I guess the other side of that coin is when rich white guys steal from us through tax avoidance and wage theft.
If we let them sit around tables and make anonymous donations to political parties, they’ll always be planning a new way to take money from the rest of us.
1. Received remuneration as an executive director of Hujlich but knew nothing of the CEOs operating or his fiddling the books ( not an executive director is different from a director. An ED is more hands on)
2. Did not read a crucial form relating to transparency and corruption in politics before signing it
Neither of these attributes is of ANY use in a Mayor in our biggest city.
Don’t forget his foot n mouth about sth akld folk on the eve of one mayorlty election that cost him dear, then there was the one he lost to Hubbard cos jaffa’s seemed utterly sick of the man.
Ok Tracey, maybe the CRL will sort out your transport issues for you in the central auckland area, but it aint going to solve squat in the outer Akl suburbs. Especially around the manufacturing hubs. Maybe you are the one who needs to understand the issue fully.
The CRL will increase property values everywhere within 10 minutes walking time of any station in the system and will dramatically increase the value of the CBD properties close to the new stations on the CRL. The main failure of the Council is not to explain this and also to not plan the capture of this increase in value to pay for the loans required to build the structure. The main failure of the government on this issue is to try to stab Auckland in the CRL heart in the same way a former National government decided to reduce the planned 8 lane Harbour Bridge down to 4 lanes, forcing the later and much more expensive installation of the Nippon Clip-Ons. The CRL will be part of the national rail system. It should be fully funded by government and it should have been started yesterday.
And THAT fundamental misunderstanding of the loop is exactly why people like you need to stop forming your opinions from soundbites. Actually go to transport blog and gen zero sites and read their proposals. Then you will understand the loop is a means to an end not the end.
The loop will enable easier transition from different directions, it will free up britomart making it possible to run trains from the outer suburbs more frequently.
Perhaps Rob the one thing we can agree is that more roads isnt the answer for the outer suburbs?
My view is that Brown is too impatient in wanting the CRL to go ahead at ‘his’ time frame. Auckland was always going to get it, just as it was always going to get electrification.
Personally I think he should have stuck to consolidating and tweaking the existing network (including the new trains) and getting that working right — that includes, buses, ferries, roads and cycleways, then perhaps in 2020-25, build the CRL. Also, dedicated busways (future proofed for light rail) should have replaced rail to the airport and north shore.
That said, the CRL is not a new idea — that socialist green Marxist, Gordon Coates, railways minister in the far left communist United-Reform coalition government supported both electrification AND the CBD tunnel, back in the 1920’s.
You haven’t bothered:
1. Following the structure of Auckland Council that Rodney Hide set up in contradiction to Royal Commission recommendations for amalgamation, that has caused myriad transparency and accountability issues and included the complete separation of Auckland Transport from Auckland Council,
2. Recognised that the National government (without credible evidence) ensured the focus of the NZTA to roading, roading, roading which impacted on local government budgets,
3. Have any kind of idea on planning and the benefits of access to alternative transport methods in terms of social, community, environmental and financial wellbeing for NZers,
4. Given any consideration to the impact climate change transitions (planned or catastrophic) will have on our quality of life and how good public transport systems put in place will go some way to alleviating that impact…
There’s more but you seem unlikely to read anything that shows how simple answers to complex questions often cause further problems.
Public transport access – if only considered in the short term financial aspect will never be profitable. But that is a fool’s paradise in a parking lot.
We need to do better than that, despite all attempts of National to make it about Len Brown (one vote on a council) and dismissal of any other means of funding it.
Not more fud about the trains. Would you rater pay for a train-set that will cost you less in the long term and actually start making its money back while fixing the cities traffic problems or pay for the NActs complicated road system that will do little to reduce traffic congestion in the long term and just rack up the rates to help produce more traffic congestion and in city pollution?
The original Auckland city rail system was called a white elephant that will hardly be used by anyone by National when it was proposed and built. Within a very short time it has in fact become to popular and is getting closer and closer to reaching maximum capability without the rail upgrades.
None except thats what its looking like however if I’m wrong you can point out to me I’m wrong, if i’m proven right well then there’ll be some crowing from me
Fuck, I’ve always assumed Pucks and The Gormless Fool were one and the same operative (same “sense of humour”, same rhetorical strategies, rarely if ever turn up on the same thread) but hadn’t realised Chris73 was yet another of his personas.
Given that I know what the rates rises under Len will be for, and that something is actually going to help all Auckland yes I am OK with it. Also Len didn’t lie about rate rises, he did foolishly think that a tory-hack government might actually pay for stuff that Aucklanders want, now he is saying he wants to do it without the government and is asking us how we want to do that.
I know that there will be similar rate rises if banks got in (albeit maybe 0.5% lower) but it won’t be going to pay for anything useful; probably only his own salary/perks.
There has never been a tory hack who hasn’t seen rates/taxes and not wanted to take them all for themselves
Actually under Banks you might find your RATES don’t increase so much, but you will almost certainly find water BILLS, road CHARGES and TICKET PRICES will skyrocket. These increases will of course hit the poorer parts of our community harder than the richer parts.
Ahh yes, the rates rises. One of the major justifications for creating the super city was of course so the council could save costs and reduce rates, fat chance of that ever working. Still its surprising how many people in other potential super city regions want to amalgamate councils to try to lower rates!
Of course I could not think of a nicer city to experiment on – cheers for the lesson from Wellington.
Some Aucklanders will end up with lower rates.
All the poor areas will end up paying higher rates, but those in the well off areas will find that their rates will now most likely go down.
After all the council revaluations and the rates ceiling being thrown out? You have got to be joking! Most peoples rates will be going up in Auckland, and they are clearly taking in more money this year.
Proportionally values are going up more in the poorer areas than the well off ones.
As a result a higher proportion of rates will now be paid by poorer people who can least afford it.
And yep there’ll be some poor old superannuant who has lived all their life in what is now a well off area who won’t be able to afford it but at least she’ll have a choice to sell her now highly valued property and move to a lower cost area with some money in the bank.
Those in the poorer areas don’t really have the option to move to an even poorer area.
