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General Category => General Forum => Topic started by: Kiwithrottlejockey on January 31, 2009, 12:54:39 pm



Title: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on January 31, 2009, 12:54:39 pm
The REAL New Zealand could easily survive without Auckland.

Auckland could not survive without the REAL New Zealand.

Enuff said....8) (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/grin.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Lovelee on January 31, 2009, 01:30:44 pm
15 Reasons to live in Auckland ....

1. Satan worshipping residents of Auckland are spared
unnecessary anguish and discomfort when they die because the
transition to hell is hardly noticeable.
2. Auckland has fewer syllables than Wellington so that
Aucklanders can spell it.
3. People who can't get in to Wellington have to have somewhere
to live.
4. Economies of scale dictate that it is economically optimal
for all pretentious posers with annoying inflections and stupid
haircuts to be in the same place.
5. Auckland has such a wide variety of social, economic and
cultural groupings that you can fit in no matter what kind of dork
you are.
6. Aucklanders do lots of quaint self affirming things like
calling their league team the "Warriors" and giving their otherwise
staid lives a hint of danger by referring to Mt Eden, Mt
Wellington, and Rangitoto as "volcanoes" even though they have been
extinct for 3 million years.
7. Auckland's town planners thoughtfully laid out Auckland over
a large area so that when you are in Auckland the statistical
chances of running into an Aucklander are as low as possible.
8. Believing that City Life is a quality New Zealand drama and
that Shortland Street is a showcase for up and coming New Zealand
talent doesn't seem so ridiculous when everyone else thinks so too.
9. The Auckland Rugby Union names it Super 12 team after a
colour just in case they had any deaf supporters.
10. Auckland is the nation's Prozac. People who don't live in
Auckland use that fact to ward off depression.
11. Auckland is vital to New Zealand's defence against alien
invasion. Invading space monsters will go straight to our largest
urban centre thinking it is actually important in some way. While
the aliens waste their time assaulting our decoy the rest of us
will have time to organise a counter strike. This aspect of
Auckland has taken on added significance since the discovery of
life on Mars.
12. People form Kaitaia need somewhere to go for petrol on their
way to Wellington.
13. Aucklanders have recovered from their feelings of phallic
inadequacy by erecting a 40 storey pole with a knob on top in the
middle of the city.
14. Auckland fulfils an important role in Maori mythology.
Maori legend has it that the North Island is the fish of Maui.
Wellington is the head and mouth of Maui's fish, New Plymouth and
Gisborne are its fins and Auckland is its arsehole.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on February 03, 2009, 12:04:51 pm
I hear on the radio news there is a power cut affecting large parts of Ork-Lund! (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/grin.gif)

Oh dear.....how sad!!

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/TooFunny.gif)  (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/LaughingPinkPanther.gif)  (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/ROFLMAO_Dog.gif)  (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/LaughingHard.gif)  (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/ItchyBugga.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on February 13, 2009, 07:20:49 am
Aucklanders swelter as temperature soars
4:00AM Friday Feb 13, 2009
By Elizabeth Binning



Auckland sweltered yesterday in the hottest temperature in more than 130 years - straight after a record-warmest night.

MetService records show the mercury hit 32.4C at Whenuapai Air Base about 3.30pm, equalling the previous hottest day, recorded at the Auckland Domain in February 1872.

WeatherWatch.co.nz's thermometer went one better, recording an unofficial 34C in West Auckland - a temperature that was fuelled by a hot nor'wester.

WeatherWatch head weather analyst Philip Duncan said although the humidity in Auckland was lower yesterday than on other days, the intense heat and sunnier skies meant it felt more like 38C.

That temperature followed the highest overnight low for February since records on that began in 1961. The temperature did not drop below 22.1C between Wednesday evening and yesterday morning.

more here
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10556519
That temperature may not sound very high to East Coasters but it was compounded by humidity in the high 90s. The place only cooled down a bit around 3am this morning.
The humidity in Auckland is one of the main reasons why I want to move back south


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: c.p on February 13, 2009, 07:39:28 am
woohoo akld sweltered whilst wellington suffered a drenching and drop ins several degrees. i say akld comes out on top


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: AnFaolchu on February 18, 2009, 03:45:40 pm
woohoo akld sweltered whilst wellington suffered a drenching and drop ins several degrees. i say akld comes out on top

Thats all we need.... melted jafas... they'll leave stains ::) ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Calliope on February 18, 2009, 05:14:00 pm
so long as it isn't in their undies, who cares


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on February 25, 2009, 01:48:35 pm
High Court gives North Shore supermarket go ahead
2:49PM Wednesday Feb 25, 2009

A long-disputed Pak'n Save supermarket on Auckland's North Shore has been given the go-ahead to open by the High Court.

The court today upheld an earlier Environment Court ruling which found Foodstuff's Pak'n Save supermarket on Wairau Road would ultimately be good for consumers.

The supermarket sits on a piece of land bought by Foodstuffs in the late 1980s but it has not opened since it was built in 2005. Foodstuffs also owns New World and Four Square.

Australian competitor Progressive, which owns Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown, has argued the supermarket is contrary to the North Shore City Council's centre-based district plan policy and that the store would cause traffic congestion and air pollution.

Foodstuffs says the supermarket needs only minor work to finally be opened.

- NEWSTALK ZB
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10558682 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10558682)

About time! The supermarket was finailly built 3 years ago after years of court cases. It has sat empty ever since.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on February 27, 2009, 06:39:20 am
Brian Rudman: Green light for traffic and for felling precious nikau
4:00AM Friday Feb 27, 2009
By Brian Rudman

Today, a tale from the "it could only happen at Auckland City Council" file. Nine years ago, city officials decided to brighten up Karangahape Rd with matching pairs of nikau palms on both sides of the road outside historic St Kevin's Arcade. Five years on, new precinct manager Barbara Holloway made it her first project to persuade the council to install a controlled pedestrian crossing at the same site.

In due course, a symphony of traffic lights was installed, and the safety of shoppers was, all agreed, greatly enhanced.

Unfortunately, despite all their intricate planning, the traffic engineers somehow managed to plonk one of the light standards on each side of the road in front of the palms - 18-year-old teens when they went in and still happily streaking upwards and outwards.

It's not clear when the engineers realised their mistake, but when they did, they didn't say, "Oops, we'd better do the decent thing and move the lights."

Instead they blamed the innocent trees, and demanded that two of the four go. To show they meant business, they trussed up the offending fronds of the two doomed trees, leaving them like artificial Christmas trees, branches all pointing skywards, waiting to be popped back in their cardboard boxes.


And that's how they've been left, humiliated, for several months.

On the eve of Christmas, the bureaucrats went in for the kill, obtaining a non-notified resource consent from themselves to have the trees removed.

They also approached Brent Hubbard of Oceanic Palms, the Onehunga company hired nine years ago to provide and plant the trees, and said he could take the palms away for free. They even offered him $350 - the cost they'd been quoted to chop the trees down - if Mr Hubbard got on with the job quietly and without delay.

But the best-laid plans of mice and bureaucrats often go awry, and instead of saying thanks and scarpering with this valuable windfall, Mr Hubbard was affronted.

"There are so few trees up on K Rd, and so few gardens, that what's there should stay and they should build on it where they can."

After planting these palms, Oceanic Palms went on to plant the grand avenue of nikau further along K Rd.

After that came the palming of the Queen St valley. So you could say the St Kevin's palms sparked the nikau-ing of the CBD.

Mr Hubbard says he's been battling officialdom for five months now. Yesterday he was given until Monday to reconsider his refusal to remove them. The unspoken alternative, he fears, is the chainsaw.

Auckland City traffic general manager Don Munro admitted yesterday the council "obviously made a mistake and in hindsight could have done things a lot better."

He had also given an undertaking to Councillor Ken Baguley, traffic committee chairman, that he would "have one last look ... to see if there is no other better option." He added that it had to be "cost effective".

The problem is that of the five sets of lights facing in each direction, the one on the pavement on the driver's right-hand side in both directions is obscured by palm fronds. But as the driver has four other sets of lights to view - two on the left-side pavement poles and two on overhead lights, cantilevered from left and the right, you wonder what, short of Mr Munro popping out with a red flag as well, could be done to improve the signs.

The pedestrian crossing outside the Rialto arcade on busier Broadway in Newmarket has only four lights in either direction. As for the two crossings in downtown Queen St, one has four lights in each direction, the other has four in one direction and only three in the other.

So why the need for five on K Rd?

Mr Munro admits to not being "totally familiar" with the "standards" but says his technical experts tell him it's not an issue of the number of lights, rather "the positioning of lights".

At least he agrees it's about the positioning of lights, not of trees.

Councillor Baguley agrees it's "a cock-up" and "if I had my way I'd take the [blocked] lights off and put them into store. There are still four lights and there are always two that are visible to you ..."

Only a traffic engineer would disagree.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10559000&pnum=2 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10559000&pnum=2)

Only in Auckland City, that says it all really.
I sure I am not the only kiwi who suspects that the fact that the Accident Compensation Corporation and the Auckland City Council share the same abbreviation is no coincidence. :-\


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Newtown-Fella on February 27, 2009, 07:02:47 am
now if the problem is a palm frond blocking the view of 1 light wouldnt it be easy to prune the offending Palm frond and not remove the whole Palm ?



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on February 27, 2009, 07:23:58 am
Such a move would be too logical for the ACC. I doubt if it has occured to them that in a few years the trees will be tall enough that it won't be a problem.

I my experience (there is one outside my diningroom) nikau grow at about 6-8 inches a year.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on March 01, 2009, 11:11:59 am
Wellington tops clean and green list

NZPA | Sunday, 01 March 2009

Wellington has been named the "cleanest and greenest" of 12 cities and districts included in the latest of a series of "TopSpot" reports.

Wellington, which has also won the "best families" category, came out ahead of Rodney in the latest report.

Recycling, pollution, open space and quality of life were some of the factors taken into consideration for the report.

Report author Stephen Hart said New Zealanders concerns about the environment, and a desire to live in places that were unpolluted, were becoming a top priority in people's lives.

Wellington and Rodney District were followed by Dunedin, Porirua, Hutt, Christchurch, Hamilton, Waitakere, Auckland, North Shore, Tauranga and Manukau.

The TopSpot reports, an ASB initiative to assist home buyers, bases its results on information from various sources including Statistics NZ.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4864436a19716.html


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 25, 2009, 11:31:47 am
 :cofy



Just a reminder that the Jafa target is here
:blsm


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on March 25, 2009, 12:21:32 pm




JAFAS      :thfy


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 27, 2009, 09:14:31 am
Verdict on Auckland's future revealed today

By Bernard Orsman

The report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance, to be made public today, will recommend a focus on stronger regional government.

Several sources said the commission would recommend the Auckland region be governed by a beefed up regional council with six local councils underneath it.

Other sources said the proposal was more complicated and councils would not continue in their current form.

"It's a model created for the vagaries of Auckland," one source said.

Last night, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said one regional council/six local councils was not the recommendation. But he would not give any details until he issued a 42-page summary at 2pm today after briefing the region's mayors and chief executives on the report.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10563783 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10563783)

Sally wants to borrow a back hoe, a concrete cutter and a really big hack saw.



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 28, 2009, 03:29:16 am
Some exerps from the Royal Commission Report

30. The boundaries of the Auckland region will be unchanged to the north and for the
Hauraki Gulf. In the south, the boundary between the Auckland and Waikato regions will
be changed in two ways:
 The area currently in the Waikato region north of the Waikato River, including
Tuakau, Pokeno, and Mercer, is to be included in the Auckland region.
 The area currently in Auckland region and Franklin District, bordering the Firth of
Thames from Matingarahi Point to Whakatiwai, is to be included in the Waikato
region.Adjustments to territorial authority boundaries are proposed to reflect the new regional
boundary. The parts of Franklin District that will be outside the new Auckland region,
including Onewhero and Kaiaua, will be transferred to Waikato District.
31. In addition to the elected governing body of the Auckland Council, local democracy
will be maintained through six elected local councils operating within the unitary
Auckland Council. Local councils will oversee the delivery of services by Auckland
Council staff and will undertake local engagement in four urban and two rural districts.
The boundaries of the new local councils will be centred (with some important boundary
adjustments) on the existing council territories of Rodney District, North Shore,
Waitakere, Auckland, and Manukau Cities, and Franklin District, thus enabling new local
councils to utilise existing infrastructure and service centres.
...
Governance of the Auckland Council
35. Auckland needs an inspirational leader, inclusive in approach and decisive in action.
Auckland needs a person who is able to articulate and deliver on a shared vision, and who
can speak for the region, and deliver regional priorities decisively.
36. The Auckland Council will be led by a mayor who is elected by all Aucklanders. The
Mayor of Auckland will have greater executive powers than currently provided under the
Local Government Act 2002, although these additional powers will still be more modest
than in many international models of mayoralty. The additional powers will be limited to
three key abilities:
 appointment of the deputy mayor and committee chairpersons
 proposal of the Auckland Council budget and initiation of policy
 establishment and maintenance of an appropriately staffed Mayoral Office.
37. The Mayor will be expected to chart and lead an agenda for Auckland. To ensure the
Mayor remains fully accountable, all policy will need to be approved by the full Auckland
Council. There will also be additional obligations on the Mayor to engage with the people
of Auckland through regular “Mayor’s Days” and an annual “State of the Region” address.
38. The Auckland Council will comprise 23 councillors, 10 of whom will be elected
regionally by all Aucklanders. Eight councillors will be elected in four urban wards. Two
will be elected in two rural wards. This mix of city-wide and ward-based councillors
is intended to ensure that the right balance of regional and more local perspectives is
brought before the council.
39. Provision has also been made for the election to the Auckland Council of two
councillors by voters on the Māori electoral roll; and one councillor appointed by mana
whenua through a mechanism specified by the Commission in its report.
40. The Commission considers that the provision of three safeguarded seats for Māori
is consistent with the spirit and intent of the Local Government Act 2002, which requires
local authorities to establish processes for Māori to contribute to decision making. It will
ensure that there is an effective Māori voice at the decision-making table, and that the
special status of mana whenua, and their obligations of kaitiakitanga and manākitanga,
are recognised.6
6 Mana whenua are local Māori with ancestral ties to the land. Kaitiakitanga refers to guardianship.
Manākitanga is a sacred obligation to care for all people within your rohe or area, including taura here
(Māori with ancestral ties outside the area) and non-Māori.
...
41. The Commission expects that the Auckland Council functions will centre on regional
policy, investment, and planning, regional infrastructure and networks, and service
delivery. Three particular aspects deserve mention:
 First, the Auckland Council will set policy for all aspects of local government in
Auckland, although local councils will have a contributing role in a number of
areas. For the first time in the Auckland region, related functions will be brought
together through the unitary authority model. For example, the Auckland Council
will be able to develop transport and land use strategies in a single agency.
There will be a single long-term council community plan for all activities of the
Auckland Council and local councils, and a spatial plan for the region which
coordinates plans for growth, economic, and social development.
 Second, Auckland-wide infrastructure that can most efficiently and effectively be
provided at a regional level will be delivered directly by the Auckland Council or
its council-controlled organisations. The Auckland Council will be responsible
for region-wide network services, including the arterial road network, water
collection and supply, wastewater treatment, and solid waste management.
Where networks are managed by council-controlled organisations, the Auckland
Council will remain responsible for providing strategic direction.
 Third, Auckland Council will have a leadership function for Auckland that extends
beyond issues where it has direct powers, for example, in relation to issues of
concern to Auckland including social well-being, security of electricity supply,
and installation of broadband infrastructure.
42. The Auckland Council will also provide administrative services for itself and local
councils for all back-office functions, including setting and collecting rates, accounting,
treasury, asset management and other financial functions, human resources, payroll, and
computer systems.
...
Local councils
44. There will be four urban councils and two rural councils. The four urban councils
will have the following features:
 Waitemata Local Council  will serve most of the area currently in North Shore
City, together with the Hibiscus Coast ward of the Rodney District. It will service
a total population of approximately 260,000 people. The Waitemata Local
Council will have 15 councillors, two for each of the seven wards, and in addition,
a local council chair appointed by councillors. The local council chair will have
been elected from a ward, but on appointment, his or her place will have been
taken by the next highest polling candidate in the ward.
 Waitakere Local Council  will serve substantially the same area as the existing
Waitakere City. As is currently the case, the estimated population served by the
council will be 198,000. Waitakere Local Council will have 11 councillors, two
elected from each of five wards, and a local council chair.
 Tāmaki-makau-rau Local Council  will serve the area that currently makes
up Auckland City, but excluding the city centre and waterfront. The estimated
population served by the council will be 397,000. The council will have 22
councillors, two elected from each of 10 wards, one elected from a Hauraki Gulf
ward, and a local council chair.
 Manukau Local Council  will serve the area of the current Manukau City, together
with the urban areas of Papakura District, excluding the rural areas of both
former councils (which are to be included in Hunua Local Council). Manukau
Local Council will have an estimated population of 387,000. It will be served by a
council of 21 councillors, 20 councillors from 10 wards, and a local council chair.
45. The two rural local councils will be constituted as follows:
 Rodney Local Council  will serve the area currently included in Rodney District,
excluding the Hibiscus Coast but including small areas outside the metropolitan
urban limits presently within North Shore and Waitakere Cities. The estimated
population will be 54,000. It will be served by a council of seven councillors, six
elected from three wards, and a local council chair. (The Commission has been
unable in the time available to identify a suitable Māori name for Rodney Local
Council, but recommends that one be identified after consultation with mana
whenua.)
 Hunua Local Council  will serve the area currently forming Franklin District, with
the exception of Onewhero and Kaiaua, which will be transferred to Waikato
District. The Hunua Local Council will also include the rural areas of Clevedon,
Ardmore, and Drury, which are currently part of Manukau City and Papakura
District. The estimated population of Hunua will be 73,000. It will be served by
a council of seven councillors, six elected from three wards, and a local council
chair.
46. The boundary alignments for the six local councils are intended to separate rural
land from urban land along the metropolitan urban limit. This approach is intended to
achieve greater rural and urban definition and identity across the region, which was
considered desirable by a number of submitters and by the Commission. It is also
intended that the Auckland Council should have close planning oversight of rural areas, to
ensure urban growth is appropriately managed across the region.
...
53. The Commission’s report describes how a stronger relationship might be developed
between central and local government in Auckland, including through the appointment of
a Minister for Auckland and the establishment of a Cabinet Committee for Auckland. The
Minister and Cabinet committee will oversee the transition to the Auckland Council over
the next 18 months, and will work with the Auckland Council once it is established. The
Cabinet committee will also keep oversight of events of international significance affecting
Auckland, such as the Rugby World Cup in 2011. Over time, it is expected that a key role of
this committee will be to set priorities for government spending in Auckland and to decide
and coordinate the allocation of discretionary funding. The Commission has also proposed
a number of shared decision-making structures involving relevant Government entities,
particularly in the social well-being and transport areas.
...
Adding up the savings
71. The operation of Auckland’s local government involves very significant amounts of
public money. In 2008/09 the eight Auckland councils have budgeted to spend almost
$2 billion in operating expenses and over $1.25 billion in capital expenditure. Many of the
submissions made to the Commission supporting changes to the structure of Auckland’s
local government were based on the view that significant cost savings should result.
72. While the Commission considers that there are other equally important issues in
designing a new governance structure – primary among them achieving greater regional
effectiveness – it fully accepts the importance of these financial issues. Within the time
and information sources available to it, it is difficult for the Commission to estimate in
detail the financial implications to Auckland local government of its proposed changes. As
noted above, the Commission commissioned a report from corporate finance consultants
Taylor Duignan Barry to provide a preliminary financial analysis of its preferred option of a
unified Auckland Council and six local councils.
73. Preliminary analysis, which will need to be quantified in detail by the Establishment
Board, suggests that adopting the Commission’s proposals for structural change will
result in estimated efficiency savings in the indicative range of 2.5% to 3.5% of the total
expenditure of the Auckland councils planned for 2008/09 (of around $3.2 billion). This
represents estimated efficiency gains of between $76 million to $113 million per year. It
should be noted, however, that securing the anticipated savings will require excellent
transition and management arrangements.
74. Efficiency gains are expected from a number of operating and capital expenditure
areas including savings from unified services (in areas such as procurement and backoffice
systems such as finance and administration, information technology, human
resource management, and uniform rules and processes for service delivery). On a
sectoral basis, there are potential efficiencies in water and wastewater, solid waste,
transport, community assets and regulation, planning, and governance. Limited efficiency
gains are expected in areas that are largely contracted out such as refuse collection, road
maintenance, and public transport services.
75. The estimated integration costs have been assessed to range in total between $120
million and $240 million over a four-year implementation time frame.
76. It is important to recognise that there are wider costs associated with not taking
action. Failure to take action will result in citizens and businesses continuing to incur
high transaction costs in dealing with councils, in important decisions either not being
made or made too late, and in central government being unable to develop an effective
partnership with Auckland local government.
...
http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/Auckland%20governance%20report%20-%20excecutive%20summary.pdf (http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/Auckland%20governance%20report%20-%20excecutive%20summary.pdf)
The Highlight bits are the ones that concern me the most on first reading.

