Well that is a triple ouch for our Finance Minister as we go into Christmas.
Looking at stats for Auckland I notice our heavy industry complexes are doing well and continuing to expand especially in metals and heavier manufacturing.
Whether that would be enough to insulate at least Auckland’s economy from the dairy collapse is yet to be seen
I have to admit that I do share too much. I do. You ask me anything and I just tell you, tell you the answer you wanted to hear. And that is how I got into the massive shit I was and probably still in.
And now, I am still very honest. When I told you, no, I cannot respond to Council matters, I cannot. Apparently many media are aware that the Council does not allow their employees to comment.
So when I said “No sorry, I cannot comment as staff”, it is not conspiracy theory that I’ve been gagged. Or paid. It is the policy. No comments = no comments.
And when I’ve learnt that my manager has been approaches 30 mins before your deadline, after you have approached me and I said no; and again on Sunday morning to say “this is an urgent call”, no it is…
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From Albert-Eden Local Board
Albert-Eden Local Board is in the early stages of developing a masterplan for Chamberlain Park and wants to know what users of the park and local residents think.
The board has extended the survey period, which offers Aucklanders the opportunity to provide input into the early stages of the planning process, until 30 January 2015.
Local board chair Dr Peter Haynes says the board has been overwhelmed by the amount of community interest in the future of Chamberlain Park already, and wants to ensure that all groups have the opportunity to provide input.
“This is the first stage of a significant process for the future of the park and it’s important that we start with a clean slate and consider as many ideas as possible.
“Right now, we are faced with a dilemma – the Albert-Eden area has Auckland’s lowest levels of open space with only 2.8 hectares for every 1000 residents.
“We also have almost one third of the region’s capacity shortfall in sports-field provision – this means that, with no real scope to add or improve more playing fields, many players are missing out.
“Projected population growth, lack of suitable land and funds to buy and develop more parks, and the changing needs of our people demands that we make smart decisions about the future use of places like Chamberlain Park.
“We need additional parks and reserves to allow residents to lead active and healthy lives,” he says.
People can complete the Albert-Eden Local Board’s online survey at shapeauckland.co.nz until 30 January 2015. The survey is a first-look at all of the possibilities for the park, including the adjacent Rawalpindi Reserve and the Western Springs Garden site, and asks people’s views on:
In keeping with exploring all options for the park, the survey asks for the public’s views on housing; however the board itself does not support this as a future possibility for the park.
“No decisions will be made on the future of Chamberlain Park until extensive consultation has been carried out. It will consider the interests of all users of the park and the wider community,” says Dr Haynes.
Dr Haynes points out that studies of golf trends indicate a preference for shorter courses with starting-new-at-golf facilities and driving ranges.
“Shorter courses are increasingly popular overseas, and learn-to-play facilities enhance the chances that we’ll see another Lydia Ko emerge in Auckland.
“The demand and market for golfing provision is changing. This is an opportunity to review facilities in light of current pressures for open space and recreation provision within the inner city.”
Once survey results have been collected, options will be developed for further consultation. This is likely to be later in 2015.
Further Information
On behalf of New Zealand Golf, O’Connor Sinclair prepared National and Auckland Regional Golf Facility Studies (2013). The studies identified the following golf course trends and issues. This summary is derived from: “Auckland Golf Facility Strategy New Zealand Golf”. Findings include:
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Originally posted on Imperator Fish:
Embed from Getty Images The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is outraged at the scandalous behaviour of Auckland mayor Len Brown. The people of Auckland deserve…
A declaration. I don’t hate journalists and many are my friends. Many are decent people with great ethics who can still their job and tell their stories. I have a love-hate relationships with them.
I love those who actually spend time on a decent investigative work. I admire their language abilities and their abilities to keep asking questions. I admire those who can break a story that is both mind blowing and have an important impact.
Then you have those who are lazy and will only copy and paste your media releases. Any PR person out there will tell you they exist. Then you have those who, with their creative writing styles, write stories.
I don’t know if that is actually taught at journalist schools at all, but journalists who couldn’t even be bothered to build a relationship with you, even if it was just to get you to speak…
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It will be interesting to note where this goes.
PTUA by the looks of it are focusing in on the end user campaign while other groups have sorted themselves around the planning/engineering systems as a main diet (it does not stop them going into end user consumer systems however).So the question will end up being the partnering up when say a public transport project is on the blocks that would enhance end user experiences.
The Manukau South Link would be a small example.Talking Auckland will be watching closely indeed, especially if the comments from a core Transport Blog writer are anything to go by
I am pleased to be a part of the founding of New Zealand’s newest transport advocacy group, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). I was elected Deputy Chair at the Initial General Meeting on 20 November.
The purposes of the PTUA (from its constitution) are to:
- Represent current and future users of public transport in New Zealand
- Be a politically independent and critical voice on public transport issues
- Hold public transport providers to public account; and
- Advocate for better, more efficient public transport on behalf of users
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Food for thought being in opposition.
Stick to dogmatic guns and fail entirely?
Or
Go pragmatic and go with it to get some concessions that gives political capital for later on?Democracy at its more ugly side.
