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Wary on PPPs

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Proceed With Caution On PPP’s

 

Based on Australian Experience

 

 

I love Brisbane and am going back there for a holiday in the middle of March. Brisbane is my second home and where I lived for two years as part of my err “gap-year.” Brisbane is also similar in some respects to Auckland in regards to its civic structure, urban fabric, transportation systems, and political stupidity in investing in the wrong project.

Now I did just say political stupidity – and why is that? Check these two pieces from NZ and Brisbane on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) not delivering as they were meant to:

 

First from the NZ Herald:

Stephen King: PPPs need better ways to handle risk

5:30 AM Tuesday Feb 26, 2013

As another toll road in Australia fails, what is the future for public-private partnerships?

 

Instead of taking traffic off congested suburban roads, high tolls may mean too few cars use the toll road. Photo / APN

Is there a future for privately funded toll roads? BrisConnections has been placed into administration only seven months after opening the Brisbane Airport Link toll road/tunnel. It has not had sufficient users to make the project viable. So what does this mean for future public-private partnerships (PPPs)?

In the short term, it will mean very little. The citizens of Brisbane have a great tunnel that (from my experience) cuts significant time off a trip to the airport. The investors have done their dough. And there may be various lawsuits about who misled whom.

However, this is the fourth in a series of PPP toll road failures, including Sydney’s Lane Cove and Cross City tunnels, and Brisbane’s Clem7. If PPPs are to have a future, we need better ways to handle the project risk.

The risk associated with large infrastructure projects can be significant. For toll roads, the viability of a project depends on projections of future traffic flows. But these flows may be highly variable, depending on a range of choices by the government and car users

…

 

You can read the rest over at the Herald website

 

Now what Mr King was referring to in regards to PPP failure and by virtual extension political stupidity in Brisbane is this Brisbane Times piece I Facebooked not so long ago:

From Brisbane Times:

Airport Link in administration

Date February 19, 2013 Bridie Jabour

Brisbane’s Airport Link tunnel has gone into voluntary administration. Photo: Harrison Saragossi

UPDATED

The $4.8 billion Airport Link tunnel has been placed into voluntary administration.

In an announcement to ASX, tunnel’s operator BrisConnections said the company had decided to place the tunnel into administration citing low traffic levels and debts worth more than the tunnel.

The board of BrisConnections entered negotiations in November to restructure the tunnel’s debt but on Monday night, the board was told lenders were not prepared to support any of the restructure proposals.

The latest traffic figures show an average of 47,802 vehicles using the 6.7 kilometre Airport Link each day, about half of the original forecasts which had daily traffic of 90,000 vehicles.

BrisConnection conceded in the ASX statement that an extensive marketing and phased-in toll regime had failed to attract enough traffic but Non-Executive Chairman Trevor Rowe was still positive about the future of the tunnel.

‘‘It’s disappointing that the board has to reach this decision,’’ he said.

‘‘The AiportlinkM7 is unquestionably a world class piece of transport infrastructure that will continue to support Brisbane’s growth into the decades ahead.’’

BrisConnections was placed into a trading halt in November and two board directors resigned after a dismal report to the ASX on Airport Link.

In the report, the company admitted for the first time the tunnel’s debt might be more than its value and a research analyst said at the time the most likely option for the Airport Link was to put it up for sale.

The tunnel had a toll free period which ended in October last year with traffic forecasts falling tens of thousands of vehicles short even when the ride was free.

The costs of building Airport Link blew out so much for construction company Leighton Holdings that it contributed to them posting a yearly loss of more than $200 million which has been turned around to a $450 million profit since it handed over the tunnel and its other high profile troubled project, the Victorian desalination plant.

Airport Link was opened in July 2012 and connects Brisbane’s northern suburbs with Brisbane’s CBD and the airport, the Clem7 and the Inner City Bypass.

The tunnel will remain open and available to users as normal.

Airport Link is the second Brisbane tunnel to financially collapse with the operator of Clem7, RiverCity Motorway Group, going into receivorship in November with $1.3 billion worth of debts.

News of Airport Link’s collapse forced Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk to defend Brisbane City Council‘s decision to push ahead with the city’s third toll tunnel, the $1.5 billion Legacy Way tunnel

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/airport-link-in-administration-20130219-2eope.html#ixzz2M2OKsOiE

 

 

The Brisbane saga should sound a warning to both Central Government who are ploughing on with the Wellington Transmission Gully Motorway – which is a PPP (the Herald article above mentions the risks of that as well) and our Auckland Council if we consider PPPs for some of our larger projects including the City Rail Link.

 

I have called for a PPP with the City Rail Link with our public authorities handing the tunnel construction and maintenance, while having private companies operate the stations for say 50 years providing they get the rights for urban development (including sky rights) in the immediate vicinity of stations as part of a wider investment program. Now I know in Tokyo’s railway has stations that are built and run by companies basically on behalf of the rail metro line and in the same token have developed often impressive complexes of residential, commercial office and commercial services (retail, malls, hotels) above and around the said station.

These impressive complexes allow the Tokyo authorities to share some of the costs of rail metro line station building with private companies in return for pretty much guaranteed patronage due to the urban complexes built above and around the stations.

So there are cases where PPPs for in this case with Tokyo – rail can work. This could be a very good example for Auckland to follow-up on when the CRL is being built. However the Brisbane and Transmission Gully Wellington Road PPP projects (go figure – I said roads) are also examples on what NOT to do with PPPs.

 

So Auckland (including AT and Council) still have a long and hard road ahead in plausible financial planning for some of our larger mega-projects like the much needed City Rail Link. On one side it could go extremely wrong and bankrupt the city, on the other we get an golden opportunity for a needed transit link and some actual world class urban renewal in our grey and drab CBD!

 

Food for thought

 

 

Speech From Brewer

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Speech from Councillor Cameron Brewer

 

Delivered to ACT Conference

 

I have been away over the weekend attending our annual Church Family Camp up at Whangaparaoa Peninsular and enjoying the absolute stunner of the weather. In saying that and while New Zealand is lagging behind in the digital age (you try your “internet” via cell phone network outside of the main centres) I was able to keep up with some news out of the city.

Of particular note was Councillor Cameron Brewer’s speech to the ACT Party Conference somewhere out in the whop whops. I shall leave you to read the speech below and feel free to comment as you (respectfully wish)

 

Speech notes by Auckland Councillor Cameron Brewer Act Party 2013 Conference, Gibbs Farm, Kaukapakapa Saturday, 23 February 2013

Ratepayers yet to see the real promise of one city

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

Former Act leader and Minister of Local Government, Hon Rodney Hide, did a great job amalgamating the eight former regional, city and district councils into one unitary authority, Auckland Council. The architecture has proven to be sound with no serious legislative changes mooted.

Today however I will argue that while the architecture of the Super City remains sound, benefits for ratepayers that should have been delivered have yet to be delivered by the local body politicians. The public of Auckland was told that it wasn’t necessarily going to be any cheaper, but one council would be better on their back-pockets now and in the future.

Nearly two and a half years into the Len Brown centre-left inaugural council, most ratepayers would argue their back-pockets have yet to see any benefits. But when you consider the personalities involved that’s not surprising.

Only a few years ago the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor were adamantly opposed to amalgamation. They were matching in the streets against the prospect of Auckland Council.

In essence the Mayor will never be interested in driving and delivering on all the amalgamation’s financial promise and potential, because he never wanted it in the first place. What drives him is community development and pulling the once disparate areas of Auckland together and on that front he has done well.