Meanwhile,
 :tntrm Where the heck did they get the idea of calling North Shore with a bit of Hibiscus Coast tacked on Waitamata?
Did they forget that there used to be a Waitamata City and that no part of North Shore or Hibiscus Coast was in that local body?
Better still very little of the new area even borders the Waitamata harbour. North Harbour would be a better name. Has Rugby Union trade marked it or something?:hdbg

The thought has also occured that next they will want to put the entire South Island into one local council


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: DazzaMc on March 28, 2009, 05:11:08 pm

I see Lotto has the right idea....

The site throws this error msg while trying to deposit funds:-

(http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt102/DazzaMc/Website%20Ops/lotto_Ops.gif)


 :sl


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: donquixotenz on March 28, 2009, 06:09:31 pm
Quote
The thought has also occured that next they will want to put the entire South Island into one local council
hehehee! Going by the total mainland population that is all they probably warrant.

Jokes aside looks like they are trying to resurrect the old regional authorities set up which added to the rates bill with regional levies and created so many demarkation disputes that stuff all got spent on infrastructure and the levies got frittered away on a shit load of quangos for buearaucratic fence sitters who spent all their highly rate payer paid time having meeting lunches and weekends to come to no decisions.

Perfect environment for the likes of winnie banksy and co...all piss ond no roar


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Shef on March 28, 2009, 06:49:24 pm

I see Lotto has the right idea....

The site throws this error msg while trying to deposit funds:-

(http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt102/DazzaMc/Website%20Ops/lotto_Ops.gif)


 :sl


 :larf


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 29, 2009, 04:12:31 pm
My sister shed some light as to why they seem to think Waitemata is a good name for North Shore/Hibiscus Coast. It and Waitakere are all covered by a health board of that name.

As for Rodney, The cape by that name is still in the revised area, just. The only other major land marks that could justifiable name the district are a river and half a harbour and there is a district in Northland that aready has dibs on the Harbour, Kaipara and the river has the same name.

As for Helensville, the locals are wondering why they are considered to be in Auckland. Nobody in Auckland (the city) seems to think that Helensville is a place they should travel to for a meeting as it is way out of town. It is even outside of the Auckland free calling area - as is Hibiscus Coast BTW. Going to Helensville is considered to be in the same as going to Hamilton.

We are still scratching our heads as to how this idea is going to save money and increase local community involvment. Those are the same lines we were fed last time when the powers that be mashed 31 local bodies into 8. We haven't had a rate increase at the rate of inflation since and local input has certainly decreased.

Oddly enough this idea was tried in Greater London - an it didn't work.

Now I hear they are thinking of doing the same thing to Wellington once they are finished with Auckland.

I would rather go back to living in Birkenhead. :ncof


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Lovelee on March 29, 2009, 04:13:56 pm
LOL Daz .. I dont get that error message!!


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on June 23, 2009, 01:03:07 pm
Save K Rd craziness.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10578427 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10578427)
While shopping in Auckland's Karangahape Rd Mark noticed a couple of lads with T-shirts which read, Save K Rd. "Apparently our elected councillors are proposing a renaming of Karangahape Rd to a more user-friendly version - Upper Commerce St?" he baulks. "Just in time for the Rugby World Cup in 2011." Say it isn't so?

* * *


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10578620 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10578620)
Douglas Ormrod writes: "The Save K Rd piece reminded me of an old story about a policeman noting down the death of a draught horse on Karangahape Rd who made the owner drag it round the corner into Pitt St because he could not spell the road's name."

* * *


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10579881 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10579881)
Jacob has been following the Save K Rd story with interest.

"It was just over a century ago that attempts were made to rename Karangahape Rd. In 1908, names suggested included Cheepside, Fleet St, Broadway, George St and King Edward St. I am curious as to why the council hasn't come out with an official statement, or perhaps the next time I walk along K Rd the signpost will read Banks St. We all know that authorities have a habit of keeping unpopular details quiet until the last minute."

* * *

So what is exactly wrong with the name of Karangahape Rd - see even I can spell it.
One wonders if Whangaparaoa - which is a heck of a lot harder to spell - is next.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: DazzaMc on June 23, 2009, 01:07:50 pm
Lol.. I cant even say it...

(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/MSN%20emoticons/08emembarrassed.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 23, 2009, 01:35:49 pm

JAFAs....::)

Just as well Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu) isn't north of the Bombay Hills instead of in Hawke's Bay, aye?  ;D

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/TooFunny.gif)(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/LaughingPinkPanther.gif)(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/ROFLMAO_Dog.gif)(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/LaughingHard.gif)(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/ItchyBugga.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: DazzaMc on June 23, 2009, 01:46:40 pm
I'm NOT a Jafa!!!!

I think to be a Jafa you have to love this place and think there's nowhere better....  I certainly do not fall into that category!

Karangahape is a dumb name for a road... but then... Auckland is a dumb place so it's probably rather fitting.

 :)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on June 23, 2009, 01:48:01 pm
My favourite mistaken place name tale is the one my bus driver neighbour tells about a passenger who bowl up to his bus in town one day and asked if this was the bus to Taka.

My neighbour replied yes it was and duly charged the correct fare.

He noticed as they were driving through Northcote that the passenger was looking a bit puzzled and lost so alerted him when they got to Takapuna that this was the stop.

The passenger looked around and exclaimed "But this isn't Takanini".


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on July 24, 2009, 07:58:02 pm
At least when it is stormy in Auckland workers can still get to work.

Stormy weather in Wellington

 The train line between Wellington and Wairarapa is likely to be closed until Monday as commuters face continued fallout from wild weather that struck the region.

Emergency services have this morning been mopping up after wild weather last night caused commuter chaos around Wellington, with train passengers stranded by a derailment, slips blocking major roads, and widespread flooding.

About 300 train passengers were stranded in a tunnel last night after the train's locomotive ploughed into a wall of mud and debris and derailed as it left a tunnel at Maymorn, north of Upper Hutt, about 6.20pm.

The impact knocked the engine and one carriage about a metre off the tracks. There were no reports of injury last night.

KiwiRail spokesman Nigel Parry said this morning that the derailed locomotive and carriage would be cleared over the weekend. At this stage, no trains would run between Upper Hutt and the Wairarapa till Monday morning.

Up to 1000 commuters seeking to get to Wellington from Wairarapa were left to their own devices this morning as the rail service remains out of action.

"We apologise to our customers, both for a difficult night and in advance for the service disruption that has been forced on us," passenger general manager Ross Hayward said.

Kiwirail said it was unable to charter enough buses to take up the slack leaving people to make their own way to work today.

"Given the uncertain nature of the weather and the difficulty we would have finding buses to ferry as many as a thousand passengers to Wellington, we made the decision to suspend services and review the situation at noon," Mr Hayward said.

In a statement, KiwiRail said clearing the site and repairing the track would not take long but recovering the derailed locomotive was the major impediment to the line reopening.

"Getting cranes to the site is difficult because there is limited road access. The plan at this stage is that a road or track will be built to provide access. Estimates at this stage are that the locomotive is not likely to be recovered until late Saturday or possibly Sunday."

A decision would be made this afternoon about bus services to Wairarapa
...
COMMUTERS STRANDED

Ontrack spokeswoman Ruth Larsen said the Paraparaumu line between Porirua and Wellington was closed after a slip on the tracks just north of the rail bridge in Ngauranga Gorge about 8.30am.

Buses were operating to transport commuters to and from the city.

''The slip is still coming down. We're taking the precaution of closing that line.''

The slip was affecting one of the two tracks and the situation would be reviewed at midday.

As the train was trapped last night, Wellington workers wanting to drive north to get home faced a maze of road closures and crawling traffic as heavy rain and winds gusting to 130kmh wreaked havoc.

At one stage the capital was cut off from the north. For several hours, the narrow Akatarawa Rd between Upper Hutt and Waikanae was the main route north.

A slip blocked State Highway 1 at Pukerua Bay from about 5.30pm, causing extensive delays. One lane reopened just before 8pm and at 10pm there was still a backlog of traffic. High winds closed the Rimutaka Hill Road from 8pm until about 9pm. Slips and gravel also caused road closures on SH58 between Pauatahanui and Haywards Hill, and the Paekakariki Hill Road.

In Lower Hutt, Eastern Hutt Rd was under about one metre of water. "It's like a sink . . . The roads are atrocious," Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Braybrook said.

full atricle here
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2669407/Commuter-woes-continue-after-stormy-weather (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2669407/Commuter-woes-continue-after-stormy-weather)

 ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Justic on July 24, 2009, 08:12:33 pm
My favourite mistaken place name tale is the one my bus driver neighbour tells about a passenger who bowl up to his bus in town one day and asked if this was the bus to Taka.

My neighbour replied yes it was and duly charged the correct fare.

He noticed as they were driving through Northcote that the passenger was looking a bit puzzled and lost so alerted him when they got to Takapuna that this was the stop.

The passenger looked around and exclaimed "But this isn't Takanini".


 ;D ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 12, 2009, 07:40:07 am
Helensville commuter link to be cut
By Mathew Dearnaley 4:00 AM Thursday Nov 12, 2009
 
Helensville will be left without a commuter rail link to Auckland again, amid recriminations over a failed trial costing an average $45.72c for each passenger.

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority says the link, restored 16 months ago after a 28-year drought, will be cut before Christmas after carrying about 18 city-bound passengers a day.

Auckland Regional Council sought the trial after a rail boom everywhere else on the region's rail network.

But despite the gloomy financial picture on the 30km section between Waitakere and Helensville, the council has asked staff to investigate reinstating services early next year to Huapai or Waimauku.

That is to cater for their development as regional "growth nodes" and to make some use of $1.25 million invested in station infrastructure for the trial.

The authority reported to the council's transport committee yesterday that the Helensville link - carrying one and a half return services daily to Britomart - drew an operating subsidy of 99c a kilometre per passenger. That compared with 11c for Pukekohe services and a regional average of 29c.

Norwest Rail Support Group chair Scott Osmond said the trial was a farce, after the authority ignored advice that one daily return service - leaving too early for some and heading back too late for others - would not work.

He said it took "a stab in the dark" without ascertaining travel needs.

Authority spokesman Sharon Hunter insisted community advice on a preferred timetable was followed.

Committee chairwoman Christine Rose also blamed disrupted services, and poor support by rail operator Veolia for passengers left stranded too many times, for destroying patronage.

Regional chairman Mike Lee said Helensville said he was disappointed the trial had come up short.

But councillor Joel Hayward said the transport authority had advised against starting the trial, warning it was unwise to spread limited resources too thinly before ensuring core services were running properly.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10608766 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10608766)

Bugger!
The time tabling, however was wrong.
It left Helensville too late to be of any use to anybody who finish work early enough to catch the train back in the evening.
Lack of a toilet was also a problem.

Here's hoping that they do run a service from Waimauku, Huapai or Kumeu.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 22, 2009, 05:05:17 pm
The house that money can't buy
By KIM KNIGHT - Sunday Star Times Last updated 05:00 22/11/2009SharePrint Text Size  Photos: John SelkirkThe sweet spot: Surrounded by mansions, Paul Firth's ramshackle seafront home, left, at Black Rock, Milford, has million-dollar views that stretch to Rangitoto Island.
(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o195/curse_tea/ThesweetspotSurroundedbymansionsPau.jpg)
PENGUINS NEST under the floorboards. A tame blackbird steals cat biscuits from the kitchen. The exterior hasn't been painted since 1974 – but the council valuation on this North Shore, Auckland, property is $3.7 million.

Owner Paul Firth turns down a potential buyer "at least once a week".

Worst house, best street. Count the country's richest among Firth's neighbours on Kitchener Rd: plastics millionaire Bill Foreman (he drops the paper past most mornings); America's Cup skipper Chris Dickson; art and antiques auctioneer Dunbar Sloane.

And Firth? "I'd say I was a poet."

The property behind his is worth $5.9 million – $2.2m in the building alone, a glass edifice that towers over Firth's place, a three-bedroom wooden house valued at (pause for effect) $100,000.

"Views are two-a-penny," says Firth. "I like the sound of the water."

He is the last of his line. Aged 65, no children, and a lifetime spent on this property where he has farewelled his mother, father, brother and, this winter, his sister Ann.

There is a poem he wrote the day she died. He keeps it on his cellphone, and reads it out loud, a sing-song storyteller with eyes to match the sea view. "Ann has gone, the whales have come, like pilgrim souls they're here..."

And another, for the young friend who will inherit this place when he goes: "Your day comes with a view and many moods to match... south winds skinning the bone."

Firth's is the house that got away. Built in 1921, and purchased by his father in 1944, there were "about a dozen like it" in the stretch between Milford's Thorne and Castor Bays. The first developers moved in with bricks and tiles – "And then gradually, the houses just went. One by one."

Three whales slid by the front door on the Tuesday morning the Sunday Star-Times visited. We first knocked on the gate a fortnight earlier, curious about the ramshackle hut with the jungle of a garden alongside the coastal walkway pocked with McMansions. Firth wrote our number on the side of his house with a piece of chalk and promised to call.

"I'll live here till the day I die," he says. "I think it would be nice to be on a farm, but it is a bit isolated and I'm a social sort of person. You'd be amazed at how many people I've spoken to this morning. Ten people have given me plant cuttings in the last six months."

Some of this year's $9000 rates bill will be paid for by moviemakers. Sam Neill played Mr Jones here for a week, Under the Mountain's good guy, with Rangitoto in a direct line of sight.

Ad Feedback "Isn't it amazing," says Firth. They had lunch together, the unassuming millionaire and the country's most famous actor.

Firth has worked intermittently over the years, in the chemical and horticulture industries, and in Auckland's demolition yards. He fell off a building in 1974 and still has the scars on a bandaged leg. He thought he might have become a mathematician and was studying when his brother, Mark, died of a heart condition, aged 21.

"That changed everything. I was at university, I'd passed in the first year and after that I just passed the odd exam and maybe it had nothing to do with Mark not being here, but..."

There's a picture of Mark in the living room, painted by their father, Clifton Firth (eldest son of the man who established Firth Concrete), who trained at Elam School of Art and became a style photographer, shooting Auckland glitz and glamour from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Once, this coastal house was a hotbed of bohemia. "Clifton would invite people in, and drink, and poor old mother had to feed them." Poet, painter and fabric designer ARD "Rex" Fairburn, and poet and communist newspaper editor RAK Mason were among those who partied here.

Firth remembers his father making a badge for the one-millionth walker along the coastal track and, another time, instructing his wife Melva Martin to call the harbour board and congratulate a captain on his brilliantly lit ship.

