Hard News: Competing for Auckland
135 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Newer→ Last
-
Sacha, in reply to
NZTA itself has said that the models tend to overstate the benefits of road projects while understating the benefits of public transport projects
And cycling infrastructure already has a BCR of 22:1 apparently. Wonder how high it would have to be to make any difference to the government allowing funding of it, or the council going ahead anyway? We could have a complete regional cycling network for about $600m.
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
Taking the argument to new lows, Canute is alive and well in Warkworth.
That was a... deeply odd piece. I'm sure there are any number of coherent and reasonable criticisms to make of the Unitary Plan, but that urinary tract didn't contain any of them. Apart from the whole "exile the crusties to the provinces to die" bit, I'm pretty sure it was cut and pasted from a New Zealand First manifesto.
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
A glorious retirement village by the sea.
No no no, Sacha. Pay attention!
Another group who could be redirected out of Auckland are those who wish to live in retirement homes. Banning the building of any more in Auckland could be followed by rate or compliance cost reductions to developers who build their retirement homes further afield.
And if you're one of those tiresome old fucks who can't drive - or afford to run a car - and still requires reasonable access to medical services? This isn't just ignorant beyond belief, but downright callous.
-
And in light of Auckland bursting at the seams, has no one thought for a moment about dusting off regional development and a more even population spread around the country? Particularly in light of the PM's potential "47%" moment of thinking out loud about Wellington being a "dying city".
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
And if you’re one of those tiresome old fucks who can’t drive – or afford to run a car – and still requires reasonable access to medical services? This isn’t just ignorant beyond belief, but downright callous.
The weird thing is that apartment living -- low-maintenance, secure, close to services -- has a lot to offer older Aucklanders.
-
Minto for Mayor. As a resident of ‘Orcland’ for 27 years and a regular guest the last several in the ‘Chev’ (lovely spot) , it is hardly news that the city is a multi tiered operation. Sure, used to be run by the Cits and Rats but Rodney’s supercity did not work out quite as he planned. But Len Brown has been captured by business and one could think uncontested would be the way to go for the right. No Māori representation, undemocratic CCOs, POAL watersiders hung out to dry, what’s not to like for them?
But, but, they can’t resist it and is likely there will be several right candidates. So Minto is trying to boost Te Mana Movements profile as there is a huge catchment of people he represents politically. Low paid precarious workers, immigrants, Māori and Pasifika and strangely enough a number of middle class Aucklanders.
Left field candidates can achieve, writer Hunter Thompsons “Freak Power” 1970 tilt at the Aspen Colorado Sherrifs office (lost by 300) and rogue UK ex Labour MP George Galloway’s win in the recent Bradford West by election are two examples. Whatever you might think of both gentlemen. John is articulate and has the track record, “Lenslide” did not get his ribs kicked in by cops like JM did last year whilst supporting GI residents. Activist as Mayor? at least he can talk unequivocally and it is time for a Red Ken type rather than a Banksie lite.
-
Morgan Nichol, in reply to
A glorious retirement village by the sea. That's what all Aucklanders want, isn't it?
Given that it's mainly only old people that can afford a house in this city it seems to me that's what we've already got.
-
Minto for Mayor.
No.
John is articulate and has the track record
Track record doing what? Protesting womens tennis tournaments? Yeah I'm sure he'd be great in the bizarro upside-down world on which he'd have any chance of being elected.
-
Rich of Observationz, in reply to
I think he's got more of a chance than the right and soft left think. RAM got into six figures in ARC elections a few years ago, and they're pretty left wing (being more or less an SWP front).
-
John Minto was my Physics teacher at high school and he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Of course this contributes nothing to the question of whether he could effectively run Auckland City.
-
John Minto is unequivocally in favour of a provoking a showdown with Central government - I presume he plans to procure some sort of CNT-AIT militia from the thin air to man his barricades. The utter futility of electing a man who plans to irresponsibly use his office to engage in a Quixotic war with Wellington should be enough to disqualify him as a serious contender for the mayoralty for any sane voter.
But anyway, he knows he can't win, and it seems to me his real aim is to have a go at Len Brown primarily to raise the profile of the Mana party. So I can only assume the definition of success for Minto and Mana will be getting enough votes to unseat the centrist Len Brown in favour of some right wing candidate owned by the Auckland elite, just so the Mana party can prate about the countryside telling everyone how important they are. Gee, thanks John.
His standing represents the very worst sort of left wing woolly headed, negative, short sighted and irresponsible wishful thinking.
-
Alec Morgan, in reply to
Heh, no need to beat about the bush Tom. John is a nice guy. Mana has done a great service involving the young and previously politically marginalized, particularly in the regions and getting some semblance of hard left unity. What did cause the Nats to ban sea protests?
