Mike's Minute: We need more backbone from our leaders

Why now Sean? 

I had Covid vibes when I read Sean Sweeney's thinking about the CRL. 

It was Covid vibes because during that period I cannot tell you how many people I know and regularly dealt with, whether it was people in the media or people from business, who said one thing about the Government and their handling of lockdowns and the economy in private, and something completely different in public. 

So Sean, having left the CRL to head to Ireland, has now left Ireland but has stopped by long enough to tell us we don’t scope our price major projects that well. Who knew? 

The CRL, at well over $5 billion, is a gargantuan waste of money. 

Yes, it will improve things and on paper it makes sense because it joins up some rail lines so you can go around and around. But like most things in life, convenience, improvement, or efficiency comes at a cost. 

What's a terrific idea at $50 is a waste at $200. And for something that started out about $2 billion and will come in at about $6 billion, the CRL has reached the stage where no one really wants to accept responsibility any more for the price and delays, because it got embarrassing a long time ago and tipped over into "well let's just make the most of it and hope it works". 

It won't of course. Not to the extent they dreamed, because what they dream of is New York and London, and we have never been that and never will be. 

Anyway, part of where Sean is right is ideology blinds common sense. Too many people want a say and before you know it, everything is a combination of delayed and expensive. 

Yes, the fast-track RMA reform will help. Less legal action will help. Fewer opportunities for review will help. And God forbid, cross party support would help. 

But what would also help is some backbone – people who say what they believe, whether it gets them attention, or into trouble, or not. 

There are too many pussies in places of influence. Too many spineless, scaredy cats who want the job, or the title, or the reputation, or the pay-packet, and just grin and bear it, or defend it, or lie about it, and babble nonsensical rubbish instead of being honest. 

As much as I appreciate Sean telling it like it is, and he's right and possibly someone in charge might take notice, what I would appreciate more was the same commentary before he filed the resignation letter and scarpered.  

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