Banks wouldn’t have run it if he’d won. He would have had the puppet master Joyce’s arm up his arse, selling off holdings in assets like AIAL and PoAL etc, essentially doing NAct Govt’s bidding of emasculating local representation as they originally planned for in creating the SuperCity to start with.
Can you explain how and why Banks would be a good mayor for auckland, regardless of whether len brown runs, with direct reference to…
1. Banks received remuneration as an executive director of Hujlich but knew nothing of the CEOs operating or his fiddling the books ( not an executive director is different from a director. An ED is more hands on)
2. Did not read a crucial form relating to transparency and corruption in politics before signing it.
Penfold was a good guy so I don’t see him as a John Banks kind of character.
I think he is more like the slimy Baron Silas Greenback the toad with a wheezy voice.
On RT (Russian Television) news last night it was announced that Kim Dotcom said that he is about to launch the Internet Party in America to provided an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans and he described himself as ‘Hilary’s worst nightmare.
‘
It was a serious news item so I assume he is planning to go to the USA voluntarily.
For much of my adult life this sack of tory filth arrayed in suit clad mockery of the human form–Archibald Banks–has been on the political stage.
His record as Nat MP, Minister, co-opted ACToid and Auckland Mayor speaks for itself, selling off pensioner housing, threatening ‘boy racers’ while securing prime carparks for his Bentley and Harley at Council HQ, gay bashing till he needed the gay vote, racist beyond compare, reactionary host of subterranean talk back radio.
He holds grudges, still miffed he did not win the Supercity first time round. He must be denied a further opportunity at all costs.
” still miffed he did not win the Supercity first time round”
They really thought they had it in the bag.
I remember watching a presentation on television where John Key introduced John Banks as “the first mayor of Auckland Supercity” before the first elections were held.
The fact that Len Brown won has had two outcomes.
1. They have hated him ever since.
2. They have also hated “those” they think voted him in. Policies reflect this disdain.
If the Left can’t put up a candidate who can beat Banks* we’ve got problems. For one thing his attempt to muddy the evidential waters has to succeed first.
If the Cabbage Boat Caesar is the best the Right can come up with, so have they.
* imagine a tone of derisive contempt when you say the word.
Banks is a dinosaur. If it’s a stretch to call him “vile”, it’s not a stretch to say he’s manifestly unfit to hold high public office in the 21st century.
The new evidence that Bank’s wife got the court to consider that got the charges dismissed is also very shonky.
Dot Com says the two guys she tracked down to testify they never heard anything mentioned about the donation where not there at the time of the donation discussion meeting but at a different time during another meeting between banks and Dot Com.
It is my understanding that Banks has not been exonerated and could still face a retrial. They should send him back to trial for this so the new so called evidence can under cross examination be weighed up.
Is anyone local willing to unbundle Auckland and come up with a more effective and efficient city management system?
Is there any political party with the will to modify Mr Hide’s fantasy in, say, 2017 and onwards.
Not a week passes without grumpy Aucklanders raling (rattles in the breathing) about the forever rates rises, useless transport systems, hysterical house prices, and other indicators that They Have Arrived as a Real International City! woohoo.
How about co-leaders/mayors – one of each political persuasion – who are willing to work together for the greater good of all? (It happens! No need to gnash!) And have the background experience to actually bring this off. Preferably NOT old hacks from the local government brigade.
I wonder if Dame Margaret has repented – and might know a few possibles. Time to be asking, perhaps. We can’t have Auckland flailing around for much longer.
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Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Law and Order New Zealand First welcomes the deployment of an Eagle Police helicopter in Christchurch in what is a step towards fulfilling its long-standing goal to increase the use of police helicopters for the front line, particularly in addressing the scourge of fleeing drivers. Christchurch leads ...
It may have been the first sitting week of 2020, but our Government is already in full-swing - managing a strong economy, investing in infrastructure, and working to break the cycle of homelessness. Read below for all that, and more... ...
In a heated debate in Parliament, National's Deputy Leader Paula Bennett claimed that “nearly 1600 patched gang members have been added” since the Coalition Government took power. To illustrate her point, she altered a chart used by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to show her government’s progress in housing to instead ...
Speech by the Rt Hon Winston Peters at Parliament’s Opening 2020 "We all need insurance" This year New Zealanders are going to have a clear choice to make That choice is between: Optimism versus pessimism; More progress versus back to the future; Investment versus divestment; Unity versus division. New Zealand ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has slammed the Board of Auckland Airport following the airport's runway closing twice within two weeks due to maintenance. Around 2,000 passengers were affected by last week’s runway closures, according to 1NEWS. Another maintenance closure on January 24 saw two international flights and three domestic flights ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Broadcasting New Zealand First supports the commissioning of a business case to assess the viability of a new public media entity. “A strong media environment is critical for a healthy democracy. New Zealand First is a strong supporter of a diverse, independent media,” New Zealand First broadcasting spokesperson ...
Pounamou and technology industries in the West Coast region are set to receive more than $2 million in Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) funding. This was announced by the Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau during Waitangi Day commemorations in Hokitika. He said $800,000 would be given to Development West ...
Clayton Mitchell MP, New Zealand First spokesperson for Labour and Industrial Relations Unemployment and wage growth numbers released by Stats NZ today demonstrate a labour market in good shape with unemployment falling to 4.0%, the underutilisation rate falling to an 11 year low, and wage growth at a 10-year high ...
Hon. Ron Mark, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Defence New Zealand First Spokesperson for Defence Ron Mark, welcomes the official opening of Te Rau Aroha, a new museum at Waitangi Treaty Grounds as part of our Coalition Agreement. “It is a great honour to be part of an effective Government ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime MinisterGood morning,Let us start with important acknowledgements.First, this special day, in remembrance of the 28th Maori Battalion, is also to honour all those men and women who have risked their lives in the service of our country.Second, special guest Robert ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand will look to build on its relationship with the United Kingdom and recommit to the European Union, after the country officially left the continental union recently. The Minister said New Zealand already cooperates closely with Britain on defence and security issues and has ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is delivering on its commitment to unlock the potential of Māori-owned land with investments up and down the country making a genuine difference to communities, Regional Economic Development Shane Jones says.At Waitangi last year, the Government ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister The Government is placing temporary entry restrictions into New Zealand on all foreign nationals travelling from, or transiting through mainland China to assist with the containment of the novel coronavirus and to protect New Zealand and the Pacific Islands from the disease. This ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little will travel to Berlin tomorrow to represent New Zealand at a high-level summit on nuclear disarmament. This year, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) celebrates 50 years since it entered into force. “New Zealand’s proud record and leadership on nuclear disarmament is unwavering, so it’s important we are present ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit two of New Zealand’s most important Pacific partners, Fiji and Australia, next week. The visit to Fiji will be the first by a New Zealand Prime Minister in four years and comes during the 50th anniversary of Fijian independence and diplomatic relations between our ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little and New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball, have today announced the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the location, and the membership of the Establishment Advisory Group. Colin Carruthers QC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the CCRC for an ...
