www.mccully.co.nz - 4 May 2007

new-zealand-national-party

Fri May 04 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

www.mccully.co.nz - 4 May 2007

Friday, 4 May 2007, 12:48 am
Column: New Zealand National Party

A Weekly Report from the Keyboard of Murray McCully, MP for East Coast Bays

Air New Zealand or Air Nigeria?

The unheated gymnasium at Ohakea Airbase is cold and unwelcoming this time of year, especially after 9.00 pm in the evening. It was the last place the passengers on Air New Zealand flight NZ 476 had expected to find themselves late this Thursday night. Indeed, scheduled to depart Wellington at 7.30 pm and arrive in Auckland at 8.30, a quick trip home from Auckland airport and a late dinner were more likely to be in the plan. But, sure enough, a delayed departure followed by an emergency landing, saw the hapless victims of NZ 476 filing into the Ohakea gym around 9.15 pm Thursday evening.

The news was not good. But then it wasn’t bad either. Because there was in fact no news. None officially anyway. The pilots and crew of NZ 476 mysteriously evaporated. The only signs of officialdom, some Ohakea base personnel. No sign of the airline that had taken tens of thousands of dollars of cash from passengers and contracted to shift them to Auckland.

Into the vacuum stepped an off-duty Air New Zealand pilot who had the misfortune to be a passenger on NZ 476. Identifying himself as such (and full marks to him for displaying the sort of attitude that eluded all of his colleagues), he announced to the confused assembly that he had phoned his colleagues in Auckland. An airbus would be dispatched from Auckland. But that would not be until around 11.15 pm. Its arrival soon after midnight would mean a departure by 1.00 am and an early morning arrival in Auckland. But an arrival at least. And transport plans in Auckland were amended accordingly by the sea of cellphones around the complex.

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A subsequent update from the same unofficial source, following further cellphone discussions, was equally reassuring. Help was on the way. But later. Passengers spread themselves around the edge of the increasingly cool basketball court and settled in for a long wait. One or two perched on equipment in the gym next door. And a lucky few found seats and a coffee machine in a small terminal facility across the tarmac.

Air New Zealand representatives from Palmerston North apparently drifted in unannounced. They confirmed the unofficial report of an airbus arrival after midnight. And further word, passengers were told, would be retailed once the airbus had left Auckland.

But at around 11.15 pm shame-faced Air New Zealand managers arrived with bad news. The Civil Aviation Authority would not allow any flight to land at Ohakea. Emergency landings were permitted, but not landings to pick up the victims of the emergency landings. And neither could they land at Palmerston North. Staffing and other bureaucratic issues apparently made this forbidden at such an hour. A search for buses and hotel rooms in the resort town of Palmerston North had commenced. And informed of the prospect of such (and the likelihood of further delays), so too, did the evacuation of passengers.

It transpired, we are advised, that a rescue flight did finally depart Ohakea at 2.30 in the morning after Civil Aviation officials had received some gentle encouragement from their minister, Mr Duynhoven, to get out of bed. It arrived at 3.15 am, to empty cab ranks, a mere eight hours late; a small complication by comparison with the evening’s earlier frustrations. But by then, those with options had long departed. The lack of official information, even official interest, a huge confidence-breaker. A very third world effort indeed from the national flag carrier.

A Budget Airline

How fascinating it was, in light of the above, to spot on the front page of Friday’s “Dominion Post”, this small headline: “Air NZ Plans Budget Airline.” All of which seems totally redundant. On the strength of Thursday evening’s performance they already have one.

The Safety Issues

The official reports on the technical and safety matters will, suffice to say, be followed with interest. But media reports paint a somewhat dramatic picture of what was, in fact, a very undramatic process.

Passengers seated very close to the front could, apparently, smell a faint whiff of electrical burning, but there was no quick emergency descent or hurried landing. Indeed, as matters transpired, the plane could probably have travelled to Auckland in the time between the initial announcement and the actual landing. Even advice from the captain that he was unsure whether the undercarriage was operating and would have to go around, caused little alarm. The unmistakable mechanical sound of the undercarriage locking into place made it clear that this was purely precautionary.

Doubtless, the Air New Zealand officials involved were merely following the safety manual. What a pity they don’t have one to deal with customer services.

Law Commission Head Funds Labour Party

Amongst the slew of crony appointments made by the Clark Administration was the elevation of one Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer, former leader of the Labour Party (and briefly prime minister of our country) to the position of president of the New Zealand Law Commission. The Law Commission is a quasi-judicial body, charged with providing the government with independent and non-partisan advice on all matters related to law reform. Accordingly, the president has traditionally been a High Court judge on secondment. And High Court judges, as we all know, stand very aloof from party politics.

The appointment has already been the cause of anxiety. Sir Geoffrey’s habit of popping up in the media to provide legal advocacy on matters convenient to the Labour Government (generally in place of the increasingly redundant justice minister, Mark Burton) has already caused raised eyebrows at the worldwide headquarters of mccully.co.

Imagine the surprise and distress at this week’s release by the Electoral Commission of the lists of donors declared by the political parties. There, under the Labour Party heading is clearly listed: Sir Geoffrey Palmer $10,935. On his president’s salary of $180,000 (plus parliamentary super and retired prime ministers’ allowance) he can afford it. But that isn’t the point.

So let’s get this straight: the role of president of the quasi-judicial non-partisan Law Commission, normally filled by a High Court judge, someone above party politics, is now filled by someone who is a significant donor to the New Zealand Labour Party. And the Parliament is supposed to treat his advice as impartial and non-political? We wonder how the author of “Unbridled Power” and formerly staunch advocate for the separation of powers is going to explain that.

ENDS

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