"How about telling the other men to light their ships up," Melva apparently said. Firth adopts the voice of a sea-dog and recalls the captain's reply: "Lady, would you tell another woman how to dress?"

As a boy on this beach, Paul Firth looked at the stars through a home-made telescope, sailed in tin canoes and swam off the rocks. Today, the last of the Kitchener Rd Firths lives quietly, drinking tea and wine with visitors, walking his dog Dede, reading the books he buys at auction for $1 a piece – and resolutely refusing to sell his piece of paradise.

Another poem, this one from his father. It's called "A Walk with Paul": "Have you ever noticed the way the waves change their song when you turn the corner and listen? They scud up the beach, calling into the night, to those who were there with us when we started out..."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/3085490/The-house-that-money-can-t-buy/ (http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/3085490/The-house-that-money-can-t-buy/)

I have often wondered about this house as I walk past. It is a little gem that I hope the council has the sense to protect.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 27, 2009, 07:17:44 am
 This is for all those who ride Shank's Pony. Walkers in other words:

Brian Rudman: Take a hike, you pesky walkers
By Brian Rudman 4:00 AM Friday Nov 27, 2009
 
 What about the walkers? A few days ago, the blueprint for the Auckland Transport Agency was unveiled. This is the $1 billion-a-year organisation that will preside over the new Super City's roads, footpaths and public transport networks.

The document contains three pages of charts and lists, itemising involvement in everything from road maintenance and parking enforcement to railway station surveillance and rolling stock asset management. But there's not a word about pedestrians.

Given that practically every one of us, if only for the quick dash down the road at lunchtime for a sandwich, is a walker, it's a glaring omission. But perhaps not unexpected, given the new master-plan seems covered in the DNA of the very traffic engineers who, over the past 50 years, have made Auckland the car-centred hellhole it is.

This isn't a guidebook to a brave and exciting new world, more a recipe for more of the same writ large. Signalling a more pedestrian-friendly environment would have been a good starting point. Best of all, looking out for pedestrians wouldn't cost a bundle.

Just a few cans of white paint for some new zebra crossings and the fiddling of the phasing cards in key traffic lights to give pedestrians an even share of the roadway would have been a signal that, at last, those on foot are being valued equally with those behind the wheel.

 Walking to work last week, I got a reminder of the pedestrian's worth in the greater scheme of things. The Victoria St footpath beside the park, west of the flyover, had been blocked off without warning. This forced me to cross the road and run the gauntlet of one of the most pedestrian-unfriendly intersections in the land, the Franklin Rd-Union St-Victoria St circus.

To its credit, Auckland City's traffic department listened to my subsequent "suggestions", and is promising "pedestrian warning signs" there and at the Nelson-Victoria St intersection - both of which give free left turns for cars at corners which are blind - for both pedestrians and cars.

I'm holding out for zebra crossings at least, but my hopes aren't high. Pedestrians have long been seen by traffic planners as, if not exactly road kill, then at least as pests.

I'll never forget Transport Minister Paul Swain arriving in Auckland six years ago to open the latest stage of the Grafton Gully motorway. Just the week before, he had launched Labour's high-minded draft strategy document Getting there - on foot, by cycle. In it, he declared "not all journeys can be made on foot or by cycle, but there is scope for many of us to walk and cycle more. Around 30 per cent of motor vehicle trips are for distances of less than 2km". Having preached the gospel according to Shanks's pony, he then stepped from his limousine to cut the ribbon on a motorway system which cut all pedestrian access between the CBD and the Domain, home of the city's biggest tourist attraction, the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

The new extension of Wellesley St, tunnelling under Symonds St, would have provided the perfect low-gradient pedestrian shortcut from Queen St to the Domain. Some of us jumped up and down about it at the time, but the traffic engineers said no one would use it. They argued that walkers already had access across Grafton Bridge, a lengthy circular route-march uphill to the south, or up and over Albert Park, through the university and down Grafton Rd. The planners and politicians even refused to contemplate bus lanes here, so car-obsessed were they. Instead, they commandeered historic Grafton Bridge and said buses and pedestrians could share it.

Pedestrians in Auckland are so off the planners' radar that they don't even bother with traffic counts to find out how many of us there are, or where we go. Potholes are repaired overnight on roads, but footpaths remain in a perilous state for years.

If you think that's an exaggeration, take a walk up the south side of Wyndham St from Queen St - hardly an obscure backwater lane.

It's a sign of where the humble pedestrian fits in transport planners' priorities. Maybe the politicians and officials from the outer cities will bring a new culture into the Super City. But there's no hint of that in the new blueprint.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10611957&pnum=0 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10611957&pnum=0)

Interestingly North Shore City council carried out a servey a couple of years back to find out if ratepayers wanted a city that was easy to drive a car in, a city that was easy to cycle in or a city that was easy to walk in.
Walking won hands down.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on January 25, 2010, 03:19:43 pm

I guess us REAL NZers are going to be exposed to whinging JAFAs on this evening's television news bulletins....;)


http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3260068/Power-out-in-Auckland (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3260068/Power-out-in-Auckland)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on January 25, 2010, 03:50:46 pm

I guess us REAL NZers are going to be exposed to whinging JAFAs on this evening's television news bulletins....;)


http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3260068/Power-out-in-Auckland (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3260068/Power-out-in-Auckland)

Stand by for a swarm of births in October?

Gas leak in West Auckland
By CLIO FRA
NCIS
Stuff.co.nz
15:33 25/01/2010

Houses have been evacuated and roads cordoned off after a contractor hit a gas pipe in West Auckland.

Waitakere Police said the pipe burst on the corner of Ranui Station Rd and Swanson Rd this afternoon.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3259952/Gas-leak-in-West-Auckland

Houses in the immediate area and a public library have been evacuated.

Inspector Chris Robinson said the leak was expected to take at least two hours to fix.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on January 25, 2010, 04:03:16 pm

As expected....

The first news item on TV1's 6:00pm news bulletin was the power outage in JAFAville.

The first news item on TV3's 6:00pm news bulletin was the power outage in JAFAville.

Meanwhile, there is a murder case in the REAL NZ that JAFAs seem to think is less important than their latté machines not working!





JAFAs....::)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: DidiMau69 on January 25, 2010, 04:18:21 pm
Omigod, forget about Haiti, the poor JAFA's.

Shall we set up a donation site?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on January 25, 2010, 05:01:20 pm
It is a grid emergancy.

It isn't just Auckland, it is Northland and part of the Waikato as well.

My suburb was in the list shown on the lead story on TV3 but our power was back by then. We were out for 25 minutes.

Mr sp and I are well used to this sort of thing as we have both worked in the telecommunication industry. We are expecting the power to go off again as Transpower seems to be in "brownout" mode.

Remember that Auckland has only one power station (guess what - it is off line for maintenance) and Northland doesn't have any.

Wellington can be supplied from two directions, from central North Island and from South Island, Auckland and Northland are not.

*********
Transpower declares grid emergency, rolling blackoutsNZPA
January 25, 2010, 6:08 pm
 

Rolling power outages are under way tonight between Waikato and Northland after a fire below transmission lines led Transpower to declare a grid emergency.

The company had directed Vector to reduce pressure on the electricity network, causing power to be cut to thousands of homes in Auckland.

Areas around Auckland, the North Shore, Manukau and Waitakere were currently affected, Vector chief executive Simon Mackenzie said.

Vector was unable to advise the exact time and place outages would occur but would try to keep customers informed, he said.

Customers were advised to listen to radio for updates and prepare for power cuts.

Transpower was unsure when normal operations would resume, but was aiming to have power restored by 7pm, chief executive Patrick Strange told Radio New Zealand.

He said a fire in trees below a major transmission line south of Hamilton had occurred while a powerstation and a line from Huntly to Auckland were down for maintenance, leading to the emergency.

Transpower was working flat out to get the lines back up, he said.

Traffic lights in Auckland were affected by the outage, and police were identifying major intersections and deploying staff to direct traffic, police northern communications Inspector Chris Robinson said.

Water supplies in some areas had also been affected.

Newmarket Business Association chief executive Cameron Brewer said power to half of Newmarket's businesses was cut about 4.45pm.

The outage [did] nothing to inspire confidence in the security of electricity supply into Auckland, he said.

"Power cuts seem to have become a regular event in Auckland and it's fast becoming beyond a joke.''

Meanwhile, Tauranga residents had been advised to conserve water following a major electrical fault at the Joyce Road Water Processing Plant.

The city's water supply was being used faster than it can be supplied, Tauranga City Council said.

Some areas in Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Welcome Bay and Ohauiti were likely to experience a lack of water pressure.

Some areas might not receive any water supply tonight, the council said.

Water supply to the affected areas had been switched over to the Oropi Water Processing Plant while repairs were made.
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/6719058/transpower-declares-grid-emergency-rolling-blackouts/ (http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/6719058/transpower-declares-grid-emergency-rolling-blackouts/)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on January 25, 2010, 05:08:44 pm
TV3 news has reported that there has been a delay because the farmer who owns the land where the fire is wouldn't give access. Police have been involved. 


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Crusader on January 25, 2010, 05:11:54 pm
Am watching Campbell Live right now and am just pissing myself laughing at the prospect of Jafa's running around thinking the sky is about to fall on their heads of yet another power cut.
The rest of New Zealand doesn't care about a Jafa power cut.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on January 25, 2010, 05:15:27 pm
Sorry to say that is not the case except in TV hype land.

The problem is that we are getting used to this sort of thing happening.


Is that a good thing given that you are talking about a third of the population of NZ?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on February 20, 2010, 01:04:27 pm

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Cartoons%202010/1101Jaffas20Feb10.jpg)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on February 21, 2010, 08:11:38 pm
You may mock but Auckland has something that throws the much boasted about features of other towns and cities into mediocrity.

Where else can you hop in a boat or catch a watertaxi and watch the sun rise as you travel over calm waters to wealth of sparsely inhabited islands, some of which are home to rare birds. At a much low cost than a trip to one island in Wellington harbour.

I would show you a picture of this gorgious scene but my camera was in my pack in the bow.

Where else has a beach like Piha, and before you start, Auckland has several other beaches also much like Piha i.e. Whatipu, Karekare, Te Henga (aka Bethalls), White's Beach, O'Neills Beach, Muriwai...

Then there are beautiful east coast beaches in the shelter of the Hauraki Gulf...



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on February 22, 2010, 02:55:49 pm

Still doesn't change the fact the place is full of JAFAs.


(And Asians....when I was up there a few weeks ago, Queen Street was full of Asians....it was a case of “spot the whitie!”  :o)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on February 22, 2010, 09:09:12 pm

Still doesn't change the fact the place is full of JAFAs.


(And Asians....when I was up there a few weeks ago, Queen Street was full of Asians....it was a case of “spot the whitie!”  :o)
It is also full of ex-South Islanders, former Wellingtonians, past 'Nakiites, previous BOPites, relocated Waikatoanians, once were East Coasters, no longer Hawkes Bayers etc.

Most of those you call Jafas weren't born here. A large number didn't grow up here either yet here we are by choice or job location.

I take it that you went into Queen St and probably around lunch time. Most Jafas avoid the place and only gen Y and asians live in all those apartments owned by Mum and Dad property investers from south of the Bombay Hills.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: dragontamer on February 22, 2010, 09:22:59 pm
Oddly enough we seem to have a lot of ex-Jafa's down here. 

The conversations usually go:

"I'm from Auckland"

"Oh".

lol

There are a fair few refugees from Wellington too.  We seem to cope well with the Norwester - it's the same as Wellington's wind but warmer.  ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on February 22, 2010, 09:36:29 pm

Still doesn't change the fact the place is full of JAFAs.


(And Asians....when I was up there a few weeks ago, Queen Street was full of Asians....it was a case of “spot the whitie!”  :o)
I take it that you went into Queen St and probably around lunch time. Most Jafas avoid the place and only gen Y and asians live in all those apartments owned by Mum and Dad property investers from south of the Bombay Hills.


I was sleeping in Queen Street....in a hotel directly across the road from the Town Hall.

I'll be sleeping in the same hotel again the weekend before Easter when I make another brief visit to JAFAville (or should that be ASIAville?).

BTW....would you like a couple of free tickets to the “invite only” inauguration of the new Town Hall Organ on Sunday 21st March?

I've been invited to the civic do (the letter inviting me is signed by none other than Banks Wanks) and offered two free tickets, but I've got other plans that weekend (I'll be in Christchurch). I've got to RSVP them by 1st of March if I wish to claim those two seats.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 11, 2010, 05:30:32 pm
Rodney to fight super city inclusion
11/03/2010 13:28:01
 
Related AudioRelated Stories

Picture - NZ Herald
The Mayor of Rodney is vowing to fight confirmation the northern boundary of Auckland's super city will include her district.


The Local Government Commission has today confirmed the boundaries of the new Auckland. Despite opposition from many locals, Rodney is in.


Mayor Penny Webster says her council is meeting this afternoon to map out its next step.


"A lot of people in Rodney feel that they haven't been listened to. I mean there's still a lot of angst that we shouldn't be part of the city."


Ms Webster says her council will consider its own plan of action as soon as this afternoon.


"We have been asked by the Northern Action Group to support a local bill putting the northern part of Rodney into Kaipara."


Ms Webster says the council is also looking at putting in a local bill itself, to keep Rodney out of Auckland.


The southern boundary of the new city will see a significant chunk of Franklin become part of the Waikato District. However, the Karioitahi Beach and Paparimu areas will stay with Auckland.


Waikato Mayor Peter Harris says when his district inherits a significant chunk of Franklin, it also inherits massive debt. He says rates could double, if Auckland does not pick up the tab.


"We have issues of roading. We have 50 percent of their roads for 25 percent of the people so there some imbalances there that we're trying to address. It's important that we win this battle."

Waikato District Council raised the issue at a select committee hearing last week. Mr Harris says while it got a fair hearing, it was obvious no one had considered anything south of the border.


Representation for the new council has also been decided. The 20 members will be elected from 13 wards, with 21 local boards sitting below the council.


http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=172244

Positive proof that Aucklanders pay for roading in the rest of NZ rather than the other way around.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 26, 2010, 10:00:52 am
Auckland heading for driest quarter in more than 50 years
By Eloise Gibson 4:00 AM Friday Mar 26, 2010
 
Warm, sunny weather kept Auckland beaches like Okahu Bay busy over summer. Photo / Sarah IveyAuckland is headed for the driest three months since records began more than 50 years ago.

Companies supplying tank water to rural areas around the city say the past few weeks have been the busiest they can remember.

Niwa climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said 56mm of rain had fallen so far this year, the lowest of any three-month period in Auckland.

"There's no question we're going to break the three-month dry record ... The next lowest was in 1974 for that same period and it had 68mm, so we've still got 12mm to go in one week."

MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said Auckland was likely to get just 3mm to 4mm of rain in the next week - about 2mm on Sunday followed by about half of that next Wednesday.

That will not be enough to surpass 1974, making this quarter the driest in memory.

Although a splash of rain this week has helped fill people's water tanks, Ms Griffiths said it was unlikely to stave off a record-dry period.

"The highs are hanging around Auckland/Northland latitude ... in the Tasman and not really letting any [rain] in. This [week] is the first of the fronts that we've seen that have produced anything, really, in three months," she said.

While gardeners struggle to keep their vegetables healthy, tank water suppliers are experiencing a boom in business.

Gary Taylor of North Harbour Water Services, who delivers to rural areas north of Albany, said the past six weeks had been the busiest in his 13 years in business.

Keren Guy of A1 Water, near Helensville, said her company was the busiest it had been since opening 3 years ago. Drivers were working late into the night to keep up.

Ms Guy said some people were so desperate, they were coming to the office to collect small containers of water for cooking until they could get a full delivery a day later.

Waiheke water supplier Tom McDaniel said the number of water trucks working on the island had risen dramatically in the past three years.

Ms Griffiths said that the past two months were exceptionally dry even looking back at Auckland weather records dating from before 1959.

"You would never have had, at this time of year or any time of year, two months in a row this dry."

Auckland's last very dry spell in 1993-4 sparked the 1994 water crisis, when residents were asked to cut down on water use.

But Ms Griffiths said that year was the third dry year in a row - this time Auckland is in a better position because 2008 was very wet.

Watercare Services said city water supplies were near normal and it would be a problem only if winter was very dry, which Ms Griffiths said was unlikely.

Less than 10mm of rain fell in the Auckland region in February, 5-10 per cent of normal. Up until 9am yesterday there was 7mm of rain in March, about 9 per cent of normal.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10634429 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10634429)

Waikato pipeline - all that is saving us from water restrictions(http://smfsupport.com/support/Smileys/smfnew/smitten.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on April 26, 2010, 08:26:23 pm
Super City logo has arrived - Oh Yay! :-\
(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o195/curse_tea/logo46011.jpg)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10640382 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10640382)

Jafas/Jaffas on sticks.

Still North Shore currently uses a logo that looks like Rangitoto has been put in prison.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on June 04, 2010, 10:45:01 am
Rush hour Dunedin style = more than 6 cars in sight on the motorway....and yes they do have a motorway :o and the rest of the roads are amazingly pot hole free.

Rush hour Auckland style = 10 minutes to get from the motorway off ramp on Albany Highway to the top of Glenfield Rd (Sunset Rd intersecton) and a further 15 minutes to get from Sunset Road to Wairau Rd and along to Manuka Rd.

25 minutes to travel 3km. >:( and 3/4 of an hour to get from Rosedale Park with a van load of B.C. 2nd XI girls hockey team to Birkenhead College.

Next time I'll take the rat route through Unsworth Heights.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Justic on June 04, 2010, 12:44:45 pm
 ;D just shows you how popular Auckland is  ;)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 05, 2010, 02:52:47 pm

The traffic is pretty bad in Queenstown these days.