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Agriculture Minister Hon Damien O’Connor co-announced the first horticultural finalists for the Ahuwhenua Trophy celebrating excellence in the Māori agricultural sector. The three finalists are Ngai Tukairangi Trust from Mt Maunganui, Otama Marere Trust from Tauranga, and Hineora Orchard Te Kaha 15B Ahuwhenua ...
A new kete of resources to strengthen support for students with dyslexia will provide extra tools for the new Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) as they start in schools, Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Minister launched the kete in Wellington this morning, at the first of three induction ...
The Government continues to make progress on a fairer and more secure rental market for renters and landlords with the First Reading of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill and its referral to the Social Services and Community Select Committee. “Now is the opportunity for landlords, tenants and others who want ...
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Hon James Marape will visit New Zealand from 21-25 February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have a warm and friendly relationship. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Marape here and strengthening the relationship between our two countries,” ...
Thousands of children have begun receiving a free lunch on every day of the school week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. The Government’s free and healthy school lunch programme is under way for 7,000 students at 31 schools in Hawke’s Bay / Tairāwhiti and Bay of Plenty / Waiariki, extending ...
The Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni today announced a new approach that continues to broaden the Government’s social sector focus from a narrow, investment approach to one centred on people and wellbeing. Minister Sepuloni said redefining the previous approach to social investment by combining science, data and lived experience ...
The Government is strengthening the Protected Disclosures Act to provide better protection for whistle blowers, Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures Act is meant to encourage people to speak up about serious wrongdoing in the workplace and protect them from losing their jobs or being ...
Nǐn hǎo (Hello in Mandarin). Xīn Nián Kuài Lè (Happy New Year in Mandarin) Néi Hóu (Hello in Cantonese). Sun Nin Fai Lok (Happy New Year in Cantonese) Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you for your invitation to attend this celebration today. I would like to acknowledge ...
Kia ora. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. Nau mai haere mai ki te Whare Pāremata. E ngā mana whenua ki tēnei rohe Taranaki Whānui, Te Upoko o Te Ika, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa – kei te mihi, kei te mihi, kei te mihi. E ngā mana, e ...
Kia ora. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. Nau mai haere mai ki te Whare Pāremata. E ngā mana whenua ki tēnei rohe Taranaki Whānui, Te Upoko o Te Ika, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa – kei te mihi, kei te mihi, kei te mihi. E ngā mana, e ngā ...
Tougher penalties for gun crime are a step closer with the passage of firearms reform legislation through another stage in Parliament. The Arms Legislation Bill has tonight passed its Second Reading. “The changes have one objective - to prevent firearms falling into the wrong hands,” said Police Minister Stuart Nash. ...
Introduction Mr Speaker We all know why we are here today. It has been a long journey. The journey did not actually begin on 15 March 2019. It began on 30 June 1997. Almost 23 years ago, Justice Sir Thomas Thorp told us what was wrong with our firearms legislation. ...
The Government’s work to put trades and vocational education back on the agenda took another major step forward today with the passing of the Education (Vocational Education and Training Reform) Amendment Bill, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “This is a watershed day for trades and vocational education. These law changes formalise ...
Speeding up the return of Christchurch regeneration activities to local leadership is behind the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament today by Minister Megan Woods. “As we approach nine years since the February 2011 earthquake in Canterbury, and with the transition to local leadership well underway, the time ...
Hundreds of New Zealanders and international visitors will be able to get back out into nature with the Milford Track partially reopening next week, after extensive assessments and repairs, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The popular Great Walk has been closed since 3 February after an extreme ...
Up to 110 new EV chargers nationwide in cities and regions 50 electric vehicles for ride-sharing The Government is helping deliver more infrastructure and options for low emissions transport through new projects, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. Tauranga, Nelson, Levin, New Plymouth and Oamaru are just some ...
New Zealanders are increasingly better off under this Government as wages rise and families have more disposable income, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. Stats NZ reported today that average household disposable incomes after housing costs rose 4.9% in 2019. This was the highest rise in four years and came as ...
All New Zealanders need to have their voices heard at work to ensure we have an inclusive and productive economy. Today we introduce a Bill to do this for workers in the New Zealand screen industry, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “The Screen Industry Workers Bill will ...
The Government has announced further help for the Southland and Otago regions to speed up recovery efforts from the floods. “I’ve approved Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG), making $500,000 available to help with the clean-up in Fiordland, Southland, and the Clutha district in Otago,” Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said. ...
Following the announcement that more than 340 schools will be funded to run events promoting vocational education, the Government has announced it will fund a further 257 events to be run by employers and industry. “These industry-run events will allow more than 30,000 students to connect with more than 2,000 ...
Today the Government is making progress on a fairer and more secure rental market for renters and landlords with the introduction of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill in Parliament. “This Bill includes a series of reforms to improve the wellbeing of the 609,700 households that live in rented homes, and ...
A Government programme to wipe out pea weevil has achieved a world first, with Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor today announcing the successful eradication of the noxious pest from Wairarapa. This means the nearly four-year ban on pea plants and pea straw was lifted today. Commercial and home gardeners can again grow ...
Southland residents hit by flooding caused by heavy rainfall can now access help finding temporary accommodation with the Government activating the Temporary Accommodation Service, Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare announced today. “The Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to help ...
