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 donât 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 formâArchibald Banksâhas 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 âboy racersâ 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.
Time To Call A Halt: Chris Hipkins knows that iwi leaders possess the means to make life very difficult for his government. Notwithstanding their objections, however, the Prime Ministerâs direction of travel â already clearly signalled by his very public demotion of Nanaia Mahuta â must be confirmed by an emphatic and ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 29, 2023 thru Sat, Feb 4, 2023. Story of the Week Social change more important than physical tipping points1.5-degree Goal not plausible Photo: CLICCS / Universität Hamburg Limiting global ...
So Long - And Thanks For All The Fish: In the two-and-a-bit years since Jacinda Ardernâs electoral triumph of 2020, virtually every decision she made had gone politically awry. In the minds of many thousands of voters a chilling metamorphosis had taken place. The Faerie Queen had become the Wicked ...
Look at us here on our beautiful islands in the South Pacific at the start of 2023, we have come so far.Ten days ago we saw a Māori Governor General swearing in our new PM and our first Pasifika Deputy PM, ahead of this year’s parliament where they will be ...
The Heraldâs headline writers are at it again! A sensible and balanced piece by Liam Dann on the battle against inflation carries a headline that suggests that NZ is doing worse than the rest of the world. Check it out and see for yourself if I am right. Is this ...
Photo by Anna Demianenko on UnsplashTLDR: Here’s my longer reads and listens for the weekend for sharing with The Kaka’s paying subscribers. I’ve opened this one up for all to give everyone a taste of the sorts of extras you get as a full paying subscriber.Subscribe nowDeeper reads and listens ...
Hello from the middle of a long weekend where I’m letting the last few days unspool, not ready, not yet, to give words to the hardest of what we heard.Instead, today, here are some good words from other people.Mother CourageWhen I wrote last year about Mum and Dad’s move to ...
Workers Now is a new slate of candidates contesting this yearâs general election. James Robb and Don Franks are the people behind this initiative and they are hoping to put the spotlight on working peopleâs interests. Both are seasoned activists who have campaigned for workers’ rights over many decades. Here is ...
Buzz from the Beehive Politicians keen to curry favour with MÄori tribal leaders have headed north for Waitangi weekend. More than a few million dollars of public funding are headed north, too. Not all of this money is being trumpeted on the Beehive website, the Government’s official website. ...
Insurers face claims of over $500 million for cars, homes and property damaged in the floods. They are already putting up premiums and pulling insurance from properties deemed at high risk of flooding. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: This week in the podcast of our weekly hoon webinar for paying subscribers, ...
Our Cranky Uncle Game can already be played in eight languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. About 15 more languages are in the works at various stages of completion or have been offered to be done. To kick off the new year, we checked with how ...
The (new) Prime Minister said nobody understands what co-governance means, later modified to that there were so many varying interpretations that there was no common understanding.Co-governance cannot be derived from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It does not use the word. It refers to âgovernmentâ on ...
It’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump on this link for our chat about the week’s news with special guests Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick and Auckland City Councillor Julie Fairey, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which ...
In March last year, in a panic over rising petrol prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government made a poor decision, "temporarily" cutting fuel excise tax by 25 cents a litre. Of course, it turned out not to be temporary at all, having been extended in May, July, ...
This month’s open thread for climate related topics. Please be constructive, polite, and succinct. The post Unforced variations: Feb 2023 first appeared on RealClimate. ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two fresh press releases had been posted when we checked the Beehive website at noon, both of them posted yesterday. In one statement, in the runup to Waitangi Day, Maori Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis drew attention to happenings on a Northland battle site in 1845. ...
It’s that time of the week again when I’m on the site for an hour for a chat in an Ask Me Anything with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump in for a chat on anything, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which are set to cost insurers and the Government well over ...
Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers (left) has published a 6,000 word manifesto called ‘Capitalism after the Crises’ arguing for ‘values-based capitalism’. Yet here in NZ we hear the same stale old rhetoric unchanged from the 1990s and early 2000s. Photo: Getty ImagesTLDR: The rest of the world is talking about inflation ...
A couple of weeks ago, after NCEA results came out, my son’s enrolment at Auckland Uni for this year was confirmed - he is doing a BSc majoring in Statistics. Well that is the plan now, who knows what will take his interest once he starts.I spent a bit of ...
