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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The Government’s commitment to support literacy and numeracy training in the workplace is a strong signal from Government on recognising the importance of upskilling, reskilling and increasing productivity alongside their commitment to address the challenges ...
“The infrastructure sector sees a major role for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga in lifting the nation’s sagging infrastructure performance,” says Paul Blair, incoming CEO of Infrastructure NZ. ...
The AA is calling on the Government to bring forward critical highway projects while time is spent properly developing the plans for a rapid transit system in Auckland. ...
Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, DHBs spent $280 million treating patients due to adverse drug reactions, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in its latest briefing paper on health productivity . ...
The Pay Equity Coalition Auckland (PECA) is pleased the gender pay gap has decreased slightly. Statistics released today show the gap is now 11.9%, nearly 2 percent less than last year. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to make sure they pass on any information they have to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques before submissions close tomorrow (Friday). ...
The big electricity companies consider solar energy “disruptive” and want pricing to suppress it. In contrast, advocates of local energy say that solar, energy efficiency, and other local energy solutions are the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions. ...
The Earthquake Commission and Shine Lawyers are delighted to announce that EQC has reached an agreement with the Gibling family, agreeing to cover the cost of repairs of remaining earthquake damage on their property. ...
Four months into the inquiry, the Royal Commission is gathering significant information and continues to receive valuable submissions from the public, from current and former State servants, experts and community groups. ...
While Fish & Game New Zealand is pleased to see Federated Farmers Environment Spokesperson Chris Allen say that 'we all want good, fresh water', he conveniently overlooks some key facts. ...
What: Wellington demo “Save the Amazon Forest/Salve a Amazônia!” When: Friday, 6 September 2019 from 12:30-13:30 Where: Embassy of Brazil in Wellingtona ...
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, welcomes the visit of His Excellency Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. ...
A cross political Mental Health and Addictions Wellbeing group will be launched on Wednesday 28 August hosted by Sir John Kirwan and Moe Milne (ONZM) who have both been at the forefront of our country’s often difficult conversations about mental ...
Confirmation that the government will be progressing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office is great news for democracy and transparency, Federated Farmers says. ...
Ruby Porter on the first novel by acclaimed Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong. I came across Ocean Vuong’s poetry collection Night Sky With Exit Wounds last year. I read it twice in one day. I was staying outside of New York, at the time, and taking the train in each morning. I ...
A War Story is one more attempt in a long line of art to make sense of 9/11 – this time from a uniquely Kiwi perspective.The coordinated terrorist attacks on September 11 2001 cut a razor-sharp divide between the relatively carefree time before and everything after, bleeding into ...
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 content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Privacy breach at Ministry for Culture and Heritage Audrey Young (Herald): How latest privacy breach ...
Auckland mayoral rival John Tamihere is pitching himself as a low-cost candidate but the incumbent Phil Goff says Mr Tamihere lacks a basic understanding of finances. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elyse Methven, Lecturer in Law, University of Technology Sydney As the state election loomed last year, the NSW government rushed through a new crime targeting drug suppliers. A person who supplies a prohibited drug for profit can now be prosecuted for homicide ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Talbot-Jones, Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington Last week, voter enrolment for the 2019 local government elections closed in New Zealand and concerns about low voter turnout resurfaced. During a panel discussion run by Auckland Council, the idea was raised to pay ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Dunk, Research Fellow, University of Sydney Last week, one of the world’s leading medical journals declared the medical community must act now to limit the health effects of climate change. In a stark editorial, readers of the New England Journal of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Goss, School Education Program Director, Grattan Institute Australia’s young high achievers are turning their backs on teaching. They want to make a difference in their careers, and they are interested in teaching, but when it comes to the crunch they choose ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carl Grodach, Professor and Director of Urban Planning & Design, Monash University Since 2000, planning authorities in Australia have overseen a massive rezoning of inner-city industrial land to make way for mixed-use residential development. They claim central industrial space is obsolete in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lara Owen, PhD Candidate, Monash University Last week, menstrual pad brand Libra launched their Blood Normal commercial in Australia, running it during prime time television shows including The Bachelor, The Project, and Gogglebox. Australia is a little late to the party: Blood ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Govt rejects idea to ban petrol car imports in 2035, firefighters say they’re facing a workforce crisis, and Tamihere pledges rate freeze.A strange sort of stoush erupted at the end of last week around petrol and diesel car sales. On Friday, Newsroom reported ...
Kiwi boxer Troy Garton, who defied medical advice to produce one of the most remarkable performances in NZ sport, now has her sights set firmly on the Tokyo Olympics. ...
