A majority of New Zealanders want the Government to buy new Defence Force planes, to replace the breakdown-prone Boeing 757s used to fly the Prime Minister overseas for official engagements.
That’s according to new Talbot Mills polling data, provided to Newstalk ZB, which shows 51.5% of those polled think new planes should be bought to replace the old ones.
That compares with 27.6% who said no and 20.9% who are unsure.
The poll was taken in the days after the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s trip to Japan last month, where a 757s breakdown left him temporarily grounded in Papua New Guinea.
That was the latest in a long string of breakdowns the plane has suffered recently; it’s the second time it’s happened this year alone.
Luxon said the most recent breakdown was frustrating; his Defence Minister Judith Collins said the situation was “embarrassing”.
“These are very old planes, they’re over 23 years old. These would normally not be used commercially now at this stage,” she told RNZ.
Newstalk ZB understands the Prime Minister’s office is keen to see the situation resolved as quickly as possible.
NZ Herald
Buying new planes would be horrendously expensive. Perhaps a better option would be to buy replacement planes for Air Force and Defence requirements only, and the PM can wet lease a suitable corporate jet or just charter them when needed.
The Air Force needs militarised aircraft, not converted commercial aircraft. The PM needs commercial or corporate aircraft: the two propositions are incompatible.
But Luxon, being a former AirNZ CEO probably has some good contacts at Boeing he could call for sharp pricing on aircraft. He’d also be smart to get Labour onboard for replacements too, otherwise they’ll use the replacement plans as a stick to beat him with.
But what the hell would I know? Some of you know far more than me: discuss in the comments.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the BFD - where this article was sourced.
3 comments:
Cam, a question.
" Why does NZ always have to cross the Pacific and deal with Boeing, for all and/or any aircraft "?
What about Airbus?
Anonymous @ 12:26
'cause they would then need to cross the Atlantic as well.
About new aircraft, replace them sure but not for corporate use, but for the military. Send MPs on commercial flights would leave military to do what they are employed for, NOT a costly chauffeur service.
Send them business class or first class, MPs only, no family, no hangers on
If they get embarrassed doing so, to bad. Think how embarrassed our military must be when they meet allied service people
Maybe new aircraft could be fitted with hardpoints ets for munitions. More than we have at present.
We are told very little about the planes. they may be old in years but so is Air fFrce 1. Is it a maintenace failure? Are the planes long in hours of use? Presumably they have spent far more of life "garaged" than many in commercial use. And have had little exposure to snow and ice. perhaps should be sold to USA who could use as a decoy for Air Force One.As with all such technical problems the msm fail to inform the interested public. for example exactly what is so catastrophically wrong with the Auckland lifting viduct that NZ industry and ingenuity cannot fix over many months.
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