Auckland‘s Transport Mega Projects Part Two – A Comparison And so the Prime Minister has announced around $10 BILLION worth of transport mega projects in Auckland for the next well I … Continue reading Auckland’s Transport Mega Projects – Part Two
Tag: John Key
CRL Confirmed – Start Date: 2020
Big Gerry Due to Make Announcement [Note from Admin: Edited to reflect most current situation with the City Rail Link] The latest of 1400 hours (so not including Question … Continue reading CRL Confirmed – Start Date: 2020
Auckland Council Elections Begin to Spark
Incumbents and Candidates Square Off
[Note from Admin] stand by for an update in regards to the poll results. Awaiting word on whether they will be released or not.
With October the month we cast our ballot papers on the 2013 Local Elections where get to vote in (and out) mayors, councillors, Local Board members and District Health Board members.
In Auckland this will be our second election as a Super City and already we have people squaring off for Ward Council seats as well as for the mayoral chains. As I mentioned yesterday in the run up post: “Does the Right Wing offer any serious alternatives or is it photo opportunities with the Prime Minister and which ever Minister trundled along, and angry press releases dumped into Scoop that sounds like a pile of Shrilling.”
Lets take a look shall we in brief at a mayoral candidate and two would-bes vying for your councillor vote.
For at the snippet piece on centre-right mayoral candidate John Palino from the Herald on Sunday.
From the HoS
Helpful Key on side – Palino
5:30 AM Sunday Jun 23, 2013
EXPANDAuckland mayoral candidate John Palino with Prime Minister John Key at a breakfast held by MP Simon O’Connor.Super City mayoral candidate John Palino says he has the backing of Prime Minister John Key.
He has been photographed with Key at least three times this month, including twice this week. The centre-right candidate told the Herald on Sunday he believed the Nats had made “subconsciously, a tick for John Palino”.
“They don’t come out and say, ‘We support people’ … It’s how they help you out.” A Key spokeswoman said the party had not officially endorsed a candidate. “The decision on the mayoralty is one for the people of Auckland.”
Palino said he had also met people from the Labour Party, including Mangere MP Su’a William Sio, and was waiting to hear back from party leader David Shearer.
…
The article is also on page 12 of the hard copy if one wishes to look there.
Okay the poll numbers were not released and seems people are staying mum on them, despite the fact they should have been released to jolt the city and the MSM somewhat into paying attention.
If one is also wondering that yes I have met John Palino multiple times since he announced his tilt for mayoralty sussing out what John stands for and what he would bring to the table if he wins the mayoral chains off Len. But, I remind readers and the city that we do live in a liberal democracy and I can choose who I meet with at my leisure with those either vying for my vote or my business as a consultancy. Such as the nature of both free enterprise and democracy that we live in this city.
I am still asking for John to see if he would like to write a 1,200 word guest post for Talking Auckland in giving a summary of what he would bring to the city. The same invitation will also be sent to Len Brown as well.
As for my view on John; nice enough character and likeable in the times we have met thus far. Knowing his policy narratives that he is going to bring to the table for the city I would say that they are good policies that span both the left/right wing spectrum, AND the liberal/conservative spectrum as well.
However, I do serve a warning to our mayoral candidate(s); do not fall into the Unitary Plan and housing situation trap the central government has fallen into (especially around the Housing Accord). Our central government only sees the housing issue in Auckland in a one dimension prism (that is supply, supply, supply). There is more than just whacking some more houses in some out-of-the-way locations (as the Accord would do via the Special Housing Area provisions) to get housing affordability restored. You must see the problem in a three-dimensional prism and understand that the issue is at this point and time a three if not four prong issue. Those prongs being:
- Supply right across the city (Brownfield and Greenfield)
- Constructions costs
- Consenting process
- Planning process getting in the road and restricting freedoms
- Finance gearing
Okay so I added a fifth one but, two of those prongs can not be influences by council – only central government.
For a mayor to lead his or her Council in getting the housing situation under control, you MUST attack prongs; 1, 3 and 4 simultaneously at the same time. To just attack just prong number one which is all central government knows how to do (to show its lack of truth depth of understanding) is putting you on the fast track for either a comprehensive debunking in the (social) media and subsequent beating in the upcoming election or the next election if you do get in. This message also applies to any right-wing councillor candidate standing as well (to be commented on soon). So consider this a warning as not only are the blogs paying attention but, but the city is as well…
Oh and here is a hint here, the Unitary Plan (having read the document front to back) is an actual enabling document that goes some way in liberalising out our planning restrictions. It goes part of the way to the methodology I submitted on in the Auckland Plan but, not quite there yet (in handing over to the Local Board most planning oversight). For more check my submissions where the Semi-Liberal Plan District is outlined!