Kia ora. What a week! We hope you’ve all come through last weekend’s extreme weather event relatively dry and safe. Header image: stormwater ponds at Hobsonville Point. Image via Twitter. The week in Greater Auckland There’s been a storm of information and debate since the worst of the flooding ...
Hi,At 4.43pm yesterday it arrived — a cease and desist letter from the guy I mentioned in my last newsletter. I’d written an article about “WEWE”, a global multi-level marketing scam making in-roads into New Zealand. MLMs are terrible for many of the same reasons megachurches are terrible, and I ...
Time To Call A Halt: Chris Hipkins knows that iwi leaders possess the means to make life very difficult for his government. Notwithstanding their objections, however, the Prime Ministerâs direction of travel â already clearly signalled by his very public demotion of Nanaia Mahuta â must be confirmed by an emphatic ...
Open access notables Via PNAS, Ceylan, Anderson & Wood present a paper squarely in the center of the Skeptical Science wheelhouse: Sharing of misinformation is habitual, not just lazy or biased. The signficance statement is obvious catnip: Misinformation is a worldwide concern carrying socioeconomic and political consequences. What drives ...
Mark White from the Left free speech organisation Plebity looks at the disturbing trend of ‘book burning’ on US campuses In the abstract, people mostly agree that book banning is a bad thing. The Nazis did us the favor of being very clear about it and literally burning books, but ...
 Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has undergone a stern baptisim of fire in his first week in his new job, but it doesnât get any easier. Next week, he has a vital meeting  in Canberra with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, where he has to establish ...
As PM Chris Hipkins says, itâs a âno brainerâ to extend the fuel tax cut, half price public subsidy and the cut to the road user levy until mid-year. A no braoner if the prime purpose is to ease the burden on people struggling to cope with the cost of ...
Buzz from the Beehive Cost-of-living pressures loomed large in Beehive announcements over the past 24 hours. The PM was obviously keen to announce further measures to keep those costs in check and demonstrate he means business when he talks of focusing his government on bread-and-butter issues. His statement was headed ...
Poor Mike Hosking. He has revealed himself in his most recent diatribe to be one of those public figures who is defined, not by who he is, but by who he isnât, or at least not by what he is for, but by what he is against. Jacindaâs departure has ...
New Zealand is the second least corrupt country on earth according to the latest Corruption Perception Index published yesterday by Transparency International. But how much does this reflect reality? The problem with being continually feted for world-leading political integrity â which the Beehive and government departments love to boast about ...
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...
In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...
In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...
Transport Minister and now also Minister for Auckland, Michael Wood has confirmed that the light rail project is part of the government’s policy refocus. Wood said the light rail project was under review as part of a ministerial refocus on key Government projects. âWe are undertaking a stocktake about how ...
Sometime before the new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that this year would be about “bread and butter issues”, Nationalâs finance spokesperson Nicola Willis decided to move from Wellington Central and stand for Ohariu, which spreads across north Wellington from the central city to Johnsonville and Tawa. Itâs an ...
They say a week is a long time in politics. For Mayor Wayne Brown, turns out 24 hours was long enough for many of us to see, quite obviously, “something isn’t right here…”. That in fact, a lot was going wrong. Very wrong indeed.Mainly because it turns ...
One of the most effective, and successful, graphics developed by Skeptical Science is the escalator. The escalator shows how global surface temperature anomalies vary with time, and illustrates how "contrarians" tend to cherry-pick short time intervals so as to argue that there has been no recent warming, while "realists" recognise ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...
Tomorrow we have a funeral, and thank you all of you for your very kind words and thoughts — flowers, even.Our friend Michèle messaged: we never get to feel one thing at a time, us grownups, and oh boy is that ever the truth. Tomorrow we have the funeral, and ...
Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...
Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...
A new Prime Minister, a revitalised Cabinet, and possibly revised priorities – but is the political and, importantly, economic landscape much different? Certainly some within the news media were excited by the changes which Chris Hipkins announced yesterday or – before the announcement – by the prospect of changes in ...
Currently the government's strategy for reducing transport emissions hinges on boosting vehicle fuel-efficiency, via the clean car standard and clean car discount, and some improvements to public transport. The former has been hugely successful, and has clearly set us on the right path, but its also not enough, and will ...
Buzz from the Beehive Before he announced his Cabinet yesterday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced he would be flying to Australia next week to meet that countryâs Prime Minister. And before Kieran McAnulty had time to say âThree Watersâ after his promotion to the Local Government portfolio, he was dishing ...