But let’s not forget the primary drivers of this amalgamation were economic. So how are we doing?

In the current financial year, over half of Auckland households are paying an average of 8.1% more in rates than last year, and the news gets no better in the coming financial year for wards like mine. In the ward of Orakei 67% of households are up for another 5 – 10% rates increase from July. The Left’s low Uniform Annual General Charge is not helping.

Like 133,000 other households, I am paying the full 10% cap this year and will again next year, and the following. That’s because my rates went up 32.4%, with the increase split over three years. So while I’m paying 10% more in Ellerslie after municipal amalgamation, the average Christchurch resident is paying 7.8% more after their massive earthquakes. Go figure!

Mayor Brown is going around telling everyone that the average regional rates increase for 2013/14 will be 2.9% but that’s not how it will be felt by many, particularly on the Auckland isthmus.

In fact the old Auckland City Council area will also have to get used to user-pays rubbish in the next couple of years, not to mention ongoing regulatory fee increases. Then we have the prospect of tolling the existing motorway network and/or a regional petrol tax, as well as the plan to ban all open fireplaces, but I digress. Debt at Auckland Council is growing at nearly $3m a day. Our latest 2011/12 Annual Report showed that total council group debt has increased by $1b, from $4.0b to $5.0b in just 12 months. Now that’s nothing on central government’s ongoing borrowings, but we are not even a state government. We are a local council, yet the plan is to triple council debt this decade and already the debt ceiling has been lifted to enable this.

In this relatively flat economic environment household debt has been shrinking and the Government rightly remains committed to getting back into surplus, so it’s totally out of whack that council borrowings have gone up 25% in the past year alone.

It is future ratepayers who will be lumped with the crippling interest payments, projected to be close to ½ billion dollars a year by the end of this decade. Not to mention Eden Park! The latest annual report also revealed that 1,165 staff now earn more than $100,000 and 123 earn over $200,000. Comparative figures show that we pay our executives, specialists and managers much more than what Air New Zealand pays. So if your son or daughter wants to become a pilot, tell them to become a public servant!

There seems to be a job for everyone in Auckland Council. That same annual report, published late last year also revealed that the number of full-time equivalent staff went up 12% from an estimated 7,200 to 8,040. That’s 840 more staff in 12 months, taking the wage bill to over 2/3rds of a billion dollars or $670m, and that is just FTES. There are even more individuals on the books, and of course these numbers exclude the many consultants and contractors engaged by the council.

Rest assured we will be watching further creep on staff numbers and costs. That’s not what the people of Auckland were promised. Nor did ratepayers think the Mayor’s Office would come with six spin-doctors and a budget of $4.9m a year to run.

The Government’s Better Local Government reforms are all about tightening the leash but so far we’ve seen little real change. Some of us however are looking forward to the second part of the reforms to be introduced to Parliament by the new Local Government Minister. My message to Chris Tremain is keep the pressure on. Local Government New Zealand told us from their ratepayer-funded Queenstown conference last year that it doesn’t like these reforms, but the public does.

One project that’s really going to put pressure on Auckland Council’s 500,000 ratepayers now and in the future is the City Rail Link.

On Monday the Minister of Transport said he thought that 2030 was a more realistic delivery date, but the Mayor won’t hear it. He wants to cut the ribbon in eight short years and rest assured the borrowing is already in full swing to achieve that completely unrealistic timeframe.

In the council’s draft annual plan another $180m is set aside for this project for this coming year.

This ratepayer-funded spending comes without any government commitment whatsoever. The Prime Minister is on the record for saying the CBD project at this point in time just simply doesn’t stack up and will do little to reduce Auckland’s region-wide congestion. Nonetheless the ratepayer is now committed, like it or not. The $2.8b City Rail Link has gone up six fold in estimated cost in the past eight years, and as sure as night follows day the cost will keep going up. Amazingly, the nearly $1 million a metre cost, and the fact that the Government remains completely unconvinced and uncommitted, are not the most concerning aspects of this project. The biggest worry is that this project almost completely strangles every other potential public transport project, at a time when rail patronage is falling.

According to Auckland Transport’s Draft Auckland Regional Public Transport Plan published in October, “approximately 80 percent” of the region’s 10-year public transport infrastructure budget is set to be solely allocated to the City Rail Link. The remaining 20% will be thinly spread across all other regional rail improvements, new and improved ferry terminals, bus lanes and corridors, and park and ride facilities.

Spending approximately 80 percent of the 10-year budget on this one CBD-based project, where less than 10 percent of Aucklanders’ live or work, is not a balanced approach, and will not deliver a strong and mixed integrated transport system.

At the very least, let’s first secure some government commitment, and let’s get some agreement from the motoring public that they’re prepared to pay tolls or more fuel taxes, before we commit the poor old suburban ratepayer any more. Just on Auckland Transport, that council-controlled organisation is working well but there are concerns that where we might’ve once had territorial silos under the old structure, now with our seven CCOs, we’re possibly seeing departmental silos emerge with some empire building well underway.

I support further rationalisation of our CCOs. I support a greater role and greater budgets for our 21 local boards. I support a renewed focus on the council getting its overheads down. I support a greater focus on core council business, and I support the Mayor learning to say no. I also want to see a more functional relationship with central government.

Next month the Auckland Council releases its draft Unitary Plan for public input. The plan is for widespread intensification. Our town centres and suburbs will be changed forever. It will mean another burst of infill and many angry neighbours. We’ve been told for two years by the Left that the public wants a “compact city”, let’s now see. Consultation closes 31 May. Get involved.

I want to also talk about the election promise of greater transparency and accountability. And give you two examples from many of where this council has erred.

Two weeks ago the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed it will investigate my complaint over the council’s refusal to disclose what it has paid its different legal providers over the past two years. The Auckland Council and its CCOs last year spent over $20m on lawyers, but only Watercare was prepared to reveal how much it paid each external provider.

The ratepayers’ right to know how much of their money is being pumped into which lawyers surely overrides the need to protect our city’s big law firms. I await the Ombudsman’s ruling with interest.

Secondly when it comes to the promise of greater transparency and accountability, the plan to put up to $30m of ratepayers’ money for a whitewater rafting facility does not live up to best practice.

This pet project of transforming the paddock that sits between Manukau’s TelstraClear Stadium and the Southern Motorway into rapids is set to leapfrog its way into this year’s council budget. This is despite the project being resoundingly voted down by the previous Manukau City Council and the fact that it was not part of Auckland Council’s 10-year Long Term Plan.

So while the kids of Manukau are set to get a cool whitewater rafting facility, from 1 July the roadside grass verges throughout the former Auckland City area will no longer be mowed by the council.

Ladies and Gentleman – that is how crazy things have got. Whitewater rafting is now council business, mowing council-owned lawns is not. Yes make a submission to our draft 13/14 budget by 4pm this Monday, but more importantly the centre-right needs your support this spring, with the postal ballot results for the local body elections set to announced on Saturday 12 October.

The focus for some of us is not on the mayoralty. The focus will be on getting the numbers around the table but it will be an uphill battle. Only five of us councillors voted against the Mayor’s $58b 10-year budget last year. We’ve got a lot of work to do if the centre-right is to gain the majority – that is at least 11 around a table of 21.

The first job of the new council will be to appoint a new council chief executive from a short- list of candidates. That is another key reason why the 2013 local body elections are critical for ratepayers.

