City nor even New Zealand are not united behind the Opposition

I spotted this on Twitter yesterday and Retweet quoted it with my reply underneath it:

 

Because there are wider leadership issues in Auckland – and for that matter in Wellington that need to be addressed with Auckland. However, using the Port issue as the catalyst on highlighting leadership issues is one that will not win the “Opposition” any friends from the South, West and Rodney in a hurry. Recent polling done showed a majority were in support of the Port while I will acknowledge a number wanting or looking at port relocation options while the Council vote on the issue was split geographically (Poll Suggests Support for the Port and Geographic Split on the Port Debate).

 

Housing and transport would be the big two lightning rods for leadership or lack thereof. The Government like its Australian counterparts should actively chip with infrastructure costs when big builds are under-way, not level most of it to a Council. So Government should chip in 33% of all infrastructure costs to a housing development (if they want supply so sped up) and that includes roads, public transport, pipes, parks and libraries. Doing that would show leadership and relieve Council in a booming Auckland.

 

Council seems united behind the Long Term Plan in general and becoming more united behind the City Rail Link after Councillor Cameron Brewer stated in the Long Term Plan debate last week that Minister of Bill English should hurry up and fund the Government’s 50%. But enter the port and Council is fractured and divisive in ways not seen to old Auckland City Council prior to 2010. I have no idea why the divisiveness’ on this one issue which seems to be perplexing a wider part of Auckland than thought of.

 

By no accounts are the Southern, Western and Rodney Councillors out of tune with environmental impacts in regards to the Port situation. But in my eyes they are and have weighed up the balance of economics and employment in comparison to the physical environment. If the environmental impacts were major and/or their constituents overwhelmingly said “No” then those Councillors (who are from both Left and Right (so political divide does not even enter this) would also be in opposition as well.

 

What has struck my mind on the Geographic split of the Council vote with the port is also the progressive/NIMBY split seen with the Unitary Plan and development as well. For the most part and I say most part the Councillors who have said yes to the port support (actually support) development and/or intensification (Howick Ward Councillors are fine at the moment with Pakuranga going 11 stories). While the opposition to the port Councillors are more development and/or intensification NIMBYs (in that they might say yes to intensification but howl NIMBY when it is in their area).

This seems to illustrate things from another Aucklander’s point of view:

 

So sorry the opposition here to me have failed and are being divisive in detriment to Auckland. If this is about wider leadership then make that very clear because right now all the South, West, and Rodney are honestly seeing is pure axe grinding!