The quarterly labour market statistics were released this morning, showing that unemployment has risen slightly to 3.4%. There are now 99,000 people unemployed - 24,000 fewer than when Labour took office. So, I guess the Reserve Bank's plan to throw people out of work to stop wage rises "inflation", and ...
Another night of heavy rain, flooding, damage to homes, and people worried about where the hell all this water is going to go as we enter day twenty two of rain this year.Honestly if the government can’t sell Three Waters on the back of what has happened with storm water ...
* Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused on âbread and butterâ issues. The ministers responsible for unpopular ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused on âbread and butterâ issues. The ministers responsible for unpopular reforms in water and DHB centralisation ...
Hi,It’s weird to me that in 2023 we still have people falling for multi-level marketing schemes (MLMs for short). There are Netflix documentaries about them, countless articles, and last year we did an Armchaired and Dangerous episode on them.Then you check a ticketing website like EventBrite and see this shit ...
Nanaia Mahuta fell the furthest in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: PM Chris Hipkins unveiled a Cabinet this afternoon he hopes will show wavering voters that a refreshed Labour Government is focused on ‘bread and butter cost of living’ issues, rather than the unpopular, unwieldy and massively centralising ...
Nanaia Mahuta fell the furthest in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: PM Chris Hipkins unveiled a Cabinet this afternoon he hopes will show wavering voters that a refreshed Labour Government is focused on ‘bread and butter cost of living’ issues, rather than the unpopular, unwieldy and massively centralising ...
Shortly, the absolute state of Wayne Brown. But before that, something I wrote four years ago for the council’s own media machine. It was a day-in-the-life profile of their many and varied and quite possibly unnoticed vital services. We went all over Auckland in 48 hours for the story, the ...
Completed reads for January Lilith, by George MacDonald The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Christabel (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, by Anonymous The Lay of Kraka (poem), by Anonymous 1066 and All That, by W.C. Sellar and R.J. ...
Pity the poor Brits. They just canât catch a break. After years of reporting of lying Boris Johnson, a change to a less colourful PM in Rishi Sunak has resulted in a smooth media pivot to an end-of-empire narrative. The New York Times, no less, amplifies suggestions that Blighty ...
On that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth.Genesis 6:11-12THE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS that dumped a record-breaking amount of rain on Auckland this anniversary weekend will reoccur with ever-increasing frequency. The planetâs atmosphere is ...
Buzz from the Beehive There has been plenty to keep the relevant Ministers busy in flood-stricken Auckland over the past day or two. But New Zealand, last time we looked, extends north of Auckland into Northland and south of the Bombay Hills all the way to the bottom of the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters When early settlers came to the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers before the California Gold Rush, Indigenous people warned them that the Sacramento Valley could become an inland sea when great winter rains came. The storytellers described water filling the ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes –Â Last nightâs opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Last nightâs opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins has changed everything, and Labour is back ...
Over the last few years, it’s seemed like city after city around the world has become subject to extreme flooding events that have been made worse by impacts from climate change. We’ve highlighted many of them in our Weekly Roundup series. Sadly, over the last few days it’s been Auckland’s ...
And so the first month of the year draws to a close. It rained in Auckland on 21 out of the 31 days in January. Feels like summer never really happened this year. It’s actually hard to believe there were 10 days that it didn’t rain. Was it any better where ...
A âsmall targetâ strategy is not going to cut it anymore if National want to win the upcoming election. The game has changed and the game plan needs to change as well. Jacinda Ardernâs abrupt departure from the 9th floor has the potential to derail what looked to be an ...
When Grant Robertson talks about how the economy might change post-covid, one of the things he talks about is what he calls an unsung but interesting white paper on science. âItâs really important,â he says. The Minister in charge of the White Paper — Te Ara Paerangi, Future Pathways ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The news media were at one ceremony by the looks of things. The Governor-General, the Prime Minister and his deputy were at another. The news  media were at a swearing-in ceremony. The countryâs leaders were at an appointment ceremony. The New Zealand Gazette record of what transpired says: Appointment of ...
Weâve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, weâre making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...
The Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in TÄmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of landlords intending to hike rents after flooding. ...
