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Post by stu on Jan 22, 2009 16:30:29 GMT 12
Just a heads up but as of 17:00 today there was a story in the rundown for tonight's 3 News about the Skyhawks. Something about Heather Roy changing her mind on the condition of them or such like (sorry I can't supply any more info at this stage).
Cheers, Stu.
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Post by FlyNavy on Jan 22, 2009 16:58:21 GMT 12
What does she now think they are 'clapped out'?
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 22, 2009 17:07:42 GMT 12
Maybe she's heard it straight from the "Hoss's" mouth that the original deal to sell them isn't "clapped out", and in fact, it's actually much more "watertight" than she first thought? ;D
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Post by FlyNavy on Jan 22, 2009 17:15:18 GMT 12
Maybe she has heard from a source in the US State Dept. that the deal is 'NO GO'. EVER!.
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Post by vgp on Jan 22, 2009 17:17:28 GMT 12
3news wise: according to heather roy the skyhawks are in great awesome/condition and the latex has been working as it should with no problem apart from minor as expected corrosion(funny that)and even another buyer in now interested in them along with the other two interest buyers.
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Post by agalbraith on Jan 22, 2009 17:19:43 GMT 12
It was nice to hear also that they need to be gone by the end of the year. Either to an international buyer or.........to collecters for considerably less money!
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Post by vgp on Jan 22, 2009 17:21:43 GMT 12
true
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Post by Kenny on Jan 22, 2009 17:27:13 GMT 12
Well as long as the whole thing ends this year. Id rather sell them to collectors right now.
And that third buyer is me, however i dont have any money.
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Post by FlyNavy on Jan 22, 2009 17:30:38 GMT 12
So now you have 3 interested buyers (not including Kenny). Wow - what a fairytale this is. Sheesh.
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Post by kiwi on Jan 22, 2009 17:43:19 GMT 12
Just watched Heather Roy , totally unconvincing !
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 22, 2009 17:50:35 GMT 12
TV One's portrayal of today's news was Roy was making a total u-turn and was now stating the exact line that Goff was touting, despite her previous public outbursts about the storage and alledged sale being a sham. A bit different from what is written above, from another source? They never mentioned a third party either, she said two parties in TV One's interview. Unless I heard wrong. She actually said she still knew very little about the deal and had only had a very brief briefing this morning (obviously told by 'advisors' what to say in the interview).
Just another case of the Sir Humphreys taking the independent thought out of the newly elected politicians I'd say.
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Post by stu on Jan 22, 2009 17:51:11 GMT 12
www.3news.co.nz/Associate-Defence-Minister-has-change-of-heart-on-skyhawks/tabid/209/articleID/88024/cat/525/Default.aspxAssociate Defence Minister has change of heart on skyhawksThe MP who once said the Air Force's decommissioned fighter jets were in poor condition and unlikely to be sold has had a change of heart. ACT Deputy Leader Heather Roy made those comments while in opposition. But now, as part of government, she says the planes are in good nick. Associate Defence Minister Heather Roy was always the first to criticise the former government over the Air Force's parked-up A4 Skyhawks. Last year she said the latex covers which protected them had failed - causing corrosion and that the avionics may even be affected. But now that she is in government she is seeing things a little differently. Roy said “Looking inside they've pointed out where the corrosion is and I have to say you have to look pretty hard to find it. So it’s encouraging and it seems that the latex has been doing it's job.” The Skyhawks have been out of operation since 2002 following the then Labour government's decision to do away with the aging fighter-bomber fleet. They can't be sold without the permission of the United States from where they were originally purchased and that has proved a difficult process. But last year Labour said negotiations were under way with a possible buyer - believed to be a US-based air training school - which would buy both the 17 Skyhawks and 17 Aermacchi training jets - for $110 million. While in opposition Heather Roy said that sale would never happen. But now she says negotiations are continuing and that another buyer is also interested. Roy said “The optimal outcome for NZ is that a sale would proceed and proceed very quickly. If that's not going to happen we need to look at a plan B.” Plan B is that the Skyhawks are sold to collectors for far less than $110 million. In any case, Roy hopes to have them sold by the end of the year. 3 News Video ... www.3news.co.nz/Video/Politics/tabid/370/articleID/88024/cat/525/Default.aspx#videoBetter dash, putting this stuff to air at present
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 22, 2009 17:55:15 GMT 12
Is she implying that she didn't she go and have a look at the aeroplanes before she criticised the storage when she was in Opposition?
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Post by sleemanj on Jan 22, 2009 18:05:53 GMT 12
Wht didn't she go and have a look at the aeroplanes before she criticised the storage when she was in Opposition? Why wait till now and then say all is ok after looking at them? Simple, because when she was in opposition, she could hardly have said "the Skyhawks are in good condition and a sale is imminent" THEN, that would have made the government of the day look good, second rule of politics, don't make your opposition look good (first rule, don't make yourself look bad).