Don’t be fooled by those councillors who masquerade as centre-right. Look at their voting record when they’re at the town hall. Despite north of the harbour bridge being painted blue in Parliament, at Auckland Council only Cr George Wood provides a centre-right voice and vote.

Yes the council has transitioned and worked well enough at an operational level, yes the Super City architecture has stood up to public and political pressures, but no the many promises of amalgamation have not, and will not, be fully realised by the current leadership. Auckland’s ratepayers were promised much more and deserve much better.

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, having represented the people of Newmarket and Remuera for the past eight years as head of the Newmarket Business Association and as a local councillor, I have no doubt whatsoever that Epsom voters’ primary interest next year will be to ensure their fellow local resident John Key gets a third term as Prime Minister.

I wish you all, your leader Hon John Banks, and president John Boscawen all the very best for this year and next.

Thank you.

Ends Cameron Brewer (021) 828-016

 

One thing that I will add though is my reaction to Brewer’s speech. I am pragmatist and will not plonk myself in the ideological boxes of Centre-Left and Centre-Right within the Council. That means both sides are up for critique when warranted, the same for praise where it is due.

So in this instance I am siding with Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse’s call on Brewer’s speech:

From Facebook

I seem to have been left off the invitation list to the ACT party conference this weekend? Can’t say I am that surprised, never really hit it off with Hide! Several of my fellow councillors however appear to be there. Reading one of their conference speeches I see that the election is well underway and will be focussed entirely on getting rid of the mayor. Whilst they talk, the rest of us will continue to focus on making this city work, doing the hard yards, like getting the Unitary plan out for consultation. It is easy to simply sit and throw stones, it is harder to stand up and work with your community to build a better Auckland.

My dual replies were:
Ben Ross Quoting Two Items from Brewer’s speech:
1) [The focus for some of us is not on the mayoralty. The focus will be on getting the numbers around the table but it will be an uphill battle]. Seems “they” have given up and resort to attacks if nothing else. I do not personally see a swing over to the hard right and maybe not even centre-right at the moment. So waste of text pixels there as the battle is not up-hill but a cliff that one might not have a clue on how to scale.

2) [Don’t be fooled by those councillors who masquerade as centre-right. Look at their voting record when they’re at the town hall. Despite north of the harbour bridge being painted blue in Parliament, at Auckland Council only Cr George Wood provides a centre-right voice and vote.] I think someone just announced their tilt at mayorship and who would be deputy mayor. George I would distance yourself from that comment quickly – too distracting.

3) [The focus for some of us is not on the mayoralty. The focus will be on getting the numbers around the table but it will be an uphill battle. Only five of us councillors voted against the Mayor’s $58b 10-year budget last year. We’ve got a lot of work to do if the centre-right is to gain the majority – that is at least 11 around a table of 21.] AND repeating the point made in (2) – I do feel sorry for Christ Fletcher there who I consider a reliable work horse with the Unitary Plan and Auckland Transport…

So of little note here – no alternatives, no vision. Something I am missing here
And
Ben Ross Second part from me (yay spamming comment boxes) 
There are two ways this can be approached with Council:
1) Work together despite your different views
2) Be combative and utterly waste my time

I know which one I prefer when working with Councillors – even when I might be a bit “tough” on them some days 😉

You can see I am not overtly impressed with Brewer’s speech.

 

That part in bold stems from a conversation I had with our Deputy Mayor in regards to the Unitary Plan which is about to be released for community feedback. Yes I have strong views on the practical level with the Unitary Plan stemming from the view I hold that the Unitary Plan is too thick and needs to go on a crash diet. And while I know Councillors and Auckland Transport read this blog, I can be admittedly “tough” on them but I sometimes need too. Got to keep them both on their toes and honest. But at the end of the day I can either be combative and go no where as Councillor Brewer is right now with that speech of his, or I work with Penny and we get this Unitary Plan tightened up before it becomes operational.

My “heads up” on the Unitary Plan nearly ready to be released for community feedback can be found at my “UNITARY PLAN READY FOR THE COMMUNITY” post here at BR:AKL.
I shall be back tomorrow with more commentary and idea scoping – all here at BR:AKL

THE MANUKAU INTERCHANGE – From The Hill

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Is it Really Now an Eye Sore?

 

On Tuesday in my “THE MANUKAU INTERCHANGE – CTD“ I showed the Manukau Interchange (and resulting MIT building for which the interchange is contained in and with) not looking the best picture of roses – in fact the skeletal structure and dust blowing through an abandoned construction site is rather sad and looking like an eye sore.

 

I also said in that post: “The shot I did miss was the shot of the frame and steel girders of the MIT/Manukau Interchange from the top of Redoubt Road heading down the hill towards Manukau City Centre and the motorways. It was a sad shot as the entire ghost site now looks like a large eye sore if one was view gazing towards the airport and picturesque Manukau Harbour (I wonder what it looks like from an aircraft flying over head seeming the main flight path is right there).”

 

So I went and got some of those long and wide shots yesterday and you can ask yourself whether the skeletal structure is an eye sore or not:

 

Still waiting on how Auckland Council and Auckland Transport plan to get the Manukau Transport Interchange finished sooner rather than later…

 

WHO WILL STAND AGAINST LEN (CTD)

· 2 Comments ·

More Spin than the Spin Cycle on my Washing Machine

 

After the SPINNING THE SPIN and WHO WILL STAND AGAINST LEN posts here at BR:AKL, the Herald picks up Kiwiblog‘s original post on our Mayor’s spin doctors and decided to write a story about it:

From the NZ Herald:

Mayor heavy on ‘spin doctors’

By Bernard Orsman BernardOrsman 5:30 AM Tuesday Feb 19, 2013

 

Len Brown‘s critics say the ‘gaggle’ of communications staff means ratepayers are funding his re-election bid.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown is facing criticism for hiring a sixth “spin doctor” six months out from the official start of the local body elections.

The six advisers at Mr Brown’s disposal include three full-time staff and three part-timers.

The full-time staff are Dan Lambert, the head of communications responsible for strategy and planning; chief press secretary Glyn Jones and senior communications adviser Melanya Burrows

…

In a post on his Kiwiblog site titled “Len’s gaggle of spin doctors“, Mr Farrar said Mr Brown’s hiring of Dan Lambert took his tally of spin doctors to six – more than the entire parliamentary Labour Party.

Labour has five parliamentary press secretaries and a part-time speech writer for 34 MPs. Prime Minister John Key has four press secretaries and one media assistant.

Mr Brown refused to answer questions about communications staffing under his leadership.

Mr Lambert blocked repeated requests by the Herald to speak to the mayor, saying: “I think it’s reasonable the mayor wouldn’t want to go on record on a matter like this.”

Orakei Local Board chairwoman Desley Simpson said Orakei ratepayers were funding the latest “propaganda manager” and the mayor’s election campaign.

In the same posting, Mr Farrar challenged the right-wing Communities & Residents to select a mayoral candidate, otherwise Mr Brown and his spin doctors would have an easy time of it.

No one from C&R or the right has come forward to challenge Mr Brown for the local body elections, including Orakei councillor and the mayor’s loudest opponent, Cameron Brewer.

Mr Brewer – a former “spin doctor” to Auckland City Mayor John Banks, Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley and Act leader Rodney Hide – said nobody would be able to match Mr Brown’s army of spin doctors, advisers and consultants.

