local government

Categories under local government

Franklin & Papakura want out, Hide says ‘no way’

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:56 am, January 20th, 2010 - 10 comments

The people of Franklin and Papakura, who overwhelming oppose becoming part of the National/ACT government’s Supercity experiment, have been denied their request to keep their own councils. Instead, Papakura will be forced into the Supercity while Franklin will be carved up between the Supercity, Waikato Council, and Hauraki Council. The people of Franklin and the rest […]

Bhatnagar to knock out Hide?

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 12:46 pm, January 16th, 2010 - 22 comments

There is a story in today’s Herald noting that current C&R Hobson councillor Aaron Bhatnagar is not going to stand for the new super-council. He is taking on the running of Banks’ faltering mayoral campaign and has been offered a job in the new mayoral office should they turn around Len Brown’s momentum. But the […]

Even Banks against Key’s ‘Party Central’ fiasco

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 6:57 am, January 13th, 2010 - 6 comments

At first, I thought I must have been dreaming yesterday morning. There was John Banks loudly attacking central government politicians from Wellington. How dare they impose expensive and unjustified costs on Aucklanders? Why were they so insistent on rushing through their own ideas rather than taking the time to come to an enduring solution that Aucklanders […]

Granny is surprised, no-one else is.

Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:29 pm, January 3rd, 2010 - 12 comments

John Banks is steadily dropping away from a possibility of gaining the Auckland super-city mayoralty. A Herald online poll has John Banks falling to third in preference behind Steven Tindall – who has not even declared that he is interested or would run. Len Brown is far higher in preference. Self-selecting online polls are about […]

Good Xmas news for Auckland

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:55 am, December 21st, 2009 - 11 comments

The UMR poll for the Auckland super-city mayoral race is interesting reading. The headline difference (PDF) of 11% towards Len Brown over John Banks has been extensively reported. The poll of 482 people, while small, is even more interesting when you see the breakdown of figures – and a lot worse for John Banks. The […]

Not welcome

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 2:50 pm, December 20th, 2009 - 6 comments

A Papakura local has sent us this story of the would-be Emperor of Auckland’s foray into Papakura. Wannabe Super City Mayor Goofs up in Papakura, and is told to hoof it. John Banks visited Papakura last week, to meet with Callum Penrose Mayor of Papakura. Penrose has been heading an effective rearguard campaign against the […]

Brown picks up momentum

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 4:20 pm, December 15th, 2009 - 29 comments

It’s interesting to look at the trend behind the headline 11 point poll lead Len Brown has opened up over John Banks as reported in today’s Herald. In April Brown was only rated as preferred mayor by 6% of Aucklanders verse 17% for Banks. A head-to-head poll in late July put him one point ahead […]

Capitalism in its wonderful natural form.

Written By: lprent - Date published: 7:55 pm, December 7th, 2009 - 29 comments

Following on from our report earlier this year about ideal places for libertarians to go, it appears that we are now seeing capitalism in its wonderful Ayn Rand style libertarian idealized form. Somali ‘maritime companies” have setup a stock exchange to help incubate free enterprise in its natural form. From Reuters we have this report. […]

Shipley to knife Banks?

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 12:30 pm, November 30th, 2009 - 32 comments

There is a very revealing article in this month’s Metro magazine (not online) that takes a look at the strengths of the campaigns of the two declared candidates for the Auckland mayoralty. Interestingly the piece states that National and ACT are ready to dump John Banks if he doesn’t start to gain traction. It seems […]

With friends like these…

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 6:00 am, November 25th, 2009 - 2 comments

John ‘Mayor for Remuera’ Banks would’ve been gagging on his morning gruel after reading this headline on page two of Monday’s Herald: Jeers and boos greet Banks’ stand-in at debate. Ouch. Citrats councillor, and Don Brash/John Banks hagiographer, Paul Goldsmith turned up to a super-city conference to outline his party’s bleak view for services in […]

Gerrymandering Auckland city

Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:00 pm, November 24th, 2009 - 11 comments

