Month: October 2014

You’re cheating at farnarkling!

·

In short?
Get it together Labour or allow someone else to do so

shakingstick's avatarCrankville

Jesus. The Labour Party made me start a damn blog.

Loads of people who I respect, and who are smarter than me, are arguing like mad on twitter today about the Labour Party and what ails it. ‘Blog Commenters’, apparently. At least for today.

These are smarter people than me and I really do respect them; but nope.

The comments on The Standard and at The Daily Blog do suck in many respects. But they are not the problem with the Labour Party. They would also suck if the party was doing well, but they would probably suck in different ways. They’d be railing against National for 90% of the time instead of about 60%.

The Party is in a sorry state. Everyone knows this. So of course the comments at the Standard are going to reflect that. The idea that if those damn guys would just shut the hell…

View original post 306 more words

Council Reaction to Dam Water Supply Issues

·

Review under way

 

From Auckland Council

Water supply safe, reporting process under review

 

Watercare’s decision to close two water supply lakes in the Hunua Ranges in May 2014 after traces of herbicide (metsulfuron-methyl) were detected has been the subject of media reports this morning.

Auckland Council CE Stephen Town is confident public safety was never at risk but is reviewing the reporting procedures around potential drinking water contamination.

“I am confident that proper safety procedures were in place and were followed by the parties concerned.

“Watercare took all steps required to ensure that neither water quality nor water supply were put at risk.

“There remains a concern about who should have been informed of these events and when, and whether this should have been made public at the time.

“I will therefore undertake a review of council’s reporting procedures.

“Our organisation must be as open and transparent as possible – and that includes matters within the wider Auckland Council family that are in the public interest,” he says.

—-ends—-

 

And still my water when it comes in from the Waikato smells like a swimming pool…

 

AMETI Part One – Walking/Cycling Day

·

Your Chance to Walk AMETI Part One before it opens

 

From Voxy

Walk or cycle Auckland’s new road and tunnel at Panmure

Monday, 13 October, 2014 – 10:51

Auckland’s newest road is expected to take thousands of trucks a day off Panmure roads when it opens to traffic in early November.

Auckland Transport will open the 1.5km Te Horeta Rd in Panmure to traffic on Sunday 2 November. The road goes through a 220m tunnel, has new cycle lanes and a shared cycle and foot path alongside, which will all open at the same time.

A community event will be held on Saturday 1 November so people in the area can walk or cycle through the tunnel, along the road and on the shared path.

Completing the new road is the final major milestone for the $180m first stage of the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI). It also included building the new Panmure Station, three new bridges and new cycling and walking links.

AMETI is a group of projects aimed at giving people in the south-eastern suburbs improved transport choices and better connections to the rest of Auckland. See an aerial video and photos of the new road, station and other upgrades here: at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/ameti/.

Auckland Transport Chairman, Dr Lester Levy says completing the first stage of AMETI will be an important milestone for transport improvements in the area.

“People in the area are beginning to realise the benefits of the longer term programme of improvements for the south east. It is also one of the first major transport infrastructure projects to be completed by Auckland Transport since the new Auckland Council was established.”

AMETI Programme Director, Peter King says the new road is expected to carry 20,000 vehicles a day, including 2400 trucks.

“Te Horeta Road will link Morrin Rd to Mt Wellington Highway to cut peak journey times between Mt Wellington and Glen Innes.The direct link will bypass the Panmure roundabout and Ellerslie-Panmure Highway, easing congestion on this route.

…..

Full details, article and source: http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/walk-or-cycle-aucklands-new-road-and-tunnel-panmure/5/204559

 

Now to get Part Two under-way. The Busway from Panmure Station to Pakuranga Town Centre. Parts Three and beyond would be extending that bus way to Botany and Manukau City Centre forming the South Eastern Bus-way. In due time it can be converted to rail to form the Botany Line (The Botany Line Sky Train)

The Botany Line Sky Train Route
The Botany Line Sky Train Route

 

Tinder Doesn’t Rape People

·

As I reblog this I also caught this presser from MP Kelvin Davis:

Kelvin
DAVIS
MP for Te Tai Tokerau
Associate Police Spokesperson

10 October 2014 MEDIA STATEMENT

Rapists, not Tinder, the threat to women
Blame for rape and sexual assault should only ever be laid at the door of the perpetrator, not dating services or the actions of women themselves, Labour’s Associate Police spokesperson Kelvin Davis says.

“Tinder is not the problem and women being told to keep themselves safe is not the solution.
“We have got to stop blaming victims or today’s technology or any reasons other than the sick minds of perpetrators.
“It is time we pointed the finger fairly and squarely at the problem which is the unhealthy attitude of too many men who think it is okay to violate women.
“The simple mantra is ‘her body, her rules’.
“That is the message all men should be spreading amongst themselves in the home, at the pub, in the sports club and on the marae,” says Kelvin Davis.

I agree.

Professor Mayhem's avatarSlightly Left of Centre

While I completely understand the need for women, and men for that matter to be aware of the dangers of sexual violence the fact is, people should be able to go out on a date, or out with friends for a drink, or whatever it is that they want to do, and they should be able to do so without the fear of harassment or assault of either a sexual or violent nature. That’s it, pretty bloody simple.

The message seems to be, from the NZ Media and NZ Police, that people should be wary of things like Tinder and careful when going out on a first date. While caution is valid, people should not have to fear being raped when they go out and the overriding message from the Police should be “Don’t rape, assault or harass, or we will come at you, bro, and we will mess you…

View original post 244 more words