“Is that it?” That’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s response to Simon Bridges’ much-hyped economic speech today. “Simon Bridges just gave the most over-hyped and under-delivered speech that I can remember during my time in politics,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s not surprising. Simon Bridges literally said on the radio this morning ...
A trial deployment of the Police Eagle helicopter in Christchurch will test whether the aircraft would make a significant difference to crime prevention and community safety. “The Bell 429 helicopter will be based in Christchurch for five weeks, from 17 February to 20 March,” said Police Minister Stuart Nash. “The ...
The Government has kept up the pace of its work to promote New Zealand’s trade interests and diversify our export markets, with visits to Fiji and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker. Building momentum to bring the PACER Plus trade and development agreement ...
The Coalition Government’s investment in a strong border and disrupting transnational organised crime produced record results for stopping drugs in 2019, says Minister of Customs Jenny Salesa. The illegal drugs were seized at the New Zealand border by Customs, and overseas by Customs’ international border partners before the drugs could ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today kicked off construction of a separated cycleway alongside Tamaki Drive. A two-way separated cycleway will be built along the northern side of Tamaki Drive, between the Quay Street Cycleway extension and Ngapipi Road. There will be a separate walking path alongside. Phil Twyford said giving ...
Owner-occupiers of unit and apartments living in earthquake-prone buildings will have certainty about the financial support they’ll be eligible for with the release of criteria for an upcoming assistance scheme, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa says. The Residential Earthquake-Prone Building Financial Assistance Scheme will help unit owners facing ...
Temporary restrictions on travel from China will remain in place as a precautionary measure to protect against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The restrictions which prevent foreign nationals travelling from, or transiting through, mainland China from entering New Zealand have been extended for a further 8 days. This position ...
Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today that Tairāwhiti rangatahi will benefit from an investment made by the Government’s He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) scheme. The funding will go to the Tautua Village, Kauneke programme and the Matapuna Supported Employment Programme which will fund 120 rangatahi over two years. “Both programmes work ...
All parents and caregivers need to ensure that their children go to school unless they are sick, Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin said today. “The school attendance results for 2019 show, across the board, a drop in the number of students going to school regularly,” the Minister says. “Apart from ...
A Deed of Settlement agreeing redress for historical Treaty claims has been signed by the Crown and Moriori at Kōpinga Marae on Rēkohu (Chatham Islands) today, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little has announced. Moriori have a tradition of peace that extends back over 600 years. This settlement ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today with Māori King Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII officially opened the country’s newest road, the $384 million Huntly section of the Waikato Expressway. The 15km four-lane highway with side and central safety barriers takes State Highway 1 east of Huntly town, across lowlands and streams ...
The rapid uptake of life-saving new hepatitis C medicine Maviret since it was funded by PHARMAC a year ago means the elimination of the deadly disease from this country is a realistic goal, Health Minister David Clark says. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus which attacks the liver, proving fatal ...
Kaupapa Māori will underpin the Government’s new plan to deal with homelessness announced by the Prime Minister in Auckland this morning. “Māori are massively overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness, so, to achieve different outcomes for Māori, we have to do things very differently,” says the Minister of Māori Development ...
1000 new transitional housing places delivered by end of year to reduce demand for emergency motel accommodation. Introduce 25% of income payment, after 7 days, for those in emergency motel accommodation to bring in line with other forms of accommodation support. Over $70m extra to programmes that prevents those at ...
The Labour Party says it has received money from two of the people facing charges in relation to National Party donations but says they were above board. ...
New Zealand First’s action to halt the introduction of a ‘feebate’ scheme designed to support the nation’s transition to low-emission vehicles is a leap back into the industrial age, says Drive Electric Chairman Mark Gilbert. “While ...
Staff expenses at the Reserve Bank – which have increased by an average 4.4% a year since 2009/11 – surged by 14.8% in the 12 months to 2018/19. Total staff numbers increased by an average 3.4 a year during those nine years but shot up by 19 in 2018/19 from ...
The Socialist Equality Group is holding a protest rally on Sunday February 23 in Wellington to demand freedom for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Sunday 23 February, 3:00pm Cuba Street (Left Bank intersection) ...
By Felipe F. Salvosa II in Manila ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Lopez Katigbak has broken his silence amid the controversy over renewal of the Philippine TV giant’s broadcast franchise, which expires in one month. Katigbak, in a video posted on the ABS-CBN News site and aired over flagship ...
RNZ management wants to grow a youth audience without having to build a costly new platform. Anna Dean offers a bunch – none of which involves scrapping RNZ Concert.Over the next few weeks RNZ National Concert staff are set to take part in strategy workshops focused on “growth in audience reach, ...
Today LockerRoom brings you the first episode of Pure As, a mini documentary series on the Silver Ferns' personal journeys to World Cup glory. So much of the magic and composure Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio brings to the netball court today was learned from years of sitting on the ...
"He was an energy vacuum, a shit magnet, a waste of skin": a black comedy by Nelson writer Grant Smithies. The stars he saw were blue, green, golden. Little lights swam around slowly, then went out one by one. His face felt hot. His left eye wasn’t working. And ...
Yes, it’s still summer and, en route to that final festival or beach bolt-hole, the season of the road trip. Here Spinoff Art co-editor Mark Amery runs down some of the best North Island contemporary art stopovers, and the mavericks behind them. We cross the Cook Strait next year, promise.Back ...
The Star Wars prequels are universally regarded as the nadir of the franchise, but at least they gave us spinoff series The Clone Wars, writes Sam BrooksNobody likes the Star Wars prequels. Though that statement is slightly hyperbolic, it’s not far from the truth. Even if you can make a ...
Jai Breitnauer on what happens when male role models start disappearing from a child’s life.Recently, we saw a ghost from the past. Once a regular visitor to our home, there just after the birth of our first child and a constant presence for more than a decade, this individual disappeared ...
Dragon Quest: Your Story feels like an hour-and-a-half-long highlight reel of an adventure spanning dozens of hours, but it’s damn fun, writes Felix Walton.One of Netflix’s current hustles seems to be grabbing movies with little to no hope of a wide release and publishing them as “Netflix Originals.” The latest ...
The Ministry of Education is proposing a number of changes to NCEA Level One, including the merging of several subjects to be phased in over the next five years. Felix Walton looks into how, and why, these changes are happening.Why are they changing things now?They aren’t changing things now, per ...