Due to recovering from a cold over the weekend, I haven’t had time to blog about the super-shitty electoral boundaries released on friday in traditional style. However jarbury has done a great analysis over at the Auckland Transport blog. If you look at the all-important councillors, the striking thing is the inequities of the voting […]

Council shafts Wellingtonians

Written By: Michael Foxglove - Date published: 1:00 pm, November 13th, 2009 - 32 comments

In 2006 Wellingtonians resoundingly rejected a proposal to build a Hilton on their waterfront (834 submissions out of a total 994 were against), and the plan was again resoundingly rejected last year by the Environment Court. In response, Kerry Prendergast and her Council have changed the District Plan to bypass the courts and ignore the community. So […]

Privatising water

Written By: r0b - Date published: 8:30 am, November 11th, 2009 - 21 comments

Although the topic has had a turbulent and confused couple of weeks, it seems that National want to privatise Auckland’s water supply. Govt contradicts itself on water privatisation Press Release: Green Party 29 October 2009 Statements from the Government on the issue of water privatisation are confusing and contradictory and give no assurance to the […]

Remuera mayor discovers there are other parts of Auckland

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 9:36 am, November 10th, 2009 - 4 comments

Lord Mayor of Remuera John ‘barking mad’ Banks has (mis)fired the first shots of his campaign by producing some strip advertisements outlining the planned expansion of his duchy he claims he’s Mayor of Takanini! – and taking out a full page ad promising he will build the Sydney Opera House on Auckland’s waterfront. Welcome to […]

Banks’ leadership takes battering

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 2:40 pm, November 6th, 2009 - 6 comments

Fresh from pulling the pin (then blaming others) on a Queen’s Wharf redesign competition he himself conceived, led and championed, Remuera mayor John ‘in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks has again flip-flopped on a policy proposal from his council. Yesterday the Banks’ and C&R led proposal for after-hours car parking charges for Auckland’s […]

Destroying Auckland city

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 4:49 pm, November 3rd, 2009 - 3 comments

Yesterday the Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) released its draft structure for the new Auckland council. Fortunately for the staff, and service levels in the new Auckland council, the ATA has a ‘commitment to maintaining or enhancing council service delivery.’ This means: ‘A prudent approach will be taken to staff reduction where services are reorganised to […]

Outdoor smoking ban stupid

Written By: Michael Foxglove - Date published: 4:30 pm, October 29th, 2009 - 42 comments

According to Radio NZ the Western Bay of Plenty District Council is declaring a ban on smoking outdoors. The ban covers 30 beaches including the popular holiday spots of Waihi Beach, Maketu and Athenree – and the towns of Katikati and Te Puke. Signs will be put up informing smokers to stub out on playgrounds, […]

Banks threatens your council services

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 6:00 am, October 28th, 2009 - 2 comments

John ‘in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks has isolated himself out to the right of Rodney Hide when it comes to the activities of local government. Yesterday Rodney Hide started to backtrack on his promise to restrict local government to providing ‘core services’ (although I’ll reserve judgement until I see his final policy), which […]

National/Citrats abandon Tamaki-Maungakiekie

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 1:21 pm, October 23rd, 2009 - 9 comments

Last night C&R councillor and National Party MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga ended his double-dipping charade and quit the Auckland City Council. By way of background, Sam was elected as a councillor for Tamaki-Maungakiekie in the 2007 local body election. He used this position to leverage his way into parliament as a National MP at the […]

Recalling John Banks

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 6:00 am, October 23rd, 2009 - 8 comments

John ‘barking mad’ Banks’ cheerleader WhaleOil has called for Rodney Hide to introduce the power of recall into the legislation for the new Auckland super-city. I wonder if that is such a wise call. Remember Cameron Slater is the son of Citrat president John Slater, so he should be well aware of Banks’ infamous track […]

Banks panic

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 1:02 pm, October 18th, 2009 - 9 comments

