local body elections

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The two legs of Banks’ defence trip each other

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, October 17th, 2013 - 28 comments

John Banks is to stand trial for knowingly submitting a false electoral expenses return. He’s charged, thanks to the private prosecution after the Police failed to act, with breaching s134(1) of the Local Electoral Act. Let’s take a look at the two lines of defence Banks has argued, and how they contradict each other.

What’s the play?

Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, October 16th, 2013 - 108 comments

No-one’s happy with the revelations about Len Brown’s private life, apart from Slater (himself also an adulterer) who is wallowing in all the details that Chuang seems only too happy to provide. But what’s interesting is that this is clearly a political play. Who’s behind it and what do they have to gain? The players: Slater, Slater snr, Chuang, and Palino.

Dotcom on what Banks knew

Written By: - Date published: 12:59 pm, October 15th, 2013 - 27 comments

The District Court is hearing evidence today as to whether John Banks should stand trial for signing a donations return that he knew to be false. Kim Dotcom has given evidence – the Herald reports that when he agreed to give Banks a donation of $50,000, Banks asked for it to be split and to be made anonymous., so that if Banks helped DotCom in the future it would not be known that he had donated to him.

Well done Greens!

Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, October 13th, 2013 - 115 comments

Yesterday was a very good day for the Greens (and the left).  Congratulations!  It’s hard to predict outcomes for next year’s parliamentary elections based on local elections, especially when the voter turnout is so low.  But the left does get a boost from the results.  Local councils need to be improved so that are more democratic. [Update: Clow (Labour) for Whau- preliminary result. Waitakere Ranges Board]

Local Government Election Results

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, October 12th, 2013 - 208 comments

The polls are now closed and the vote is being counted.  Stand by for the announcement of results in the 2013 Local Body elections …

Last chance to vote …

Written By: - Date published: 9:03 am, October 9th, 2013 - 8 comments

Time is running out and today is a good day to make sure that you have posted your votes in for the Local Government election in your area.  And while you are at it remind your friends and family to do the same.

Vote!

Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, October 4th, 2013 - 78 comments

There is just over a week to go before the 2013 local elections finish.  Turnout so far has been disappointingly low and this presents a threat and a challenge.  The threat is that progressive incumbents will lose because their supporters do not vote.  The challenge is to get family and friends to vote to maximise the prospects of progressives being elected to office.

(Un)affordable rents in Berm City

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, October 3rd, 2013 - 43 comments

Central Auckland, gated city candidates get cosy about their grass verges. The west has a crisis in affordable rents & homelessness. Labour & Nats housing policies bow to the middle class home ownership agenda.  Greens & Mana look to state & council housing.

Unions Auckland’s list of supported Council candidates

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, September 22nd, 2013 - 25 comments

Unions Auckland has released a how to vote card based on candidates who will support a living wage, no privatisation of Council assets and sorting out a fair deal for the POAL workers.

Auckland Council Elections

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 pm, August 16th, 2013 - 28 comments

Super City Rodney HideNominations are closed and Auckland Super City’s candidate lists have been published.  Following are some comments on the Mayoral candidates.  I also hope to post on the Councillor contests, where interest will be greatest.

“The Big Issue”: councils & transport

Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, August 5th, 2013 - 16 comments

Campbell Live last Wednesday focused on transport: funding & Auckland versus the regions; public transport & roads; the revolutionary Congestion Free Network plan.  City Vision (supported by Labour & the Green Party – with a major focus on transport) & 2 Future West candidates launch their Auckland council campaigns.

Lusk/Slater to run negative Auckland campaign

Written By: - Date published: 3:49 pm, July 15th, 2013 - 58 comments

According to the tip line the farcical duo of Lusk and Slater will soon be kicking off a large negative campaign against Len Brown.

Dalziel for Christchurch mayor

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, June 19th, 2013 - 28 comments

As widely anticipated, Lianne Dalziel has confirmed that she will stand for Mayor of Christchurch.

City Rail Link in the Budget?

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 pm, May 15th, 2013 - 45 comments

A reader sent us a comment from another blog by someone who was polled a couple of weeks back. The questions are very interesting, especially once you realise that it’s clearly being done for National and the Right in Auckland (one of the questions gives it away). Have a read, then I’ll tell you why I reckon the Nats are going to fund the City Rail Link in the Budget.

The NZ Herald – advancing Auckland backwards

Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, May 1st, 2013 - 32 comments

To the Herald the Fourth Estate must be a greenfield development on the outer margins of Auckland: a Dickensian space, hiding the poor from the upper middle-classes. The Herald lacks critical balance & equal weighting for diverse views: it scaremongers about the Akl Unitary Plan & undermines public transport.

King Brownlee dips his oar into Chch elections

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, March 15th, 2013 - 40 comments

King Brownlee can do pretty much what he likes in Christchurch. And what he wants to do is fuck all. When I was in Christchurch recently, I was deeply disturbed by the lack of rebuild, and the vibe. People feel it. People get angry. When people get angry, Brownlee looks for someone else to blame. Now, he’s doubling down by interfering in the coming local elections.

What’s the Right’s plan for Auckland 2013?