Pacific Media Centre Chinese authorities are systematically harassing Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic groups even after they have left the country, according to new testimonies gathered by Amnesty International. Uyghur New Zealanders were among those interviewed, despite the threat of further intimidation. The case studies, published online today, reveal ...
A victim of the Generate KiwiSaver hack is considering legal action to seek compensation for stress and the risk of identity theft. One of the 26,000 KiwiSavers who had personal information, including their physical address, IRD number, bank statements and identification, stolen by an unknown third party has sought advice ...
Healthcare appliance manufacturer Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has upped its profit forecasts for the third time this year, with increased sales off the back of the coronavirus. The company now expects a full year net profit of between $260 and $270 million, up 1.9 percent on its previous forecast. Chief ...
Power company Genesis Energy has taken a significant financial hit and lowered its guidance, because of lower hydro generation and gas shortages. Net profit for the six months ended December fell 81.4 percent to $9.2 million, from slightly lower revenue of $1.3 billion. Lower inflows for its hydro power stations ...
Kiwibank's first half profit is down on flat revenue growth and increased operations and compliance costs. The New Zealand-owned bank's net profit fell 18 percent to $51 million in the six months to December, compared with the year earlier's $62m. "As expected the bank faced rising operating costs due to ...
The New Zealand Bar Association has urged Parliament to balance carefully the need to reform legislation in respect of sexual violence with the need to ensure that only the guilty are convicted. The Association told the Justice Select Committee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Michelle Grattan talks with Assistant Professor Caroline Fisher about the week in politics, including the extension of the coronavirus travel ban, the royal commission into the bushfires, and labor’s stance on a compulsory superannuation guarantee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary Steen, Professor of Midwifery, University of South Australia In a new parenting podcast, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, said she used hypnobirthing techniques to help her get through severe morning sickness – a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. She also used the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Alexander, Research fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne This article is the first in a three-part series on radical ideas to solve the environmental crisis. As the Productivity Commission confirmed this week, Australia’s economy has enjoyed uninterrupted growth for ...
The Nats are accusing Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor of being slow to act on a tuberculosis outbreak in Hawke’s Bay. Is it a fair cop? OSPRI confirmed an outbreak in Hawke’s Bay in April last year, but a disease management response wasn’t put in place until October, National agriculture spokesman ...
Porirua City Council is scratching its head on how it's going to meet the costs of a $2 billion bill to bring its water network up to scratch over the next two to three decades. ...
The sentencing of Grace Millane’s killer to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years marks the end of a judicial process that can only have been extremely harrowing for her family. They had already experienced the loss of their daughter, ...
Twenty years ago, Auckland’s streets were ruled by diesel-hating narcs. Josie Adams looks back at the short-lived 0800 SMOKEY campaign.For five chaotic weeks in 2000, the Auckland Regional Council experimented with extreme, multi-level peer pressure. The goal: to get cleaner-burning fuel into Auckland cars. The method: turning citizens against each ...
The National Party donations scandal that had nothing to do with the National Party was the big news of the week. James Elliott has some thoughts on that. Simon Bridges has climbed into double digits as preferred Prime Minister in the latest political polling which is significant for two reasons. ...
He thought he’d moved on, but the news the Holden brand was being killed off hit Trevor McKewen harder than he expected. Here he reminisces about a youthful infatuation that never quite burned out.A part of me died this week and I didn’t see it coming.Holden has shut up shop ...
Today the unnamed man found guilty of murdering Grace Millane was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 17. “One person has been locked away but are New Zealand women any safer?” asks White Ribbon Manager Rob McCann. “We certainly ...
Pacific Media Watch An Australian federal court decision upholding the legality of the police raid on the Sydney headquarters of the national public broadcaster ABC last June has dealt a major blow to the protection of journalists’ sources and poses a grave danger for the future of public interest ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Picador, $20)What is going on, Auckland? Is it just ...
A poem by US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo.The FightThe rising sun paints the feet of night-crawling enemies. And they scatter into the burning hills. I have fought each of them. I know them by name. From before I could speak. I’ve used every weapon. To make them retreat. Yet they ...
A string of toy companies are facing legal action for selling unsafe toys that pose choking hazards for young children. Yesterday, Cinevan International was fined $81,000 and another four companies are before the courts. Businesses have been using a sticker on the packaging saying 'not suitable for children under three' ...
The Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee, Gareth Hughes, is calling for public submissions on the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which was referred to the committee on 20 February 2020. The Residential Tenancies Act ...
ANALYSIS:By Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has embarked on a state visit to New Zealand. It is the first visit to New Zealand by a sitting PNG prime minister since Marape’s predecessor Peter O’Neill’s trip in 2013. Marape, who rolled O’Neill ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s contentDonations scandals Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Who are the people at the centre of the SFO political donation row? Collette ...
Policyholders fear the sale of AMP LIfe to a Bermuda-based 'zombie fund guru' could leave them stranded because a legal gap means the FMA is powerless to protect them ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Giancaspro, Lecturer in Law, University of Adelaide When booking a luxury cruise, you generally expect relaxation and enjoyment, not forced quarantine and distress. Unfortunately, for the thousands of vacationers trapped on cruise ships in Asia the past month, what started as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Courtney Hempton, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University The Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board has this week published a report detailing the first six months of the legislation in action in Victoria. The report reveals 52 people legally ended their lives from the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blanca del Rosal Rabes, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Swinburne University of Technology Brain temperature is implicated in many common conditions including stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and headaches. Changes in brain temperature can indicate there is a disease developing, but researchers ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese will commit a Labor government to adopting a target of zero net emissions by 2050, in a speech titled “Leadership in a New Climate” to be delivered on Friday. The opposition leader’s embrace ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy N. W. Jackson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Australian Venom Research Unit, University of Melbourne This is an article from I’ve Always Wondered, a series where readers send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. Send your question to alwayswondered@theconversation.edu.auWho would ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamen Franklen Gussen, Lecturer in Law, Swinburne University of Technology In 1971, a Time magazine article, titled “Should New York City Be the 51st State?”, observed: States have not only short-changed and hamstrung their cities but are themselves the least creative ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ida Kubiszewski, Associate professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Labor’s treasury spokesman, Jim Chalmers, wants to follow New Zealand’s example and introduce a “wellbeing budget” alongside the traditional budget that stresses economic growth, when Labor is next in office. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona Andreallo, Honorary research fellow, University of Sydney A sea of oversized hair bows bobs through primary school gates each morning. It might be dismissed as a harmless children’s fad but big bows are back, driven by current fashions, tween influencers and ...
