DFT 7295 (that’s the loco) hauls two of KiwiRail’s new AK class passenger cars and a rebuilt viewing car on their delivery run from Dunedin to Christchurch this week . The AK class passenger cars were built by KiwiRail’s own Hillside Engineering plant in Dunedin. These two cars will be used for staff training, before being used on long distance services. These are the first two of 17.
This is what Kiwis can do. Build stuff. Quality stuff. We should be proud of this.
Instead the National Govt is sending work overseas that could be done here. As a result Kiwis are losing their jobs, settling for lesser jobs or heading to Australia.
Why can’t we do it here? Even if it costs a bit more (by Chinese standards) the standards are demonstrably higher, we keep the skills inside NZ, we pay wages, they pay tax. It’s better for the country.
Labour would get the work done here. The Hillside and Woburn rail workshops have huge potential. Not just for rail.
I know Kiwirail has been approached by other Kiwi companies keen to get other manufacturing and fabricating work done here. I also understand that Kiwirail’s head office isn’t too keen on actively purusing these ideas.
Why is that? Have they been told to run the workshops down. Surplus to requirements? If so this is a national scandal.
Three years ago the nation was full of hope about Kiwirail’s potential. Today the name has been tarnished and associated with a political push to grind down a proud and productive manufacturing industry and skill base.
Hat tip (for the video clip): Julian Blanchard, Labour’s candidate for Rangitata
