The Govt’s $36m boost for coastal shipping could provide and economic lifeline for the Gisborne region as it battles to cope with the expected dramatic growth in timber exports. Eastland Group CEO, Matt Todd, says the strategy is a step in the right direction in terms of dealing with the enormous increase in volumes of […]

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The Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation conference has been told the food miles debate threatens to undermine NZ’s exports due to the long supply chains they require. It is not an argument the country nor the freight forwarding industry can afford to ignore even if much of the debate is based on misleading and […]

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There are many scams which rear their ugly heads from time to time more often than not claiming to cure some problem or another and it appears as though the Govt’s Emissions Trading Scheme is just such a scam. It is hard to fathom exactly how it will cut emissions particularly in the transport sector […]

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A raft of long term roading network improvements for the greater Christchurch area have been announced with the Govt pumping $245m into almost exclusively road building. However there is sting in the tail with the funding package with Michael Cullen indicating motorists are likely to be asked to pay for much of the cost through […]

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Freight movement efficiency will be the big winner from the Govt’s plans to spend an extra $449m on the rail network over the next five years. Ontrack Chairman, Cam Moore, says the investment will enable rail to contribute more effectively to the movement of freight in NZ. “This level of investment would be very welcome.” […]

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NZ has spent the last 50 years mirroring the transport policies of the US - big on road building and very small on everything else. Despite record high oil prices there seems no sign this policy direction is about to change and will mean more pain for everyone in terms of the cost of moving […]

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The Govt stands to make windfall gains of billions of dollars from its emissions trading scheme claims Solid Energy’s Don Elder. Appearing before Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee Elder highlighted the extent to which the Govt would over-recover from NZ emitters including the transport sector the cost of complying with the country’s obligations under […]

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Taxpayers face having to pay an extra $200m as part of the Govt’s buy-back of the national rail service. The extra money is a loan to former owner Toll NZ from its parent company in Aust. The extra cost was not made public at last week’s sale agreement announcement and pushes the total upfront cost […]

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One of the most contentious issues surrounding global warming and high oil prices and possible ways to combat these problems are the role bio-fuels should or should not play. Here in NZ several companies have announced plans to set up bio-fuels plants ranging from traditional grain sourced fuels through to using algae from sewage treatment […]

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The Govt has decided to delay introducing a fuel tax to help cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions until 2011 in a move largely designed to boost its short term political support. The tax, which was expected to add up to 8c a litre to the cost of fuel, was scheduled to be phased in […]

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