Victoria University of Wellington's Anne Goulding discusses the paradox of New Zealanders wanting to safeguard our personal data, while frequently and freely giving it away. ...
Lisa McMillan is an adrenaline junkie. Instead of skydiving or driving race cars, she collects rooms full of naked strangers. Josie Adams went along to the Naked Dinner and found it stimulated all the wrong hormones.In a tealight-lit lounge in a rented Symonds Street flat, I milled around with 23 ...
Brazil’s rainforests are ablaze, and even from the distance of New Zealand, many of us are losing sleep. For the climate and for humanity, we can do something profound and simple, writes Kena DuignanI’ve asked my dad to look after my kids yesterday so I could write this, after a ...
Meng Foon has been a fixture in Gisborne local government for more than two decades. Today he starts a new role, as race relations commissioner. Alice Webb-Lidall heads over to his Gisborne home for dinner, to find out what he’ll miss as mayor, and how he’ll approach his new jobThis ...
In the final of our series on the loss of faith in free market economics we ask New Zealand business leaders how they’re grappling with the almighty power of a technology that barely existed 20 years ago. Hands up who’s read the Financial Markets Authority’s website. Come on, be honest.No, of ...
Is New Zealand in danger of becoming a bio-tech backwater because of our strict GE rules, or should we retain them to sell our clean image overseas? ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie Indonesia’s harsh policies towards West Papua ought to be scrapped. Whatever happened to the brief window of enlightenment ushered in by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2015 with promises of a more “open door” policy towards foreign journalists and human rights groups? They were supposed ...
The House - The grammar of being an MP is harder than you might think. MPs in Parliament choose their words with care, and it just got more complicated. ...
As a format it predates almost all reality TV, and that’s precisely why it works in 2019, writes Duncan Greive.There’s something deeply comforting about watching Celebrity Treasure Island. It is a very pure form of escapism, largely because it explicitly recalls a world without the internet, and before everything started ...
Residents in Los Angeles and Orange County warned to check for symptoms after an infected NZ teen visited theme parks including Disneyland and Universal Studios earlier this month.Californian health authorities have issued warnings to residents and visitors after a New Zealand teenager was found to have spent five days in ...
When you crave fresh, bright flavours but summer veges seem far away, throw together this simple salad.Growing up we often ate this salad, or one very similar to it. My mum is a fantastic cook and this dish is one she still makes to this day – though I must ...
Analysis of New Zealand media headlines reveals a lot of people slamming a lot of other people.Slamming is at epidemic levels in New Zealand news. Drawn from just the last month, we present a selection of slamming.On July 27A union boss slammed David ClarkOn July 29Police slammed a dangerous photographerOn ...
Vana Manasiadis wrote a collection of poetry in the wake of her mother’s death. In this essay, ahead of her appearance at the Going West festival, she argues that as a nation Aotearoa needs to learn to make space for mourning. When Mum died in Athens, I cried loudly and publicly ...
The giant hand that captivated, delighted and disgusted the nation is now settling into its new Wellington home. For City Gallery Wellington’s blog, Spinoff arts editor Megan Dunn talked to Ronnie van Hout, the man who made Quasi.“Quasi is in the wrong place,” wrote art critic Warren Feeney in 2016, ...
At school camp, the children are banned from having phones, laptops, lollies, chocolate, money, cotton clothing or independent thoughts. They, are, however, allowed home baking – but it’s gotta be hearty. How hearty are you? We are packing for a school camp. If you’re thinking that the middle of winter is ...
Phil Goff’s rival has already pledged an 0800-Jacinda homeless hotline and an 18-lane harbour bridge. What’s next? The two most important people in the 2019 campaign for the Auckland mayoralty faced each other down on Wednesday night across the desk in the NZME debate: Bernard Orsman and Simon Wilson. Correction: it ...
Split Level View Finder: Theo Schoon and New Zealand Art is the exhibition that sparked a protest over issues of cultural appropriation and institutional representation. Theo Schoon is a divisive historical figure. But is his art any good? Martin Patrick reviews.British novelist L.P. Hartley once wrote that “the past is ...
Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant ...
The Labour Party is distancing itself from one of its members who is strongly pro-Beijing and has caused controversy in the Chinese community by standing for local office in Auckland. ...
Faced with staff shortages, equipment failures, cancer risks, and a jump in critical calls that can leave them traumatised, some firefighters are wondering if it’s time to hang up the hose. Gareth Shute reports on the dissatisfaction inside Fire and Emergency New Zealand.The state of our nation’s fire service is ...
“She comes over. You’re my mother, she says. Yes, I say. I don’t know you, she says”: a mother and child seaside story by Wellington author Jan Pryor. Photo by Peter Black. ...
