Heather Duplessy-Allen

And to balance it out for ratepayers, because as you'll be well aware, currently the government are supporting it by 60%.

If it becomes a permanent service, that'll drop down to 51%.

So you've got to be relative in what people are charging to use it.

It is usable.

So they need to reflect the cost that if it is made a permanent service, that the users are actually paying for that service.

So is this why somebody on council popped up with the idea of increasing the fares by 60%?

A couple of our councillors thought that would be a good idea.

You can imagine they live in Hamilton, who obviously carry the can for most of those public share subsidies here.

Now, Warren, it doesn't sound to me like you people love this.

I mean, you've come on the show, you've immediately debunked the nonsense about the patronage.

One of your mates is wanting to pop it up by 60%.

Am I right in this?

Like, there's not a lot of love for Tahuia?

Look, Tahuia's got to prove its worth.

You know, so if people want it to survive, they need to get on it and use it.

We've struggled to get any support from Auckland until we went out there for a one-year trial and they sent us a letter and said, yeah, we support that, but they won't put their hands in their pocket.

Obviously, people, yeah.

People travel up that way to visit family, go to work, do some shopping, et cetera.

But there's no recognition coming from that end of the country at this stage.

I mean, you can't blame us, though, can you, Warren?