The Government of New Zealand has recognized that the country is facing a housing crisis, said Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, at the end of her visit to the country . “While the Government has taken important steps ...
Survey results released today by the Helen Clark Foundation and the New Zealand Drug Foundation show that support for cannabis legalisation grows when people know more about the proposed legislation. When respondents were asked how they would vote ...
In today’s edition: Views on cannabis legalisation could hardly be tighter, the Papua New Guinea PM arrives in NZ, and bad light threatens cricket on the radio.A new poll published this morning finds that 46% of those surveyed would vote yes, and 44% no, with 10% undecided. That’s a markedly different ...
Actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand Te Atamira, a long-time champion of the arts, and te reo Māoriis the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year for 2020. Mark Jennings reports on the night that honours the best of us. What does it mean to be a New Zealander? The question was posed by ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve Braunias.FICTION 1 In the Clearing by JP Pomare (Hachette, $34.99) All next week at ReadingRoom is devoted to this brilliant thriller inspired by Australian cult The Family, led by ...
‘A life-changing experience’, ‘The greatest of the great! It must be experienced!’, ‘That show with the dancing lady on the billboard.’ Shen Yun ads are impossible to avoid, but what on earth is it?So what is Shen Yun?According to the Shen Yun website: “It is a brilliant artistic revival ...
Georgia Hale's tireless and compassionate work, using her sport of rugby league to create opportunities for many different communities, has earned her the title of Young New Zealander of the Year. As soon as she left high school, Georgia Hale began working with children with intellectual disabilities. It changed her ...
A new, "true green" party hoping to break into Parliament at this year's election has been hit by resignations and allegations of questionable conduct, Newsroom's political editor Sam Sachdeva reports Fledgling political party Sustainable New Zealand has been rocked by a flurry of resignations and allegations of questionable behaviour by its ...
"To the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters who hear the music bubbling within, please speak up. We need to hear your voices." These are the words of Hildur Guðnadóttir, who recently accepted the Oscar for best original score for the film Joker at the 92nd ...
Dr Amanda Landers discusses the stigma associated with palliative care and why the field deserves recognition Scalpels are a powerful tool in medicine, but words can be just as mighty. Some medical specialties are easy to comprehend - they cut, stitch, unblock, restart or fix. Others are just too hard ...
A Northland property stockpiled one million litres of flammable and toxic chemicals. Almost two years since the situation came to the attention of authorities, the poorly stored solvents remain a fire and environmental risk. While Government agencies struggled to get a polluter to clean up his mess, up to one million ...
A rare visit by a prime minister of Papua New Guinea to New Zealand highlights a strong friendship, but one which could be closer, writes Johnny Blades for RNZ.Papua New Guinea’s James Marape has embarked on a state visit to New Zealand. It’s the first visit to New Zealand by ...
Plant-based food producers ‘stigmatise and demonise’ traditional agriculture, according to Jones, but those working in the new industry say it should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat. NZ First minister Shane Jones’ suggestion that plant-based food must be “stopped in its tracks” has been labelled concerning, negligent and anti-competitive ...
The prospect of going to the Red Planet is possibly a step closer with the US President's State of the Nation speech, in which he promises we will land there. The chances of anything coming from Mars - according to the 1978 Jeff Wayne musical War of the Worlds - are ...
Jennifer Ward-Lealand’s dedication to acting, directing and te ao Māori saw her named the 2020 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year at a special dinner in Auckland last night. Alice Webb-Liddall speaks to her about how she hopes to nurture the future of the craft that has given her so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Seen as a political narrative, the Morrison government’s handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) fits the patterns of its approaches on border security and anti-terrorism. Stressing the central imperative is to “keep Australians safe”, it has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The coronavirus is presenting a major threat to Australia’s education export industry, which is highly dependant upon the China market, and a huge challenge to the universities. Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The corona virus is presenting a major threat to Australia’s education export industry, which is highly dependant upon the China market, and a huge challenge to the universities. Phillip Honeywood, CEO of the International Education ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacey L Rowe, PhD candidate, Monash University Today’s evacuation of about 180 passengers from the cruise ship Diamond Princess to serve another period of quarantine back in Australia has raised questions about the best way to control spread of the coronavirus. The ...
Why John Banks must never be the Super City Mayor 
Last week the Wall Street Journal published an article ‘The Dangerous Denial of Sex by two scientists Colin Wright and Emma Hilton. Write is an evolutionary biologist at Penn State and Hilton is a developmental biologist at the University of Manchester. It is well worth reading the article in full. Here ...5 hours ago
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I guess the other side of that coin is when rich white guys steal from us through tax avoidance and wage theft.
If we let them sit around tables and make anonymous donations to political parties, they’ll always be planning a new way to take money from the rest of us.
+11111
😈
we now have two situations with Banks,
1. Received remuneration as an executive director of Hujlich but knew nothing of the CEOs operating or his fiddling the books ( not an executive director is different from a director. An ED is more hands on)
2. Did not read a crucial form relating to transparency and corruption in politics before signing it
Neither of these attributes is of ANY use in a Mayor in our biggest city.
Well he won’t be as bad Len Brown and hes going to be cleared of charges so theres that
Did you watch the video? Banks is a hateful bigot.
Do you remember what he said about homosexuals needing 6 inches of barbed wire shoved up their arses?
Do you remember the recording of him lying through his teeth about Dotcom? Here you go: http://www.radiolive.co.nz/VIDEO-Hes-a-married-man—John-Banks/tabid/504/articleID/27689/Default.aspx
He also has some serious shortcomings around finances and governance, as Tracey notes above.