On Monday the government announced its new five-year strategy to reduce the Māori prison population. Emilie Rākete looks at another ‘kaupapa Māori’ prison initiative that degrades prisoners and asks if Corrections are capable of seeing it through.On August 19th, the Department of Corrections announced Hōkai Rangi, its new strategy intended ...
By Michael Andrew The Indonesian media is contributing to resentment and racism toward Papuans, according to a human rights researcher and former journalist. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Jakarta told Pacific Media Watch many Indonesian journalists either view Papuans as enemy “separatists” or deviants and their reporting tends to convey these ...
Analysis - The prime minister puts a stake in the ground over petrol prices, National balks at having its election promises costed and the government puts millions into helping the homeless. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo, PhD candidate, University of Sydney Record fires are raging in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, with more than 2,500 fires currently burning. They are collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away. Fires in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...
Why John Banks must never be the Super City Mayor 
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. . Former Police, Corrections, and Justice Minister in the previous John Key government, Judith Collins, has been ridiculed on social media after posting a comment on Twitter that was patently untrue; . Wrong!! National did not remove Prisoners’ ability to vote. Parliament voted through a Private Member’s Bill ...2 days ago
Speaker Trevor Mallard was left to look after Jones, while his usual caretaker, Winston Peters, underwent surgery. A truly adorable scene from Parliament yesterday has gone viral, after Speaker Trevor Mallard cradled an extremely drunk Shane Jones in his arms while the House was in session. Loud “awwww”s could be ...3 days ago
Western media have defended their decision not to cover the fires so as not to give them any oxygen. Social media outrage continues to grow around the sentiment that mainstream western media is devoting too little coverage to an ongoing series of fires in the Amazon rainforest, and in doing ...3 days ago
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...3 days ago
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Nothing from me tody - I'm off to Christchurch to pretend to be other people for a weekend. Normal bloggage should resume on Tuesday. ...3 days ago
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...4 days ago
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...4 days ago
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ... 4 days ago
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...6 days ago
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...6 days ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...1 week ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...1 week ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...1 week ago
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Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...1 week ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...2 weeks ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...2 weeks ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...2 weeks ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...2 weeks ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...2 weeks ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 2 weeks ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...2 weeks ago
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This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...2 weeks ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...3 weeks ago
The New Zealand Maori Council has been provided with the soon to be released coronial data on suicide in New Zealand. The fact is the suicide rate has risen again and is out of control. The Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council (and former ...43 mins ago
The National Party plans to scrap 100 regulations and a number of the current government's policies if voted into power next year. ...17 mins ago
Ruby Porter on the first novel by acclaimed Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong. I came across Ocean Vuong’s poetry collection Night Sky With Exit Wounds last year. I read it twice in one day. I was staying outside of New York, at the time, and taking the train in each morning. I ...57 mins ago
The National Party plans to scrap 100 regulations and a number of the current government's policies if voted into power next year. ...1 hour ago
Lines company, Chorus, has seen its full year net profit drop, hit by lower revenue and increased interest costs to pay for the roll-out of fibre. ...2 hours ago
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
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Investigations into alleged offending on aid project in Vanuatu find new "persons of interest" - including an NZ citizen. ...8 hours ago
Is New Zealand in danger of becoming a bio-tech backwater because of our strict GE rules, or should we retain them to sell our clean image overseas? ...8 hours ago
ANALYSIS: By David Robie Indonesia’s harsh policies towards West Papua ought to be scrapped. Whatever happened to the brief window of enlightenment ushered in by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2015 with promises of a more “open door” policy towards foreign journalists and human rights groups? They were supposed ...19 hours ago
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At school camp, the children are banned from having phones, laptops, lollies, chocolate, money, cotton clothing or independent thoughts. They, are, however, allowed home baking – but it’s gotta be hearty. How hearty are you? We are packing for a school camp. If you’re thinking that the middle of winter is ...2 days ago
Phil Goff’s rival has already pledged an 0800-Jacinda homeless hotline and an 18-lane harbour bridge. What’s next? The two most important people in the 2019 campaign for the Auckland mayoralty faced each other down on Wednesday night across the desk in the NZME debate: Bernard Orsman and Simon Wilson. Correction: it ...2 days ago
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Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant ...2 days ago
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By Michael Andrew The Indonesian media is contributing to resentment and racism toward Papuans, according to a human rights researcher and former journalist. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Jakarta told Pacific Media Watch many Indonesian journalists either view Papuans as enemy “separatists” or deviants and their reporting tends to convey these ...3 days ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...3 days ago
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.