This week, the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee reported back on the Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill. The Government had been seeking, among other things, the ability of the SIS to undertake 48 hour warrantless surveillance, and for the Government to revoke passports for three years.
Quite why these measures were required were never addressed. After all, our terror threat level may have raised, but it remains on ‘low’. MPs such as Jamie-Lee Ross muttered darkly of tales of terror disclosed by the SIS: if we meek citizens only knew what the MPs knew, we would quake in our boots and immediately provide ringing endorsements of the Government’s planned changes. Of course, we mere citizens weren’t allowed to know. The SIS’s briefing was conducted in secret, open only to MPs, on the grounds of protecting national security.
The SIS’s briefing may have persuaded Mr Ross, but the opposition…
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If you are like me and Rebekka you might be spending some of your Summer time doing renovations and/or landscaping around the property. And so Auckland Council has some released some tips so you don’t end up in A&E on ACC over the Summer break….
From Auckland Council:
Home DIY projects are as much part of the Kiwi summer as jandals or barbeques, but they need a bit of planning.
While some rules around home renovation have been relaxed in recent times, Aucklanders are being reminded to check before they get the tools out.
Councillor George Wood says DIYers should find out if the planned work needs either building or resource consent and check what you can do versus what needs a qualified tradesperson.
“With the better weather and longer evenings Aucklanders may be spurred on after watching ‘The Block’ on television. We just need to remind people to take the simple steps to make sure that the project is safe, they are going to be within the law and their work isn’t going to harm the environment,” Councillor Wood.
“It’s always best to ask first, and remember that building is covered by both the Building Act and Resource Management Act so both need checking.”
Ensuring DIY work is compliant will also help property owners ensure they don’t compromise any future property sales. To learn more about what does and doesn’t require consent, visitwww.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or contact 09 301 0101 to find out more.
“It’s also important to think about how we build, especially how we clean up afterwards, as building activity can have a real impact on our environment,” adds Councillor Wood.
“What goes down drains will end up in the sea via the stormwater system, so it is important to keep the drains for the rain,” he says.
Concrete waste, paint, and even soil particles can have a devastating impact if they get washed into the stormwater system, streams or the sea.
Paint brushes should be washed with running water onto open ground which will absorb the waste water and prevent the chemicals from reaching more vulnerable stream or marine environments.
To learn more about minimising potential pollution from home renovations and landscaping visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
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Stay safe and some common sense please people 🙂
At the moment I am busy with Auckland Council matters as the mayor gets bundled into a corner over rates
On the same day as the Cheryl Gwynn report was released, we also got the release Justice Chisholm’s report into Judith Collins and the allegations that she undermined former-SFO head Adam Feeley.
The report was ordered after the release of an email from Cameron Slater, detailing Judith Collins’ apparent involvement in a plot to undermine Mr Feeley. The email stated:
“I also spoke at length with the Minister responsible today (Judith Collins). She is gunning for Feeley. Any information that we can provide her on his background is appreciated. I have outlined for her a coming blog post about the massive staff turnover and she has added that to the review of the State Services Commissioner. She is using his review of these events to go on a trawl looking for anything else. It is my opinion that Feeley’s position is untenable.”
Cameron Slater’s explanation was that he had…
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And if wonder why I am covering this every so often it is because it is this:
One Dimensional thinkers of both the Left and Right Wing (hence I was annoyed a BA Politics student not getting it) say that (in this case it is the 1D right wingers) that they are not focusing on issues that matter.
Well not only does that statement belittle the intelligence of the electorate but shows they do not understand the three dimensions a democratic institution works in. For that matter if a Government MP has said it (Jami-Lee Ross) then they are not fit to be MPs as they have no understanding of the full nature of our democratic institution.
As I have pointed out when rot sets at the top of our democratic institution it can become a cancer that will eventually claim even the most powerful economies or Empires. The Roman Empire being a classic example, the modern USA is lurching towards the same fate. For a sci-fi example it would be the Old Republic going to the Galactic Empire before that gave way in a violent rebellion to the New Republic.
With the PM also forced to return to Parliament to make a personal statement for in effect lying during Question Time, and the Inspector General of the Intelligence forces now kicking off an investigation over a leaking of a report then you know that Rot is now set in at the top.
If a voter goes out saying that all this is not issues that matter then they are part of that rot as well as they are complicit in harming the democratic institution we are in.
At the end of the day all this is a very large issue that matters. Rot sets in at the top and as it has done in History it will claim even the strongest of economies and even strongest of Empires
Have you really never spoken to Cameron Slater in your capacity as Prime Minister?
I would like you to consider the following questions before you answer this, because I would suggest you choose your words carefully. Remember John, no-one likes a liar…
1) You told Parliament in late October that that you have never spoken to Cameron Slater in your capacity as Prime Minister. Was this really true?
2) Did you talk to Cameron Slater the night before the release of the IGIS report, and the Justice Chisholm report on Judith Collins?
3) How many times in the last month have you spoken to Slater?
4) Does Cameron Slater records his phone calls, and if he does, how much leverage does he now have over you (whether in your capacity as a private citizen, PM, Minister of Tourism etc, etc)?
5) Are you OK with the possibility of Slater having…
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Talking Southern Auckland 