Mind you...there are a shitload of JAFAs who have moved there to escape the Auckland rat-race, then created their own little rat-race in the deep south. Perhaps those JAFAs who moved to Queenstown missed being stuck in traffic, so recreated JAFAville in miniature?

You've really got to wonder, eh?  (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/cool.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on June 05, 2010, 03:47:05 pm


And the aircraft too are SO annoying in Queenstown.

If they ain't coming they're going, paragliders playing dodgems with choppers and private jets is the latest adventure sport.


Make the town a nofly zone.


                                                     



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 05, 2010, 09:47:40 pm

I was staying at 808 Frankton Road over Easter (it used to be Frankton Arm Road, but then they changed the name).

It used to be a stand-alone driveway, but then the developers developed the hill behind 808 Frankton Road and part of that development was the creation of Perkins Road (which intersects with Frankton Road where the driveway from 808 Frankton Arm Road used to intersect with the main road).

Trying to make a right-hand turn out of the property to head into Queenstown is an exercise in total futility. Grrrrrrr.....after about five minutes, you give up and turn left and head down to the roundabout in Frankton at the junction of SH6 and SH6a, drive around the roundabout, then back in the opposite direction towards Queenstown. It's like bloody JAFAville, but in the deep south!!

I luuuurve The Remakables shopping centre next to Queenstown Airport. It means you don't have to drive into the rat-race that is Queenstown to go shopping. Now all it needs is a good bookshop and it will be shopping heaven. I understand the extension to the shopping centre will have two bookshops.....Whitcoull's and an independent bookshop. So next time I'm staying at 808 Frankton Road, I won't have to go anywhere near Queenstown at all. Yipeeeee!!!!


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on June 16, 2010, 10:20:40 am
Long-range attack on Auckland

Arie is gobsmacked at some people's attitudes towards Aucklanders. "More often than not all this Auckland-bagging turns out to be nothing more than a stubborn (often indoctrinated) bad habit. A relative of mine, a staunch Otago man, never missed an opportunity to lambast Auckland whenever I paid a visit. There was nothing good about the place - it was ugly, crowded, crime-ridden and blatantly using all its corrupt and poorly organised resources for nought but stealing taxpayer money from the honest hard-working citizens of the rest of New Zealand. One of the last times I saw him he had just finished firing off another volley of Auckland-bound vitriol when he leaned across to me and quietly asked: 'What's it actually like, Auckland? Is it like Sydney?"
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10652084 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10652084)

 ::)Sound familiar?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Justic on June 16, 2010, 06:01:03 pm
Long-range attack on Auckland

Arie is gobsmacked at some people's attitudes towards Aucklanders. "More often than not all this Auckland-bagging turns out to be nothing more than a stubborn (often indoctrinated) bad habit. A relative of mine, a staunch Otago man, never missed an opportunity to lambast Auckland whenever I paid a visit. There was nothing good about the place - it was ugly, crowded, crime-ridden and blatantly using all its corrupt and poorly organised resources for nought but stealing taxpayer money from the honest hard-working citizens of the rest of New Zealand. One of the last times I saw him he had just finished firing off another volley of Auckland-bound vitriol when he leaned across to me and quietly asked: 'What's it actually like, Auckland? Is it like Sydney?"
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10652084 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10652084)

 ::)Sound familiar?

 ;D It always reminds me of skinny little kid jumping up and down saying " look at me, I want to be a big boy too"

I used to get a laff from it but now it's just plan boring.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on June 17, 2010, 09:42:58 am
Attitude has its merits

A reader writes: "As a new Aucklander, who was born and raised on the West Coast, I am treated with contempt by most people from down south. I'm not even worried if this is published, because they will never read the Herald as it's an Auckland paper. However, my wife and I have found this attitude to be a huge benefit in the end - it keeps family and other undesirables from visiting too often. Seriously, it is like an urban force-field which protects us."

* * *
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10652307 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sideswipe/news/article.cfm?c_id=702&objectid=10652307)


(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/2funny.gif) (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/2funny.gif) (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/2funny.gif)
 ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on August 17, 2010, 09:04:24 am
Email blitz warns of traffic artery's big shutdown
By Mathew Dearnaley 5:30 AM Tuesday Aug 17, 2010 


Sports clubs, schools and churches are among scores of organisations being blitzed by an email campaign warning of a closure of Newmarket Viaduct's southbound motorway lanes early next month.

"No, this is not a hoax," says a message on the Transport Agency's website, in reaction to inquiries from some disbelieving email recipients about the closure of one of New Zealand's busiest motorway arteries for up to 36 hours from 5pm on Saturday, September 4.

The agency hopes to take less time than that to switch traffic lanes to a new southbound structure built as the first stage in its $215 million viaduct replacement project.

But it wants some leeway in case of any hitches in moving an 800-tonne piece of equipment on to the existing southbound carriageway, which will be demolished to make way for a new northbound structure.

That machine is the giant blue lifting gantry that has dominated the Newmarket skyline since the beginning of this year, and which will be moved by its own power generator on large metal sliding beams, from on top of the new southbound structure it has just finished building.


Drivers will be urged to stay as far away from Newmarket as possible, to the extent of using parts of the western ring route between Albany and Manukau to avoid traffic jams.

Traffic engineers are also considering closing some city entry points to the Southern Motorway - such as those from Hobson St, Symonds St and Khyber Pass Rd - to ease pressure on the Gillies Ave off-ramp at the north end of the viaduct.

The Transport Agency is negotiating with Auckland City to create a two-lane clearway through Newmarket streets from the off-ramp via Mortimer Pass for drivers who ignore electronic message boards warning them to leave the motorway earlier.

That has unsettled Newmarket Business Association chief executive Cameron Brewer, who said there would be too much pressure on Mortimer Pass even if the agency persuaded 60,000 of the 80,000 southbound drivers who would normally cross the viaduct on a Sunday to leave the motorway before Gillies Ave.

He predicted mayhem, saying: "I can't understand why they need to push it all through a Newmarket side street".

Mr Brewer said he would prefer vehicles to be directed off the motorway through Grafton Gully, or for one of the viaduct's northbound lanes to be used for a limited flow of southbound traffic.

Agency highways manager Tommy Parker said that "contraflow" idea had been considered but rejected for safety and other reasons, but Mr Brewer's concerns would be taken into account as plans for the closure were refined.

Although the closure will coincide with Father's Day, Mr Parker said there was usually less traffic on that date than on other Sundays.

Plans by the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to run extra trains during the closure would not have been possible on the weekend before, as railway lines will be closed for construction and maintenance.

At least four important sports events are being held over the closure weekend, including a netball test with Australia at Vector Arena, provincial rugby matches at Eden Park and North Harbour Stadium and a two-day badminton tournament off Gillies Ave.

Organisers have been asked to spread the message about a need for car-pooling, planning alternative routes or using public transport.

Although the Transport Agency's construction consortium is using emails and Facebook to reach as many drivers as possible, it is also chewing through a budget of about $100,000 for more traditional advertising which has started in newspapers and will be on radio stations from next week.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10666630 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10666630)

Something anybody visiting that weekend may like to keep in mind :)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on August 25, 2010, 08:35:17 am
The year Auckland went mad
By John Roughan 5:30 AM Wednesday Aug 25, 2010

 (http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o195/curse_tea/discussion%20points/graphicwar.jpg)
As Auckland merges to create a supercity, the Herald looks back at how Auckland has changed over the years.



A colonial premier called 1863 "the year New Zealand went mad". It
was the year Auckland went to war in the Waikato.

It was Auckland's war. The town's leading business and political figures, such as Frederick Whitaker and Thomas Russell, were pressing the Governor to put down the Maori King Movement among Waikato tribes.

They were backed by newspapers, including the newly launched New Zealand Herald that declared in its first issue: "We are born at a time of grave national crisis. This year of 1863 sees the colony racked
by civil war ..."

Governor George Grey, who had returned for a second term after dealing in the interim with similar tensions in South Africa and India, needed
no convincing the King Movement was an incipient rebellion.

By that time most matters of government had been handed to elected representatives of the settlers but the Governor appointed from
London retained control of Maori affairs and the colony's defence.

Many representatives of other provinces did not share Auckland's fear of the King Movement and watched developments in the capital with mounting dismay, not least because the British Government was warning the colony it would have to pay the bill.

Grey was convinced nothing could be resolved without a show of force. But first he set up a Maori newspaper to counter the King Movement's propaganda.


In February Grey's paper published an editorial attacking the Maori idea of kingship. Furious, their leading King Movement warrior chief, Rewi of Ngati Maniapoto, raised a war party, marched on the newspaper's offi ce in Te Awamutu, took the printing press and ordered all Europeans to leave the Waikato within three weeks.

Soon missionaries and settlers were walking up the Great South Rd to Auckland with all the possessions they could carry. Auckland, according to Grey's biographer Edmund Bohan, "understandably panicked, convinced an invasion from Waikato was imminent".

But Grey, in Taranaki attending to Maori tensions there, was unshaken. There were rumours of plots to ambush him as he rode but he ignored them.

On May 4, a military contingent was ambushed on the road from New Plymouth to Tataraimaka where the Governor usually rode daily. Seven soldiers were killed by warriors who imagined Grey was one of them.

Government forces took retaliatory action which had the effect of subduing trouble in Taranaki and allowed Grey to concentrate on preparations to invade the Waikato.

On July 9 he expelled all Maori from South Auckland villages and imprisoned those who were slow to move. The commander of imperial forces in the colony, General Duncan Cameron, led his soldiers across the Mangatawhiri stream, the King Movement's line in the sand. Now Auckland citizens had reason to fear.

"Now," Bohan writes, "Rewi's war parties did prowl amid the bushed hills around Drury and north of the Waikato River, their numbers swelled by the fugitives from the Auckland settlements."

While guerilla warfare in the Hunua Ranges held up Cameron's advance, he writes, "in Auckland racial antagonisms sank to unprecedented depths".

In the week the Herald was founded, it reported a fierce battle
at Rangiriri. But there was not much evidence of fear in another story
published that week. The paper carried complaints of women evacuated with their children from Manukau Heads overnight.

One, Mrs Jane Willis of Awhitu, said officials had panicked. Her
children had developed bronchitis on the squally boat trip and she wanted to know why they had had to sleep the night in an Onehunga shed rather than in the Green Hill blockhouse.

An Auckland Diary column said, "War is still the general topic of conversation and the streets are bristling with bayonets. More soldiers seem to be arriving by the day resplendent in their red coats."

The diary also noted an upcoming regatta that would include races between Maori war canoes, a haggis picnic for Scottish settlers in Government House grounds, the results of races at Epsom and the latest theatrical productions at the Brunswick Music Hall.

More ominously for Auckland, it said, "There is a disturbing rumour circulating that a plot is being hatched to remove the seat of Government to Wellington.

"It is understood the southern Members have been meeting at the Masonic Hotel in Princes St to see if they can sink their parochial differences ... This is disquieting news and we await further developments with trepidation."

The General Assembly was dominated by members from Otago and Canterbury where gold rushes were swelling the population. They saw the war primarily as a land grab in the interests of the Auckland province,
to be financed at their expense.

Grey had made no secret of his intention to confiscate Waikato land and distribute it among exsoldiers to develop small farms.

In the new year, 1864, Cameron advanced as far as Orakau where Rewi had dug in. Troops also moved into the Bay of Plenty for fear that hitherto neutral tribes there would join the rebels. After the battles of Orakau and Gate Pa the Government offered a ceasefire under which rebel tribes
would surrender their arms and live on reserves.

It was not accepted and guerilla warfare spread into the eastern Bay of Plenty and Wanganui.

When Auckland's hinterland was eventually pacified, swathes of land were confiscated, giving dispossessed tribes a burning grievance for the next 130 years.

The General Assembly had voted to remove the capital to Wellington and the imperial forces began leaving.

Auckland suffered an economic decline that was eventually arrested
by the discovery of gold in quartz reefs on the Coromandel, not by new farms in its province.

Reference: To be a Hero, a Biography of Sir George Grey by Edmund Bohan, Harper Collins, 1998.

By John Roughan http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland-tale-of-a-supercity/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502974&objectid=10666753 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland-tale-of-a-supercity/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502974&objectid=10666753)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 19, 2010, 05:56:57 pm
People turn out to show car not the only way to travel
By Kathryn Powley and Emma Geraghty 5:30 AM Sunday Sep 19, 2010

As dignitaries waited patiently on the platform, a historic train rolled into Onehunga's new railway station yesterday - ominously, about an hour late.

Nineteenth century technology met 21st century transport problems head-on when the long-awaited steam train arrived to mark the reopening of a 3.6km passenger line - a key addition to Auckland's public transport network.

And on Friday, dignitaries will again troop out, to the opening of the New Lynn interchange, where the double-tracked western railway line has been "trenched" to separate rail from road, and ease congestion.

The Onehunga line opens for paying commuters today - 37 years after the last passengers caught the train in Onehunga, and long after the line carried its first train in 1873.

With 49 services operating every weekday, the trip between Onehunga and downtown Auckland will take only 25 minutes. At least, that's the plan. But yesterday's omens were hardly propitious.



Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee, a long-time proponent of reopening the Onehunga line to passengers, said the huge turnout yesterday indicated a seachange in the way Aucklanders viewed rail passenger transport.

Referring to the Onehunga and New Lynn rail developments, he said people would look back on September 2010 as the day the phrase "Aucklanders never get out of their cars" lost its meaning.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce said the developments were a step towards Auckland becoming an "efficient and prosperous world class city".

New network-wide timetables began yesterday, with more than 400 extra train trips a week across Auckland, about a 25 per cent increase in services according to ARTA chairman Rabin Rabindran.

$13.6 million investment

* Auckland Regional Transport Authority spent $3.6 million on the Onehunga line including three new stations at Penrose, Te Papapa and Onehunga.

* Penrose and Te Papapa platforms are 90m long; Onehunga is 54m long - meaning the platform will have to be extended to serve the new electric trains being introduced in 2013.

* Each train on the line will have capacity for about 132 seated passengers or 250 people per two-carriage train.

* KiwiRail spent $10m rehabilitating the track.

* The authority expects 500 passengers to use the Onehunga line every week day.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/public-transport/news/article.cfm?c_id=536&objectid=10674505 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/public-transport/news/article.cfm?c_id=536&objectid=10674505)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 19, 2010, 10:39:02 pm

I jumped on a train in Auckland this morning to head up to Newmarket and was surprised to discover its final destination was Onehunga. There were heaps of people on the train actually heading for Onehunga too!

Anyway, the weather was crap in Auckland today compared with Wellington and Masterton. I know because I started my day at the bottom of the North Island in Wellington where the weather was postcard-picture perfect, then flew to Auckland where one got to see the sun occasionally between rainfall, then flew to Masterton where it was a beautiful clear night with a sky full of stars.

And I discovered something else today too (although I guess I kinda already knew it anyway).....Aucklanders are culturally primitive when it comes to “concert etiquette” compared with Wellingtonians and others at the bottom of the North Island (and probably also compared with South Islanders). I was at a classical music concert which was being recorded, so the audience received the usual lecture prior to the concert about turning off all mobile phones, not applauding between movements of major multi-movement works, instead waiting until the end of the final movement before applauding, trying not to make too much noise during the performance, etc. In Wellington, the audience never needs a pre-concert lecture like that, even if the concert isn't being recorded, because REAL NZers have good concert etiquette.

However, heaps of those JAFAs took their pre-school-age brats to the concert, with the result that the brats ended up running amok and making a shitload of noise, the audience applauded between movements of major works (in spite of a further lecture about it after the interval and before the second half of the concert), and several mobile phones went off during the concert. I imagine the sound engineer recording the concert was just about pulling his hair out over it all while he/she was trying to get a clean recording.

No wonder many REAL NZers shake their heads at JAFAs and regard Auckland as being a boofhead cultural desert!  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/MSN%20emoticons/12emdgust.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 20, 2010, 02:17:11 pm
Did you go to Onehunga? If so you might have seen me.

I didn't go for a free ride on the train though. We saw the first train come in then waited for the steam pulled one then took off down to a friend's place.

The wind reeked havoc on the sound track on the video camera.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 20, 2010, 03:47:54 pm

Nah.....I didn't go to Onehunga.

I merely wanted to get to Newmarket (there were a couple of shops there I wanted to head for) so I jumped on the first train heading through Newmarket to get there. Then I noticed the train was actually headed for Onehunga when I got off the train at Newmarket. That was the first I knew that they had opened the Onehunga line again.

How long is it since they last ran passenger trains on that route? It must be a few decades.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 20, 2010, 07:09:24 pm
The passenger service was stopped in 1973 but goods trains ran out there until 1980s I think. The only thing left was the corridor itself.

They are going to have to do something with that platform when the line is pushed back out to the port and then on to the airport.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 20, 2010, 08:14:38 pm

Do you reckon they'll extend the Onehunga line to the airport?

I was under the impression that the new line (not yet built) to Manakau city centre was going to eventually be extended to the airport.

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick there?

Also, isn't there an un-used designated rail corridor between Avondale and Southdown?

Or have they flogged that bit of railway land off to developers?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 21, 2010, 03:10:17 pm
Idealy the Onehunga line would run through to the airport then loop back out through Wiri and join up with the main trunk near Papakura. Getting the line across the harbour however is expensive. There are problems with some of the ancient lava flows having sediment underneath them - that is what led to the failure of the old Mangarei bridge. A pier punched through what appeared to be solid rock but was in fact only a metre thick and into the ancient harbour bed.

You are right about the Wiri branch however, that is definately on list of projects. Whether that will ever be linked up to the Onehunga branch is another question.