 

Well DPF and myself picked up on the fact pointed out in the red bold text through our own blogs:

From my own recent post

WHO WILL STAND AGAINST LEN – No Alternative Candidate to Run Against Incumbent Mayor?

After DPF’s Kiwiblog ran a piece on “Len’s gaggle of spin doctors” he asked this question at the bottom: “Talking of the election, isn’t it time also for C&R and their friends in Auckland to get their shit together and select a Mayoral candidate. Otherwise Len and his six spin doctors will have too easy a time of it”

That opens the question:” WHO IS THAT ALTERNATIVE TO RUN AND STAND A REMOTE CHANCE OF WINNING AGAINST THE INCUMBENT MAYOR – LEN BROWN“

 

Orakei Local Board Chair Desley Simpson picked up on DPF’s blog post and had this to say on Facebook (it was made under the Public section):

…

The rest of the debate continued from there and you can see it at that respective post

 

However as the Mayor asks for over $4 million in this 2013/2014 Annual Plan to run his office including six spin doctors – we the ratepayers should be asking are we getting value for money here from the Mayor’s Office?

From Councillor Cameron Brewer:

The Mayor is asking for $4,994,000 to run his office in election year (see Page 40, Volume 1, Draft Annual Plan 13/14). Have your say by making a submission to the plan by 4pm, 25 February. As I’ve been saying for over two years, the place is completely out of control.

 

So again if you are submitting to the Annual Plan, consider whether just short of $5 million worth of “spin” is good value for money. I would think $1 million would be sufficient to run the mayor’s office and the rest going to our starving Local Boards who do need the cash – and are more productive with that cash in providing our local civic amenities (than the mayor’s spin doctors could ever be)

But hey what would I know about the Mayor’s Office? Time for a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request then?

 

More on this is bound to come as the elections at the end of the year draw nearer! And as I said: “The Mayor has more spin on this than the spin cycle of my washing machine – talk about how to make one’s head spin”

 

Who Will Stand Against Len

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No Alternative Candidate to Run Against Incumbent Mayor?

 

[Note from Admin: More to this debate has been added since I wrote the original post this morning. As a result rather than writing a new post I will add to the bottom on the debate as of 14:45 this afternoon]

 

After DPF’s Kiwiblog ran a piece on “Len’s gaggle of spin doctors” he asked this question at the bottom: “Talking of the election, isn’t it time also for C&R and their friends in Auckland to get their shit together and select a Mayoral candidate. Otherwise Len and his six spin doctors will have too easy a time of it”

That opens the question:” WHO IS THAT ALTERNATIVE TO RUN AND STAND A REMOTE CHANCE OF WINNING AGAINST THE INCUMBENT MAYOR – LEN BROWN”

 

Orakei Local Board Chair Desley Simpson picked up on DPF’s blog post and had this to say on Facebook (it was made under the Public section):

Desley Simpson

6 hours ago near Parnell ·
I wonder if I told the ratepayers of Orakei that I used their rates money for ….
  • 1. A media and communications manager AND
  • 2. A propaganda manager AND
  • 3.A press Sectetary AND
  • 4. A Comms manager AND
  • 5 . A media consultant AND
  • 6. A speech writer 
ALL just for me
Whether they would approve and vote for me again ? I am of course not the mayor however –  Our mayor Len Brown has employed all 6 people  ( probably all funded by Orakei rates) 
And – if its true that the 6th ( propaganda manager ) has just been hired 6 months before official election starts one could say Orakei ratepayers are funding the Mayors election campaign ? 
Cameron Brewer are you happy about this? 
    • Aaron Bhatnagar Maybe we need a mayor who is confident enough in what they say that they don’t need a half dozen hangers-on to prevent them from not slapping their heads feverishly or breaking out into rap
    • Lani French Agree…. Aaron Bhatnagar one would have to wonder if someone cant do the job without that much “protection” then can they do the job at all?
    • Angie Cassidy Here’s hoping the ‘singer mayor’ will be singing for his supper soon enough…. what. a. joke.
    • Ben Ross “The Last Supper”
    • Ron Hamilton Is there no mechanism of conducting a “value for money” review in both the existing mayor’s office and the concept of an executive mayor? Can the Audit office be invited to undertake such a review, for example? Talk about profligacy!
    • Rosina Hauiti You forgot the Kia ora consultant Desley……
    • Desley Simpson Oh glory Rosina Hauiti 7 ??????
    • Christopher Fidoe With over 1000 employees earning over $100k no wonder there is a sense of entitlement to those on this ratepayer funded gravy train
    • Len Ward OK so just who is going to be an electable alternative for us to vote for to get rid of this incumbent? Cameron Brewer perhaps Aaron Bhatnagar maybe? Desley Simpson? – now there’s a candidate worth voting for

      • Ron Hamilton All good people but candidates need to be known outside their immediate patch. I admit to bias but we would hate to lose any of the three people from their Eastern Bays focus!
      • Len Ward Good point Ron – but have you any better suggestions? Alex Swney perhaps?
      • Ron Hamilton Worth considering – candidates need to have a wide public image by now and he does have one.
      • Ben Ross Wait didn’t Swney who did have a high profile image get beaten by Brewer or Lee (which ever Ward Swney stood in) in the last elections?
      • Len Ward So does Rodney Hide – but is he electable versus Mr Mayor Brown?
      • Ron Hamilton Personally like Rodney but isn’t he responsible for the nonsens of an executive mayor? But I bet he is still disliked by the wider electorate?
      • Len Ward So, the answer to my question seems to be – there is NO suitable and electable candidiate for whom we can vote to unseat the incumbent (is he Lord yet?) Mayor should we wish to do so?
      • Ben Ross Correct
      • Len Ward So the debate about replacing Len Brown seems to be somewhat academic !
      • Ben Ross Yep. Time to focus on Councillor replacements and Local Boards
      • Millie Liang Agree Ben….Put the broom through the whole place and take the mayor out that way…and whatever happens with the new lot make sure the mayor doesn’t divide and rule them by offering them positions of grandeur to stroke their egos
    • Aaron Bhatnagar Not available.
    • Millie Liang someone ring Sir Bob Jones and tell him to check his rate bills on his Auckland properties and work out how more his tenants can absorb before they leave the buildings… might just get him motivated enough
    • Wayne Davis Communications people there to make everyone rosey, and happy. Should be working with Santa ,on some of the snow jobs they create through dis-content of Ratepayers
      • Stan Blanch Wayne of course you will remember Taylor?…Makes Rasputin look like a boy scout.
    • Rosina Hauiti I’d vote for you Desley….and I’d work on your campaign.
    • Rosina Hauiti I think all the media type roles could and should be deal with by one person who is multi skilled, ie proficient across a number of disciplines within media and politics.
    • Cameron Brewer No. Not happy. I have been amassing the Mayoral Office’s full second year costs and assessing his proposed budget for this coming financial year… and it’s not looking for the poor old ratepayer, but will be a big boost to his re-election. Watch this space!
      • Ron Hamilton Nothing in there that could be referred to the AO re public monies potentially being used for electoral purposes?
      • Millie Liang Hi Ron, I would have thought this section that the mayor signed up to would be good enough to lay a complaint and the resulting world wide publicity into the investigation would keep the mayors pr dept gainfully employed  ….. Also what is the total number of paid council spin doctors/secretaries for all the other Councillors compared to what the mayor has on hand.
        Article 9
        Mayors shall be open to public scrutiny of their official actions and those of their staff, including their relationships, contractual and otherwise, with vendors, consultants, and business associates. Mayors shall report any improper actions they witness, such as bribes, kickbacks, and gift offers.
        http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_2010/code-of-ethics.html

