A Day at the Botanical Gardens Yesterday for New Years Day the clan from South and West Auckland assembled and invaded the Auckland Regional Botanical Gardens. The story in … Continue reading Summer Series 14/15: The Botanical Gardens
Category: Uncategorized
December ’14 – NZ blogs sitemeter ranking
And topping off a very interesting 2014 the last of the monthly 2014 blog rankings are out.
As noted in an earlier post this morning yesterday was the third anniversary of Talking Auckland. As I look back over 2014 I also look forward to 2015.
I am also looking at freshening up the blog layout and investigating whether to take some content like any urban renewal stuff (e.g the Manukau Redevelopment projects) behind a paywall. I will let you know what my thoughts and decisions are around that later on.
And as always a thanks to readers, fellow commentators, and followers on the Facebook and Twitter pages. Without you Talking Auckland would be just talking to a blank wall 😉
PLEASE NOTE: Sitemeter is still playing up but far fewer blogs are effected. It was still impossible to get the stats for a the blogs that I list below. Maybe more bloggers will shift to StatCounter or other counter.
No stats could be found for these blogs:
| Science Behind the Curtain | Grumpollie |
There are now over 300 blogs on the list, although I am weeding out those which are no longer active or have removed public access to sitemeters. (Let me know if I weed out yours by mistake, or get your stats wrong).
Every month I get queries from people wanting their own blog included. I encourage and am happy to respond to queries but have prepared a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) people can check out. Have a look at NZ Blog Rankings FAQ. This is particularly helpful to those wondering how to set up sitemeters.
Please note, the system is…
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5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS
While IAP2’s post would be aimed at Public Authorities and maybe businesses on the forefront of social engagement, the five points are also relevant to blogs covering such issues like Talking Auckland does.
As we head into 2015 and a very busy year for Auckland (and myself) Point #2 is something most relevant for the blog:
“Topic-specific interests trump demographics. PR and marketing pros know there is no such thing as a “general public.” When you use a spray-and-pray campaign approach, not only will you not effectively evaluate your efforts, but you might end up wasting a lot of money delivering your message to people who couldn’t care less about what you’re saying. Many brand managers have sent out targeted messages on social media, only to see interest from audiences never even considered in the planning process. This doesn’t mean there’s a “general public.” Social media is just highlighting the importance of finding those who care about your message. Identifying demographics is a start, but once you find those people who are really interested in your product, service, or cause, your message will go much further.”
This is really applicable as the blog has reached a critical mass in sharing information with that sharing happening multiple times over above normal organic reach (meaning using Twitter the number of Retweets on top of Retweets that expands the reach). So in short making sure the information is relevant to those interested and might share it to their circles and beyond. Especially if I want to “assist” in getting greater participation in our civic institution.
So while on holiday and the blog in Summer Series mode, reviews and plans to continue to enhance Talking Auckland are under way
5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS
Source: PR Daily
Five things to look for when collecting and deciphering social media analytics:
1. Let your audience guide you to new places. Studying a social media platform’s analytics not only can let you know whether you’re on the right path with ongoing branding and engagement efforts, but also can determine the direction of your future efforts.
2. Topic-specific interests trump demographics. PR and marketing pros know there is no such thing as a “general public.” When you use a spray-and-pray campaign approach, not only will you not effectively evaluate your efforts, but you might end up wasting a lot of money delivering your message to people who couldn’t care less about what you’re saying. Many brand managers have sent out targeted messages on social media, only to see interest from audiences never even considered in the…
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The sky city bailout: it is common for private sector mega-projects to fail
Well this is timely given the Sky City blow out dogging the Government. My message is still the same, flip the bird to Sky City and walk away Steven Joyce (and Auckland Council as well in regards to operation subsidies).
Never before has Left, Centre, Right, Liberal, Conservative and Libertarian been so united against Sky City in this instance. Well done Sky City for that dubious and rare feat.
Now I see the average cost of blow outs backed up by some good evidence is mentioned. So I link this old but goodie: https://voakl.net/2012/05/18/the-crl-and-the-rail-fallacy/
Those Fallacy posts for the CRL served as a warning so we can avoid such blow outs like the disaster of the motorway tunnel construction in Seattle.
I note the average rail cost blow out was 44.7% with ranges between 0-100%. This would put it close to my 1.5x or 50% blow out potential.