I didn't know of a rail corridor from Avondale to Southdown, I'll have to ask around.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 21, 2010, 05:49:07 pm

Here you go....I did a bit of online searching myself and discovered that the Southdown-Avondale rail corridor has been designated as such since 1947 and was originally intended to divert Northland freight trains from having to pass through Newmarket. However the ARTA have it in their transport strategy to eventually use the route for urban passenger trains (presumably it would also be used as originally intended by freight trains to get them out of Newmarket), except that the NZTA are trying to pinch sections of the corridor for use as part of the roading network. That could be interesting as a prior transport corridor designation has priority over any subsequent intended transport corridor designations (that's covered by various legislation) and as KiwiRail already own the land (having inherited it from the NZ Railways Corporation who inherited it from the old NZ Government Railways Department), then it could turn into an interesting legal situation if NZTA try to subvert it for roading purposes.


See the following webpages....

http://transportblog.co.nz/2010/02/16/more-on-the-avondale-southdown-line (http://transportblog.co.nz/2010/02/16/more-on-the-avondale-southdown-line)

http://transportblog.co.nz/2010/02/15/waterview-updates (http://transportblog.co.nz/2010/02/15/waterview-updates)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avondale%E2%80%93Southdown_Line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avondale%E2%80%93Southdown_Line)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 23, 2010, 11:45:12 pm

Southland retain Ranfurly Shield

NZPA | 9:52PM - Thursday, 23 September 2010

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202010/4162498sr-23Sep10.jpg)
AGENT OF SHIELD: The Stags' Scott Cowan charges through
the Auckland defence. — ROBYN EDIE/The Southland Times.


SOUTHLAND have given the people of the embattled province some much-needed cheer with a rousing Ranfurly Shield defence against Auckland in a national provincial championship (NPC) rugby match Invercargill tonight.

Southland prevailed 9-6 in a cliffhanger to end a torrid week for the province, which started when the roof of their beloved Stadium Southland caved in because of heavy snow, and compounded when southern farmers started losing stock in the treacherous weather conditions.

The match doubled as a battle for top spot in the NPC and Southland, with 34 points, now move six points clear of second-placed Auckland, but tonight's match was all about keeping the shield for Southland and they did it through sheer determination in a dogfight which was not pretty, but will go down as a classic tussle.

"It's pretty surreal," Southland captain Jamie Mackintosh told Sky Sport.

"This was our big test and, no doubt it wouldn't have been pretty to watch, but it was certainly hard to play in."

"To hang on for a win is special for the province because it's been a tough week."

"I'm from a farm and to see my old man lose hundreds of stock, it's tough. I'm just so happy our boys could make the province proud and hopefully a few farmers are happier."

Ironically, it was 51 years to the day since Auckland beat Southland to claim the shield, the beginning of a 50-year shield drought for the southern men, but they ensured history would not repeat with their first win over Auckland in 39 years.

It was only their eighth victory against the blue and whites from 51 attempts.

Auckland will feel slightly aggrieved as they dominated the match with their close-to-the-fringes approach, but made costly mistakes under pressure.

Southland, led by inspirational hooker Jason Rutledge, who was outstanding on defence, offered little on attack but defended with passion, showing they will take some beating in Invercargill.

Auckland dominated everything but the scoreboard in the first half befitting the competition's two stingiest defences.

Playing into the wind they had a 70 percent share of territory and 60 percent of possession, but Southland were ferocious when Auckland approached their line.

Midway through the half Rutledge effected a crucial turnover on his own line, and the home team went the length of the field to open the scoring through a Robbie Robinson penalty.

Auckland's onslaught continued, however, and flanker Onosai'i Auva'a claimed a try four minutes before the break when he crashed over the line from close range, but the television match official ruled there was insufficient evidence to award the try.

They had to settle for a Matt Berquist penalty to level the scores at 3-3 on the stroke of halftime.

Robinson and Berquist traded penalties early in the second half but there was a sense Southland would find a way to win, however, and they did, through their outstanding defence and pure desperation and emotion.

They repelled wave after wave of Auckland attack — the visitors spent close to 20 minutes inside Southland's 22 — and Robinson nailed the matchwinning penalty in the 70th minute.


______________________________________

SCOREBOARD

Southland: 9 (Robbie Robinson 3 penalties).

Auckland: 6 (Matt Berquist 2 penalties).

Halftime: 3-3.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/4162463/Southland-retain-Ranfurly-Shield (http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/4162463/Southland-retain-Ranfurly-Shield)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 14, 2010, 06:48:36 pm
Thanks Wellington - now we know just how cool Auckland is rated
By Brian Rudman 5:30 AM Friday Nov 12, 2010

 
What an insecure bunch, those Wellywooders are.

A couple of weeks back, Wellington was dubbed "the coolest little capital in the world" by travel guide company Lonely Planet. The locals lapped it up, tourism boss David Perkins calling it "priceless recognition", and chamber of commerce president Richard Stone claiming it "a huge tribute coming from such a respected publication".

But, sadly, they couldn't leave well alone. Instead of lying back and luxuriating in the unexpected accolade, they scratched and scratched until they turned up the unsavoury news - to them - that Lonely Planet has been two-timing.

Behind Wellington's back, the travel guide has been playing footsie with its big sexy northern bro, Auckland. Yesterday, local organ the Dominion Post was all hurt about a month-old "best of" posting on the Lonely Planet website, which the paper had only just discovered, listing 10 major world cities under the title "I can't believe it's not the capital!".

Horror of horrors, Auckland was there, rubbing shoulders with the likes of New York, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Marrakesh and Istanbul.

The travel writers wrote, "It's easy to see why the rest of the population refer to the inhabitants of the country's largest city as Just Another F***ing Aucklander - they're jealous! Auckland has the best weather, the fanciest restaurants and the coolest bars ..."

Oh dear, and who are we to argue, coming as it does from "such a respected publication".

The authors added, "You always expect a country's capital to be its showstopper city - the ones everyone wants to go to first - [but] sometimes the cities that seem like the capitals just, well, aren't. So here are 10 cities that might not have the official title, but they're still worthy of the honour."

Even worse news for the nervous Wellies is that Auckland stars in two more recent "best of world" lists on the Lonely Planet sites, lists which the DomPost sleuths couldn't bring themselves to report - perhaps because Wellywood missed out.

In August, Auckland was listed as one of 10 "Ultimate Party Cities", alongside Belgrade, Buenos Aires, La Paz and Baku, Azerbaijan - the last because thousands of international oil workers and consultants have made it "an oasis of excess in an otherwise fairly traditional Muslim country".

In contrast, sophisticated Auckland's "myriad cafes, bars and dinner clubs cater to a hip young clientele". Readers are told to "try the glittering waterfront for smart bars, and hit the happening clubs ..."

A couple of months before, the Waitakere ranges popped up as one of the world's 10 "greatest little-known neighbourhoods", sharing the honours with Koreatown, Toronto, Crystal Palace, London, and Balmain, Sydney.

Just think, if cool little Wellington hadn't been so insecure, we'd never have uncovered that Auckland was not just the "should be" capital, but was also an ultimate party city and one of the world's greatest neighbourhoods.

Two years ago, the former mayor of our very own "greatest little-known neighbourhood", Bob Harvey, told the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance that Auckland was already the de facto capital of New Zealand and it was time to legitimise the situation. "A quarter of the population lives here, it's the economic powerhouse of the country, it's the Pacific capital of the world." They wisely ignored his advice.

Auckland did the job from 1842 to 1865 until the rest of the country became so jealous they called in a group of independent Australian commissioners, who chose Wellington.

Whatever Mr Harvey and Lonely Planet might say, and Wellingtonians fear, the reverse process won't happen any time soon. Unless, that is, the overdue "big quake" sucks the capital under the sea. Then, all bets are off.

Of course, the thought that the treasures of Te Papa, and all the other state cultural spending now lavished on Wellington, could be diverted to a new Auckland capital - before a quake destroys them all - does appeal. The big turn-off is that the tens of thousands of migrating bureaucrats would bring Auckland's public transport, roading and social infrastructure to a grinding halt. Even worse, they'd want to gatecrash all those ultimate parties
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10686996 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10686996)

The battle lines are drawn - let the battle recommence(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/evil.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on December 03, 2010, 05:30:53 pm

The biggest problem with JAFAville is.....it's full of JAFAs....and Asians.



Anyway, look out JAFAs....here I come. My flight from Masterton lands at Auckland Airport at about 2150hrs.

And with that, I'd better go and chuck a few things into a suitcase and bugger off to Hood Aerodrome, where the most interesting aeroplanes don't have the Air NZ Koru (although the aeroplane I'm flying to JAFAville in does), but instead the most interesting aircraft have military markings from both the First and Second World Wars. There are entire hangers full of them!

In the meantime....be good!  (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/smiley.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on December 04, 2010, 06:18:13 am
For someone who doesn't like Jafas you are sure up here often enough ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on December 04, 2010, 06:51:25 am
For someone who doesn't like Jafas you are sure up here often enough ;D

  :o  Maybe he's trying to rehome a green one? 


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on December 28, 2010, 05:48:41 am
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10696822 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10696822)

I really wonder about the planning ablity of a large number of lemming like Aucklanders.

There is this report on the prime spot on the NZ Herald website yet the amount of traffic in most parts of the 'Shore yesterday was miniscule.

I drove to Takapuna down a near empty Onewa Rd  breifly onto an near empty motorway. I only found traffic in the vacinity of the Takapuna boat ramp.

Albany was busy, but not so busy that we had to do a second circuit of the mall carpark. The supermarket carpark was much emptier than usual for about lunchtime on a Monday. Bunnings however was busy but not chocker, much like the Albany mall.

It is all in the timing. Leave early or leave much later or stay put in the emptier than usual city.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on January 21, 2011, 07:22:20 am
PMSL(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/2funny.gif)

Dignitaries caught in Auckland traffic chaos

BELINDA MCCAMMON Last updated 05:00 21/01/2011
 
Gridlock traffic in downtown Auckland dealt the Government and Auckland's mayor an embarrassing blow last night as visiting British Cabinet Ministers struggled to travel across the city from the Auckland War Memorial Museum to the viaduct.

The delay by the British Foreign Secretary William Hague and the Defence Secretary Liam Fox to get to a function in their honour on Auckland's waterfront has highlighted the lack of preparedness by Auckland to deal with the influx of visitors with the Rugby World Cup less than nine months away.

It also raises questions about what hope there is for everyone else trying to move around the city if even VIPS can not escape the traffic gridlock in the city.

Hague and Fox had been at the Auckland War Memorial laying a wreath, along with McCully and other high-ranking military officials.

Fifteen minutes had been allowed for the motorcade to make its way at 5.45pm to Auckland Maritime Museum at the viaduct.

Instead the British ministers did not arrive until after 6.30pm.

The delay left Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully red-faced as he apologised for the traffic chaos and assured guests it would not happen during the Rugby World Cup.

McCully, who was left waiting outside for his VIP guests for about half an hour, delaying the start of the function, tried to laugh the situation off when the function got underway.

"I had hoped guests from London in particular had noticed that Auckland had become so serious and sophisticated in this country that it had managed to manufacture an international standard traffic jam when we need to."

McCully later said he hoped that Hague and Fox would return for the tournament, along with other members of the British Government , saying "we will by then have the transport issues of Auckland sorted''.

Hague also joked about the problem, on what was his first visit to New Zealand.

"I do enormously already feel at home, the traffic chaos has certainly contributed to that."

A defensive Auckland City mayor Len Brown, who was at the function, described it as "bedlam'' but said Auckland had gridlock on ocassion.

Brown distanced himself from the problem saying it was one he had inherited.

"That's the reason I've been elected and that's why I'm putting our transport transformation in place.''

Len Brown said more public transport would help ease the congestion but did not back McCully's earlier assurances, saying he could not ensure the traffic problems would be resolved in time for the Rugby World Cup.

"Don't ask me for miracles."

Brown said he expected there would be "reasonably good management of our transport systems and I'm confident that during the RWC we will have the normal situation apply that people will have reasonable transport conditions."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4563927/Dignitaries-caught-in-Auckland-traffic-chaos  (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4563927/Dignitaries-caught-in-Auckland-traffic-chaos)

What womble decided it would only take 15 minutes to get from the Museum to the Viaduct in daylight let alone rush hour?

The motorway is the long way around, the nearest train station is Newmarket and it would take 10 mins to get to there from the museum plus the train ride to the next station (Britomart) and a 3 minute walk from there to the Viaduct.

"Don't ask me for miracles."
That sums it up nicely. ::)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on January 21, 2011, 07:35:11 am
A True Jafa
We went to a Carnival over Xmas/Year on a farm near the beach where we holiday.      The 10 yr old wasn't very impressed because it was smelly and asked why they didn't mow their grass.   Priceless!  will keep that one for his 21st. 
Didn't take long for the farmer to be bred out of this boy.    True the smell was overpowering on a hot hot day in a valley with no breeze so we voted to get back to the beach and the surf.   


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on January 21, 2011, 07:39:28 am


Quote
What womble decided it would only take 15 minutes to get from the Museum to the Viaduct in daylight let alone rush hour?



UMMMMMM

Someone from South of the Bombays, or even in the Beehive?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on March 27, 2011, 12:40:23 pm

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Cartoons%202011/1947_KeysDilemma_27Mar11.jpg)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on March 27, 2011, 06:02:32 pm
Tsunami fears for Auckland coast
By Kieran Nash 5:30 AM Sunday Mar 27, 2011 Share52  Email
 Print
 
 "worst-case scenario" tsunami for Auckland would swamp the Viaduct and make Devonport an island, a council report shows.

But none of the scenarios modelling the effects of a wave most likely to hit Auckland, presented almost a month before the March 11 Japanese tsunami, would have the dramatic consequences of the Japan disaster, in which tens of thousands are thought to have died.

The most likely event to affect Auckland is an earthquake off the coast of South America, predicted to happen once every 50 to 100 years.

It would create tsunami waves travelling thousands of kilometres, hitting Auckland's east coast, inundating land up to 3.5m above sea level and disrupting motorways and flooding streets.

Auckland Civil Defence controller Clive Manley said the areas on the North Shore near Devonport and the Auckland Viaduct were low-lying and near to the sea, making them the most susceptible to tsunami inundation.

Tsunami expert and Niwa principal scientist Rob Bell said the most likely tsunami to hit the isthmus would be a slow-moving "slug of water" which would inundate the low-lying margins of Auckland.

Bell said Great Barrier Island would bear the brunt of the wave's force, with the island's east coast experiencing the most damage.

Auckland is lucky to be largely sheltered by some large land masses, in particular Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula. "They're the great protectors of the city of Auckland," said Bell. "It's a fortunate geological coincidence for Auckland."

Auckland's proximity to a tectonic plate boundary in the Pacific Ocean means it is vulnerable to tsunamis from a range of areas, mostly the Peru-Chilean coast and the Tonga-Kermadec trench.

An earthquake would need to be shallow (less than 40km deep) and produce an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 or more to create a damaging wave.

Earthquakes off the Peru-Chile coast have been the most frequent source of hazardous tsunamis for the Auckland region, with earthquakes in 1868 (magnitude 9) and 1960 (9.5) producing estimated tsunami wave heights of 0.6m to 2.9m.

Auckland Council environmental science team leader Greg Holland said it was a challenge to predict exactly how far water would push up on land because every tsunami acted slightly differently.

"Japan has spent a significant amount of money researching these tsunamis and look what happened."

But "in Auckland we appear to have a really low risk. We're tucked up in the harbour here."

Auckland Civil Defence controller Clive Manley said in the event of a tsunami, people should get to high ground - if there was time.

They should go to a place they had arranged as a meeting point with friends and family.

From there, they should listen to the radio for advice.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10715156 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10715156)

From what I know from reading local history a tsunami could turn Devonport into 2 islands if not 3. Photos exist of both of Narrow Neck and Stanley Bay with the tide in on both sides of the road. Stanley Park and Devonport Golf Course are both low lying reclamations as is some of the Navy land in Ngataringa Bay. Devonport Domain was once a swamp and not much else separates Cheltenham Beach from Torpedo Bay


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on April 03, 2011, 09:14:50 am
Bus-ting for ride to work
By Kieran Nash 4:30 AM Sunday Apr 3, 2011 Share   Email
 Print
 
 Expand On some busy Auckland routes, buses aren't stopping because they already full to capacity. Photo / Doug SherringWorkers forced on to public transport by soaring petrol prices are having to contend with a lack of buses on key routes in Auckland.

Commuters said this week they often saw up to three full buses drive past their stops because there was no room for more passengers.

Under-pressure providers are trying to borrow buses from quake-hit Christchurch and pressing older vehicles back into service.

But Auckland Mayor Len Brown, who made better public transport a key part of his election campaign, said it was a "hell of a good problem to have".

The Herald on Sunday revealed last month that the number of people using public transport had reached record levels since the price of 91 unleaded fuel topped $2 a litre.

Some commuters are so fed up with full buses they are switching services to less convenient stops.

Others have given up and decided to walk to work.

The problems aren't just during rush hour. A bus from central Auckland to the North Shore at 8.30pm on Thursday was standing room only.

Auckland Transport, the Auckland Council body running public transport, was reluctant to comment.

The organisation referred inquiries about specific routes to the companies that operate them.

Rachel Drew, chief commercial officer of NZ Bus, Auckland's largest provider, said a $50 million consignment of 120 new buses was expected in June.

In the meantime, the company was considering short-term solutions.

"Where there is fleet available, there is the option of using older buses as a temporary measure while we wait for new stock," Drew said.

The company was considering leasing buses but had not finalised any plans.

"We're reacting as quickly as we can to a rapidly changing situation," Drew said.

Ritchie's Bus Company director Andrew Ritchie said he wanted to lease 12 to 14 buses from Christchurch operator Go Bus and hoped to have them on the road within a month.

Christchurch operators were running at about 30 per cent capacity after the February earthquake and would welcome the extra money by leasing their buses out, he said.

Ritchie was against putting older stock back on the road.

"It's really good getting this growth but if we put old buses on there and the quality of service drops it would put people off." The company had no plans to buy new buses because it had an ongoing replacement policy.

Howick & Eastern operations manager Sheryll Otway said the company was running double services at peak times to cope with demand.

