples of poor production such as lead paint on children's toys, reactive starch in children's clothing and faulty communication products.

Northlanders should be having their say on how the $1.6 billion budget for the Auckland motorway northern extension is spent in Northland. Northlanders must be given the opportunity to have their say on how this 'once-in-a-lifetime' budget is spent to secure a fit for purpose transport network.

In order to ensure efficiency in getting Northland's product to market, the Northland Transport Committee, a body established to advocate for the needs of this region, must identify their internal deficiencies, which include a lack of input from people with experience in road construction or commercial distribution.

KEN RINTOUL

Okaihau

Focus New Zealand