Ryan Bridge: The Govt should have fast tracked supermarkets years ago

All good so far from Nicola Willis on supermarkets.

She's got to the nub of the problem, which is basically red tape.

Governments of all stripes, including her, have been quick to point the finger at private enterprise for high prices.

Dr Eric Crampton: How to solve an empire state of mind

There is a fun sign at the Wairau Road Pak’nSave explaining the store’s story.

The story began in 1987 when Foodstuffs acquired an interest in the land. In 1990, they applied for a resource consent. Nineteen years later, after two failed resource consent applications, a zoning change, a new resource consent, and about four years of litigation, they finally opened.

Things have improved slightly since then. At least it is harder for supermarkets to tie each other up in court over consenting issues.