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, January 10th, 2013 - 55 comments

It’s 9 months until polls close in the 2013 local body elections. Len Brown has just been rated the 7th best mayor in the world. So, who’s going to stand up from the Right? 9 months is no time to get the brand recognition needed to take the most powerful political job in the country outside Cabinet’s top 5. Does no rightie want to run because they’re sure to lose?

NRT: National’s tyranny

Written By: - Date published: 1:55 pm, October 30th, 2012 - 43 comments

No Right Turn on the overthrow of local democracy in Canterbury…

Banks must now submit correct return

Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, September 14th, 2012 - 53 comments

John Key is wrong, John Banks has broken the law. He just did not get prosecuted. The return of donations he signed and submitted in 2010 is false, as the Police have stated. He should now correct it, or he is still in breach of the law.

Labour hits the motherlode

Written By: - Date published: 7:16 am, September 13th, 2012 - 82 comments

The Police Report into the Banks.com affair, which Labour has distributed to the media, is a gold mine. Banks is shown to be a liar and completely unethical. He insisted that Dotcom’s donation be anonymised. He used the donations, which he had told media he didn’t remember, as an excuse not to help Dotcom while a minister. Banks is lying low now. Key has to sack him.

CIR & the silience of the citirats

Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, September 10th, 2012 - 6 comments

The Nats’ lines on the citizens-initiated referendum on asset sales are very weak: ‘we don’t care because we have a mandate’ and making up stories about invalid signatures. Those lines will only hold until the petition is certified by the Clerk of the House later this year. Then, they’ll have to grow up a little. Their first decision will be when to hold the referendum.

Resignationwatch: too many questions

Written By: - Date published: 6:38 am, May 4th, 2012 - 156 comments

Why did Banks lie about a discount hotel room where Dotcom was staying, then say he bargained it himself? Who made $15K of radio ad donations to his campaign? What did Nats on Banks’ ‘mentor group’ and ACT leaders know about the anonymised donations? How much info did Banks get from Williamson on Dotcom’s OIO application? Why has Key still not spoken to Banks to ask any of these question?

Lessons for Labour?

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, October 16th, 2010 - 53 comments

As the dust settles on the local body elections, what are the lessons for Labour?  Especially, of course, “the big one” in Auckland.  Len Brown, a “Labour Mayor from South Auckland”, beat Key’s anointed candidate for the right.  What lessons can Labour take away? How does this shape the 2011 election campaign?

Friday fun: a drug-free Parliament by 2020

Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, October 15th, 2010 - 19 comments

Last year, Icelandic comedian Jon Gnarr set up the Best Party to parody the parties that brought Iceland to ruin. The party contested the Reykjavik local elections with Gnarr promising a drug-free Parliament by 2020, a polar bear for Reykjavik zoo, a Disneyland, an end to debt, and to break all his promises. They won and Gnarr is now mayor.

Celia seizes victory

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 pm, October 13th, 2010 - 41 comments

Congratulations to Celia Wade-Brown, Wellington’s new Green mayor. Apart from the understandable exception of Christchurch, we’ve seen a Leftwing landslide across the main centres and in many of the provincial councils too. The people have voted for community, democracy, and sustainability, and against corporate cronyism. See ya Kerry.

Prendergast doesn’t get it

Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, October 13th, 2010 - 40 comments

According to Kerry Prendergast, STV may cost her election as mayor of Wellington, and therefore it is undemocratic.  Good doublethink there Kerry.

UPDATE: Prendergast really doesn’t get it – Celia is Mayor!… Lost by 176 votes.

Sunday Morons: an omnibus of silly people

Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, October 10th, 2010 - 19 comments

With all of the political activity over the last week, there are a few items that missed getting covered as well as the ones that we covered extensively. Rather than do individual posts on the idiots of the week, I’ve written an omnibus post of my notes from the last week.

Election results – Brown Wins!

Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, October 9th, 2010 - 62 comments

There are various good online sources for following the local body election results.  Here’s a quick roundup.

Team Anderton should remain confident

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, October 7th, 2010 - 51 comments

Bob Parker has milked the earthquake for maximum political gain. As a result, Jim Anderton is understandably the underdog in the mayoral race. No-one could blame him for losing in this situation but don’t rule him out just yet. People haven’t suddenly forgotten why they wanted rid of Parker or Anderton’s record of service.

Wade-Brown with a chance to beat Prendergast

Written By: - Date published: 3:05 pm, October 4th, 2010 - 13 comments

Everyone had pretty much assumed that Kerry Prendergast was a sure thing to win another term as Wellington’s mayor. But a Dompost poll shows Celia Wade-Brown is in the hunt. With a small gap and low turn-out every vote matters – so cast yours for Wade-Brown today.

Be rad: vote Yani and James

Written By: - Date published: 3:40 pm, October 3rd, 2010 - 10 comments

OK, so it’s quite up with the best campaign ad ever, but Yani Johanson and James Dann’s anti-Bob Parker rap brought a smile to my face. Yani is running for councillor in the Hagley-Ferrymead ward and James is going for the Hagley-Ferrymead Community Board, both on the People’s Choice ticket.