The Loco Loco Yet Again
I am currently out of the country , but the other day I saw that NZTA have agreed to extend the Loco Loco 'trial' by another 2 years . They have reduced their contribution from 70-odd percent , to 60 percent . So their contribution is now $12.2 million for the next 2 years .
Now work that out . That means the cost for 2 more years is 'only' $20million , of which 'we' pay all of , one way or another .
That is $10 million a year , or $833,000 a month , or $200,000 a week , or $30,000 a day . That is how much it is losing . $30,000 a day . 7 days a week . ( Does it run on a Sunday ? ) . I doubt it gets 300 passengers a day , so that is $100 a passenger a day IT IS LOSING . Yes , every day they light a bonfire , and throw on $30,000 !
But wait -- theres more ! It has already cost about $120 million so far . Over $80 million of that is the capital costs , which are basically worth nothing .
So calculate the capital cost , and the on-going losses , and the $25 return ticket is actually costing ratepayers and taxpayers close on $500 . Per Person . Per Day . For another 2 years !
It is never , ever , ever going to get anywhere near break even , so these geniuses for some reason decide we'll throw more money at it for another 2 years .
Even Len Brown says it should be cancelled ( and he always struck me as being not the brightest , and 'left wing' ) , as does Luxon , Seymour and anyone who knows even the slightest about running a business , or logic , or common sense .
Why , oh why ?
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Rescued teen tells of fall down ‘two-storey’ waterfall
A Hamilton teenager who spent nearly 40 hours in the bush with broken bones after falling off an “almost two-storey waterfall” has expressed gratitude for all the efforts to find her.
Maia Johnston, 19, who left her mother’s home in Tōtara Park, Upper Hutt on Saturday evening, said she got lost in Akatarawa Forest – described as “a rugged blend of native and exotic forest”, including steep valleys and river gorges, by the Wellington Regional Council.