When Chris Hipkins took on the job of Prime Minister, he said bread and butter issues like the cost of living would be the Governmentâs top priority â and this week, weâve set out extra support for families and businesses. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to provide direct support to low-income households and to stop subsidising fossil fuels during a climate crisis. ...
 The tools exist to help families with surging costs â and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for India tomorrow as she continues to reconnect Aotearoa New Zealand to the world. The visit will begin in New Delhi where the Foreign Minister will meet with the Vice President Hon Jagdeep Dhankar and her Indian Government counterparts, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and ...
Over $10 million infrastructure funding to unlock housing in WhangÄrei The purchase of a 3.279 hectare site in Kerikeri to enable 56 new homes Northland becomes eligible for $100 million scheme for affordable rentals Multiple Northland communities will benefit from multiple Government housing investments, delivering thousands of new homes for ...
A memorial event at a key battle site in the New Zealand land wars is an important event to mark the progress in relations between MÄori and the Crown as we head towards Waitangi Day, Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said. The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw ...
More Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 54 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. The graduation ceremony for Recruit Wing 362 at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua was the first official event for Stuart Nash since his reappointment as Police ...
The Government is unlocking an additional $700,000 in support for regions that have been badly hit by the recent flooding and storm damage in the upper North Island. âWeâre supporting the response and recovery of Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, Northland, and Bay of Plenty regions, through activating Enhanced Taskforce Green to ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has welcomed the announcement that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, will visit New Zealand this month. âPrincess Anne is travelling to Aotearoa at the request of the NZ Armyâs Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, of which she is Colonel in Chief, to ...
A new Government and industry strategy launched today has its sights on growing the value of New Zealandâs horticultural production to $12 billion by 2035, Agriculture Minister Damien OâConnor said. âOur food and fibre exports are vital to New Zealandâs economic security. Weâre focussed on long-term strategies that build on ...
25 cents per litre petrol excise duty cut extended to 30 June 2023 â reducing an average 60 litre tank of petrol by $17.25 Road User Charge discount will be re-introduced and continue through until 30 June Half price public transport fares extended to the end of June 2023 saving ...
The strong economy has attracted more people into the workforce, with a record number of New Zealanders in paid work and wages rising to help with cost of living pressures. âThe Governmentâs economic plan is delivering on more better-paid jobs, growing wages and creating more opportunities for more New Zealanders,â ...
The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. âCabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...
The new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. âWe need a greater focus on whatâs in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. âThe trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealandâs closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,â Chris Hipkins ...
The Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. âWe moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,â Kieran McAnulty ...
As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. âIâd urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...
Ka papÄ te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wÄhi rua mai ana rÄ runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te mÄreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira NÄ reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mĆwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pĆuri ...
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the TairÄwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...
The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. âAnnouncing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,â Jacinda ...
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 daysâ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien OâConnor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien OâConnor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
Paul Diamondâs book about the 1920s scandal that shocked Whanganui is on the longlist for the Ockhams (in the hotly contested General Non-Fiction category). Victor Rodger reviews. A closeted mayor with huge ambitions. A handsome, young, returned soldier with ambiguous motivations.A scandalous shooting that leads to a spectacular ...
An easy, low sugar jam that tastes even better than the sickly-sweet stuff. Often jam recipes call for much more sugar that I think is necessary, resulting in a cloyingly sweet jam whose flavour sadly becomes lost. Where some recipes will call for equal measures of fruit and sugar, this ...
Professor John Morgan offers a 'lesson plan' for Auckland children returning to school to help them understand what's going on in their city after the floods When Auckland schools go back, thereâs a case to be made that geography teachers take over lessons for a day or two. Aucklandâs âstate of emergencyâ ...
An acoustic 'harassment' device wonât be used to keep dolphins from high-speed boats, reports David Williams. Organisers of a super-fast boat race have scrapped plans to use an underwater noise device to scare dolphins in a marine mammal sanctuary. SailGPâs consultants, Enviser, lodged an application with the Department of Conservation (DoC) ...
Two reports on racism in New Zealand released by the Human Rights Commission land at a time when political rhetoric around racism is escalating again. Aaron Smale reports. The Human Rights Commission has released two reports that make a number of significant recommendations for confronting white supremacy and institutional racism. But ...
Flooding and land slides at her home in Titirangi have Zoe Hawkins sleeping in her running gear in case she has to flee. She shares her concern for others even more affected - and questions what the future brings. A week ago we lived on the edge of paradise. Our forever home ...