As for our right wing candidates who wish to become councillors
I have noticed two potential candidates of the right wishing to stand for Council. One is standing in the Waitakere area (so a challenge to the Deputy Mayor) and the other in retiring Councillor Richard Northey‘s area of Maungakiekie-Tāmaki.
Starting with Waitakere lets take a quick look at Facebook.
Cooper for Council – for the ward seat of Waitakere. Essentially a direct challenge to both Sandra Coney and more to the point our Deputy Mayor – Penny Hulse.
I have not seen policy narratives come from Ms Cooper yet but seriously, what is it with centre right oppositional candidates all vying for photos with the Prime Minister and at times a Minister. It makes the quote from the Prime Minister’s Office (“A Key spokeswoman said the party had not officially endorsed a candidate. “The decision on the mayoralty is one for the people of Auckland.”) somewhat hollow.
It also gives the strong inclination that National (and in part the government) from behind the scenes is trying to seek influence post October 12. Yep Labour and the Greens officially back candidates and at least they tell the city that. But, National never has and always prefers to lurk behind the scenes out of the public eye. To me that is indication the government wanting direct influence on and over the Council post October 12…
It is also something to watch more closely than those of Labour/Green backing. As I said at least you know the sway of those candidates or incumbents and what the central party machine is inclined to do. That allows the voter to make an informed vote on the grounds of ‘if I vote for this Labour backed candidate” I know both the central party machine is implied and will have “influence” over policy direction.’
Where as with National lurking (although these photo ops with the PM seem to be giving things away) in the background, you don’t know up front what the centre-right candidate is really standing for or how much influence is being held over them by the central party apparatus. No informed vote can be truly made if one does not have all the facts front right and centre.
So one will be keeping an eye on the centre-right candidates closely as we approach October 12. Also this lurking crap by National is a key reason of me being naturally suspicious of my own Party – to which I will do a post on later).
As for the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki contest, this came to my attention because of a press release mentioned into Twitter:
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Another ignorant NIMBY by the sounds of this, please don’t vote for her. Go Richard Northey! #unitaryplan http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00273/krum-promises-energy-and-a-contest-of-ideas.htm …
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@LouisOutlook I thought Northey was retiring at the end of this term. As for Ms Krum I have seen that name somewhere before
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@BenRoss_AKL @louisoutlook Well in that case we will have to see who else will stand.
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@LouisOutlook that is where I have seen her name; The national party
As yes I believe I have met Ms Krum at a National Party conference either last year or the year before. Also probably why after reading the press release from Ms Krum I was a little bit surprised at the releases quality – POOR quality.
I have read the press release front and back just to make sure I was reading it correctly. For Ms Krum unfortunately Louis was right and (not shown here) ATB also being correct in that fact Ms Krum showed no alternatives to what is in the UP. So in essence a shrilling exercise from a centre-right candidate who in all honestly should have known much MUCH better.
Dropping shrilling or rather dog whistling press releases as a candidate for the council elections – especially as a centre right candidate with whatever links to National about the Unitary Plan is utterly dumb! Yes DUMB!
The Unitary Plan is a hot topic button issue at the moment and one being kept a very close eye on by myself, Auckland Transport Blog and the MSM (usually after both of the blogs have run a debunking exercise). Any shrilling by the centre right and particular journalists on the UP was heavily debunked very quickly. Just ask Orsman and Auckland 2040 in the levels of debunking from all sorts of media angles and publications. Auckland 2040 and myself are defrosting the relations between each other but, it shows what happens when shrilling and misinformation is pumped out and seized upon.
I especially do not take lightly to shrilling exercises against the Unitary Plan as Auckland is my city and my home and both which I take an extreme amount of pride in. Thus heavy debunking will be run if spotted!
The Conclusion?
Two fold:
First: National stop the lurking behind the scenes make crystal clear your intentions for Council and the City. Labour least have the balls to put it out there front right and centre with their candidates and policy influence for which the voter is aware of an makes their choices! How about manning up and throwing your official weight behind candidates and bring the playing field back into balance. The City DETESTS lurkers (and most likely a reason why C&R got thumped in the last election).
Second: Why I should tell this to the Centre-Right I be damned if I know, But, cut the shrilling and put something decent on the table. At least (although different) Auckland 2040 put up a credible alternative to the Unitary Plan for virtually everyone to consider. We as a city knew where they were playing, what they were against and what they wanted. We might have agreed or disagreed but we knew! Those who shrill and put no actual credible alternative forward do not deserve our attention nor vote (apart from debunking exercises).
