Featuring the Hoon podcast hosted by Bernard Hickey, with Cathrine Dyer on climate news and Robert Patman on geopolitics, plus special guests Sarah Dalton, Julie Scott and Simon Lendrum
With reference to the substantial errors and strategic arguments around climate modelling it might be worth considering PREFIRE and the implications of our current ignorance about radiation in and out.
I rather enjoyed this weeks format and dare I say it, less of Peter's attempts at humour......
Just a few points to consider. With a very right-wing neoliberal government, any suggestion of expanding the public services is not going to happen yet, if at all. Luxon's world view matches the ultra-right wing in America that any economy and country should be run like a business. This is complete nonsense because businesses go bankrupt, get taken over by larger business and generally respond to market forces. How is a country supposed to do that? A country needs public services and infrastructural to go with them, otherwise it descends into anarchy and ultimately civil war.
The health service really is close to collapse. In Dunedin, we have a new hospital being built, or at least part of it is. The main block for operating theaters, wards and the like has the gound work being done but no firm agreement about its size, number of services etc. Also, the current hospital is struggling with staff shortages across the whole hospital. It is blindingly obvious our minister of health is totally compromised by the treasury and government polices to ultimately privatise some services by continually under-funding what we currently have.
Regarding electric vehicles. They might well be seen as the future but, and this is a really big but, the infrastructure for rural areas is a joke! Its reasonable in Dunedin and there are plenty of wealthier people who have bought them. However, we live in a city based on low wages, high cost of living, high cost of housing etc etc, and many people cannot afford a vehicle costing more than $10.000 maximum. Therefore the cheap imported petrol or diesel is the only option. It will take years for the current electric vehicles to become cheaper. There is still no clear indication that battery replacement costs will become affordable.
I did think asking Simon Lendrum about possible advertising bans was rather like asking turkeys about christmas meals...........
And finally, public transport. Otago Regional Council has over the last few years increased the frequency of timings on our local bus routes. The operators have done a good job by replacing old, smoky buses with modern fleets including electric buses. They are good to travel in. However, they are far heavier and along with the logging trucks, damage to our roads far more. Also, they are still not frequent enough to be a real alternative for most people.
Queenstown is grinding to a halt with increased traffic and a proposal for dedicated bus lanes is still a talking point only. As for tourist coaches, the lack of parking is another joke! On our last visit to the area, we cycled around some of the housing estates and found many, many houses that had nobody living in them. Yet we have as Julie Scott said, people who work in the area living in tents, cars, vans in the parking areas outside of the center. If this is not an indictment to the broken political system and its attitude to running the country as a business, I don't know what is!
In answer to your question, How is a country supposed to do that?
1. go bankrupt. Well, a country can go bankrupt by not taxing properly and/or making conditions for running a business and living very difficult. Our government needs to invest in our society to avoid this happening.
2. get taken over by larger business. We could get taken over by a larger country. To avoid this, our government needs to stop destroying our social cohesion.
3. generally respond to market forces. We are to a large extent vulnerable to financial, political, medical, climate and other world forces. Our government needs to strengthen our resilience in all of these areas.
With reference to the substantial errors and strategic arguments around climate modelling it might be worth considering PREFIRE and the implications of our current ignorance about radiation in and out.
I rather enjoyed this weeks format and dare I say it, less of Peter's attempts at humour......
Just a few points to consider. With a very right-wing neoliberal government, any suggestion of expanding the public services is not going to happen yet, if at all. Luxon's world view matches the ultra-right wing in America that any economy and country should be run like a business. This is complete nonsense because businesses go bankrupt, get taken over by larger business and generally respond to market forces. How is a country supposed to do that? A country needs public services and infrastructural to go with them, otherwise it descends into anarchy and ultimately civil war.
The health service really is close to collapse. In Dunedin, we have a new hospital being built, or at least part of it is. The main block for operating theaters, wards and the like has the gound work being done but no firm agreement about its size, number of services etc. Also, the current hospital is struggling with staff shortages across the whole hospital. It is blindingly obvious our minister of health is totally compromised by the treasury and government polices to ultimately privatise some services by continually under-funding what we currently have.
Regarding electric vehicles. They might well be seen as the future but, and this is a really big but, the infrastructure for rural areas is a joke! Its reasonable in Dunedin and there are plenty of wealthier people who have bought them. However, we live in a city based on low wages, high cost of living, high cost of housing etc etc, and many people cannot afford a vehicle costing more than $10.000 maximum. Therefore the cheap imported petrol or diesel is the only option. It will take years for the current electric vehicles to become cheaper. There is still no clear indication that battery replacement costs will become affordable.
I did think asking Simon Lendrum about possible advertising bans was rather like asking turkeys about christmas meals...........
And finally, public transport. Otago Regional Council has over the last few years increased the frequency of timings on our local bus routes. The operators have done a good job by replacing old, smoky buses with modern fleets including electric buses. They are good to travel in. However, they are far heavier and along with the logging trucks, damage to our roads far more. Also, they are still not frequent enough to be a real alternative for most people.
Queenstown is grinding to a halt with increased traffic and a proposal for dedicated bus lanes is still a talking point only. As for tourist coaches, the lack of parking is another joke! On our last visit to the area, we cycled around some of the housing estates and found many, many houses that had nobody living in them. Yet we have as Julie Scott said, people who work in the area living in tents, cars, vans in the parking areas outside of the center. If this is not an indictment to the broken political system and its attitude to running the country as a business, I don't know what is!
Spot on, Tony!
In answer to your question, How is a country supposed to do that?
1. go bankrupt. Well, a country can go bankrupt by not taxing properly and/or making conditions for running a business and living very difficult. Our government needs to invest in our society to avoid this happening.
2. get taken over by larger business. We could get taken over by a larger country. To avoid this, our government needs to stop destroying our social cohesion.
3. generally respond to market forces. We are to a large extent vulnerable to financial, political, medical, climate and other world forces. Our government needs to strengthen our resilience in all of these areas.