Latest / Best of Business / Fran O'Sullivan: NZME business commentator on the problems impacting New Zealand's infrastructure

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Fran O'Sullivan: NZME business commentator on the problems impacting New Zealand's infrastructure · Best of Business

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talk ZEDB. Follow
• 0:12
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• 0:17
  Speaker 2: Well, geez, do you need reminding that our infrastructure is
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: but broken. The plane can't take off as a PM's plane,
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: and now you've got the theories unable to be steered.
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: Fran O'Sullivan is m zme's business commentator and with us
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: to talk through the commiserations of the situation.
• 0:31
  Speaker 3: Fran good evening.
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: How do we fix it?
• 0:36
  Speaker 3: Well, personally, I don't think they should have canceled the
• 0:39
  Speaker 3: Big series. I think they should have done that in
• 0:41
  Speaker 3: the infrastructures they've worked on several levels. They were also
• 0:44
  Speaker 3: going to be very efficient on carbon emissions and that
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: matters over time and their long term assets. I mean,
• 0:50
  Speaker 3: you're only talking and I can say the fast three
• 0:53
  Speaker 3: four five billion, and if you put that against cost
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: of second hub crossings in Auckland, you put that against
• 1:00
  Speaker 3: light railcasts, you put that against a raft thing city
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: rail link, all of that. I actually think the link
• 1:05
  Speaker 3: between the two two U islands is actually pretty essential.
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: And unfortunately they unless you know, the Korean ship owners
• 1:14
  Speaker 3: have now got them by the proverbial, because there's no
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: way in hell they're going to agree to some sort
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: of sensible break feg and that they were well downe
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: the track of starting to build these things.
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: So essentially, do you know if we can continue with
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: the big ferries without doing all the port work?
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: No, we can't. We need to do there. It's all that,
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: and there's an argument which says that should occur. I mean,
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: you look at Wellington and you look at the issues
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: around seismic activity. A lot of that stuff which is
• 1:47
  Speaker 3: really wasn't really worked through at the beginning. You know,
• 1:51
  Speaker 3: they can't put it right in the center city because
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: of all of that. They have to put it up
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: the coast, further up the harbor, and so you know
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: there are a range of issues there. I just think
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: this is one of those quick decisions that are made
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: to make a point on a prior government as well
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: that haven't been really appropriately addressed. The problem they've now
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: got is all these maintenance failures, which is what they are,
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: and that that unfortunately, we're rebound on the government whether
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: or not it stacks up simply because if there is
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: a major incident. What happened the other day was incredibly bad.
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: I mean, just had new starring kit Pull and don't forget.
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: Yes there was Wahni, but there was also the Mikhail Lermontoff.
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: We have had major shipping disasters and we're damn lucky
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: that wasn't in the Strait with a high sea running
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: when it occurred. It was a great story also the
• 2:43
  Speaker 3: other day by George Georgina Campbell, which actually pointed to
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: you know, wiring being fried essentially because it had been
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: papered over with with tape that integrate. Yes, and this
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: is sort of the history of bad maintenance. So and
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: then we have a pylon falling over in the North
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: Island simply because some idiot took all this sq who's
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: out well and even some kild playing with their lego
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: kit could tell you don't do that. So I mean,
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: this is barking stuff. So I think we have a
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: major problem. And the problem at the straight out problem
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: is maintenance. Right now, I agree with you.
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: Now, friend, listen, this is your last chat with us
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: on the slot. Can I just say thank you for
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: all of the years that you've fronted up and given
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: us your commentary and your expertise. We really appreciate it.
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: Thank you very much and good luck as with the show, Heather,
• 3:37
  Speaker 3: it's been a pleasure being on it with you and
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: the team and also with Larry Williams prior to that.
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: And it's a great station and I'm sure you'll take
• 3:46
  Speaker 3: it to New Heights.
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: Oh thank you, Frannon. We will definitely have you a
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: back around and about because we can't do without your expertise.
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: Thank you so much. Look after yourself. That's fran O Sullivan,
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: en Zimmy's business commentator.
• 3:55
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• 4:01
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