08 NOVEMBER 2013
Coming up on The Nation

Table of Contents

• Jim Quinn, KiwiRail CEO, on the Aratere Ferry

• Communications Minister Amy Adams and Consumer CEO Sue Chetwin on Chorus and the broadband price debacle

• Retired Judge Sir Edmund Thomas on the Lombard Finance convictions

• National MP Chris Auchinvole on retirement and viral speeches

Is KiwiRail ignoring trouble on the Cook Strait?

KiwiRail’s Interislander ferry Aratere won’t be carrying passengers for several months, after a propeller fell off while crossing the Cook Strait on Tuesday night.

It is unclear when the ferry will be back in action - bad news at the start of the busy summer peroid.

This is not the first time the ferry has had problems – since its launch in 1998 the ferry has suffered engine failures, propulsion problems and navigation issues.

It returned from a $52million Singapore refurbishment in 2011 – with a 30-metre extension. A month after Aratere’s return it broke down in the Wellington Harbour and had to be towed back to the dock.

New Zealand First’s Winston Peters has labelled it “a disaster waiting to happen”, and says it is common knowledge on the Wellington waterfront that the ferry cannot handle high seas.

So is the Aratere Ferry a "lemon" and is passenger and crew safety being risked on the high seas? CEO of KiwiRail Jim Quinn is with Rachel.

________________________________________

Ultrafast broadband - is it in jeopardy?

The Commerce Commission wants to lower copper broadband prices, but Chorus says price cuts may halt ultrafast broadband roll out.

In light of Chorus' claims, the Government announced an independant assessment of Chorus' finances to see how hard the broadband provider will be hit. The findings will be out in December, at which point the Government will decide how to proceed.

But the unrest is taking its toll. Since Tuesday, when the Commerce Commission made their final decision on prices, Chorus' value has lowered by $200 million.

Chorus is angling for a Government bail-out if the price cuts go ahead, while critics of the Government and Chorus are calling any financial assistance from the Government "crony capitalism".

So what will the Government do? Communications Minister Amy Adams joins us on the programme to discuss the independant assesssment and the Government's options.

And, when it comes to the broadband prices, who stands to benefit? Consumer CEO and Coalition for Fair Internet Pricing spokesperson Sue Chetwin will discuss broadband pricing - and the winners and losers in the price setting process.

________________________________________

Lombard convictions 'grevious miscarriage of justice'

A retired Court of Appeal Judge has criticised the convictions of the four Lombard Finance directors.

Sir Edmund Thomas has critiqued the judgements of the four directors, saying the courts were influenced by the public.

In the critique to be published later this year, he said the central piece of evidence used to convict the four was based on wrong calculations.

Attorney-General Chris Finlayson told RNZ this morning that it was not appropriate for former judges to speak out, and Sir Thomas has also faced criticsm from the Law Society.

Sir Thomas joins us on the programme to discuss the judgements and why he felt the need to speak out.

National MP Chris Auchinvole on life after politics

A string of National MPs have announced their decision to step down next election, including West Coast list MP, Chris Auchinvole.

The Scottish-born MP entered Parliament in 2005, and in 2008 went on to win the West Coast-Tasman seat from Labour MP Damien O’Connor for one term. He returned to Parliament on the list in 2011.

Earlier this year Mr Auchinvole became somewhat of an internet celebrity when his heartfelt speech in support of gay marriage caught twitter’s attention.

The MP is no stranger to marriage and weddings – outside of Parliament he is a marriage celebrant, and wed fellow Parliamentarian, Tau Henare in 2012.

He joins Rachel to reflect on his time in Parliament, and what he intends to do after politics.

.
ENDS

© Scoop Media