        www.worldmayor.com

        World Mayor Code of Ethics
    • Millie Liang Good on you Cameron. The growing number of concerned ratepayers I’m sure like me, are counting on you to show what is really going on and ratepayers have had enough and aren’t the smiling compliant Muppets he treats us all as with his pr spin and smoke and mirrors.. Just my thoughts
    • Ron Hamilton It will require someone to take ownership of the issue. Seek the information officially (OIA) and then put together a formal complaint. I suggest that it should not be an elected person – presentationally could look bad.
      • Ben Ross Right what are we LGOIMA-ing here please?
      • Millie Liang You just won yourself another job Ben… Pay non existent… all for the cause Ben) but think of all the national and international media attention and the mayor and his evangelists running to the nearest tv screen where ever they maybe to catch the 6pm news and ohhh the nation glued to Campbell Live not believing what you are exposing…. You can’t buy that sort of publicity as the big league boys know.
    • Rosina Hauiti Yeah ka pai, except you guys sound like a bunch of right wing fundies…which is better fundie right or fundie left. I want fair and centre centre, and I think Desley and Cameron are a good fit.
    • Ron Hamilton What I want is cost-effective Council management and funds used for infrastracture purposes. Touchie-feelie stuff is fine for organisations which have unlimited funds. It is certainly not appropriate for self aggrandisement for any elected official. Or for management’s hobby-horses. Such as white water rafting.
    • Millie Liang Ron can I add…equestrian centre at Dury or the bike/walk way strapped onto the bridge which the council will get to own in 20yrs time when the bridge life span is only 15-20yrs.. Mind you the walkway has a fifty yr life span so could possibly be dismantled at ratepayers expense and rebuilt at Motat (once again at rate payers cost for future generations to view..Surely that beats (at ratepayers expense) chopping it up and shipping it off to china as scrap metal.
    • Ron Hamilton I wish there is some way of copying and pasting this exchange, The new Residents Association is to meet with the Council early next month and this is grist!

 

 

-Ends as of 14:45 hours-

 

I really honestly thought that kind of question would have been asked and answered last year with the alternative candidate now in full swing to building their profile before the elections at the end of the year. Obviously not which means Len is in for a second term…

 

So who do you think should run AND be mayor – and why?

Spinning The Spin

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Mayor’s Office has Six Spin Doctors?

 

I kid you not in the fact that the Mayor’s Office with an annual budget of over $3.2 million (of our ratepayers’ dollars) just hired a sixth spin doctor according to Kiwiblog:

From DPF’s Kiwiblog:

Len’s gaggle of spin doctors

February 16th, 2013 at 3:00 pm by David Farrar

Len Brown has just hired his sixth spin doctor. That’s six spin doctors, all funded by the ratepayer, working in Len’s private office. That isn’t six spin doctors for the entire Auckland Council. That is six spin doctors just for Len.

Started this month is Dan Lambert as Len’s propaganda manager. He comes from the United Kingdom.

Dan joins Glyn Jones who was the chief spin doctor, and who is now called Media Communications Manager.

Len also has a senior press secretary, a communications advisor, former Clark spin doctor David Lewis as a media consultant and a speech writer on top of that.

Len has more spin doctors than the entire Parliamentary Labour Party (they have five). The previous Mayor of Auckland had just one – Cameron Brewer.

Should Auckland ratepayers be funding Len’s reelection campaign?

Talking of the election, isn’t it time also for C&R and their friends in Auckland to get their shit together and select a Mayoral candidate. Otherwise Len and his six spin doctors will have too easy a time of it

 

Well the question in red-bold is a prudent point as the “opposition” has either been slow or quiet (not going to say inept) in getting their alternative forward.

 

However while Len spins the spin with his six spin doctors at least Blogs can counter the spin and attempt to hold the Mayor’s Office to account – with this blog doing its part in countering the spin.

 

Also the last look on Facebook on this Hot Button topic showed that this issue of Len’s Spinners have stirred up the ratepayers quite a bit on two fronts:

  1. The amount of money being spent on Spin Doctors (where former Mayor John Banks just has one spin doctor – Cameron Brewer) 
  2. No alternative candidate has come forward – leaving it extremely late!

 

Meanwhile it’s back to transit and urban planning issues with South and Counties Auckland to be the hotbed on those issues (seeming we are bearing the brunt of it)…

 

Rail Ticket Machines Fail – Again

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Setting a Trend Now Are We?

 

On the 31st of January of THIS YEAR (so no more than three weeks ago as I write this) I wrote a post that was indicative of not being a good look for Auckland. It was called “OH MY – Not a Good Look For Auckland” and illustrated some embarrassment a local had when showing much-needed international investors around Britomart Station:

Made a big mistake yesterday. I showed some international investors around the waterfront yesterday knowing it would be vibrant with Anniversary day regatta on. All was well until they wanted to go see our train station (which was Britomart). What a “disaster” that turned out to be.

They stood there for about 5-10min taking it all in, watching as the same people were at the ticket box with one person working (at that particular ticket box (The station platform level one on the other side of the gates where the “Onboard Fare is usually paid)) trying to sort something out for five minutes. As a result people were coming and going from the waiting queue annoyed.

The investors were not impressed at all and said that what they seen of Auckland doesn’t impress them as a viable city to invest in. They said love the wide open spaces, weather etc. but just doesn’t stack up as commercially viable. 

 

The post continued to go on about the three Rail Ticket Machines in the Britomart Central Post Office end failing and not dispensing tickets causing queues and frustrations at the ticket office as passengers tried to purchase their ticket, pass through the gate line on the platform level and board their train BEFORE the train takes off!

 

Well three weekends later we have EXACTLY the same situation to the point it has been occurring every weekend since mid-January: all three rail ticket machines at Britomart failing causing queues and frustrations at the ticket office as passengers tried to purchase their ticket, pass through the gate line on the platform level and board their train BEFORE the train takes off! And again the machine service technicians were called and again they refuse to come out until the Monday morning peak services to service the machine!

 

So today – Sunday and being the beautiful weather that it is we are going to have this due to the three Ticket Machines being offline until tomorrow: “queues and frustrations at the ticket office as passengers tried to purchase their ticket, pass through the gate line on the platform level and board their train BEFORE the train takes off!”

 

Now how many more times will I be repeating this until Auckland Transport pulls finger and gets a technician service that is meant to do what it contracted to do: FIX THE FAULT WITHIN TWO HOURS OF NOTIFICATION – NOT WAIT UNTIL MONDAY!

 

Although while Britomart was offline, technicians were spotted replenishing the Sylvia Park Rail Ticket Machines yesterday – an improvement to Anniversary Weekend when the machine wouldn’t be serviced until the following Tuesday!

 

Time to flick an email to the Council Accountability and Performance Committee and file a LGOIMA request on the rate these so-called advanced machines keep “breaking down” and the level of service we ratepayers are paying to having the machines serviced!

 

Wonder if I will be writing this exact same post next weekend? iPredict Contracts anyone?