Brown should go down. A bogus “centre left” captured administrator. Which his disgraceful neither for nor against stance on the union wharf workers illustrated (as per Labour in the 1951 lockout). The lesser of two evils Cits and Rats, or Lenslide holds no water with me if they are endorsing the ACT SuperCity to the letter.
-
Morgan Nichol, in reply to
I went to Western Springs as well, he wasn't one of my normal teachers but I agree he was very nice. I just don't think he'd make a good mayor.
-
Morgan Nichol, in reply to
His key skills are in disruption, which isn't much use when what we need is action. Forgive the turn of phrase.
-
Sacha, in reply to
regional development and a more even population spread around the country
Counter to worldwide trends. People like having the services, attractions - and others they relate to closely - that only major cities seem to offer. Auckland attracting most of NZ's future growth is not some planner's fantasy.
-
Minto standing will clarify some choices for voters, mainly for the next national election, but is unlikely to cause much of a problem for anyone else. He has been eloquent and sensible on tvnz Q&A appearances lately, but it's not enough. Good luck to him.
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
I think he’s got more of a chance than the right and soft left think. RAM got into six figures in ARC elections a few years ago, and they’re pretty left wing (being more or less an SWP front).
Partly because no one knew who they were in 2007, I think. They dissolved after coming second-to-last (with 465 votes) in the 2008 General Election.
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
Brown should go down.
No offence, but if the major motivation is to exact vengeance on Brown for perceived ideological backsliding, it's not doing it for me. It seems like everything that's wrong with "The Left".
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Counter to worldwide trends. People like having the services, attractions – and others they relate to closely – that only major cities seem to offer. Auckland attracting most of NZ’s future growth is not some planner’s fantasy.
Or at the very least, the other major centres. In Wellington’s case, there’s been a bit of recent thinking out loud of a longer runway for Wellington Airport.
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
The lesser of two evils Cits and Rats, or Lenslide holds no water with me if they are endorsing the ACT SuperCity to the letter.
What would be the practical effect of not "endorsing" the municipal position to which he's seeking election? What could he actually change?
-
Alec Morgan, in reply to
Russell, no offence taken. It is not about vengance on Len for me, but more the longer term re engagement of people in politics. My younger years often saw support for the “less bad” candidate in local and national elections. I was happy enough with “Lenslide’s” win as Bomber put it at the time, confounded Rodney and the Cits and Rats, but rapidly became disillusioned.
Sure tactics and strategy are important, I remember one year when one of the Top Twins split the Mayoralty vote. But jeez what a bunch of losers we have mostly had in Auckland since the eccentric Robbie–Colin Kay anyone? Minto will just put up an alternative vision which he is entitled to do.
Given the appalling non vote in this country a bit of a rark up is way past necessary.
Just got your reply. What could JM change? Quite a lot actually, fair pay levels for all service providers and employees, more openness on internal processes for a starter.
-
Rich of Observationz, in reply to
a longer runway
By the (partly privatised) airport, who probably expect to take a substantial margin 'project managing' said runway while the costs are met by tax and ratepayers.
Wellington won't get long haul flights even if we have a runway long enough for the Space Shuttle. Not enough demand, and with the way most online booking works, if a flight doesn't run every day, it doesn't show up in peoples searches and doesn't get passengers. Christchurch, which does have a huge runway, has conspicuously failed to sustain regular long-haul flights.
-
Sacha, in reply to
What would be the practical effect of not "endorsing" the municipal position to which he's seeking election? What could he actually change?
Persuading an incoming Labour/Greens government to change some details I guess. Wonder which of the candidates seems most likely able to do that?
-
BenWilson, in reply to
There were some really out-there choices considered for the initial scoping, including personal transport pods, so you can't accuse the CCFAS of being too narrow or flawed in its considerations.
Eric even mentioned Personal Rapid Transport in his post, which are the pods. In an ironic twist, even if we decided to give PRT a go, it would itself be massively improved by a city rail loop. It would give three more extremely popular destinations to the pods, and a way for them to exit the city without holding everything up.
But they're still a dream anyway. The biggest one in the world has 72 vehicles on it. Neat idea, but something to trial on a town like Morgantown, population 29,000, not a city the size of Auckland. I notice that even in Morgantown, during peak hours, it basically becomes a regular train service, running on timetables. Because that is more efficient, as has been known since trains were invented. It's not like one couldn't have made a small train 100 years ago, but the obvious trouble of having thousands of trains getting in each other's way on the rails was clearly analogous in London to the very problem they were trying to solve, thousands of people with carts getting in each other's way trying to get into the city every morning. The only really cunning invention they needed to improve on the idea of a big train with a massive passenger payload was the escalator, a fantastic, brilliant idea for getting massive numbers of people out of an underground station.
-
Morgan Nichol, in reply to
If Morgantown is where I assume then I'm strongly in favour of it. And we'll only need one vehicle not 72. I appreciate the tax and ratepayers for funding it.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.