However, before someone complains about rail I point out that the Sydney Toll Roads have gone bust twice, the Brisbane Airport Toll Road once, and a few in America going bust….
SkyCity is sniffing around the New Zealand government for a $130 million bailout. The initial project estimate was $402 million for a convention centre and enlarged casino.
SkyCity was very clear when the convention centre deal was announced that it would be at no cost to either taxpayers or Auckland ratepayers.
The literature on mega-projects suggests that large engineering projects frequently fail to achieve their intended financial and operating objectives. Nine out of ten mega-projects have cost-over runs:
- Miller and Lessard (2000) studied 60 large engineering projects with an average size of $1 billion. Almost 40% of the projects performed very badly and were abandoned totally or restructured after a financial crisis.
- Merrow et al. (1988) found that four of the 47 megaprojects they studied came in on budget – the average cost overrun was 88%. Of the 36 projects that had sufficient data, 26 failed to achieve…
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Science never claimed to know everything
Well that is good to know
Might want to tell Climate Change advocates that seeming they say the science is settled (like fundamentalists do with religion).
Nothing in science is ever settled and science does not know all. Hence why we keep endeavouring on with science; to learn, critique and expand our horizons as NOTHING is settled
I have posted this before – but it bears repeating after all the nonsense I have been exposed to this year.
Dara O’Briain: Science doesn’t know everything – YouTube.
The beginning of the end for Mike Sabin?
Well as soon as I throw the blog in Summer mode it goes to poodoo for Central Government….
This, the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, and Sky City are giving the Government grief at the moment.
While one does not affect Auckland per say compared to the other two it shows our Central Government is going to need a heck of a prod.
Auckland is already facing three years of a Mayor not being at full strength, we certainly do not need a Central Government not firing on all cylinders either. Not now not ever
The Sunday Star Times and NZ Herald have been carrying stories about allegations that National MP Mike Sabin is being investigated for assault. At present, the stories carry no detail, making it impossible to tell whether the complaints are historic or whether it’s a family violence complaint.
Nonetheless, in politics, nothing is secret. According to Cameron Slater, the allegations have been doing the rounds for about a month. He describes the allegations as “almost too horrible for words” and predicts a by-election in Sabin’s Northland electorate. (Of course, any allegation made by Slater should perhaps come with questions regarding veracity and whether he’s being paid to assassinate Sabin’s character. If Sabin does end up resigning, it might pay to look closely at whichever candidate Slater lends his support to…)
In the SST and over at TheStandard, questions are being asked about when John Key knew about the allegations. The…
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And From The Opposition
What the opposition had to say + the Auditor General’s Opinion Yesterday I ran the Council presser and a couple of Main Stream Media articles on the Governing Body … Continue reading And From The Opposition
Bus Livery – GO!
Auckland Transport Debut’s the new Bus Livery
Yesterday in rather windy conditions Auckland Transport launched the new public transport livery we will be seeing across the buses through out Auckland.
From Auckland Transport
AT Metro brand makes its debut
16/12/2014 02:14 p.m.
Auckland Transport has unveiled its new look for public transport in the city.
At a ceremony in Auckland the Deputy Mayor, Penny Hulse and Auckland Transport Chairman Dr Lester Levy launched the AT Metrobrand which will be phased in over three years, starting with LINK services and the Northern Express.
The single brand identity will be differentiated by colour for different types of services and will gradually be applied to buses, trains and ferries.
Auckland Transport’s General Manager Marketing and Customer Experience Mike Loftus says a single identity will give Aucklanders and visitors a clearer understanding of what public transport is on offer, and how buses, trains and ferries serve different areas.
“Most metropolitan cities have a single brand network that is easy to recognise and enables clear, consistent communication with customers.”
“Currently in Auckland there is no single identity, we have a variety of brands and looks. Customers relate to buses by the operator name rather than the wider public transport network”.
Auckland Transport’s Group Manager Public Transport Mark Lambert says having a single public transport network will ultimately build public confidence in the developing and improving PT system. “Knowing that all the services are integrated and part of the same system will help grow patronage”.
The implementation of the livery is already underway and budgeted for the electric trains.
Costs for the bus fleet will be kept to a minimum through:
- retention of ocean blue for Rapid Network services (Northern Express is already this colour).
- retention of red, green, orange and light blue for existing targeted services of the City LINK, Inner LINK, Outer LINK and Airbus.
- the rest of the bus fleet to be transitioned as part of new contracts and costs incurred through new contract rates.
