local government
Categories under local government
- auckland supercity (417)
- C&R (18)
- local body elections (119)
- supercity (101)
Postal voting – essentially dead
Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, February 25th, 2020 - 62 comments
Stuff has an article up about last years local body elections in Auckland. As usual the interesting parts are at the end. But I have to reiterate – online voting isn’t the answer. As a programmer, I’d just call it stupid and dangerous.
Pure clear water
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, February 21st, 2020 - 44 comments
It’s probably time to notice why Jones’ Provincial Growth Fund had to step in and provide several million of funding to patch up the water supply emergency in Northland.
The Government’s $12 billion infrastructure package
Written By: - Date published: 11:33 am, January 29th, 2020 - 96 comments
The details of the Government’s $12 billion infrastructure announcement have been released.
Common-wealth Government
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, November 18th, 2019 - 16 comments
Advantage is testing an idea out. What will a common accountability framework for the government look like?
Wellington mayor-elect flip-flops on sale of Wellington Airport
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, October 30th, 2019 - 26 comments
One of the first acts of Wellington mayor-elect, Andy Foster has been to reverse his stance on the council’s 34% holding in Wellington International Airport Ltd (WIAL). Whether he can get his plan to sell the airport stake past a once hostile public or a leftist-dominated council also seems about as likely as his desire to bulldoze through another tunnel through Mt Vic.
Brittle cities
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, October 29th, 2019 - 10 comments
It is pretty hard to miss a variety of cities around the world going nuts for apparently minor offences.
The Government-Auckland relationship
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, October 25th, 2019 - 26 comments
The Sky City National Convention Centre fire brings the Government Auckland relationship to a very sharp edge. It was tense before. It’s worse now.
Later climate change deniers
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, October 15th, 2019 - 73 comments
The recent local government elections resulted in a number of people committed to addressing climate change being elected. And an apparent thinning of those who think that it is a hoax.
Online voting – no. Try polling booths
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, October 14th, 2019 - 42 comments
Amid calls to install online voting from the technologically illiterate who are appear to be unaware of the risks, there is clear disagreement from those who do know the risks. Politicians should listen to them. While postal voting is an expensive and failing system, online voting as a system is certain to be way worse.
Dunedin’s Aaron Hawkins
Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, October 13th, 2019 - 23 comments
Dunedin is going to be a very interesting test of politics and opportunity over this coming three years for this new mayor.
2019 local body election results
Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, October 12th, 2019 - 79 comments
Discussion post for live election results and turnout stats.
Will online voting solve the turnout problem
Written By: - Date published: 12:52 pm, October 8th, 2019 - 38 comments
Auckland Council voting returns are very low. But is the problem voter apathy or is our postal system not up to scratch? And will digital voting be a panacea?
Rates, debt, growth and PPP
Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, October 8th, 2019 - 33 comments
Stuff had an interesting piece looking at rates, taxes and local infrastructure “Rates are much lower than you think, and they’re responsible for miserable growth in cities”. They just missed out one crucial factor. The way that PPP debates often block infrastructure. Interesting that got missed..
C&R candidate says something really offensive and stupid
Written By: - Date published: 2:08 pm, October 3rd, 2019 - 21 comments
A Whau Community and Resident Local Board candidate has apologised for using racist slurs against a minority group and accusing them of engaging in widespread fraud. But despite his apology an C&R spokesperson has doubled down on his original statements.
Local government: who to vote for?
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, September 27th, 2019 - 1 comment
Resources for progressive voters, on candidates in the 2019 local body elections.
How to vote in STV
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, September 26th, 2019 - 21 comments
It’s local voting time again, and more councils are using STV- while the Electoral Commission will tell you how to rank candidates, they won’t tell you how to vote effectively. Should you leave candidates off your list if you know what relative order they would go in?
Monorail!
Written By: - Date published: 9:08 am, September 16th, 2019 - 26 comments
Auckland mayoral candidate Craig Lord has announced a policy that may turn the campaign on its head. Or may not.
The Free Speech Coalition goes to court
Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, September 5th, 2019 - 70 comments
Jordan Williams and the Free Speech Coalition are in the High Court protecting the rights of Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux to express views the details of which Mr Williams does not know.
Transmission Gully
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, September 2nd, 2019 - 69 comments
NZTA have determined to not proceed with tolling the Transmission Gully motorway. Does this make it the country’s largest single transport waste?
Talk is cheap Tamihere
Written By: - Date published: 5:13 am, August 22nd, 2019 - 56 comments
I am really not a fan of political candidates bullshitting. John Tamihere – candidate for Auckland city Mayor, is this kind of blowhard. He is the epitome of the kind of fool who seems to keep his brain mounted right next to his testicles to inform his mouth what to say. He released a transport policy fantasy… I’ll vote for Goff.
Smells Like Stale Male Spirit
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, August 18th, 2019 - 92 comments
We live in a rich and diverse society but this is not reflected in our local government.
Dunedin South as Next Fox River Dump Disaster?
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 10th, 2019 - 75 comments
If we thought the devastation and mess caused by a flood ripping through the old dump at Fox Glacier village was bad, just wait until a decent storm punches through the old dump of New Zealand’s fifth largest city on its coastline. It’s getting close.
Arnhem Land and Ihumātao
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, August 5th, 2019 - 44 comments
A Recent High Court decision in Australia suggests that protection of indigenous land rights may be better than we think.
Ihumātao
Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, July 31st, 2019 - 119 comments
The background to the Ihumatao dispute is complex and problematic and resolving it may require the Government to review issues relating to privately held land and treaty claims.
Bye bye Banks
Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, July 26th, 2019 - 8 comments
John Banks has announced that he will not be standing for Auckland’s mayoralty.
Matata
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, July 18th, 2019 - 44 comments
Many a bold claim has been made for the necessity of responding to climate change, but when it comes to storms affecting one’s own home, Matata is surely the test case of this century.
Dinosaurs Fight Extinction Rebellion
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 am, July 17th, 2019 - 181 comments
Dinosaurs are speeding up our extinction.
Nats must hate Auckland’s building consents boom
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 15th, 2019 - 59 comments
The rate at which the building consents have increased in Auckland, and the shift to a more useful mix, has been incredibly fast. You can understand why National after their decade of failure for housing and transport have been targeting the authors of that success. It highlights National’s economic incompetence.
The return of Banks?
Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, July 14th, 2019 - 28 comments
John Banks is reported to be considering another run at the Auckland mayoralty.
Southland and Thames think they don’t have climate crises
Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, July 4th, 2019 - 163 comments
Regular Standard contributor Robert Guyton put up a great fight but has failed to persuade the dinosaurs on Environment Southland to declare a climate emergency.
Tamihere wants to privatise half of Watercare
Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, July 3rd, 2019 - 98 comments
John Tamihere has caused jaws throughout the region to drop by proposing that half of Watercare is privatised.
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