Tag: Ben Ross

Interview on City Finances: Done

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Will let you know when it airs

 

I did an interview alongside Rod Oram this morning for the All About Auckland show which airs on Monday evenings on Sky (although soon Freeview). The topic was City Finances in light of the Mayor handing down his presentation of the Draft 2015-2025 Long Term Plan and some realities the City needs to face in this discussion.

I have previously been on the All About Auckland Show talking transport and South Auckland (The Southern Initiative).

I will let you know when the interview is up.

 

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

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My First Fathers Day Too

 

A Happy Fathers Day to all the dad’s out there in New Zealand (and across the World) today. A special mention to Fathers who might no longer be with us as well.

A special mention to two of my long-time friends Cliff and Ben who like me became dad’s for the first time this year 😀

A few sleepless nights at first but it sorts itself out quickly enough and before long we wonder where did the time go.

And with the weather forecast to be an absolute cracker today in Auckland it will make for a great day to be out and about the City.

 

So a Happy Father’s Day to All – and we shall see you all tomorrow

 

Blog Update

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Updates Irregular, also will be away

 

With me settling into my role as full-time stay at home dad with our 14 week old daughter, Talking Blog posts will be a bit scatty as I settle in to the domestic dad role and establish new routines. I still have a few posts and series in the pipeline that will trickle out over the next month so there is definitely no shortage of material.

I will also be away from Friday until next Tuesday joining up with the rest of the wider family for a reunion in Tauranga. Blog posts will be limited however, if Auckland Transport does send through the rest of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act requests in the duration I will do my best to get them up when possible.

 

Also thanks for your messages of support and encouragement yesterday after I filed my Resigned from The Party post yesterday. Needless to say it is refreshing to step back from Central Politics while it is in the state it is in. However, my involvement for Local Politics remains.

So again my thanks to you all.

 

Resigned from The Party

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No longer a member of the National Party

 

Well the announcement on Twitter certainly lit the place up yesterday and this morning. Never thought it would garner the response it did but it did.

Yesterday I had decided that after 11 years of membership I will no longer be a National Party member. The email when to National HQ in Wellington this morning stating that I have left the organisation as a Party member.

The email simply said:

I wish to inform the National Party that after being a member since 2003 I will be resigning my membership to the Party effective immediately
While it has been an adventure and I have met many new people along the way over the last 11 years I feel that the Party no longer presents my Social Liberal values nor is represents a Party that champions the Common Good.
The Hager saga has also shown National to be lacking in the skills required to navigate through a stormy patch that do come up from time to time.
The Prime Minister, and the Hon Judith Collins acting in obfuscation, stretching the truth and belittling the intelligence of the populace through their handling of the situation has also been a catalyst for me leaving the Party.
Until such time National is more in line with my own values of Social Liberalism and the Common Good, as well as Collins no longer being an MP I will remain a political freelancer, my vote always that of a Swing voter.
Despite the mess National has gotten itself in I wish no ill upon members and MP’s who do the hard yards out in the electorates. Sadly a few bad apples ruin it for everyone else.
Thus I wish the Party all the best into the future and in acknowledgement that we might meet up again some day. I do point out I have no desire in joining any other Party either.
All the best to the campaign
And thank you for the last 11 years.
With Kind Regards

 

So I am a political freelancer, my vote a swing vote at Central Level.

And the end of the day there is no point being part of a Political Party that does not line up with your own values (nor morals). Sadly a few bad apples ruined it and the rest is now as they say – history.

However this does not end my political involvement in any way. Well it does at Central Level as I step back but at Local Level I will still be definitely around (I can hear Auckland Transport saying “nuts” from here 😉 ). My affiliations at Auckland Council level do not change – that is I am still a supporter of the Deputy Mayor. But for now I take a break from Central Politics and turn all attention towards Auckland’s politics.

The blog will still be here, the posts and commentary will still be here, the pressers will still be posted when they come, the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request still filed, the presentations and live tweetings out of Committees continue. 

 

As I said in the email though, I do wish the Party all the best in the future and in acknowledgement that we might meet up again one day.