JAG loses her RAG

JAG (Julie Anne Genter) is once again losing her RAG (Raging Activated Gene), which causes her to angrily wander off into her parallel universe; one completely devoid of reality. This time, unsurprisingly, she is more than a little upset by Simeon Brown’s transport policy announcement. She describes it as “terrible”. It comes at a time when, she says, people are biking more than ever. Maybe in her parallel universe they are, but certainly not on Auckland’s roads. Not on the rest of the country’s roads either. If I were Simeon Brown right now I’d be asking for parliament security protection.

It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Julie Anne’s obsession with cycling could cause her believe there are packs of cyclists careering along cycleways in lycra clothing. The reality, of course, is very different. The odd cyclist here and there is what most of us observe. Unfortunately for Julie Anne, this Government is largely not interested in pandering to minority transport groups. Pedal power is quite rightly not a priority, nor should it be.

Julie Anne says the programme “only deepens our dependence on fossil fuels while kicking climate action down the road”.  Without realising it, in making that statement, she is admitting that the uptake of electric vehicles has been a failure. We all know that to be true. Julie Anne bemoans the fact we won’t see more children walking or cycling to school. Why not? I don’t see how this plan prevents that – join or start a walking school bus. Cycling is still an option if the child or parents want. Most don’t do either because they don’t want to. They prefer to be dropped off or get a bus.

There is little point in Julie Anne rabbiting on as if she’s trying to reinvent the wheel. All the things she promotes are freely available. Walking, cycling or using public transport are all modes of getting around that already exist but are a matter of choice. The problem Julie Anne has is that most people choose their car to get from A to B. In Auckland in particular it is the most convenient form of transport, even allowing for the resultant congestion. Auckland, indeed most of the country, is populated in a way that makes public transport not an attractive option. Empty buses are testament to that.

Much to Julie Anne’s despair the current Government recognises that and has designed a programme realistically centred mainly on Auckland, which I shall call GAMA (Get Auckland Moving Again: could also be MAGA.) This includes roads of national significance, a reduction in cycleways and speed humps and an increase of speed limits. The aim is to get people and freight around the country more efficiently and expeditiously. There will be significant savings to businesses, particularly freight and courier companies.

It would be unfair of any one of us to expect Julie Anne to have any understanding of business wants and needs. Shane Jones, who possesses a business brain and a vision for the economy, wants no part of a green parallel universe. He sees them for who they are and describes them as having manikin thinking. Anyone who cycles to the hospital while in labour has, in my view, an abnormal obsession with the bicycle. She says there was the option of her husband riding the cargo bike with her in the front, but with the hospital bag there would have been too much weight. How comical.

If you wanted an illustration of just how loopy the Greens are that would be hard to beat. No doubt Julie Anne would like to see a myriad of cycleways with everyone on their electric cargo bikes. A firm in Christchurch is advertising them and if you have a spare $5,000 to $8,000 you can be the proud owner of one. The Greens might be with us physically but mentally they’re somewhere else. Most of us are with Simeon Brown who is interested in transporting us to places quicker without having to leave the country. All power to him!