Dirty Politics Summary

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Whatever your politics and style what we are seeing here is a rather interesting chill on our democracy.

I know when the Len Brown saga broke the amount of sleaze being fired across with beyond it by all means. The consequences went far above and beyond what the Mayor did, it went as far as acting as a paralysing force against the Council something only just recently the City has rid of (we are back to normal Council) politics.

Having been approached by opponent Palino last May to assist writing South Auckland policy (before walking away (I voted for Len by the way)) the aftermath of the election sent chills through me.

Chills insofar as the muck being fires from that pocket of the Centre Right in a game of win at all cost (usually this ends as MAD).

However, the City had a saving grace through the fact we were damn well lucky we had a Deputy Mayor who led the City through those dark periods something the opposition failed to realise then and still now. However, that opposition so to say will be served their beans in due time and their allies sullied by Association charges. Meaning the Centre Right have effectively neutered themselves in the 2016 elections.

Of note I have noticed Carrack Graham paying a bit more attention into Auckland Council affairs. This is something to watch carefully and closely.

Slater and Graham’s politics are not wanted in the Super City a 21st Century progressive and inclusive City

Auckland Development Committee – August 2014

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The Agenda

 

Today at 9:30am the Auckland Development Committee will meet. The agenda can be seen below

 

As normal I will be running my live Tweeting ( @BenRoss_AKL ) through the Committee as well as the Budget Committee and Governing Body that both follow right after the Auckland Development Committee.

 

The Auckland Development Committee will be endorsing Plan Changes amongst other discussions. One of the Plan Changes is the Drury South Plan Change that would allow the creation of the heavy industry complex in southern Drury over time.

The report back on the amount of industrial and commercial land might stir a debate within the Committee and will be one to watch to see if the Councillors can grasp rather long or super long-term planning in regards to land being available for large-scale employment centres. Remember I have said before that Council is good at zoning residential but rather slow in grasping the requirements to allow zoning and the subsequent establishment of commercial and industrial zones that would give rise to employment centres that is needed for Auckland’s long-term prosperity.

The Housing update will definitely cause a stir especially if affordable housing gets mentioned. However, I wonder if the debate will rehash the same old stuff as seen over the last four years?

The debate I would have like to have seen thought is the Special Housing Area Tranche Four item which is behind closed doors. The SHA’s previously have caused quite a bit of teeth gnashing and no doubt this fourth set will do the same. That said the Tranche’s usually go through the Governing Body for final “ratification” so we might see a glimpse of a debate there. Also in light of the SHA troubles that we are seeing (Special Housing Areas Already in Trouble?) I wonder if a Councillor will be brave enough to raise it before going behind closed doors to discuss the Fourth Tranche.

 

All today and all at Town Hall