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Dazza Hughes wants his own train set

Labour's favourite ginga MP Darren Hughes is getting all lathered up over Transport Minister Steven Joyce.Today the carrot top has submitted 36 written questions to the transport chief – all about rail.Private Bin wonders if this is good use of a li

NBR staff
Fri, 19 Mar 2010

Labour’s favourite ginga MP Darren Hughes is getting all lathered up over Transport Minister Steven Joyce.

Today the carrot top has submitted 36 written questions to the transport chief – all about rail.

Private Bin wonders if this is good use of a list MP’s time.

To speed up the response process we’re going to help the ‘ranga out by answering a selection of the most serious queries.

So Steve, if you’re reading, don’t worry about this one’s, we’ve got it covered.

Question:
Have any tracks or sleepers been stolen from the Wairarapa rail line?
Answer:
Well Dazza, that’s a difficult question to answer. We don’t think of it as theft, it’s all about recycling. Ask yourself, all those sleepers providing borders and rustic looking benches in gardens throughout the lower North Island had to come from somewhere.

Question:
Has KiwiRail ever investigated any blackmarket sales of stolen rail and sleepers from the mothballed Rotorua branch railway line?
Answer:

That sounds like a question for the SIS. Very serious business.

Question:
Where does the Wairarapa rail line begin and end?
Answer:
Dazza, the Wairarapa rail line begins at the start and ends at the finish.

Question:
Has he decided that the Government will not underwrite the estimated $15m that KiwiRail needs to upgrade and reopen the Stratford to Okahukura line?
Answer:
Wasn’t it you guys who spent the best part of a $1 billion buying this giant white elephant? How much more do you want us to spend?

Question:
Is he concerned that with the Stratford to Okahukura line now closed, Fonterra now has to truck its milk products 200km further between Taranaki and the Port of Tauranga?
Answer:
Nope. Three words Dazza – road user charges. Kaching.

Question:
If the Rotorua branch line corridor is to be used as part of a national cycleway, would that prevent the restoration of the line for use by trains?
Answer:
Only if too many sleepers have been recycled.

There you go Dazza, hope that helps. Why all the questions? Are you looking at getting a train set of your own now Steve’s got the big one?

NBR staff
Fri, 19 Mar 2010
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Dazza Hughes wants his own train set
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