She said Howick & Eastern would order more buses but couldn't say how many because the plans hadn't been finalised.

Meanwhile, Mayor Brown was confident companies were making plans for enough stock to cope with rising demand.

When told about full buses leaving passengers behind, he said it was a "hell of a good problem to have".

As for people opting to walk because of overloading, he said: "If they're only walking 500m to 1km that's great for fitness levels."

He urged people to "be patient" and said there would be more buses "in due course".

Council officers were also monitoring levels weekly to see the extent of demand across the city.

The number of bus passengers in Auckland rose 7.5 per cent in the year to February 28.

Campaign for Better transport convenor Cameron Pitches said there should be more investment in the service.

"We hope that the Government is coming round. They've been reluctant to invest in public transport."

He also said fares had to come down to encourage more people on to an appropriately-sized bus fleet.

"It's the people travelling long-distance who have been the most effective in reducing congestion. The fare structure has to reward these people for spending an hour of their time [on the bus]."

Auckland Transport spokeswoman Sharon Hunter said bus fare rises in the past 10 years were lower than the cost of living.

'I'm really angry I'd rather walk'

Frustrated commuters vented their anger after being refused access to a bus on Friday.

The 274 Britomart-bound service stopped near the intersection of Mt Eden Rd and Esplanade Rd at 8.45am.

Some of those waiting were allowed on - others were told to wait for the next service.

Monica Marsh, a 53-year-old receptionist, said she had starting catching a bus to Victoria St, instead of Britomart where she works, because her regular service is usually full.

"Normally one bus would drive by but now it's three in a row doing it."

Georgia Johnstone, a 19-year-old student, said: "I'm really angry. I'd rather walk, to be honest, because I know I'd get where I want when I want."

Michael Green, a 26-year-old team leader, said: "I've experienced it when three buses have gone past, it's left a lot of people feeling frustrated."

Rachel Deller, a 25-year-old charity worker, said: "You get four full buses then one empty. I tend to get [to work] later and later at the moment."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10716784 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10716784)

Yesterday (Saturday afternoon) Sp1 caught a bus from Highbury, if anyone else got on the would have had to stand. That may not sound too bad but the bus was heading to Beach Haven via Birkdale, not into Takapuna or City.

How the heck is the public transport system going to cope when the RWC is on?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on April 03, 2011, 11:45:59 am

Ah.....but Stephen Joyce (and the Nats) are spending money on motorways.

So all those foreign visitors will be able to hire rental cars and drive on the roads.

Should be fun, eh, watching Ork-lund seize up with total gridlock, thanks to the dumb Nats?  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/09_ROFLMAO.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on April 03, 2011, 12:17:12 pm

Ah.....but Stephen Joyce (and the Nats) are spending money on motorways.

So all those foreign visitors will be able to hire rental cars and drive on the roads.

Should be fun, eh, watching Ork-lund seize up with total gridlock, thanks to the dumb Nats?  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/09_ROFLMAO.gif)

And it will happen.

Maybe I should get Mr Sp a kayak so he can paddle to work ::)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on April 03, 2011, 01:55:18 pm

Auckland Harbour in the late-1940s. You can see the gap where the Auckland Harbour Bridge now is. You can also see one of the double-ended vehicle ferries which enabled motorists to cross the harbour between the North Shore and Auckland City before the bridge was built. The Short Sandringham flying-boat is taxiing in to Mechanics Bay after landing on the harbour at the end of a flight from Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour. ZK-AMH “Auckland” was sold to Barrier Reef Airways in Australia in 1950, then a few years later ended up with Ansett Airlines. In 1974, the Sandringham went to Antilles Air Boats in the Carribbean, then was eventually retired to a museum at Southhampton in the UK where it is still on display.

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m169/flyernzl/short%20boats/ZK-AMHo_lg.jpg)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on May 05, 2011, 03:29:08 pm
Ever get the feeling big brother is watching you?
(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o195/curse_tea/Auckland/DSCN0268.jpg)

(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o195/curse_tea/Auckland/DSCN0266.jpg)

Weird fog in Auckland today, I took those photos at 1pm. The fog was still over part of the harbour and Takapuna and Devonport.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on August 31, 2011, 12:45:28 pm
Auckland 'more liveable' than Wellington
TOM HUNT Last updated 11:59 31/08/2011

The traffic may be a nightmare but Auckland is significantly more liveable than Wellington.

The Economic Intelligence Unit has released its list of the world's most liveable cities in which Auckland ranked at 10th most-livable, with Wellington trailing at 23.

Melbourne took the top spot knocking Vancouver off the perch it has had for almost a decade.

Brisbane, a popular home for Kiwis in Australia, ranked 21st while Harare in Zimbabwe was the least liveable city on the list.

Cities were scored on stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure.

Wellington's comparatively low-ranking contrasts with last year when it was named the world's "coolest" capital city by Lonely Planet.

Wellington was named the fourth-best city in which to travel in the world behind New York, Tangier and Tel Aviv.

Highlights like the Rugby Sevens, Wellington on Plate, World of WearableArt, not to mention the vibrant café, film and arts scenes are likely to have contributed to Wellington's ''cool'' status.

A group came together to develop the Our City - Our Future strategy in 1997 which is a vision for the city for 2020.

Some goals clearly haven't yet been met - street signs do not show the origin of street names, fewer people speak more than one language, and there is no city-wide light rail/tram system.

But other things have been achieved. Wellington has developed and co-ordinated recycling efforts, it is the arts capital of New Zealand, and electronic information at bus and train stops is being introduced.

The top ten cities are:

1. Melbourne
2. Vienna
3. Vancouver
4. Toronto
5. Calgary
6. Sydney
7. Helsinki
8=. Perth and Adelaide
10. Auckland.
23. Wellington  

Source: Economist Intelligence Unit

 - The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5540100/Auckland-more-liveable-than-Wellington (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5540100/Auckland-more-liveable-than-Wellington)(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/16_Whistling.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on August 31, 2011, 03:58:03 pm

I see you DIDN'T post the photograph that accompanied that article showing Wellingtonians strolling along their glorious waterfront past the centre of their city, accompanied by a second photograph showing an identical scene along the glorious Auckland waterfront adjacent to the centre-city.

Why do you suppose that could be?  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/03_Huh.gif)  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/16_Whistling.gif)




(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5540154sr_31Aug11.jpg)
BEATABLE, ON A GOOD DAY? Wellington has come in behind Auckland in a liveability ranking.
 — LUKE APPLEBY/The Dominion Post.




Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on August 31, 2011, 05:37:14 pm
LOL.   TJ can't handle it so he has to come up with a pic of Wellington.   
 


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on August 31, 2011, 06:17:55 pm
LOL.   TJ can't handle it so he has to come up with a pic of Wellington.   
 


So, just exactly who can't handle what? didya read SsweetP's linked story - http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5540100/Auckland-more-liveable-than-Wellington so what was the pic it showed?



but whaddya expect from the Dominion, while The Herald either doesn't know or doesn't care what the Economic Intelligence Unit thinks and maintains it's dignified silence on the subject


(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/47_Faint.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on August 31, 2011, 06:35:37 pm
I thought it was simple to understand really.  
TJ couldn't resist putting the pic from the link up on the screen.    



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on August 31, 2011, 06:39:28 pm
I thought it was simple to understand really.  
TJ couldn't resist putting the pic from the link up on the screen.    


(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/18_Gossip.gif)  I know !


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on August 31, 2011, 10:34:27 pm

Well.....if you're going to post a news article, you should also post any images that go with it.


Anyway, seeing as The Dominion Post put up a photograph of Wellington's downtown waterfront, surely JAFAs can put up a photograph of their downtown waterfront.

Unless they don't have one, because it's all locked away behind industries, in which case I'd say, “you poor, public-waterfront-deprived JAFAs!”  (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/azn.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on September 01, 2011, 12:33:28 am
Sweetpea did.  The pic was included in link.    What Wellingtons waterfront has to do with it I have no idea but I noted the Dominion did say 'on a good day' which makes me think they may be rare. 

btw Auckland has miles of beautiful waterfront thanks. 


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on September 01, 2011, 12:58:59 am

Well.....if you're going to post a news article, you should also post any images that go with it.


Anyway, seeing as The Dominion Post put up a photograph of Wellington's downtown waterfront, surely JAFAs can put up a photograph of their downtown waterfront.

Unless they don't have one, because it's all locked away behind industries, in which case I'd say, “you poor, public-waterfront-deprived JAFAs!”  (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/azn.gif)


Well.....if you're going to post a news article, you should also post any images that go with it.

like this perhaps, beginning today

 http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/5-5bn-transform-auckland-4369142  http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news2010/new-zealand/auckland_city_2.jpg


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 02, 2011, 02:09:47 am

Presumably the shit-hot city of Auckland has FREE wi-fi within its CBD and along its waterfront?  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/16_Whistling.gif)



Free wi-fi starts in Wellington CBD

By SHANE COWLISHAW | 7:53AM - Thursday, 01 September 2011

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5545659s_01Sep11.jpg)
ONLINE: A map showing Wellington CBD's free wi-fi zone.

WELLINGTONIANS will be able to browse, tweet and Facebook to their hearts' content with the launch of free wi-fi in the central city today.

The network — called “cbdfree” — will be available in outdoor areas from Westpac Stadium to the Embassy Cinema, including the Golden Mile and Cuba St.

Along with Trade Me's free waterfront network, the new service will see Wellington become the first city in Australasia to provide comprehensive free wi-fi in the CBD.

The network has cost $50,000 to set up and is expected to cost $216,000 a year, although this will be offset through sponsorship.

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown will officially launch the network at Midland Park at 12.30pm today.

She said the free wi-fi network would provide a great advantage for anyone living in or visiting the city, and businesses.

"Our compact CBD means free wireless is far more manageable to install than most cities. We've got a huge number of laptop and smartphone owners in this smart city of ours, and we see this as a small step towards enhancing our digital and communications reputation."

Wellington City Council senior strategy adviser Philippa Bowron said the service did not have a time limit but a sponsor screen would pop up every 30 minutes.

It was designed to work in outdoor places and, while it was unlikely it would pass through solid walls, it could work through glass in some areas.

Legal advice had been taken surrounding the new law against downloading copyrighted material and the council was happy the new service would comply, she said.

Trade Me spokesman Paul Ford said an average of 500 people a day were logging on to its network, with numbers up more than 1000 on busier days around events and sunny weekends.

Numbers were expected to surge during the Rugby World Cup and technicians would be keeping a close eye on the network's performance.

Peer-to-peer software was banned on the network but the company would deal with any problems arising from the law change as they happened, he said.


(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/4600081s_31Jan11.jpg)

______________________________________

HOW IT WORKS

  • Wi-fi is a networking system that uses radio waves to enable electronic devices to connect without using wires.

  • Wellington's central city wi-fi will allow wi-fi-enabled devices to freely connect with the internet from anywhere outdoors within the designated area.

  • These devices include smartphones, laptop computers, iPads and other electronic tablets, game consoles and digital audio players, although the system will be prioritised to prevent streaming or downloading large files.

  • It will provide free outdoor internet access in most of the CBD.

  • It will be used primarily to access emails, social networking and internet sites.

  • It will permit users to log on multiple times.

  • It will be open to users without needing to sign up for an account or give any form of personal/payment information.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5545149/Free-wi-fi-starts-today-in-Wellington-CBD (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5545149/Free-wi-fi-starts-today-in-Wellington-CBD)



Wellington's free Wi-Fi

How do you rate our free CBD internet?

The Dominion Post | 1:26PM - Thursday, 01 September 2011

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OUTDOOR BROWSING: Freddie Leckie, 20, uses the wireless internet on the waterfront in Wellington.
 — LUKE APPLEBY/The Dominion Post.


WITH THE central city wireless internet network finally finished, we sent a reporter out to give it a try, with mixed results.

Dominion Post web editor and former Stuff.co.nz (http://www.stuff.co.nz) technology blogger Luke Appleby went to the waterfront at Frank Kitts Park at lunch time to try out the network and found the coverage patchy.

"Because the wireless coverage areas criss-cross each other, there are a few dead zones and it can take a while to find a sweet spot, especially with all the concrete walls around," Appleby said.

"I did a few speed tests using the Speedtest app on my iPhone 4 and the results varied — a lot. One test gave me download speeds of more than 5Mb/s — others a measly 0.10Mb/s."

"That's not to say there won't be parts of the city which will be fine, but for the average Joe walking along the waterfront, they may get a little frustrated."

"All-in-all, it's cool that there is any free internet at all in the city. It's still fairly rare in New Zealand and I can see myself making use of it quite a bit."

Student Freddie Leckie was also at the waterfront trying to connect to a free Wi-Fi provider using his iPad 2. He said the system was not very user-friendly and it took him 10 to 15 minutes to connect.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not doing anything wrong," Leckie said.

So after months of anticipation and tens of thousands in setup costs, how reliable is our CBD's wireless network? Do we have a right to complain, considering it's free? How will Rugby World Cup visitors fare? Have you tried it yourself?


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/capital-debate/5547871/Wellingtons-free-Wi-Fi (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/capital-debate/5547871/Wellingtons-free-Wi-Fi)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 02, 2011, 09:14:29 am
 :( So sad that in all his trips to Auckland KTJ hasn't bothered to open his eyes and walk around Viaduct Harbour in daylight or ventured along Tamaki Drive, which leaves Oriental Bay in the dust.

I will admit that Prince's Wharf leaves a bit to be desired public access wise but we do now have access to Queen's Wharf and the Wynard Quarter will easily rivil the Wellington waterfront when finished.

Does Wellington have a coastal walkway along the cargo terminal? Auckland does.

Let's face it Auckland has so much more waterfront to play with.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on September 02, 2011, 09:38:05 am
:( So sad that in all his trips to Auckland KTJ hasn't bothered to open his eyes and walk around Viaduct Harbour in daylight or ventured along Tamaki Drive, which leaves Oriental Bay in the dust.

I will admit that Prince's Wharf leaves a bit to be desired public access wise but we do now have access to Queen's Wharf and the Wynard Quarter will easily rivil the Wellington waterfront when finished.

Does Wellington have a coastal walkway along the cargo terminal? Auckland does.

Let's face it Auckland has so much more waterfront to play with.


In fencing terms that would be a "touché "  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/09_ROFLMAO.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 02, 2011, 09:19:49 pm

The problem with Auckland is that it is full of JAFAs and Asians....(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/cheesy.gif)  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/02_Wink.gif)



Anyway, to change the subject, if any of you JAFAs have some free time tomorrow (Saturday) evening, and can still get tickets, go to the NZSO National Youth Orchestra's concert in the Auckland Town Hall. I've just attended their concert in Wellington Town Hall and they are superb. Also superb is their soloist, vituoso American organist Cameron Carpenter who featured in a major work for orchestra and organ by the American composer, Samuel Barber, then he played a solo transcription of one of Franz Liszt's piano works on the Wellington Town Hall Organ and really blew the cobwebs out of it. I imagine he will do the same in Auckland tomorrow evening. Cameron Carpenter is a very unconventional character and his footwear was off the planet (as was his pedal playing on the organ). The final orchestral work at the concert, Rachmaninov's Symphony No.2, was brilliant too. If any of you go to the Auckland concert, you are in for a real musical treat from the best of NZ's up & coming young musicians, along with Cameron Carpenter.



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 05, 2011, 02:28:37 pm

Little capital gets big apple tick

The Dominion Post | 12:10PM - Monday, 05 September 2011

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5565712s_05Sep11.jpg)
CAPITAL COOL: The New York Times describes Wellington as a “must-stop” in New Zealand.
 — RICHARD COSGROVE/The Dominion Post.


THE coolest little capital in the world has received a rave review from one of the biggest newspapers in the world.

The New York Times has described Wellington as a "must-stop" (http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/travel/in-wellington-new-zealand-a-new-life-for-flyover-country.html), even comparing it to the big apple itself:

"It is already the country's cultural hub, with excellent museums, a thriving music scene and more bars, cafes and restaurants per capita than New York City."

The review starts with a typical lively night out on Cuba Street and after touring through capital institutions such as the Matterhorn, Te Papa, and Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, writer Ethan Todras-Whitehall declares: "Wellington is cool. We get it".

Last year the Lonely Planet named Wellington fourth in its list of top 10 cities for 2011, describing the capital as: "Cool-with-a-capital-C".


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/5565696/Little-capital-gets-big-apple-tick (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/5565696/Little-capital-gets-big-apple-tick)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 05, 2011, 02:30:06 pm

from The New York Times....

Wellington, New Zealand’s Flyover Capital, a Must-Stop

By ETHAN TODRAS-WHITEHILL | Friday, September 02, 2011

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Travel%20Articles%20Pix/NYT_WgtnWaterfront_02Sep11.jpg)
The WELLINGTON waterfront. — Photo: Lisa Wiltse for The New York Times.

IT was a Saturday night in Wellington (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), New Zealand (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), and the denizens of Cuba Street were proving that the ’80s aren’t dead. A performance group decked out in unitards, Lycra G-strings, leg warmers and fluorescent wigs was dancing almost in rhythm to tunes like “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Like a Virgin,” occasionally inspiring the crowd to join in. Farther down Cuba Street, clutches of the young and restless spilled out along the pedestrian mall on their way from bar to restaurant to cafe, many ending up at nightspots like the Matterhorn (http://www.matterhorn.co.nz/) to catch the latest hot D.J. from Ireland (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/ireland/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo) or Ethiopia (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/africa/ethiopia/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo). In the middle of the mall, one of the city’s signature landmarks, the Bucket Fountain, dropped water from one bucket to another and onto passers-by, causing them to shriek and jump into one another’s arms to dodge the spray.

All in all, a pretty lively evening for a city that only two decades ago was seen, said David Perks, the chief executive of the local tourism organization, Positively Wellington (http://www.wellingtonnz.com/), as “a gray, dull capital city that even the people who lived here wanted to get out of on the weekends.”