On the other hand Len Brown banged an Asian chick, so you’re probably right. 🙄
Don’t forget his foot n mouth about sth akld folk on the eve of one mayorlty election that cost him dear, then there was the one he lost to Hubbard cos jaffa’s seemed utterly sick of the man.
Wonder what Michelle thinks.
“Do you remember what he said about homosexuals needing 6 inches of barbed wire shoved up their arses?”
That’s an appalling thing to say have you got a link as it needs to be brought up at election time if he ever does decide to run again.
Yep he’s a truly awful little man. http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=john+banks+barbed+wire
I’d be more concerned about the rates rises Aucklands getting to pay for Lens train set
You wouldnt be if you bothered to read up about our transport problems rather than regurgitate myth laden lines
Ok Tracey, maybe the CRL will sort out your transport issues for you in the central auckland area, but it aint going to solve squat in the outer Akl suburbs. Especially around the manufacturing hubs. Maybe you are the one who needs to understand the issue fully.
Can you explain how increasing the capacity of the rail network to be able to carry more trains more frequently only affects one part of the network?
The CRL will increase property values everywhere within 10 minutes walking time of any station in the system and will dramatically increase the value of the CBD properties close to the new stations on the CRL. The main failure of the Council is not to explain this and also to not plan the capture of this increase in value to pay for the loans required to build the structure. The main failure of the government on this issue is to try to stab Auckland in the CRL heart in the same way a former National government decided to reduce the planned 8 lane Harbour Bridge down to 4 lanes, forcing the later and much more expensive installation of the Nippon Clip-Ons. The CRL will be part of the national rail system. It should be fully funded by government and it should have been started yesterday.
And THAT fundamental misunderstanding of the loop is exactly why people like you need to stop forming your opinions from soundbites. Actually go to transport blog and gen zero sites and read their proposals. Then you will understand the loop is a means to an end not the end.
The loop will enable easier transition from different directions, it will free up britomart making it possible to run trains from the outer suburbs more frequently.
Perhaps Rob the one thing we can agree is that more roads isnt the answer for the outer suburbs?
My view is that Brown is too impatient in wanting the CRL to go ahead at ‘his’ time frame. Auckland was always going to get it, just as it was always going to get electrification.
Personally I think he should have stuck to consolidating and tweaking the existing network (including the new trains) and getting that working right — that includes, buses, ferries, roads and cycleways, then perhaps in 2020-25, build the CRL. Also, dedicated busways (future proofed for light rail) should have replaced rail to the airport and north shore.
That said, the CRL is not a new idea — that socialist green Marxist, Gordon Coates, railways minister in the far left communist United-Reform coalition government supported both electrification AND the CBD tunnel, back in the 1920’s.
you mean rates rises due to the way act deliberately mucked up the super city
nearly all the rates money goes to CCOs
still waiting for a thank you from the rich parts of auckland for their rates subsidy from the poor parts as well
Of course you are.
You haven’t bothered:
1. Following the structure of Auckland Council that Rodney Hide set up in contradiction to Royal Commission recommendations for amalgamation, that has caused myriad transparency and accountability issues and included the complete separation of Auckland Transport from Auckland Council,
2. Recognised that the National government (without credible evidence) ensured the focus of the NZTA to roading, roading, roading which impacted on local government budgets,
3. Have any kind of idea on planning and the benefits of access to alternative transport methods in terms of social, community, environmental and financial wellbeing for NZers,
4. Given any consideration to the impact climate change transitions (planned or catastrophic) will have on our quality of life and how good public transport systems put in place will go some way to alleviating that impact…
There’s more but you seem unlikely to read anything that shows how simple answers to complex questions often cause further problems.
Public transport access – if only considered in the short term financial aspect will never be profitable. But that is a fool’s paradise in a parking lot.
We need to do better than that, despite all attempts of National to make it about Len Brown (one vote on a council) and dismissal of any other means of funding it.
Not more fud about the trains. Would you rater pay for a train-set that will cost you less in the long term and actually start making its money back while fixing the cities traffic problems or pay for the NActs complicated road system that will do little to reduce traffic congestion in the long term and just rack up the rates to help produce more traffic congestion and in city pollution?
The original Auckland city rail system was called a white elephant that will hardly be used by anyone by National when it was proposed and built. Within a very short time it has in fact become to popular and is getting closer and closer to reaching maximum capability without the rail upgrades.
I think it’s cruel and bigoted to be judgemental when conservative politicians inadvertently reveal their secret fetishes.
By cleared of charges you mean “Has enough money to lawyer his way out of appropriate punishment for his actions.”
And it’s not even true.
He’s being re-tried. That means he is charged.
going to be cleared eh PR, care to provide evidence of this prediction or inside knowledge of a done deal.
None except thats what its looking like however if I’m wrong you can point out to me I’m wrong, if i’m proven right well then there’ll be some crowing from me
Being found not guilty will not change that he did this
. Did not read a crucial form relating to transparency and corruption in politics before signing it
Coupled with his hujlich incompetence you want him in charge of rates!?? Is that you Michelle?
A good rule of thumb is that if you’re posting right wing stuff, you’re generally going to be wrong.
Hey PR, weren’t you just banned for 3 years on another thread?
Think you’ve got the wrong guy there buddy
Nah, it’s here. Check it out: /open-mike-03122014/#comment-934865
3 years, fuck me.
Yep definately got the wrong guy
Eh? I don’t understand. Did you check the link? 3 years.
Fuck, I’ve always assumed Pucks and The Gormless Fool were one and the same operative (same “sense of humour”, same rhetorical strategies, rarely if ever turn up on the same thread) but hadn’t realised Chris73 was yet another of his personas.
??!???
but he has no skills. Refer my post above, and the video…
Cmon Puck
Banks is snide as f*#K , even a mug like you must be able to see that ?
hes a weasely little bugger who reminds me of penfold from danger mouse
I wouldnt let him near my kids , let alone run a city !
So you’re ok with Lens broken promises on rates rises or in some cases massive rates rises?
What it boils down to is running a city and Banks would be better than Brown having said that i’m sure there’re better candidates then either of them
WTF do i care about rates rises ?
I DO care about banks gaming the justice system, being a homophobe, and just being plain creepy..