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RNZ Pacific Fijiâs former Elections Supervisor Mohammed Saneem is under investigation by the countryâs anti-corruption agency for alleged abuse of office and has been stopped from fleeing the country. The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) said Saneem was alleged to have âon numerous occasions . . . unlawfully authorised payments of ...
Labour's position has alternated over the past few days: first Prime Minister Chris Hipkins would speak, then he wouldn't, and then he would again. ...
Te PÄti MÄori Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer are announcing a transformative defence and foreign affairs policy which asserts the Mana MÄori Motuhake and Tino Rangatiratanga of tangata whenua in Aotearoa at their Partyâs ...
The Prime Minister will no longer speak at Waitangi commemorations after the organising trust moved the political leaders to a panel away from the main event The Waitangi National Trust wrote to political parties last month saying they didnât want political leaders to speak at the pĆwhiri held on the eve ...
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After four years, executive director Max Tweedie has stepped down from Auckland Pride. He tells Sam Brooks about shepherding the festival through a tumultuous few years, and where heâs going from here.This yearâs Auckland Pride Festival is set to be the biggest one yet. Over the course of more ...
A flailing mayor was only the public face of a multifaceted flooding communications failure. Duncan Greive examines the mess, and asks what can be done to improve it.Itâs a chilling timeline. Stuffâs Kelly Dennett catalogued, beat-by-beat, the 12 hours in which Auckland was pummelled by a catastrophic deluge, interspersing ...
The Dunedin branch of the Green Party has selected Francisco Hernandez as its candidate for the Dunedin electorate in this yearâs general election. Francisco Hernandez was the Otago University Students Association President in 2013. He has held a number ...
Waitangi organisers are trying to push political leaders to the side at Sunday's pĆwhiri, but Labour's deputy leader says it's not for them to decide who speaks. Te Tai Tokerau MP and Labourâs deputy leader, Kelvin Davis, says the Prime Minister will speak at Sundayâs pĆwhiri at Waitangi, in defiance of local ...
Every weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, we spoke to an aid worker who had made the trip to the war zone in Ukraine, looked at why Carmel Sepuloni was picked to be the new deputy prime minister, visited the flood-torn streets of Titirangi in West ...
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A very short story for Waitangi weekend The pÄ is a lonely place nowadays. Gorse has marched on it like the British troops of old, consuming the hills and leaving the marae looking a bald patch on the head of the earth mother herself. Even the roads have worn thin, ...
This is The Detail's Long Read - one in-depth story read by us every weekend. This week, it's The School Away From School written by Bill Morris and published in NZ Geographic's January/February 2023 issue. You can find the entire article, with photos from Lottie Hedley, on the NZ Geographic website. One hundred years since its ...
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RNZ Pacific Journalist Victor Mambor, who is the chief editor of the West Papuan newspaper and websiteJubi, has received the Oktovianus Pogau Award from the Indonesian-based Pantau Foundation for courage in journalism. The foundationâs Andreas Harsono said Mamborâs decision to return to his fatherâs homeland and defend the rights ...
RNZ News Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick is brushing off concerns a temporary rent freeze in flood-hit Auckland would just see landlords hike rents even more when the controls were lifted â arguing they should stay permanently. More than 20 organisations have signed a letter urging Minister for Auckland Michael ...
Iwi leaders have accused National and ACT of "fanning the flames of racism", urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on three waters. ...
About this time last week it had become apparent that Auckland was in for a bit more than just a wet Friday. While the state of emergency remains in place for another seven days, it appears the worst should now be behind us. Last night, Niwa shared a fascinating thread ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra ShutterstockIndigenous Australians are respectfully advised that the following includes the names and images of some people who are now deceased. The Reserve Bank of Australia ...
The government has confirmed the money will be spent in Northland, including unlocking greenfields land and transport upgrades like a new bridge in Kamo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabrielle Appleby, Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW Sydney Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that sometime between August and November this year, the Australian people will go to a referendum for the first time since 1999. Weâll be asked whether we support ...
Viewers across the United States were today shown a slice of New Zealand, with a reporter for Good Morning America broadcasting live from Rotorua. Robin Roberts, a co-anchor for the popular morning TV show, has been touring the country this week. During her visit to Rotoruaâs Te Puia centre, she ...