You are all being watched (and by the comments starting to come through that point is ringing true)…
More to Ponder Over
Needing Help?
While I have one “Thought” post on ice as I check that it won’t land me in the crap here is something else to think over while on holiday:
From NZ Herald:
Kerre Woodham: Nats run out of petrol
In what should have been a lovely, relaxing wind-down to the year, I found myself getting wound up instead.
Normally, talkback in the week before Christmas is full of callers ringing in with lovely stories of family get-togethers and their own personal Yuletide traditions, and we wish each other well for the holiday season. Nice, warm, fuzzy stuff.
This year, however, the news of a fuel tax hike on the same day the Remuneration Authority announced a pay rise for MPs – backdated to July 1, what’s more – had us incensed.
Bill English said he needed to impose an extra 3c a litre on petrol six months from now because he wanted to meet his target of a surplus by 2015. Growth has slowed right down, mainly because of rising unemployment, hence the tax.
I thought John Key said that by cutting income tax rates we would be able to stimulate the economy. Guess that didn’t work. I thought Key said that he would be able to stem the flow of New Zealanders to Australia by building a competitive economy and offering after-tax earnings on a par with those across the ditch. Well, that hasn’t worked, either.
There are now more people moving to Oz under National than there were under Labour. But instead of ‘fessing up and conceding nothing the Government has come up with has worked, the Prime Minister has produced a classic example of Orwellian double-speak.
Akshally, says Key, moving to Australia is a GOOD thing for New Zealanders to do. They’ll see the world, gain experience – no, just like everything else, Key is comfortable with the numbers of Kiwis farewelling this country.
Well, I’m not. Why can’t he just concede that this politics lark is a darn sight more difficult than he thought it would be? National was voted in because they promised voters they had the answers. They’d be a breath of fresh air. They were business people who knew a thing or two about making money, not academics who’d spent most of their lives in ivory towers.
Well, they may know how to make money for themselves but they don’t seem to have any answers when it comes to making the country richer.
If, after four years of government, the best strategy they can come up with to produce a surplus is to raise the fuel tax, they are devoid of initiative and bereft of imagination.
Prices will rise because of the increased cost of transportation so the fuel tax will affect everyone in this country, not just motorists.
And don’t give me that nonsense about needing the money for roads of national significance – most roads of national significance are tolled. So we already pay a fuel tax. That will be increased. And then we pay a toll. Fabulous.
There are those who say it’s only going to be an extra $3 a week for motorists – not even the price of a cup of decent coffee. That just shows how wide the gap between the haves and the have-nots has become. Many people on low incomes haven’t been inside a snazzy cafe for years.
Why doesn’t the Finance Minister ask his parliamentary driver to use the fuel card to fill up the Beemer and take him for a drive to areas where people are really doing it tough? I’d like to see him tell those people that an extra $156 a year coming out of their pockets is neither here nor there.
I really hope 2013 is the year that National stops blaming the country’s poor performance on the recession and starts coming up with the innovative initiatives they promised us.
So some thoughts:
- Are we stuck for a lemon for a Government
- Is National on Empty and if so how long on empty
- Can anything be done by government to move this nation actually forward
- Are voters ready to make the hard choices including maybe weaning ourselves on big items like Working for Families?
- What are your ideas to move us forward.
- Are we ready to maybe swallow that dead rat and do something requiring some sacrifice short-term for long-term gain – even if it goes against one’s ideology (The City Rail Link being the prime example)
I have a few ideas but will go into them sometime in the future. But for starters as I said above: “Are we ready to maybe swallow that dead rat and do something requiring some sacrifice short-term for long-term gain – even if it goes against one’s ideology (The City Rail Link being the prime example)” – I am ready to commit to that sacrifice and go with moving the CRL forward. Call it the Gibbs gut feeling knowing the CRL is the most logical and pragmatic start in a range of options to be rolled out over the next thirty years to move Power Shift Auckland Forward.
But I shall leave you with those thoughts and maybe some ideas to help the government or more to the point getting this nation forward.
In the mean time, hopefully the ex-cyclone system otherwise was known as Evan doesn’t drown your Christmas out.
Have a Good Christmas Folks
And see you all next year! 😀
Housing, Housing, Housing
Is The Housing Situation in Auckland That Hard to “Solve?”
I see the Main Stream Media and Central Government have got on the bandwagon about Auckland’s housing affordability situation. Much as I hate to say it, the MSM I am having no issues with reporting the news (when they do) but I am having issues with Central Government interfering in what is a debate between Council and its ratepayers.
I say that as two particular articles have cropped up from the NZH in regards to housing affordability:
First article
Govt to open up more land for houses
By Adam Bennett , Kate Shuttleworth
Prime Minister John Key says fast-tracking the supply of land will help solve the housing affordability crisis.