 

AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE – SKY PATH – (Part Two)

· 9 Comments ·

To Fund and Build a Sky Path – Or Not

 

That is the (Multi) Million Dollar Question

 

And The Debate Continues

 

I have been running commentary of recent on the Auckland Harbour Bridge Sky-Path Project. You can find the commentary thus far as well as supporting links in my “AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE – SKY PATH” and “TRANSPORT COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS” post here at BR:AKL.

 

Since those two posts a nice long debate has cropped up on Facebook amongst those that would be in opposition to the Sky-Path proposal as it currently stands. As in my previous commentary the Sky-Path proposal passed through the Council Transport Committee and is now before the Strategy and Finance Committee either next month or in April. From there; Councillors and Council Financial Officers can and will go over this proposal with a very fine tooth comb before the Councillors either “support” Sky-Path or “reject-it” on any one of numerous grounds including deferment (which I my current position).

 

The following paste dump from Facebook will illustrate the oppositional hurdles Sky-Path have to face if they do not want a Rejection-Dead Ducking from the Strategy and Finance Committee:

From Councillor Sharon Stewart (Howick Ward) – oh and heads up it is a long one:

  • Auckland Harbour Bridge cycle pathway design launched – Auckland – AKT

    http://www.aktnz.co.nz

    The Auckland Harbour Bridge cycle pathway design was unveiled this afternoon.
    • Sharon Stewart How are they going to keep the structure clean from sea spray? How often will they need to clean it? (THE GLASS) How much will this cost? How are they going to keep the structure clean from exhaust emissions as the structure will no doubt get very dirty from the bridge being used daily with cars/trucks etc…. ??? These are all questions that need to be asked.
    • Sharon Stewart Who will be responsible for the on-going maintenance and cleaning of the structure inside and out? Will all this come out of RATES? How many CCTV cameras will they need to cover the length of the bridge – in case a problem occurs in the middle – accident or even gang fight?
    • Sharon Stewart IS THIS A Fairytale?
    • Sharon Stewart How much will the CCTV cost including staff? How many staff will have to be on duty? Looking forward to the business plan.
    • Sharon Stewart Just thought of another question – air conditioning – has this been factored in. Cost etc… Remember all the bad air up above exhaust fumes.
    • Ken Shock Here is a question – why do motorists have to pay for roading with fuel taxes and rego fees – but bicycles get a ‘free ride’ ?? Why no rego ## on bicycles so that they can be busted when they break traffic laws – I see them do it frequently. I say user fees are the answer to maint. of bike facilities !
    • Millie Liang Hi Ken and Sharon. Totally agree with everything you both say…To me the Councillors are being played for fools.
      The promoters of this scheme are quoting this expert and that consultant says it viable…”cause it’s commercially viable on paper other wise these experts won’t be consultants for the council for very long. 
      I have evaluated hundreds of business plans, marketing plans, property development forecasts over the years and not one of them have ever stated the project isn’t going to make a fortune..

      People that say just “trust the experts” are simply away with the fairies and need to have a brain scan….

      Question. how are they going to keep walkers and bike riders separated or from being distracted by the view and killing each other ?…… Are under 10yr old kids meant to be kept on a leash ?. Where’s the Councils Q & A link on their web site or are ratepayers meant to be compliant stupid fools also. 

      And like Ken says and I’ve asked elsewhere before..How come motorists have to pay for rego’s warrants and cyclists don’t have to…both use the roads…
    • Sharon Stewart Exactly Millie – Do you not think Cyclists going up and down in two different directions along with walkers is a recipe or accidents? Apparently its 4 m wide for both cyclists and walkers in two directions.
    • Sharon Stewart Have they thought about the cyclists coming off the bridge a peak traffic times – morning/afternoon peak traffic and mignling with the traffic on or at the bridge approaches etc? How will this be managed?
    • Sharon Stewart Parking of cars that want to do the bridge crossing will also be a problem. Will the council have to purchase land for carparks next to the bridge for all these potential users? Would this cause issues with peak traffic all these potential bike users of the bridge at peak times? Anything as Millie Liang has commented on looks good on paper.
    • Sharon Stewart Pleased to see that George Wood has similar concerns along with Nigel Turnbull
      • Sharon Stewart Yes on the Skypath – he seems to be supporting so far the Eden Park recommendations. That surprised a few of us.
      • Millie Liang but I thought George voted it to go to the next stage.. If he’s got concerns why didn’t he simply vote against it until everything was in order… He’s been in this game long enough to know that once an idea gets momentum the promoters get confident and crank up the pr machine and then it’s hard to kill…. Someone needs to check Georges medication.. maybe all the get fit exercise is playing tricks on him and he fancy’s himself riding around town looking like some Tour de France 25yr or thinking he’s Buck Shelford running round Eden Park…or maybe eyeing some seat on some board/committee.
    • Sharon Stewart QUOTE FROM AN EARLIER POST – The proposal for the Auckland Harbour Bridge pathway Project Update —- Its going to Strategy and Finance committee. Lots of questions have been asked to be reported back to the Strategy and Finance committee. The proposal should cover all costings and contingencies before it is given approval from the Auckland Council. Ratepayers should not be exposed to risk. This is such a big issue and should be debated by the full council. The ratepayers have to decide is this a high priorty. I have had calls from Ratepayers from all over Auckland – most have suggested the 2nd crossing could have a walkway and cycleway incorporated. We now have only just a quorum. JUST.
    • Sharon Stewart QUOTE FROM AN EARLIER POST —Sharon Stewart Councillors Quax, Morrison, Wood and Stewart had lots of concerns. As I said before its not all done and dusted.
      Wednesday at 10:01pm Remember the Transport committee is not a committee of all Councillors – going to see what other councillors think about this. Now is the time to discuss and question before – the rubber stamp.
    • Sharon Stewart Question is will this become a huge burden on the Auckland Ratepayers????
      • Millie Liang cause it going to be another white elephant just like that Manukau Central car park building nearly empty all the time with 100’s of lights burning up ratepayers money 24/7, even on weekends when the building is all locked up…. If no body in the council has the common sense to ensure a simple thing like a motion senor in the lighting system,,, then how much collective brain power and common sense do the Councillors have… Councillors need to remember they were elected to run the city and it’d their necks on the chopping block not some highly paid cco exec or manager.
    • Sharon Stewart In the perfect world it would be nice to have everything – unfortunately its not the perfect world.
    • Millie Liang The first thing that Councillors should do is all in their own quite time and alone is sit down with all the information/plans/costings/reports(and none of this commercially sensitive rubbish so information is withheld from them) and write down all the questions they want answered… Then they are all correlated and the promoters/AT (or whoever they are) answer the questions in a Q & A… If Councillors don’t have any idea themselves, I sure consultants/engineers/architects construction companies who never get on the councils preferred contractors/consultants list will gladly pull it apart for free I would guess…. There is no way the consultants/designers/promoters will ever admit to anything but it being a success, therefore go outside the inner circle and get independent assessment.. Like any development proposal it’s all flashy and slick and 1+1 =2 and fools most people, hopefully the Councillors aren’t made to look like idiots…. And I hope once the construction drawings/specifications/contract docs are ready, international fixed price tenders are called…..Then and only then once the tenders come back should the council decide if it’s commercially viable…..