Len Brown seems to have the Right in a bit of panic. Remuera Mayor John â€˜in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks is speculating that Brown’s already toted up $150-$200k of campaign spending. Banks has always been screwy but he seems to have just made this up. That hasn’t stopped acolytes like Farrer from […]

John Banks lets his city slide

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 8:19 pm, October 15th, 2009 - 4 comments

Far from being a careful steward of ratepayers’ money and someone who takes pride in his city, Auckland mayor John Banks is allowing parts of the CBD to slide. Less than two years ago Banks’ council spent $1.5 million upgrading the central Auckland lane Swanson Street. Yet far from being some kind of urban oasis, […]

Super-city debate friday

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 6:00 pm, October 15th, 2009 - 5 comments

The debate will feature an outstanding lineup of: Darren Hughes MP, Cr Cathy Casey, Bevan Woodward, Jonathan Hunt, Jacinda Ardern MP and Cr Grant Gillon. It’s being held at the Northcote Birkenhead Rugby Club on friday night. Doors open at 7pm, debate starts at 7.30pm. There will be cheap drinks and snacks provided. This is […]

Infratil / NZ Bus striking for more profits

Written By: lprent - Date published: 9:28 am, October 8th, 2009 - 7 comments

Well the intransigent owners and managers of Infratil / NZ Bus finally went on strike this morning in their quest for higher profits. They locked out the bus drivers for threatening to abide by their contract. This is causing widespread chaos amongst other businesses as their employees are unable to get to work. We just dispatched […]

A leopard doesn’t change his spots

Written By: Sam Cash - Date published: 3:00 pm, October 6th, 2009 - 23 comments

There is a very revealing quote from John Banks in the weekend’s Dominion Post where he talks about his campaign strategy: Uptown, Auckland Mayor John Banks, a former police minister and radio talkback host, is doing his best to soften his public image. “If I wear my policy on my sleeve, I won’t get elected. […]

Closing time for Banks

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 1:29 pm, October 2nd, 2009 - 28 comments

There is an astounding editorial in today’s business newspaper The Independent (not online) titled Foolish idea spirited away. Commenting on the recent 11pm closing time fiasco for Auckland restaurants and bars, the paper slams Banks’ leadership saying, ‘the embarrassing back down by Auckland City Mayor John Banks on proposed liquor-law changes doesn’t bode well for […]

Banks bullshits on North Shore – shows up Bhatnager as a hypocrite

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 1:08 pm, September 27th, 2009 - 18 comments

This week John Banks took his faltering super mayoralty campaign to the Takapuna Rotary Club on Auckland’s North Shore. Banks tried to butter up the locals by talking about the time he was elected to the Birkenhead Borough Council waaaaaaaaaay back in 1977 (hint: you’re almost at retirement age Mr Banks time to step down). […]

Lhaws: ‘look at me! I crave your attention’

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:42 pm, September 17th, 2009 - 32 comments

Lhaws puts on his usual prima donna act over the H which is set to leave Whanganui an uninhabitable, post-apocalyptic wasteland: “I have a constitutional responsibility to fight this decision until there is no fight left in my body. [The Geographic Board] has deliberately put Wanganui in a position where we can only resist, and […]

Whanganui

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 1:00 pm, September 17th, 2009 - 66 comments

Here’s something to look forward to New Zealand. Another round of that trumped up little egotist stirring racist populism to get himself in the news.

Nats attack democracy on two fronts

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:30 am, September 16th, 2009 - 9 comments

Again, National has put the House into urgency to slam through unpopular legislation. This time, it’s the Supercity legislation. National whinges that it has to use urgency to pass legislation that could be passed anytime in the next months because they only get 17 hours a week to pass laws otherwise and that’s not enough […]

Those pesky boundaries for Auckland

Written By: lprent - Date published: 3:23 pm, September 12th, 2009 - 31 comments

There are a couple of things that I hadn’t realised about the rather strange changes to the Auckland super-city boundaries. They are just weird and show a strange idea of what Auckland. About 50% of Auckland’s water comes from the Hunua’s. Surely the provision of fresh water is a “core service” of local bodies. Sure […]