Once a flyover city for tourists as they jetted between the thermal regions of the north and the cloud-scraping mountains of the south, or at best a pass-through destination for those taking the ferry across the Cook Strait to the South Island, Wellington has become a tourist draw in its own right. It is already the country’s cultural hub, with excellent museums, a thriving music (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/music/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier) scene and more bars, cafes and restaurants per capita than New York City (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/new-york/new-york-city/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), yet with so much green space and water that nature is always nearby. Now, for two months this fall, Wellington will also become an international sporting hub as it hosts the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which begins on September 09 and is expected to draw more than 80,000 visitors from across the world. Together, all of this was enough to earn Wellington the No.4 spot on Lonely Planet’s “Top 10 Cities for 2011” (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-york-city/travel-tips-and-articles/76165).

I first visited the city in 2002 on a backpacking trip and returned this past December with my wife. I found the city much like I remembered, a walkable, antipodean version of Seattle (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/washington/seattle/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), but with one difference: then, the locals had to point to the changes as evidence of how cool Wellington was becoming; now, the city’s atmosphere speaks for itself — “Cool-with-a-capital-C,” according to the Lonely Planet list.

“Windy Welly” has always been known for the powerful gusts that rifle through the Cook Strait, the body of water that divides New Zealand’s North Island from its South, but if the weather is nice, there are few prettier cities for a stroll. To get your bearings, start with a cable car ride up the hill to the Botanic Gardens and then meander back down. The path passes through patches of native plants like silver beech and hinau trees and foreign species like California redwoods and Australian kangaroo paw flowers, then skirts around fields of children playing cricket and a rose garden with fiery species with names like Tropical Skies and Holy Toledo. Finally, the path slopes through a serene graveyard to wind up at the colonnaded houses of Parliament. From there, it is a brief stretch along the commercial district of Lambton Quay to wind up back at the funicular.

There are other walks that can provide an overview of the city’s geography, but only one that gives insight into New Zealand’s national identity: a stroll through the national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, or Our Place, on the waterfront. On our recent visit, we were struck by the earthy, yet spiritual feel of the museum, from the Bush City of native plants at ground level to the top level’s working marae, or meeting place, a traditional structure updated for the 21st century by contemporary Maori artists with whorls of pastel color.

Afterward, we headed to the Trawling Sea Market, a barebones traditional fish and chips shop, for dinner. As at the finest British “chippies,” the batter there was light and the chips crisp, but the fish was pure New Zealand: succulent tarakihi and meaty warehou instead of the standby cod and haddock. But Wellington is a city filled with restaurants of every ethnicity and philosophy. For instance, we could have gone much higher brow at Arbitrageur, with its French bistro feel and huge wine cellar. Arbitrageur (http://arbitrageur.co.nz/page/home.aspx) is the latest Wellington restaurant to win an NZ Restaurant of the Year award from Cuisine magazine, joining the previous Wellington winners Logan Brown (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/1037/logan-brown/restaurant-detail.html?inline=nyt-classifier) (2009) and Matterhorn (2008). For a city less than a third of the size of Auckland (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/auckland/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), Wellington punches above its weight on the culinary front.

Many of those we met cited Weta Workshop (http://www.wetanz.com/weta-workshop-services/) and Weta Digital (http://www.wetafx.co.nz/), the Peter Jackson-affiliated, multiple Oscar-winning special-effects companies that did the effects for not only the “Lord of the Rings” films, but also “Avatar,” the “Chronicles of Narnia” films and the 2005 remake of “King Kong,” as one of the main reasons for Wellington’s blossoming cultural scene. Combined with the other special-effects companies that have grown up around Weta, “Wellywood” employs thousands of artists in Wellington.

The accessible part of Weta, the Weta Cave, doesn’t offer visitors much: a short film on the company’s history and its movies, a gift shop and a small museum. But for fantasy geeks like me, it was a must-see for items like the shards of Isildur’s sword Narsil and the two versions of Frodo and Bilbo’s trusty sword Sting used in the films (one to appear big in hobbit hands, one to seem small in humans’).

You never feel far from nature anywhere in Wellington, but you never feel closer than a few miles outside the city center at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. Karori represents a new idea in conservation: rather than keeping vulnerable wildlife in, they are keeping predators out by means of a pest-proof fence. The fence is not so much a cage but a fortress from which the (flighted) birds (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/birds/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier) can fly in and out, their nests safely tucked inside. It was completed in 1999, but a boost in interest came in 2010 with the construction of the sanctuary’s Zealandia exhibit and Visitor’s Center.

During the day, visitors come to see the dinosaur-era tuatara lizard and the giant weta (the monster-size cricket after which Peter Jackson named his company) in addition to the saddlebacks, kaka and other endangered birds. But the guided night tours offer the real prize: a chance to see a kiwi, the country’s national symbol, in the sort of wild, a rare feat even for native New Zealanders.

The beginning of our tour seemed promising. Despite the persistent spring rain, the tour leader, a retired landscape architect named Desmond, seemed upbeat. Kiwi calls came from the forest on both sides of our group of a dozen, ascending screeches in the darkness. And indeed, within the first hour of the three-hour tour, my wife had spotted one, a football-size bird that skittered into the brush as soon as her red flashlight beam fell on it. Unfortunately, she was the only one who caught a glimpse, and the kiwi cries went silent; our good fortune ended there.

Back on Cuba Street while the dance troupe was still shaking those leg warmers, we struck up a conversation with a truck driver who paints and a construction worker who makes films. (In the less-modest United States (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), they’d be a painter who drives a truck and a filmmaker who works construction.) Both avowed that Wellington was by far the most avant-garde city in all of New Zealand, and to prove it, they decided to find us the kind of cool bar that could be found only here.

First, they tried Havana Bar (http://www.havanabar.co.nz/) off a side street in two connected colorful, Cuban-style shacks, but despite its lively atmosphere and available tables our friends immediately pronounced it “dead.” We finally ended up at a place called Mighty Mighty (http://www.myspace.com/mightymightybar), where the band was playing psychobilly rock. We perused the drinks menu, which was hidden in a vintage record sleeve, and observed the wildly decked-out patrons, some dressed in afro wigs and others in lederhosen.

My wife and I looked at each other, and then at our impromptu guides, their point well and truly made: Wellington is cool. We get it now.


______________________________________

IF YOU GO

At Home Wellington (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), 181 Wakefield Street, (64-4) 802-0858, AtHomeWellington.co.nz (http://athomewellington.co.nz/), with doubles from 149 New Zealand dollars (about $124 at 1.21 New Zealand dollars to the United States dollar), and Museum Hotel, 90 Cable Street, (64-4) 802-8900, MuseumHotel.co.nz (http://museumhotel.co.nz/), with doubles from 195 dollars, are good values in a central location near the water.

A much cheaper but eminently serviceable option is the YHA Wellington, 292 Wakefield Street, YHA.co.nz/Hostels/North+Island+Hostels/Wellington (http://yha.co.nz/Hostels/North+Island+Hostels/Wellington), (64-4) 801-7280, with doubles for 80 dollars, a huge hostel near the end of the night-life strip of Courtenay Place that caters to more than backpackers.

For meals, the Maranui Surf Lifesaving Cafe, 7 Lyall Parade, MaranuiCafe.co.nz (http://maranuicafe.co.nz/), (64-4) 387-4539, in Lyall Bay is a local favorite, a great place for breakfast or lunch with its big views of the ocean. Breakfast: 10 to 18 dollars.

The Matterhorn, 106 Cuba Street, Matterhorn.co.nz (http://matterhorn.co.nz/), is a Wellington institution that has changed owners and faces over the years and wins local and national awards both as a restaurant and as a night-life haunt. Mains: 32 to 38 dollars. Next door, Mighty Mighty, upstairs at 104 Cuba Street, MySpace.com/MightyMightyBar (http://myspace.com/mightymightybar), is a good bar for live music (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/music/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier) performances.

Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand’s national museum, 55 Cable Street, TePapa.govt.nz (http://tepapa.govt.nz/), is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (9 p.m. Thursdays), and admission is free.

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary (VisitZealandia.com (http://visitzealandia.com/)) is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is 28.50 dollars, and the big gamble is going for the two-and-a-half-hour night tour (76.50 dollars per adult) in which you might see a kiwi in the (sort of) wild.


______________________________________

Wellington Travel Guide (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/overview.html)

Where to Stay (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/hotels.html)

Where to Eat (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/restaurants.html)

What to Do (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/australia-and-pacific/new-zealand/wellington/attractions.html)

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/travel/in-wellington-new-zealand-a-new-life-for-flyover-country.html (http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/travel/in-wellington-new-zealand-a-new-life-for-flyover-country.html)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 06, 2011, 02:00:32 am

Record number of Aussies visit Wellington

By JAMES WEIR - The Dominion Post | 3:34PM - Monday, 05 September 2011

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5567309s_05Sep11.jpg)
OZ VISITORS: Australian tourists spent about $281 million in the March year in Wellington region.
 — Photo: The Dominion Post.


A RECORD NUMBER of Australian visitors came to Wellington in the past year, up 8 per cent to more than 110,000, helped by a promotion campaign in Australia, according to Wellington tourism promotion group.

Australian tourists spent about $281 million in the March year in Wellington region.

Positively Wellington Tourism's latest annual report showed Australian visitors helped offset a slump in long-haul tourist numbers because of the economic slowdown in many markets and the high New Zealand dollar, as well as the impact of quakes in Christchurch and Japan and floods in Australia.

Australian tourist numbers almost stopped dead in early March after the Christchurch quake in late February, but aside from that, most months have seen arrivals well up on the same month last year.

PWT chief executive David Perks said the past year was "extraordinary and challenging", with recession still prominent in many key markets overseas and a high New Zealand dollar had slowed tourism numbers.

Despite that, hotel rooms sold grew for all but one month, October, during the year.

Commercial visitor nights held steady, while a rise on Australian visitors offset the falls in long-haul markets.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5567275/Record-number-of-Aussies-visit-Wellington (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5567275/Record-number-of-Aussies-visit-Wellington)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 06, 2011, 08:20:10 am
How many Aussies visited Auckland - oh that's right - there are so many that we don't bother to publish the stats.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 06, 2011, 01:17:29 pm
I just heard an ad suggesting that the best way to get to a RWC at Eden Park from the central city is .....to walk.

A brochure arrived in the letterbox that details the suggested route complete with distance. 4km.

I am not saying that it isn't fesable or doable for many rugby fans but it is a bit too much for my 70 yo Dad with angina. He is going to have enough trouble climbing up the temporary stands to his seat.

It seems that trains from the CBD will not be going as far as Kingsland, that is reserved for trains from South Auckland so the way to get there with the least walking for him is for us to drop him off at Akoranga Station on the Northern Busway.

Before any bright Wellingtonian starts in about the waterfront stadium that the government offered to build in Central Auckland I would like to point out that since there are only 2 lines into Britomart that would not have solved the problem.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 06, 2011, 01:51:58 pm

Meanwhile, in Wellington, the stadium is so close to the centre of the city that one could almost walk there on one's hands!  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/16_Whistling.gif)


(http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo227/Kiwithrottlejockey/NZTM%20Topomaps/WellingtonDowntown_800px.jpg)



And in Masterton, “downtown” is so close to my residential-street home that I can walk there in 3-4 minutes....(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/02_Wink.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on September 06, 2011, 02:01:02 pm
I know 2 Aussies that visited Auckland last November.     My 2 brothers.   



Is someone in here suffering from an inferiority complex ?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 06, 2011, 05:55:28 pm
My brother, a friend and the rest of his family are coming over to Ak for the Aussie school hols. They are all perminant residents across the ditch.


Meanwhile, in Wellington, the stadium is so close to the centre of the city that one could almost walk there on one's hands! 

And in Masterton, “downtown” is so close to my residential-street home that I can walk there in 3-4 minutes....

Yeah well, if you choose to live in a hick town.... I am only 2 minutes walk from the nearest shops (20 of them) and 4 km from 2 larger suburban centres with malls. There are 3 really big shopping areas only 10 km away and one of them is downtown Auckland.

The Caketin maybe closer into the CBD and right next to a railway with 3 lines in but Wellington isn't big enough to host the bigger games and overseas visitors can't fly directly into Wellington unless they come from Australia and then not on a 747. Most of them would have to fly into Auckland or Christchurch first then catch a domestic flight.(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/25_Frazz.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 06, 2011, 06:26:54 pm

Ah....but you don't have beach-resort-style airport terminals in the Auckland region!  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/26_NyaNyaNya.gif)



Kapiti's new quirky terminal

By KAY BLUNDELL - The Dominion Post | 11:18AM - Tuesday, 06 September 2011

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5571882s_06Sep11.jpg)
SANDY ARRIVAL: Kapiti Coast Airport owner Sir Noel Robinson
in the new beach-style terminal.


THE FIRST THING passengers flying in to Kapiti on the new Air New Zealand flight service will see when they disembark is an old wooden sign stating "sorry, gone fishing".

A quirky new Kapiti Coast Airport terminal featuring a coastal beach theme will greet passengers when the flight service between Paraparaumu and Auckland takes off over Labour weekend.

Man-made sand dunes planted with native flaxes are included in the grounds surrounding the $1 million terminal and the beach theme continues inside with straw umbrellas, outdoor barbecue-type furniture and a realistic looking boardwalk, actually made of carpet.

Airport owner Sir Noel Robinson said he wanted to create the beachy, relaxed atmosphere of the Kapiti Coast.

"We wanted people to walk in and end up with a smile on their face. It does not look like an ordinary terminal — it is a Clayton's terminal. It is like you have come to the beach with deck chairs with soft canvas seating."

Historic photographs on one wall recall the days last century when the National Airways Corporation flew to Paraparaumu, including one of Queen Elizabeth II stepping onto the tarmac.

The toilets — designed by Dave Smithson of Home Creators and interior designer Heather Thorley — resemble old beachside loos.

A cafe named "iland" will probably open a couple of days before the flights commence, Sir Noel said.

Check-in counters have been installed for Air New Zealand and local flight service air-2-there.

A seven-metre-long photo of Kapiti Island is featured on one one wall and old wooden aeroplane propellers enhance the historic aviation theme accompanying the beachside ambience.

Named Terminal 1, it is located on the north-west side of the airfield with access from Toru Road. A larger terminal was planned at a later date.

The new flight service, using 50-seater turbo props, will take off on October 25.


Related news stories:

 • Kapiti's new $3m runway opened (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4899331/Kapitis-new-3m-runway-opened)

 • Air New Zealand trials Kapiti Airport (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/kapiti-observer/5385402/Air-New-Zealand-trials-Kapiti-Airport)


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5571837/Kapitis-new-quirky-terminal (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5571837/Kapitis-new-quirky-terminal)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 07, 2011, 07:21:05 pm

Wellington waterfront in a different light

Photos capture waterfront's night-time charm.

By LUKE APPLEBY - The Dominion Post | 2:16PM - Wednesday, 07 September 2011

WELLINGTON is such a beautiful city to photograph and undoubtedly one of the best areas to do so is the waterfront — these photos show the night-time atmosphere in a different light.

I've been playing around recently with a technique called HDR - or High Dynamic Range photography.

It involves taking several photos, each with a different exposure times to get a range of images from very dark and underexposed to bright as day.

You then use software to merge the different exposures into one image, which gives them a wonderful, oil-painting sort of look.

Normally, cameras can only capture a narrow band of light — either the light areas or dark areas, but not both at once. HDR gives you detail in both the shadows and the highlights.

It's a little bit different, some have told me they think it's too unrealistic, but I think it has a unique charm to it.


(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580902sr_07Sep11.jpg)
Frank Kitts lagoon from the grassy area in front of the Wharewaka as a touch of rain sets in.
 — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.


(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580884sr_07Sep11.jpg)
The Wharewaka and NZX building, just after sunset. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580899sr_07Sep11.jpg)
The green light-lit area showing the water beneath the waterfront walk with the Macs Brewery Bar
in the background. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.


(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580895sr_07Sep11.jpg)
Frank Kitts lagoon at low tide becomes a mirror for the lights of the city. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580857sr_07Sep11.jpg)
Looking across the waterfront towards Te Papa and the marina from Frank Kitts Park.
Slight “ghosts” of pedestrians are visible, caused by the blending of multiple photos.
 — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.


(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580870sr_07Sep11.jpg)
The boatsheds and bridge on the waterfront, including the newly-installed Festival of Carnival notice board.
 — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.


(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580863sr_07Sep11.jpg)
Frank Kitts Lagoon illuminated by city lights at night. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580862sr_07Sep11.jpg)
The Circa Theatre on the waterfront. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580897sr_07Sep11.jpg)
The Wharewaka and NZX building. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580859sr_07Sep11.jpg)
From Frank Kitts Park looking towards the TSB Arena and port area. — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5580904sr_07Sep11.jpg)
Shot from on top of a ledge, Civic Square with the iconic Ferns sculpture and Majestic Centre.
 — LUKE APPLEBY/Dominion Post.


Camera used was a Canon 7D with Sigma 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 lens at F/3.5 and ISO 800.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/5581034/Wellington-waterfront-in-a-different-light (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/5581034/Wellington-waterfront-in-a-different-light)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 07, 2011, 07:54:21 pm
I have a new camera. I'll have to have a play with it, haven't done any night shots yet.

Since we are heading out to watch the fireworks on Friday I should see what it can do.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 18, 2011, 07:26:57 am

I'm bring my camera with me up to Auckland this today.

That way, I can post some pix in the weather thread showing what the weather is like in JAFAville today.

Don't worry....it's only a fleeting visit....arriving off a flight from Wellington at midday, then buggering off again on a 6:30pm flight to Masterton.





Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 18, 2011, 11:14:50 am
Good luck with that - it is raining. ::)

I didn't get good pictures of the fireworks with the new camera - teenaged know it all got in the way.