      Better still…why doesn’t all the Councillors just sit on their hands, call international tenders for design/build/operate the skypath….The councils preferred Consultants/AT etc won’t like it but but aren’t the Councillors Inc in the drivers seat and not just mere passengers as to what happens in Auck….. Remember we were told Eden Park wouldn’t cost ratepayers a cent, now look what the councillors have signed us up to…the govt must have thought,,is that how stupid the council and people of Auckland really are
    • Sharon Stewart QUOTE ABOUT — SkyPath’ vote going ahead Wednesday
      By: Laura Heathcote | Latest Auckland News | Monday February 11 2013 12:21
      Complicated politics are expected to characterise the vote on a plan to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
      An Auckland Council transport committee will decide on Wednesday whether to support SkyPath, a tolled walking and cycling route which would be slung below the bridge.
      Heart of the City’s Alex Swney says his support is shared by cycling and walking advocates as well as the Council’s business faction – which supports the public-private partnership.
      But he acknowledges Auckland Council is trying very hard to keep rates down.
      “Then there’s the complication. There are some that think that walking and cycling should be free so you want to try and second guess these things, you just don’t want to.”
      Cycle Action Network chair Barbara Cuthbert says the council’s being asked to be a minor guarantor, putting forward $3 million towards the project.
      She says a further $29 million is being put up by the NZ Super Fund.
      “This is a gift to the people of Auckland that we know that well over 65 percent of Aucklanders want this facility and this allows them to get it for virtually no investment from the council.”
      Ms Cuthbert says if the vote goes through, it’s hoped SkyPath would be operational by the end of next year.
      Cuthbert says New Zealand Transport Agency is also backing the project, provided it proceeds on the basis of being a tolled facility.
      “This is the final step. The transport agency have been very helpful in helping it get through to here in terms of giving advice and access to the bridge.”
      Photo: Edward Swift
      • Millie Liang HOLD IT A MINUTE..Barbara says “we know that well over 65 percent of Aucklanders want this facility”. 20-30% of auckland are meant to be asian and another 10% maori ….. now tell me how many asians or maori do you see riding round auckland…what’s her 65% based on and how was the survey structured, where/time/day ..was it leading questions….I studied probabilities & statistics at uni and you can get the results you are after quite easy….. How many councillors own a bike and are regular cyclists….then how many will regularly ride over the bridge
    • Sharon Stewart QUOTE FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE SkyPath vote going ahead Wednesday -Cycle Action Network chair Barbara Cuthbert says the council’s being asked to be a minor guarantor, putting forward $3 million towards the project.
      She says a further $29 million is being put up by the NZ Super Fund.
      • Millie Liang Hold it…. some where I read it was commercially viable and why should ratepayers be landed with having to provide any guarantee…… So it’s $3 million….. those that want it should fund raise or can’t they even do that..go get sponsorship off all the consultants/contractors/bike retailers, travel companies etc etc etc, sell naming rights…how hopeless are they…. everyone got dreams but who’s paying…. To me it’s only going to be of benefit or interest to very few people, trouble is I believe they know how to lobby and work the system and get their demands pandered to, and the majority of Councillors are to scared to stop it in case they loose votes and are booted out in a few months time.
      • Sharon Stewart INTERESTING COMMENT – MILLIE
      • Millie Liang hahaha. just thought,re (Barbara Cuthbert says) I often hear in conversations/negotiations words along the lines of; she says / he says are all waffle words and simply verbal diarrhea…We get every everything in writing then we look at it and if it doesn’t stack up we move on…… Just ask Barbara to produce the MOU/Heads of Agreement or whatever doc she got from NZ Super Fund and if she got nothing in writing I would presume it just verbal diarrhea……
        Remember in this game it is more smoke and mirrors to get anything off the ground and reality is never the same… If the promoters/consultants etc etc don’t hype it and float the kite high it won’t have the Wow factor and people tire and move on….Councillors need to realize they were elected to collectively run the city in prudent manner and not like some division of WINZ.
      • Sharon Stewart Millie – make sure you read the Bernad Orsman and Brian Rudman articles in the New Zealand Herald today. On the Eden Park issue.
      • Millie Liang Ok will do… I hope I’m wrong but if they both thinking straight they will say the Councillors were conned and played big time by McCully or whoever the minister is.
    • Sharon Stewart I wouldn’t have thought that the NZ Super Fund would be supporting something like this?? Like your comments. NZ Superannuation Fund????
    • Sharon Stewart Lots of SPINNING – going on with the bikes
    • Millie Liang Another way to look at it….. The Councillors Inc need to imagine they are the financiers for this development and it is their own money they putting on the line… They need to act like astute and prudent professionals and ask the hard questions/seek independent expert opinion…

