Latest News
Desert Rd closure: Transport NZ says they will hold NZTA to two month timeframe
Transport NZ has said it will hold NZTA to account if the work on the Desert Rd took substantially longer than the estimated two month timeframe.
Chief executive of Transport NZ Dom Kalasih, said the closure was agreed upon on the basis of “short term pain for long term gain”.
“There’s been a lot of spend, a lot of cost blow-outs and it’s almost accepted. This is all government spend and road user monies. It should be incumbent on NZTA that they spend the money responsibly,” Kalasih said.
He said the 30 – 40 minute detour about the Desert Rd would add up to $160 on top of drivers operating costs – which would inevitably have to be passed on to transport company’s clients.
“Our advice for members has been make sure your clients understand there is going to be additional costs. Make sure those costs are passed on and make sure you plan for the extra journey time,” Kalasih said.
He said issues with NZTA’s journey planner were also creating some headaches for truckies.
NZTA’s journey planner were also creating some headaches for truckies because of a glitch from Google Maps. Photo: NZTA Journey Planner
On Monday the agency’s website was indicating a westward diversion between Waiouru and Taihape that would take drivers off state highway roads and add even more delays to the their journey.
“We’ve spent quite some time trying to get an answer from NZTA. I guess not all of their people are back at work. But we have had someone confirm with one of the NZTA journey managers the road south of Waiouru is open,” Kalasih said.
He said he understood a glitch from Google Maps had led to the incorrect route showing up on the agency’s system.
An NZTA spokesperson said they had learned of their site problem Monday morning and it was resolved shortly after 3.30pm.
“We share information between ourselves and Google Maps and – in this case – the info that was on there came from Google Maps. We apologise for any inconvenience the fault may have caused.”
Pros and cons for local residents
Resident of Turoa Ski Field Kat McKenzie said – at a meeting for local businesses in early December – council staff had estimated there would be an additional 8000 vehicles coming through the town each day.
She said business owners were welcoming the added exposure and the opportunity to prove the area was more than a winter destination.
“Local businesses are thinking it’s a positive. People are prepared for it. I know there are some businesses in town who haven’t historically done lunch [service] who are opening up for lunch.
“I think there’s going to be a few more food trucks who are setting up along the way. People have been expecting this now for two months to six weeks. It’s not been suddenly sprung up on them.
“Definitely some of the operators that are doing mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking are excited about the fact people might be looking for more things to do and spending some more time out here,” McKenzie said.
An Ohakune resident – who did not want to be named – said she was concerned trucks being diverted through the town would not keep within the speed limit and could endanger pedestrians.
“[You’ll] take your life into your own hands to get across the road. We don’t have over passes and stuff like that.
“You notice it when there’s an accident [on the Desert Road]. Trucks do not do fifty km/h through our township,” she said.
Kalasih said he would be issuing a safety message to members of the organisation in response to the closure.
“These drivers, they risk losing their livelihood if they get tickets. So by and large drivers do their best to stay within the law.
“I won’t be so naive as to say that everybody does but we will be doing our best to communicate to our members that they take extra care and vigilance when they travel through these local communities.”
Owner of Kune Bikes Max Carling said the community was taking a wait and see attitude to any benefits or problems the influx of traffic could bring.
“Today’s the first day the road’s closed and definitely noticed a lot more traffic out there on the road. Mainly big trucks at the moment but it should do town a lot of good.
“I’ve heard both sides of the story really. There are some worries about road quality and the amount of people coming through town. With all the extra traffic there’s no zebra crossings or anything like that. I haven’t noticed any major issue today but we’ll have to hold fire and see what happens over time.”
~RNZ
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
rnz
Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large
New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals
Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs
-
Latest News2 months ago‘Chilling’: Business groups speak out against National’s supermarket break-up plan
-
NZ News2 months agoTom Phillips report: The missed opportunities to find the children
-
Latest News2 months agoCars bearing Chinese police markings stir unease in Auckland
-
Politics2 months agoNational vows to try to split Pak’nSave and New World
-
Fiji News2 months agoPlans to have new Constitution by Dec 24th 2026
-
Politics2 months agoMBIE confirms botched biometric projects costs blown out to $50.7 million
-
NZ News2 months agoCop who stole $68,000 can now be named as champion Muay Thai fighter Haimona Tamati-Te Paki
-
Latest News2 months agoFive Karangahape Road venues lose their liquor licences after police intervention