The Government is to work with councils to open up more land for development as it seeks to rein in New Zealand‘s high house prices.
Finance Minister Bill English will unveil the Government’s response to theProductivity Commission’s inquiry into home affordability after the Cabinet meets today.
He said it would act to address one of the main issues identified by the commission – a lack of land for building new homes – but the package was a broad programme.
“There isn’t really one simple initiative that changes the way the housing market works.
“It’s a very complicated beast so I wouldn’t get expectations too high about changing the trajectory of house prices next week.”
The commission focused on the need to free more land on city fringes for home-building, but Mr English said some of the best opportunities for development, particularly for low-priced housing, were within cities.
And the second article – actually an opinion piece
National’s affordable housing package lacks any substantial detail
Package? What package? No wonder National avoided over-selling the contents of their plan to make housing more affordable. The plan looks more like a rough first draft.
As Annette King, Labour’s housing spokeswoman noted, the Government’s long-awaited announcement was a combination of “considering new ways”, “undertaking more inquiries”, “doing more work” and “undertaking evaluations”.
The lack of detail serves to illustrate one thing: when it comes to increasing the housing stock, there is not a lot central government can do unless it is willing to spend big bikkies.
The two parts I am going to raise were both in bold in the first article:
“Prime Minister John Key says fast-tracking the supply of land will help solve the housing affordability crisis.”
Opening up supply of the land will help and was mentioned in the Auckland Plan, Long Term Plan and the Civic Forum (that I attended) for the Unitary Plan. What it needs is Council to follow through with the plans and get opening up that land now rather than later. So no need to worry John, already ahead of you there mate.
And from the Minister of Finance:
“The commission focused on the need to free more land on city fringes for home-building, but Mr English said some of the best opportunities for development, particularly for low-priced housing, were within cities.”
Well that seems to be more hitting the point on the head there. And the easiest way to accommodate what the Minister is saying is to:
- Zone appropriately
- Lower the cost of construction
- Lower the regulation hurdles to build
Get on top of those three points via adopting the Keeping It Simple Stupid philosophy and you might find the above points going some distance (but not all) into helping get on top of our housing affordability and supply situation.
I was pondering over my coffee this morning a few things. First of all acknowledging that a house is deemed affordable when the price of purchasing your house is not more than three times above the total gross income of the people going to be paying the mortgage for that house. Four times above the income is indicating stress but still okay, but anything above five times the income (Auckland is at 5.3-6.0 times) is deemed unaffordable and the situation needs to be addressed FAST!
The second thing I was pondering over was; who is actually getting in the way of solving the housing affordability situation here in Auckland. Traditionally I would stick my boot into our planners, however after the Civic Forum on the Unitary Plan last Saturday I concluded that actually our Planners can and are redeeming themselves here are actually not the ones in the way for the most part. I told our planners at the Civic Forum that the biggest hinderance to urban development were our planners and they simply need to get out of the road. That point still stands in my eyes but to a lesser degree now after talking to them at length on Saturday. Planners have their shot at redemption if they can work with the Local Boards and ratepayers in a multi-way partnership as urban development occurs. Saturday showed the potential there from our planners in working with that partnership with the Local Boards and the ratepayer and I am hoping that potential can develop and flourish (rather than go backwards and me having to stick the boot back into them again – which I don’t honestly want to do as I do that enough with our beyond hopeless CCOs).
Now I know there are planners reading this who I talked too on Saturday and my message is this: Lets work together (planner, ratepayer and Local Boards) in developing an outcome forward for Auckland and its development through to 2040. The foundations were laid on Saturday and a lot of good faith and will was set at that Civic Forum. I extend my hand as a ratepayer to you – our planners as I don’t want to stick the boot in no more to you guys. I have ideas, you have ideas, we all have the same outcome as the Civic Forum showed, lets work together rather than apart. And that I make as a serious genuine offer. As for the ideas I have, you can read my rather extensive submission to The Auckland Plan which I will translate over to submissions for the Unitary Plan in due time. Oh and even though I am advocating the decentralisation of the urban development processes, Planners will be still flat-out if not even more flat-out as they buddy up with the Local Boards in delivering and providing advocacy during urban development phases 😉 !
So then if Planners are not getting in the road, then who is?
Sorry hate to say it but it is our Councillors and Central Government Politicians and in my next post, I am dedicating my boot to you both and how YOU are causing the housing affordability situation…
For Auckland Council Planners Consumption – My Submission to the Auckland Plan, and due to be translated to the Unitary Plan submissions
Talking Southern Auckland 