      Has the Council sought opinions from independent experts around the world as to the cost/commercial viability of it and if so where’s the reports. ?…. Where’s the report form the clip-on builders as to the pro’s-cons of doing it…. what’s the warranty on the existing structure, because if they going to bolt / weld onto the existing clip on that causes more problems that any of the maintenance workers will tell you…… actually what should happen is councils should go work as a maintenance worker and see just how bad it is…like the tv program where switched on bosses get hired as the new guy on the ground so they can see what is really going on in his company..
    • Sharon Stewart Did you read the above information quote from Barbara Cuthbert who said Council is being asked to be a minor guarantor putting forward $3 million towards the project. She said a further $29 million is being put in by the NZ Super Fund. I wonder what all the TAXPAYERS and the baby boomers will think about this. From my experience on being on council – projects like this always blow out and guess who picks up the mess. That’s right the RATEPAYER OR THE TAXPAYERS. Central Government keeps passing the baby over to the Local Government and its just getting out of control. That’s my opinion anyway.
    • Sharon Stewart Wonder what people like Stan Blanche and David Thornton thinks about all this?
    • Millie Liang You spot on Sharon. I commented re Barbara under your “INTERESTING COMMENT – MILLIE”
    • Millie Liang  I couldn’t believe the councillors took the hook line sinker over Mt Eden…what were they thinking… To me it wasn’t about the collective good for auckland but about getting themselves onto these paying bds and playing you scratch my back and I will scratch yours. Just my thoughts got no proof but I know how the game is played. Wonder what the voting would have been if no councillors were allowed to be appointed to any bd /committee.
    • Millie Liang One last thing before I need to concentrate on work.George, Cameron,Sharon,Dick, Ben, Lesley has any one calculated the wind and current movement on the bridge and how that will affect useage and what happens if people panic.
      • Lesley Opie Wind – that is something that will affect this structure. We live in direct line of the harbour bridge and when the strong south westerly winds come – it is awful – you can’t go outside. Imagine it is far worse actually on the harbour bridge. Think this walkway/cycleway is going to be a bit of a white elephant. With all the public transport proposed for the future how many will actually use it?
      • Sharon Stewart Lesley the public – need to understand that if we don’t get all the answers to the questions councillors may support this and this could end up being a huge anchor around us for ever. Hope you read all the post between Millie and I – probably best to copy and past – make sure you read all the See mores – this is just CRAZY. Imagine 5000 bike all 2 m long going one way across the bridge. Imagine the problem it will cause at the end of the bridge especially in peak traffic. Imagine even over the weekend people from the North Shore side wanting to ride across hundreds or thousands or maybe not many at all. If we got the numbers the SKYPATH are talking about the problems it will cause around Mission Bay – the bay’s etc… I don’t really think anyone has really thought this through. Imagine the window cleaning from inside and outside from all the sea spray. Imagine what would happen if 50 tourist end up on the bridge walking and site seeing and cyclist coming from both directions – FAST – It’s only 4 m wide for both cyclists and walkers in both directions. They are even suggesting having a cafe. What about air conditioning. They will need that because they can’t use the air from above because of he exhaust emissions unless they want to stop cars/trucks/buses etc… using the Auckland Harbour bridge the life line for those that live on the Shore to get to the other side. Cost of the CCTV cameras the length of the bridge in case of emergency. Accident or a gang fight. Once again no business plan. JUST A LOT OF SPIN.
      • Lesley Opie Where I live a wide cycle/walk bridge is being built to replace the narrow Northboro Pipe bridge (costing well over a million dollars – building passing bays on the bridge would have been much cheaper and adequate). When this bridge is wide the serious cyclists are going to speed over the bridge – they do it now when no one else is on the bridge. Health and safety issues have already arisen with the Northboro cycleway/pathway with pedestrians and cyclists – even though there are signs that say “Share with Care”. Cyclists seem to think they have the right of way over pedestrians (children, old people, mothers walking babies in buggys, people walking their dogs). Those who are proposing this Skypath don’t care about the effect on the surrounding environment so long as they can get their cycle fix. The bottom line is speeding cyclists and pedestrians sharing the same exit and entrance path and shared cycle/pedestrians paths, is not a good mix. Imagine a child walking with mum and dad suddenly decides to run ahead or sideways – could be quite nasty. Seems that those in charge of building the shared cycle/path ways don’t see the health and safety issue at all. They just think that everyone will share with care.
    • Sharon Stewart If you look at the plans Millie it will be glassed in. If it was open aired people would be blown off the bridge. Lot’s of Glass that would need to be constantly kept clean at I would suggest a huge cost. The maintenance of this under – grip on as they call it will be a constant drain on eventually the Ratepayers when the baby is passed on – as it happens all the time. RATEPAYERS ARE JUST AN EASY TOUCH. JUST KEEP PUTTING THE RATES UP FOR ALL THESE COSTLY DREAMS.
    • Sharon Stewart Read the 25 comments – above and take it all in. Looking forward to your comments. Some of those that are involved in promoting this SKYPATH are keeping to themselves today. SO FAR.
    • Millie Liang That’s why the mayor wants to ram another 1-1.5 million into the city…..It’s got nothing to do with the quality of life everyone enjoys..its all about the money… The average hard working people in the wider Auckland community think they can’t make a difference and that’s why there is such a poor voter turnout for elections… And when they go broke or simply sell up and move out they keep quite as they think they are failures…Like rats on a wheel, never mind how fast and clever you are you will get thrown off eventually… look at what they tell old people who have lived in their homes for 40-50yrs and can’t afford the continual increases in rates and cost of living…”well maybe you should consider selling up and moving somewhere where you can afford”..
      If this madness isn’t stopped, properties will be sold up, developers build 30-80sqm high rise apartments and the quality of life goes out the window and we book 6mths in advance to go to Long bay beach.
    • Sharon Stewart I hope the local Howick and Pakuranga times my local community paper picks up on this. As its a problem for all communities not just the Northshore and the CBD. Unless the public are aware of what is truly really going on – THINGS HAPPEN. Its called missing the boat.
      • Sharon Stewart Reay Neben, Nick Neben make sure you read all of these posts on the Skypath.
    • Millie Liang Re you comment Sharon ” Some of those that are involved in promoting this SKYPATH are keeping to themselves today. SO FAR.”…. old trick  they will keep quite pretending they aren’t aware, but if they any good they will be planning and plotting their next move…. Most probably studying up on how Sun Tsux would play his next card… If the councillors stand united, use common sense for once they will be able to withstand the next move of the promoters, but if councillors are picked of one by one, then it’s game all over.
    • Sharon Stewart Correct Millie its like a game.
    • Ben Ross Well we know what you must do Sharon when it hits Strat and Finance either next month or in April. Reject the proposal outright or defer it to the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan giving Skypath two more years in getting their figures together
    • Millie Liang Ben… To me it should have never got this far in the first place if astute people likeGeorge are still waiting for answers and he’s going to go and raise his concerns with the ceo . It’s like the Councillors were sleeping on the job… Imagine you going to the council for a resource consent with half of it missing or going to the bank for a loan with half your application not filled out ?
    • George Wood You are so right about the half baked application Millie.
    • Ben Ross Well then if that is the case Millie, the Skypath people are going to find a fast rejection from Strat and Finance just as AT did rather quickly with trying to get a half baked application for money reallocation in regards to the Manukau North Link duplication – although AT are going to be stupid enough to try again next month (insert Tui Ad here if I get a speaking slot) 

      It belongs in Strat and Finance no matter where they are with the progress for two reasons:
      1) To get the financial officers to run over this with a red pen and ruler
      2) So Strat and Finance can pass the rejecting resolution which is binding and tell Skypath one of several things: it will be deferred in any solid decision until your T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted, it will be rejected outright regardless until we get a new council at the end of the year, it will be rejected and sent back to AT (please don’t do that one) for more reports

      That proposal got stuck in the Transport Committee for over two hours leaving me fuming on the time wasting exercise that was when Skypath did not belong there at that point in time.

      Least it is now in Strat and Finance where the answer is simple: Half bake it like AT did last week with Manukau and it is rejected – pure and simple. Just don’t take two and a half hours to reach that conclusion please
    • Stephen Maire Ben, you continue to impress me. Keep it up.
      • Ben Ross Thanks for that  – incoming post in a few hours on this

 

Phew that took a moment to get it into the blog and format it back out – although I am not going back over the Facebook comments to correct spelling or gramma either 😛

But you can see where the debate amongst the opposition to Sky-Path is. Again my current line is this:

Well then if that is the case Millie, the Skypath people are going to find a fast rejection from Strat and Finance just as AT did rather quickly with trying to get a half baked application for money reallocation in regards to the Manukau North Link duplication – although AT are going to be stupid enough to try again next month (insert Tui Ad here if I get a speaking slot) 

It belongs in Strat and Finance no matter where they are with the progress for two reasons:
1) To get the financial officers to run over this with a red pen and ruler
2) So Strat and Finance can pass the rejecting resolution which is binding and tell Skypath one of several things: it will be deferred in any solid decision until your T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted, it will be rejected outright regardless until we get a new council at the end of the year, it will be rejected and sent back to AT (please don’t do that one) for more reports

That proposal got stuck in the Transport Committee for over two hours leaving me fuming on the time wasting exercise that was when Skypath did not belong there at that point in time.

Least it is now in Strat and Finance where the answer is simple: Half bake it like AT did last week with Manukau and it is rejected – pure and simple. Just don’t take two and a half hours to reach that conclusion please
With my official line being: REJECT THE SKY-PATH PROPOSAL AT THE STRATEGY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE PROVISION THAT IT (THE PROJECT) IS BEING DEFERRED TWO YEARS UNTIL THE 2015-2025 LONG TERM PLAN IS OPERATIONAL. IN THAT DEFERMENT, THE SKY-PATH PROJECT SPONSORS HAVE THOSE TWO YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THEIR I’S ARE DOTTED AND T’S ARE CROSSED IN THE FULL BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING CASES BY THE TIME THE PROJECT COMES UP AGAIN ON THE 2015-2025 LONG TERM PLAN (CONSIDERATIONS).

No doubt this debate will continue – hopefully with the Sky-Path proponents having something to say in reply to the questions that were asked by those above – sooner rather than later.

 

BR:AKL will keep tabs on the Sky-Path development as it reaches the Strategy and Finance Committee  and whether the project will pass or rejected by Council as a whole!