Lens a bad boy its true and there are better candidates out there, just not at the banks place..
Given that I know what the rates rises under Len will be for, and that something is actually going to help all Auckland yes I am OK with it. Also Len didn’t lie about rate rises, he did foolishly think that a tory-hack government might actually pay for stuff that Aucklanders want, now he is saying he wants to do it without the government and is asking us how we want to do that.
I know that there will be similar rate rises if banks got in (albeit maybe 0.5% lower) but it won’t be going to pay for anything useful; probably only his own salary/perks.
There has never been a tory hack who hasn’t seen rates/taxes and not wanted to take them all for themselves
Actually under Banks you might find your RATES don’t increase so much, but you will almost certainly find water BILLS, road CHARGES and TICKET PRICES will skyrocket. These increases will of course hit the poorer parts of our community harder than the richer parts.
Ahh yes, the rates rises. One of the major justifications for creating the super city was of course so the council could save costs and reduce rates, fat chance of that ever working. Still its surprising how many people in other potential super city regions want to amalgamate councils to try to lower rates!
Of course I could not think of a nicer city to experiment on – cheers for the lesson from Wellington.
Some Aucklanders will end up with lower rates.
All the poor areas will end up paying higher rates, but those in the well off areas will find that their rates will now most likely go down.
After all the council revaluations and the rates ceiling being thrown out? You have got to be joking! Most peoples rates will be going up in Auckland, and they are clearly taking in more money this year.
Proportionally values are going up more in the poorer areas than the well off ones.
As a result a higher proportion of rates will now be paid by poorer people who can least afford it.
And yep there’ll be some poor old superannuant who has lived all their life in what is now a well off area who won’t be able to afford it but at least she’ll have a choice to sell her now highly valued property and move to a lower cost area with some money in the bank.
Those in the poorer areas don’t really have the option to move to an even poorer area.
Banks wouldn’t have run it if he’d won. He would have had the puppet master Joyce’s arm up his arse, selling off holdings in assets like AIAL and PoAL etc, essentially doing NAct Govt’s bidding of emasculating local representation as they originally planned for in creating the SuperCity to start with.
Interesting pr turns up the moment c73 is banned for 3 years.
Just another persona of the same tr***
Can you explain how and why Banks would be a good mayor for auckland, regardless of whether len brown runs, with direct reference to…
1. Banks received remuneration as an executive director of Hujlich but knew nothing of the CEOs operating or his fiddling the books ( not an executive director is different from a director. An ED is more hands on)
2. Did not read a crucial form relating to transparency and corruption in politics before signing it.
Penfold was a good guy so I don’t see him as a John Banks kind of character.
I think he is more like the slimy Baron Silas Greenback the toad with a wheezy voice.
If Banks truely has nothing to fear, nothing to hide, then he will testify from the witness box in his upcoming retrial.
Last time he hid behind the skirts of various women who went into the witness box.
I think the video of him eating his own ear-wax is a more powerful statement as to why he should never hold power.
Yeah not a good look really
Mr Banks won’t be bothered by Dotcom again.
On RT (Russian Television) news last night it was announced that Kim Dotcom said that he is about to launch the Internet Party in America to provided an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans and he described himself as ‘Hilary’s worst nightmare.
‘
It was a serious news item so I assume he is planning to go to the USA voluntarily.
“It was a serious news item so I assume he is planning to go to the USA voluntarily.”
ahhhh i don’t think that’s actually necessary
you know being the “internet” party and all..
set up, not stand for president.
Like alan gibbs created rodney hide, bank rolls ACT but doesnt run for parliament.
For much of my adult life this sack of tory filth arrayed in suit clad mockery of the human form–Archibald Banks–has been on the political stage.
His record as Nat MP, Minister, co-opted ACToid and Auckland Mayor speaks for itself, selling off pensioner housing, threatening ‘boy racers’ while securing prime carparks for his Bentley and Harley at Council HQ, gay bashing till he needed the gay vote, racist beyond compare, reactionary host of subterranean talk back radio.
He holds grudges, still miffed he did not win the Supercity first time round. He must be denied a further opportunity at all costs.
” still miffed he did not win the Supercity first time round”
They really thought they had it in the bag.
I remember watching a presentation on television where John Key introduced John Banks as “the first mayor of Auckland Supercity” before the first elections were held.
The fact that Len Brown won has had two outcomes.
1. They have hated him ever since.
2. They have also hated “those” they think voted him in. Policies reflect this disdain.
If the Left can’t put up a candidate who can beat Banks* we’ve got problems. For one thing his attempt to muddy the evidential waters has to succeed first.
If the Cabbage Boat Caesar is the best the Right can come up with, so have they.
* imagine a tone of derisive contempt when you say the word.
Banks is a dinosaur. If it’s a stretch to call him “vile”, it’s not a stretch to say he’s manifestly unfit to hold high public office in the 21st century.
The new evidence that Bank’s wife got the court to consider that got the charges dismissed is also very shonky.
Dot Com says the two guys she tracked down to testify they never heard anything mentioned about the donation where not there at the time of the donation discussion meeting but at a different time during another meeting between banks and Dot Com.
It is my understanding that Banks has not been exonerated and could still face a retrial. They should send him back to trial for this so the new so called evidence can under cross examination be weighed up.
seriously put a picture of banks and penfold together,
its uncanny !
Without the glasses he looks more like Baron Silas Greenback though.
Oh my god is John Banks Clark Kenting us?
Is he the real Baron Silas Greenback.
Is anyone local willing to unbundle Auckland and come up with a more effective and efficient city management system?
Is there any political party with the will to modify Mr Hide’s fantasy in, say, 2017 and onwards.
Not a week passes without grumpy Aucklanders raling (rattles in the breathing) about the forever rates rises, useless transport systems, hysterical house prices, and other indicators that They Have Arrived as a Real International City! woohoo.
How about co-leaders/mayors – one of each political persuasion – who are willing to work together for the greater good of all? (It happens! No need to gnash!) And have the background experience to actually bring this off. Preferably NOT old hacks from the local government brigade.
I wonder if Dame Margaret has repented – and might know a few possibles. Time to be asking, perhaps. We can’t have Auckland flailing around for much longer.