They can be environmentally unsound and are a symbol used to shame millennials, but everyone still loves an avo. I love avocados, always have, always will. The buttery golden-green flesh from a perfectly ripe avocado is a culinary blessing. Today Iâd love to simply wax poetic about twisting open a ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1Â The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (Penguin Press, $50) The beautiful ...
A new poem by Robin Peace. To the kahikatea I see from my bed Thinking inside the square, the ellipse, the round of what life is, I only see the trees. Not only as if that were the only thing I see, but only as if the tree matters more. ...
A week ago, Elton Johnâs first Auckland show was called off at the last minute. What was it like getting there, being there, and trying to return home afterwards?Elton John has long been a blessing for our ears, but in recent years his Auckland shows have been cursed. His ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Aucklandâs Wayne Brown, as his response to last weekâs flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Aucklandâs Wayne Brown, as his response to last weekâs flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
Ours Not Mines is cautiously excited about reporting that the Government is drafting legislation to ban new mines on conservation land. The anti-mining group's spokesperson, Morgan Donoghue says: "The Government has been promising us some action for ...
People who enjoy the outdoors for recreation, fishing and hunting will lose rights under the Natural and Built Environments Bill. Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan says the proposed replacement for the Resource Management ...
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has conceded he âdropped the ballâ during last Fridayâs major flooding event. The state of emergency in the super city has today been extended for a further seven days, though Brown said he expects it will be lifted early. After a week of defensiveness over his ...
As the reality TV juggernaut returns for a new season, Tara Ward steps into the minds of the showâs relationship experts to assess the compatibility of this yearâs brides and grooms. Married at First Sight: Australia returns on Monday night, and by season ten, youâd think the showâs relationship experts ...
Aucklandâs state of emergency is expected to be extended for another seven days, according to the Herald. It was due to expire overnight after being declared a week ago, the day of the worst flooding in the super city. While weather conditions have improved, the city is continuing to experience ...
Proposed pay equity claim settlements for school librarians and science technicians have been reached between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa, Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted and NZEI Te Riu Roa president, Mark Potter, announced ...
Members of NZEI Te Riu Roa negotiating on behalf of school librarians, library assistants and science technicians are excited to announce that proposed pay equity settlements are ready to be voted on by their colleagues. They include pay increases of up to ...
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling for Michael Wood, the Minister of Transport, and now Auckland, to cancel the light rail project immediately. Auckland Light Rail was never going to happen, as our group has repeatedly said dozens of ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been asked to intervene following confirmation today that the Government plans to implement a ban on all extractive sector activities on the conservation estate. Wayne Scott, CEO of the Aggregate and Quarry Association, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The heated (and often confused) debate about âco-governanceâ in Aotearoa New Zealand inevitably leads back to its source, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But, as its long-contested meanings demonstrate, very little ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Jodie Hutchinson/Red StitchReview: Wittenoom, directed by Susie Dee, Red Stitch Deep in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia, the town of Wittenoom lies empty, desolate ⊠and contaminated. Wittenoom ...
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New Zealandâs egg shortage is hitting cruise ships too â forcing the crew of one vessel to hatch a poaching plan. This story was first published on Stuff. On the hunt for eggs, a crew from a luxury cruise ship got cracking and hatched a cunning plan. Earlier this week, Stuff ...
Now demolished, the First Church of Christ Scientist was a masterclass of architectural imagination. Kate Linzey visits the site on which it once stood, to learn more. The object is delicate and small. Small enough to sit in the palm of my hand and weighing less than 300 grams. It ...
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I am delighted to announce the appointment of John Price ONZM as the new Director Civil Defence Emergency Management and Deputy Chief Executive Emergency Management for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). John has been a member of the ...
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Thereâs a fear that highlighting menopause will undermine women, especially at work. But what have centuries of secrecy achieved for us? Are you sick of hearing about menopause? Kim Hill is. The living legend of Aotearoa broadcasting told actor Robyn Malcolm (also a legend) on her Saturday Morning show on RNZ ...
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Less than a year ago, co-governance had a future, at least as potentially accepted terminology. Now some iwi leaders want the label removed and replaced, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.  ...
âThe decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to not replace the late Queen with Charles on the Aussie $5 note should indicate to our Reserve Bank that itâs time to change the NZ $20 noteâ said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New ...
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
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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. đ
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: http://thestandard.org.nz/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 donât 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 formâArchibald Banksâhas 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 âboy racersâ 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.