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 22, 2009 18:10:13 GMT 12
Gee, no matter who you vote for, you always end up with politicians! ;D Bloody turncoat! Bring back Winnie!!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Post by vgp on Jan 22, 2009 18:29:44 GMT 12
TVNZ Article(no video as yet) Roy concedes to Labour on jets While in opposition, Act MP Heather Roy called on the Defence Minister to launch an inquiry into the government's handling of the mothballed Skyhawks. But on Thursday, as the new Associate Defence Minister, Roy was forced to concede Labour were on the right track. In October last year, Roy expressed her doubts about whether they grounded Skyhawks could ever be sold, especially after they sustained water damage at Woodbourne Air Base. She complained that Labour had claimed a sale was imminent on numerous occasions, and that they consistently fell over. But Phil Goff, then Minister of Defence, said New Zealand's negotiation position had been strengthened by the fact that there were two companies in the United States, both bidding for all of the aircraft. Roy now concedes that two companies are involved in a bidding war: "it's exactly the same scenario as when the government changed." But when ONE News asked why she was not offering further specifics, she said she had only had "a very quick briefing" on the possible sale. While in opposition, Roy even said the sale of the Skyhawks to American buyers was a joke, and that the 17 fighters should be sold off to collectors, but on Thursday the Associate Minister shied away from that idea. "I think that we should look a wide range of options." she said. "Obviously, as I say, a sale is the best outcome." Advertisement A sale that has been delayed as New Zealand awaits confirmation from the US State Department, but at least everyone now agrees on a price for the Skyhawks and 17 Aermacchi jets also axed by Labour in 2001. Roy says she understands that Goff's estimate that the sale of both fleets will attract $110 million is still the case. Roy did make some new promises regarding how that money will be used, however, saying the Air Force will get the millions of dollars it has spent maintaining the plastic-wrapped planes back at the time of sale. She is aiming to complete the transaction this year. tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/roy-concedes-labour-jets-2450087
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Post by FlyNavy on Jan 22, 2009 18:39:16 GMT 12
CA67: "Bring back Winnie" - the Pooh? “Looking inside they've pointed out where the corrosion is and I have to say you have to look pretty hard to find it." She (the PoohBah) is here already. What a joke. As if corrosion is only ever visible all our lives would be so much better. This is a version of Liar's Dice. And youse Kiwis Pollies don't know how to play: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liar's_dice There will be tears before tea time over this for poor old Heather. She has stepped into a big steaming pile now and can only lie more to get out of it. Yeah right. When there are no offers just increasing the 'number of offers' to three is a very poor strategy darlin'.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 22, 2009 19:35:23 GMT 12
Simple, because when she was in opposition It's not actually that simple. She was not just one of those opposition backbenchers who jeered a few times at Goff's plan and then did nothing. She actually constructed and built up a very strong and articulate campaign over the past couple of years against the Labour rhetoric about this so-called deal and the appaulling storage methods of the aircraft by exposing many cracks in the Labour bullshit whilst also giving a voice to those who actually worked on the aircraft and were appaulled by the situation. When she used to have her news conferences about the A-4's I have heard general public discussing it next day. People not even intereswted in aviation or defence, the message she was putting out was waking up the public and getting them discussing the situation. Suddenly she has switched camps completely and is now touting the Phil Goff line virtually to the letter that all is well and there are no problems and they will definately get $110 million from one of the two or three customers for their well stored aircraft, blah blah. I'm afraid with this new stance she has made herself look totally foolish and untrustworthy. Sure, often we see politicians change tact when they get into Government but I don't think I have ever seen a turncoat so rapid, nor so blatantly obvious as this before, and quite frankly it makes her look very naiive about the political game. In fact it is exactly what I expected when ACT got some power, they are a sad little party. I didn't think she'd be the first to screw the pooch though. It is obvious she has been influenced greatly by the Ministry of Defence's machine of Public Servant beancounters rather than continuing with the independent free thought she once expressed. Such a pity, she had shown great promise. This turnabout, as Don states, has made her former advisers and supporters look ridiculous. It's dreadful that those people who gave her the notoriety to get where she is are now the first ones she shits all over!! I also think she has just lost any credibility as far as I can see. She'll have to do some bloody hard work to gain back respect. I'm certain she was fully aware of the poor condition of the aircraft and now she is turning a blind eye because the sale is now her problem and not Goff's. But she needn't have come out with this drivvle that she's now spouting to try to help the sale along. It's a very poor show.
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Post by Kenny on Jan 22, 2009 20:27:41 GMT 12
Did she look through every single cockpit ...
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Jan 22, 2009 20:44:08 GMT 12
Time to get the gas axes out.
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