More for Less

It is understandable that many Aucklanders have expressed their concerns at the city��s bid to host the V8 Supercars for six years from 2006. 

The gridlock on Auckland��s roads has become a reluctant part of daily life. Any trouble like a stalled car or a minor traffic accident is enough to drive most motorists to despair. The vision of bumper to bumper cars at a standstill is enough to put Aucklanders off hosting any car race.

The Labour Government��s recycled promises to fix Auckland��s transport woes can be put into three groups: More tax, More legislation and More burecracy. 

We as Aucklanders are so keen to see the horrendous traffic problems fixed, we swallow the bitter pill for the higher petrol tax and pay an extra 5 cents per litre.

If that wasn��t enough, we now learn that there is a surplus of $250 million in the Government��s transport funding agency, Transfund. If a lack of money was the problem in funding improvements, why is there such a huge amount of cash sitting in the bank?

In 2003, Labour introduced the Land Transport Management Act, which promises to allow private partnerships in resolving the transport problems. However in order to pacify the Greens, the Act ended up having more processes, reviews and bureaucracy.

When Project Aqua, worth 2 billion dollars, fell through, Labour hastily promised to review the Resource Management Act.  Now Cullen is describing this as a ��tune up��.

National has tried many times to get the Act amended, to speed up important infrastructure projects and provide more certainty for those seeking Resource Consents.  If the Act is not amended, progress can��t be made.

Business New Zealand and other similar groups, have pointed out during hearings for the Local Government (Auckland) Bill that there are 18 different public agencies responsible for planning, funding, managing, and developing different parts of the city��s transport network.  The Bill is being used to set up ARTA, which to some sounds more like ��Another  Regional Transport Authority��!

Auckland��s roading network has been uncompleted for far too long.  Mayors, Hon John Banks and Sir Barry Curtis are campaigning for part of that network to be completed in the form of the Eastern Corridor.   Funding and public feedback aside, the amount of bureaucratic barriers facing them are no less daunting than Auckland��s gridlock.

What do you think about Auckland��s roading problems, and some of the proposed solutions?

Email: pansy.wong@national.org.nz

Kiwi by name, Chinese by nature

It's green and furry, used to tenderise meat, marketed in beauty products, and it��s still great on Pavlova's! It's a hundred years today since the Kiwifruit a.k.a Chinese gooseberry arrived in New Zealand.

From its humble beginnings in China, the Chinese gooseberry��s evolved into one of our national symbols and a major export earner.

Success has many mothers and the arrival of the Chinese gooseberry is still shrouded in mystery.  One version has seeds arriving with a missionary in 1904.  It was never grown for business back then, instead it was used as a decorative plant in the garden!

Thankfully it wasn't stopped by customs!!

Many years later, came the challenge of marketing the New Zealand grown fruit the "Chinese Gooseberry" overseas �V this proved difficult during the Cold War period �V products bearing names that prompt thoughts of communism just wouldn��t do!

Then came the priceless decision by the spin-doctors to name it the ��Kiwi Fruit��

One hundred years since it first arrived, it's become a $564 million dollars export industry - the irony is we are selling this transformed fruit in gold and green back to China - and they love it!!

Just one more fact �V it's not known as the Chinese Gooseberry in China, it's Chinese name was and still is "Monkey Peach" (named because it looks like a furry monkey hanging around a tree) - like I say, what is in a name?  So long as it tastes yummy!

Places to Treat, Eat and Meet

Finding time to fit in a Squash game at the Herne Bay Club during the weekend is not easy, and when I can manage it, it��s a great excuse for a little indulgence at the local cafes.   Friends have recommended "Agnes Curran" at the top of Franklin Road near Ponsonby Street.

What a little gem! It's a modern homely Granny's kitchen. People sit around the long table in the middle - local artists have their crafts on display - the staff are friendly, there��s good coffee, and a great atmosphere!

Do you know of any other places that would tempt a squash player after a hard workout?

Email: pansy.wong@national.org.nz

What's on locally?

Bring your cowhide line dancing boots to the country fair in Aotea Square on Thursday May 20 from 11.30am. Prizes and the launch of a new lifestyle magazine for farmers "New Zealand Lifestyle Block" will be the main highlight. Aotea Square, Queen St, ph (09) 979 2028 Francis