The annual Roger Award for the Worst Transnational Corporation Operating in Aotearoa/New Zealand started in 1997. In the Award’s first six years, it was won three times by (the former) Tranz Rail. That’s a 50% strike rate, not bad betting odds. It got so predictable that, in 2003, the Roger organisers – CAFCA and GATT Watchdog – created a Hall of Shame and shunted Tranz Rail into it, as the first, and thus far, only occupant. We declared it permanently ineligible for nomination.

However, as detailed in Joe Hendren’s two articles, the railways is now owned by Toll Holdings, from Australia. The former owner, Tranz Rail, has ceased to exist. There has been a change of ownership, management and name (it is now called Toll NZ). The Roger organisers discussed this new development and decided that we should make clear that Toll IS eligible for nomination. But any such nominations must relate only to Toll and only to 2004. The former Tranz Rail remains, permanently, in the Hall of Shame and is ineligible for nomination. It’s history, and good riddance.

I can think of one good ground for nominating Toll straight way (over and above what is in Joe’s articles). It has embarked on a programme to paint all its New Zealand rail and road fleet in the Australian national colours (green and gold). Naturally those are the colours in which Toll has chosen to wrap itself (what was that about patriotism being the last refuge of the scoundrel?). That fits the cultural imperialism criterion perfectly, not to mention being a trans-Tasman provocation par excellence.