Posts by Ben Ross
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Hard News: The CRL and the nature of change, in reply to Hayden East,
That pretty much confirms the comment I made to Russell yesterday and was picked up on in the original post.
Looking at the MofEnviro's own submissions to the Unitary Plan they do support the 60% Brownfield 40% Greenfield rule as set in the Auckland Plan.
This will present issues again with the Auckland Centre Right establishment which again National should just jettison (as mentioned earlier).
One thing to watch is the talks between Government, Iwi and Panuku Development Auckland around using Crown Land (and most likely Council Land) to get higher density housing going.Ultimately I think we can chalk two wins as such
1) CRL
2) Intensification supported by the GovernmentPS am I in Auckland or some alternative Universe :-P
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Hard News: The CRL and the nature of change, in reply to Sacha,
Keep repeating and it happens
Or I just give up -
Hard News: The CRL and the nature of change, in reply to Russell Brown,
Key announcing the CRL for 2018 wont hurt Goff no matter what Brewer spins in his dying days as Councillor (rumour has it Desley Simpson will take his spot around the Governing Body table)
If anything it will bolster Goff given Crone is dithering around (Thomas is fine with the CRL and has been for a while) and the majority of the Governing Body are pro CRL.
The CRL is pretty much a done deal, road tolling is a done deal at this rate.
The main issues come to the Unitary Plan herself (executing it), Panuku's transform program for Manukau and Onehunga and the next big three projects:
North Shore Line
Airport Line via Otahuhu
North Western Bus WayAnd the Business Forum one way or the other supports those projects as well.
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Hard News: The CRL and the nature of change, in reply to Russell Brown,
Basically Fran's comments might as well have come from the Chamber of Commerce, the EMA and Mainfreight themselves in regards to the CRL.
I think the Government has been distracted by the Centre Right Local Government establishment long enough that National should probably jettison any association with it given it is that far out of touch with wider Auckland (the local establishment that is) as the Len Brown saga showed.
The Perils of Len have already diminished another certain blogger and had the Governing Body rally around the Deputy Mayor who has taken us through the 2013-2016 term. And believe me Penny (Hulse) knows her stuff with both communities and business alike.
Fran is dead right about the motorway tolling situation to the point I wrote this part over on my own blog post on the history of National and the CRL:
Given Key and Joyce are using the same language around road tolls in Auckland as they did in 2013 with the City Rail Link I think it is safe to say that in 2017 we will hear an announcement around tolling happening…
As for the Unitary Plan situation with housing supply. Well where you want me to start given the Rezoning evidence is out from Council.
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Hard News: Footpaths, not manifest destiny, in reply to Joshua Arbury,
I dont think it will drift to the old ACC type of style of division - not at the moment and not while Hulse and the other 10 (or similar in replacement) are there.
One thing I have always said is that to win the Mayoral Chains you need the votes of the South (includes Howick which voted for Len both times) and the West. They also contain 7 of the Governing Body votes that usually bloc together (see pragmatism comment above).
Three Wards for Russell and Simon to watchAlbany
Waitemata
Manurewa-Papakura -
Hard News: Footpaths, not manifest destiny, in reply to Russell Brown,
You're welcome :-)
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Where to start with this Russell.
The Centre Right is fractured in Auckland between the pragmatics and the ideologues.
Your pragmatics (whether you agree with them or not) are the following
Webster
Cooper
Penrose
Cashmore
Watson
AnaeYour ideologues include:
Quax
Stewart
Wood
Krum
Brewer
Fletcher when it comes to the Unitary PlanThat list above shows how fractured the Centre Right is in Auckland for starters.
Now here is something else
Goff or Crone it doesnt matter who gets elected - they can only pull in 7 votes on the Governing Body I theorise.Our Deputy Mayor however, pulls 10 and her vote makes 11 - a straight majority.
Now ask yourself this:
Why can Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse (Len could but he is stepping down) rally those of the Left and the Right but mayoral candidates, C&R and Auckland Future are struggling?This can lead to another question:
Why are Transport Blog, Public Address and others "authorities" in Auckland discourses? (A question as it played into the heart of our democratic structure and inner mechanics of Auckland)Why are die hards on the right still going on about the CRL and the Unitary Plan when both will be done and dusted prior to the elections and cant be unpicked?
All things to ponder about.
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Quoting Rudman:
But her naive comment about “serial” politicians reminds me of former prime minister Keith Holyoake’s much repeated advice to tenderfoot MPs, to “breathe through their noses” from the sidelines until they’ve learned the ropes.The serial politician jibe was obviously directed at her main mayoral rival, former Labour Party leader Phil Goff, but it also smears the 20 existing councillors – most of whom will be planning to contest next year’s election – and every other professional politician.
....................As I replied on my own blog:
Yes Goff has been around as long if not longer as a politician than I have been alive (born in 85) but Crone’s rather indiscriminate and very crude attack on him by calling him a serial politician also captures our existing Councillors as Rudman has noted.Again as Rudman has noted some of the Councillors and our Deputy Mayor are vying and will return after the elections bringing them a large pool of experience and knowledge.
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So Crone effectively goes and alienates 19 Councillors and our Deputy Mayor who Hulse herself can rally 10 of that 19 at any given time on most issues.....Crone is off to a good start....
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Hard News: Victoria Crone and what…, in reply to Russell Brown,
And this is where the Governing Body should tell the Council Chief Operating Officer to step aside and let Crone in to deal with the NEWCore system in a full autonomous manner following directions set out by the said Governing Body.
She probably have the entire mess cleared up within 6 months.
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Hard News: The Message, in reply to Russell Brown,
Russell check here: http://acmaps.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/unitaryplan/FlexViewer/index.html
Updated as of 26th June this year