Mr Lambert says Auckland’s bus operators are aware of the changes and are working with Auckland Transport.
The Auckland Plan looks to double public transport trips from 70 million in 2012 to 140 million in 2022. The Auckland Plan’s priorities for Auckland’s transport system include “a single system transport network approach that manages current congestion problems and accommodates future business population growth to encourage a shift toward public transport.”
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Source: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/at-metro-brand-makes-its-debut/
Costs of the rebrand noted in red above. And I believe the yellow on the front of the buses is to act as a safety feature in being bright and attention catching before someone asks.
So When Will the Police Apologise For This Utter Failing?
Britomart Chaos Unacceptable
By now you would have seen the reports doing the rounds of a brawl breaking out at Britomart Station on Saturday night after the Christmas in the Park, and Raggamuffin events were concluded.
You can see the Herald report here:
Marauding youths shut down Britomart station
By Sam Boyer, Mathew Dearnaley 6:10 PM Sunday Dec 14, 2014
Dozens of marauding youths brought Auckland trains to a halt last night as hundreds of people converged on Britomart to get home after Christmas in the Park.
Police and security guards closed access to the Super City’s main railway station soon after 11pm after 30 to 40 youths climbed on top of turnstiles and began pushing and shoving each other on the platforms.
A video on Facebook captured some of their behaviour, showing them taunting and making aggressive gestures to the guards.
A heavy sign was thrown across the turnstiles at the guards before police arrived to restore order.
…..
Source and full article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11374116
The gates at Britomart themselves were the device as well as the guards and Maori Wardens that kept that brawl from spreading out of control.
But questions of the police need to be asked especially after a video emerged on Facebook showing the brawl going for five long minutes and still no police on the platform level. So to the Commander of Waitemata Police:
- Why were their no police on the main platform level after the events has concluded to act as a visible deterrence
- Why were their no police heavily patrolling outside the Britomart McDonalds where the rolling brawl started to both stop the brawl there and prevent it going down to the main platform levels
- Why after the brawl spread to the Britomart Platform level there was absolutely no police on that platform to break it up. A video clip shows the brawl going for five minutes and no police
- Why was there no squad ready with paddy wagon and dogs ready for instant deployment in such an event
- Why did the intelligence unit not pick up on the volatility of this before it happened or are they to busy pinging journalists critical of the Government?
- Why no arrests
The video is here: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=857078164313656&pnref=story
This not the first time the police have failed to respond to such incidents at a pubic transport stop or station.
Our public transport is meant to be safe so people especially families will use it but if the police can not do its job in deterrence and busting of such disturbances it does not give confidence to the rest of the City and tourists when we do hold large events. Furthermore the main platform level is a dangerous place if bad behaviour occurs on that level. Falling onto the tracks sober will hurt as is, falling onto the tracks drunk and no control is not going to be a pretty sight especially if head hits the iron. Also train movements is enough to put things at higher risks of an accident before control manages to bring all such movements to a halt.
I have noted this is not also the first time Christmas in the Park has resulted in drunken behaviour either. That situation faces a very easily solution: either we tell our peers to get themselves back in order or face Council dropping the ban hammer on the event. A pity a few spoil it for the rest so we might be wanting to better self police our peers before an authority does it for us with a blunt instrument…
As a comparison the NRL 9’s earlier this year was a very busy event but no reports of major issues as we saw on Saturday night. So Auckland can get its collective self together…
And so then who will be held to account for this ball dropping?
Internet Mana : the divorce
All I can say some things are best left now to the confines to the (and in this case) the bins of History
So the Internet Mana Party is no more. As 3Newsreports, a letter has been sent to the Electoral Commission to confirm that the relationship has been terminated.
It’s hardly surprising. Given Kim Dotcom’s post-election acceptance that he’d poisoned the public mood against Internet Mana, it was only a matter of time before the Mana Movement and the Internet Party parted ways.
Admittedly, just before I headed to Melbourne last weekend, disappearing off the social media grid and ignoring the existence of news from the homeland, there were strange reports of the Internet Mana Party intending to soldier on through in unity to 2017, of Dotcom intending to continue his role as Internet Party puppet master, and of Dotcom preparing to export his failed Internet Party experiment to the United States.
Nonetheless, Dotcom had previously been bewailing his supposed technical insolvency. Given that the lure of the Internet Party for…
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Talking Southern Auckland 