She finially admitted that apture prority was the better setting but didn't know how to adjust the shutter speed and since she was the one hogging the instruction book  :(. I shut up and used her camera with the firework setting.

She did figure it out - after we got home.

With that 16 year old I am best to pick my battles. There is a reason why Mr sp is the one giving driving lessons not me - and it has nothing to do with driving. ::)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on September 18, 2011, 11:44:24 am


it's only a fleeting visit....arriving off a flight from Wellington at midday, then buggering off again on a 6:30pm

I like that.  the buggering off part.     ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on September 18, 2011, 11:46:07 am
I forgot to add......I hope we have torrential rain in Aks this afternoon.   ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Newtown-Fella on September 18, 2011, 12:13:00 pm
what some people do for a free concert .....

no very green racking up all those carbon emissions ....



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 18, 2011, 05:53:14 pm


it's only a fleeting visit....arriving off a flight from Wellington at midday, then buggering off again on a 6:30pm

I like that.  the buggering off part.     ;D


I like that too....it means I don't have to spend too much time amongst the JAFAs....;D


BTW....I'm still in JAFAland....I'm waiting at the airport for my flight to board so I can bugger off out of the place, back to the REAL NZ!!   (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/smiley.gif)



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 18, 2011, 08:03:28 pm

Made it....escaped JAFAville safely and got back home.

It did rain briefly in Auckland around 1:00pm while I was there (I don't know what the weather was like while I was indoors for 2½ hours).

However, I flew home to the bottom of the North Island with clear skies....it's a lovely night.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 27, 2011, 03:38:18 pm

Wellington: A soaring financial powerhouse

By FIONA ROTHERHAM - The Dominion Post | 2:41PM - Tuesday, 27 September 2011

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202011/5692585s_27Sep11.jpg)
ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE: Wellington's rise comes at the expense of European cities with
the recent euro crisis dragging down their rankings. — Photo: The Dominion Post.


WELLINGTON's reputation as a world financial powerhouse has soared, taking it past heavy-hitters such as Dubai and Madrid.

The capital is up 11 places to be ranked 27th in a six-monthly index of the world's leading financial centres.

Its rise comes at the expense of European cities with the recent euro crisis dragging down their rankings.

The Global Financial Centres Index 10 (http://www.zyen.com/PDF/GFCI%2010.pdf) put out by the Z/Yen Group was first published in March 2007 and it provides profiles, ratings and rankings for the top 75 financial centres in the world.

London remains at the top spot of the index followed by New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.

But competition remains fierce with only four points between the top three centres compared to a gap of 16 points in the previous index. However, the top 8 rankings remain the same as the previous index.

Wellington's rating followed its ranking up by 53 points.

It also scored in the top 15 for reputational advantage which has remained fairly stable among the centres in the past six months despite the economic turmoil in Europe.

Four of the top five by reputational advantage are Asian centres, largely driven by their favourable assessment among other Asian centres rather than those outside the region.

The GCFI uses responses from more than 28,000 international financial services professionals to rate centres on their perceived competitiveness.

Confidence amongst financial services professionals has surprisingly risen in the past six months, as shown by higher overall ratings for most centres.

However, the recent euro crisis has affected centres within the Eurozone with the capital cities of the weaker European economies clearly suffering — examples include Luxembourg down 14 places in the rankings,  Madrid and Malta down 11 places and Dublin and Milan falling ten and nine places, respectively.

By contrast, Nordic and Eastern European centres are now starting to get more support from the financial services professionals with Tallinn up 188 points, Istanbul increasing 86 points, Moscow up 75 points, and Helsinki rising by 72 points.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5692579/Wellington-A-soaring-financial-powerhouse (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5692579/Wellington-A-soaring-financial-powerhouse)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 29, 2011, 01:28:05 pm
Wellington great, but Auckland better
BLAIR ENSOR Last updated 13:18 29/11/2011


Are you feeling comfortable living in Wellington?

You should. New Zealand's capital city is ranked 13th in Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living Survey, released today.

Wellington is ranked ahead of cities, which include Toronto, Berlin, Melbourne and Stockholm.

However, Auckland, which is ranked third in the survey, is considered to be New Zealand's best.

Austria's capital Vienna is ranked first in the world.

Wellington has got a reputation as a great place with Lonely Planet calling the city the "coolest capital in the world" and The New York Times recently praised it.

The capital tied with Auckland as the ninth best for personal safety, with New Zealand easily beating Australian cities. Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney are tied at 25.

Mercer's global survey is based on an evaluation of 39 criteria for each city, grouped in 10 categories, including political and socio-economic environment, medical and health considerations, education, transport and housing. The survey covers 221 cities which are compared to the base city, New York.

A release from Mercer said New Zealand cities offered world-class quality of living standards and excellent working conditions for overseas expatriates.

"New Zealand remains an attractive destination for skilled workers who want a high quality of life coupled with economic and physical security'' Mercer's information product solutions business leader Georgina Harley said

New Zealand, unlike Europe and the United States, had a "relatively strong'' economic outlook which increases the country's appeal as a "safe haven'' from economic uncertainty, Ms Harley said.

"New Zealand's high living standards provide a potentially compelling case for attracting international talent to our shores.''

New Zealand also "ticked all the boxes'' when assessing living conditions for overseas workers, she said.

The country had quality housing, excellent infrastructure, comprehensive health care, a wide selection of restaurants and other amenities, as well as good education, she said.

TOP CITIES Full rankings

1       Vienna
2       Zurich
3      Auckland(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/17_Clapping.gif)
4       Munich
5       Düsseldorf
5       Vancouver
7       Frankfurt     
8       Geneva     
9       Bern     
9       Copenhagen     
11     Sydney     
12     Amsterdam     
13     Wellington (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/10_RollingEyes.gif)   
14     Ottawa     
15     Toronto     
16     Hamburg     
17     Berlin     Germany
18     Melbourne     
19     Luxembourg     
20     Stockholm

 - The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/6055100/Wellington-great-but-Auckland-better (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/6055100/Wellington-great-but-Auckland-better)



(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/25_Frazz.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 29, 2011, 02:05:59 pm

Those bloody JAFAs keep pinching good locomotives from the Wellington region and replacing them with their crapped-out heaps.

There are two separate fleets of diesel-electric locomotives in the North Island, one based at Auckland and the other based out of Wellington and Palmerston North. The two distinct fleets are normally kept separated by the fact that trains between Te Rapa (Hamilton) and Palmerston North are hauled by electric locomotives. The JAFA never look after their locomotives, including maintenance and the way they operate them, with the result that a huge proportion of the Auckland-based fleet are dogs. By way of contrast, the Wellington/Palmy North locos are much better maintained and looked after. Every weekend, Overlander passenger trains are diesel-hauled for the entire distance both ways on both days. So a Wellington-based locomotive is supposed to haul the Overlander to Auckland on Saturday, then return to Wellington on the same train on Sunday. Usually, it is one of the pool of locomotives used to haul Wairarapa passenger services. At the same time, an Auckland locomotive is supposed to work to Wellington on the Saturday, then return to Auckland on the Sunday. However, those devious JAFAs have got into the habit of sending one of their crapped-out heaps to Wellington on the Sunday and keeping the good Wellington-based locomotive, which they then proceed to neglect and wreck, just like their own fleet. Meanwhile, Wellington ends up stuck with the JAFA heap of shit until they work out how to get rid of the JAFA garbage and get the Wellington locomotive back. And you should see the filthy state of the locomotive cabs from the Auckland area. Those JAFAs must live like bloody pigs!!

Yesterday, there was a huge fiasco on early morning Wairarapa trains when one of those Auckland heaps blew-up just south of Featherston. It's not the first time that has occured.

Time to build that wall across the Bombay Hills and cut the power cables, I reckon!




Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on January 14, 2012, 09:17:03 am
Auckland named world's 10th most liveable city
5:31 PM Tuesday Aug 30, 2011  
 

 Auckland is the 10th best city to live in while Wellington occupies the 23rd position, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's latest survey of ranking among 140 locations,

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748419 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748419)

(http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/17_Clapping.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on May 22, 2012, 04:29:45 pm

A travel guide for those poor unfortunate JAFAs who are so depressed by Auckland that they need to escape southwards....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hs83mSmvY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hs83mSmvY)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on May 22, 2012, 07:03:58 pm
Yeah but....the sun was shining in Auckland. 


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on May 23, 2012, 10:05:11 am
If that was all on the same time scale he had a dream run throught the Tron - I recognised the round about. I usually takes us around 40 mins to get through Hamilton although I willl admit we are usually changing from SH1 to SH5 at that point.

There was more time (videowise) spent on the motorway/highway going into Wellington than on the Auckland motorway even though the Auckland motorway had more traffic on it.


Ahh... the penny drops on the second veiwing. The driver started in Queen St thus missing the entire Northern motorway (and/or Northwestern motorway) and Spaghetti Junction. The Wellington motorway system on the other hand doesn't continue much passed Lambton Quay in comparison.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 01, 2012, 05:07:50 pm

Thank you JAFA ratepayers.

Today, I discovered that a Wellington Snapper Card gives one free rides on Auckland City Link buses.

They advertise free rides for Aucklanders using Hop Cards, but the card readers on the buses also dish out free rides to Snapper Cards.

It's good to know that I can bludge off Auckland ratepayers paying for my bus fares....(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/azn.gif)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Newtown-Fella on July 01, 2012, 06:36:05 pm

Thank you JAFA ratepayers.

Today, I discovered that a Wellington Snapper Card gives one free rides on Auckland City Link buses.

They advertise free rides for Aucklanders using Hop Cards, but the card readers on the buses also dish out free rides to Snapper Cards.

It's good to know that I can bludge off Auckland ratepayers paying for my bus fares....(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/azn.gif)


you hope .......


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 01, 2012, 07:08:27 pm

Thank you JAFA ratepayers.

Today, I discovered that a Wellington Snapper Card gives one free rides on Auckland City Link buses.

They advertise free rides for Aucklanders using Hop Cards, but the card readers on the buses also dish out free rides to Snapper Cards.

It's good to know that I can bludge off Auckland ratepayers paying for my bus fares....(https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/azn.gif)


you hope .......


Nope, not hope....I KNOW.

I held my Snapper Card up to the Hop Card reader and it gave me the same free ride it promises JAFAs with Hop Cards.

All subsidised by JAFA ratepayers!   ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on July 01, 2012, 07:58:24 pm
Free? are you sure about that?

Was it free as in your card wasn't debited?

Integrated ticketing up here is still a shambles. NZ bus has the snapper card but Hop card (Thales won the tender, not Snapper) that is supposed to be installed is still stuck in the starting gate as far as I can tell. There have been conflicting reports.

There is some sort of card system for the ferries at Birkenhead Wharf but since Birkenhead Transport have yet to start using any system it is still a non starter as far as we are concerned.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 01, 2012, 08:20:51 pm
Free? are you sure about that?

Was it free as in your card wasn't debited?


Nope....I've already been to the www.snapper.co.nz website, logged in, and checked my card transactions.

It shows which stops I got on at in Auckland and which stops I got off at, and it shows a $0.00 fare in each case.

In other words....JAFA ratepayers subsidised me today!   ;D


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on July 01, 2012, 10:00:01 pm
humf...I am obviously on the wrong side of the bridge - as per usual.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: nitpicker1 on July 02, 2012, 07:50:11 am

I held my Snapper Card up to the Hop Card reader and it gave me the same free ride it promises JAFAs with Hop Cards

 ::)  have ya tried holding it up to a retail POS reader yet?




Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 02, 2012, 09:31:52 am

I held my Snapper Card up to the Hop Card reader and it gave me the same free ride it promises JAFAs with Hop Cards

 ::)  have ya tried holding it up to a retail POS reader yet?


Nope....I only use my Snapper Card for paying for bus fares.

Or getting free inner-city bus rides in Auckland.

When I'm in shops, I pay with cash.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 14, 2012, 04:49:34 pm

Wellington tops in salary stakes

By ALANAH ERIKSEN (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/alanah-eriksen/news/headlines.cfm?a_id=344) - Weekend Herald (http://www.nzherald.co.nz) | 5:30AM - Saturday, July 14, 2012

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202012/NZHerald_Banknotes_14Jul12.jpg)
Wellingtonians are earning tens of thousands of dollars more
than Aucklanders in most professions. — Photo: NZ Herald.


WELLINGTONIANS are earning tens of thousands of dollars more than Aucklanders in most professions — but highly paid Queen City bankers are skewing the trend.

The difference was up to $70,000 a year for one senior finance position, figures analysed by the Weekend Herald show.

But overall, workers in the capital came out on top in accounting, finance, banking, human resources, information technology and sales and marketing.

The global Robert Walters Salary Survey 2012 looked at last year's salaries and made predictions for this year for more than 120 positions — including permanent, interim and contract work — in the country's two biggest cities. Of the 106 comparable positions, Aucklanders earned more in just 21.

Employment experts said reasons for the divide included Government workers — the majority based in Wellington — being "more loyal" than those in the private sector which meant they had more pay rises.

In the accounting and finance and banking and financial services sectors, a commercial manager can earn up to $70,000 more in Auckland while a financial controller can earn $40,000 extra. Several New Zealand banks' head offices are in Auckland, including BNZ, ASB and HSBC.

In sales and marketing, a communications manager in Wellington can expect up to $40,000 more than an Aucklander while human resources consultants may see up to $50,000 more in their pay cheque.

A manager in IT can command up to $30,000 more in Wellington than someone in the same job in Auckland.

Secretarial and business support workers earned similar wages in the two cities.

The managing director of recruiting company Hays, Jason Walker, who is in Auckland, said more companies' head offices with their highly paid executives were based in Wellington to be close to the Government departments they serviced.

Those in the civil service tended to stay in their jobs longer.

"In Auckland there's a lot more immigration, there's a lot more transient workforce than we see in the Wellington region," Mr Walker said.

"The majority of work down there is Government. Government employees tend to be a lot more loyal than the private sector."

"In terms of tenure, you might have somebody on a significantly higher package than they might be if they moved into a similar type of role for the first time."

Wellington-based senior consultant Daina Edmonds of Kinetic Recruitment, which has offices in both cities, put the differences down to the recent merging of Government departments in Wellington.

The moves had seen several contractors hired during the transition, she said.

"Like with most contractors, you can typically get a higher salary for a shorter period of time."


______________________________________

Tale of two cities: Where to get the best pay packet

Accounting and finance

  • Financial controller — Auckland $120,000-$200,000, Wellington $120,000-$170,000
  • Commercial manager — Auckland $110,000-$200,000, Wellington $100,000-$130,000
  • Tax accountant — Auckland $80,000-100,000, Wellington $100,000-$140,000
  • Auditor — Auckland $50,000-$65,000, Wellington $60,000-$85,000

Banking and financial services

  • Financial controller (6+ years experience) — Auckland $120,000-$180,000, Wellington $90,000-$140,000
  • Product controller — Auckland $85,000-$130,000, Wellington $90,000-$140,000
  • Fund administrator — Auckland $40,000-$55,000, Wellington $50,000-$60,000

Sales and marketing

  • National sales manager — Auckland $120,000-$150,000, Wellington $110,000-$180,000
  • Business development manager — Auckland $80,000-$110,000, Wellington $60-$150,000
  • Communications manager — Auckland $90,000-$110,000, Wellington $80,000-$150,000
  • Marketing manager — Auckland $100,000-$130,000, Wellington $85,000-$150,000

Information technology

  • Project manager (5+years experience) — Auckland $110,000-$125,000, Wellington $100,000-$140,000
  • Manager IT operations — Auckland $100,000-$120,000, Wellington $120,000-$150,000
  • Help desk/desktop support/apps support (3-5 years experience) — Auckland $55,000-$65,000, Wellington $55,000-$80,000

Human resources

  • HR manager — Auckland $90,000-$150,000, Wellington $110,000-$175,000
  • Recruitment manager — Auckland $80,000-$120,000, Wellington $95,000-$130,000
  • HR consultant — Auckland $70,000-$100,000, Wellington $85,000-$150,000
  • HR advisor — Auckland $60,000-$85,000, Wellington $70,000-$110,000

Secretarial and business support

  • Executive assistant — Auckland, $55,000-$90,000, Wellington $60,000-$85,000
  • Office manager — Auckland $48,000-$75,000, Wellington $55,000-$80,000
  • Receptionist — Auckland $31,000-$42,000, Wellington $31,000-$45,000

Check the survey:

New Zealand Salary Survey 2012 (http://www.robertwalters.co.nz/files/salary-survey-2012/New-Zealand-salary-survey-2012.pdf) (PDF document)

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10819490 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10819490)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 08, 2012, 11:34:57 am
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10832532 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10832532)

So don't hate us cos we're beautiful ;)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on September 08, 2012, 01:04:42 pm

I only go up there because the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra doesn't play in Masterton or Wellington.

And if the Vector Wellington Orchestra performed more than four subscription concerts per year, I probably wouldn't bother with the APO at all.

One of the reasons the VWO only perform four subscription concerts per year is because the APO grab the majority of the arts funding for regional orchestras. And the greedy buggers want to grab an even higher percentage of the arts funding available for regional orchestras and shut the NZSO out of their patch.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on September 25, 2012, 08:05:13 am
Auckland wins top billing ... twice
By Michael Dickison 5:30 AM Tuesday Sep 25, 2012
 
Travel guide describes City of Sails as being 'geographically blessed' and with a 'vibrant Polynesian culture'

 
Auckland is noted for its thriving dining, drinking and live-music scene. Photo / Greg Bowker In the eyes of Lonely Planet, Auckland is No 1 and No 2.

The travel guide released its latest New Zealand edition yesterday, with a list of the country's 20 top experiences.

"It's hard to imagine a more geographically blessed city," the guide says about Auckland.

"Is there another 1.4-million-strong city with access to two oceans and such vibrant Polynesian culture?"

At the top of Lonely Planet's list was Auckland Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf. Second was urban Auckland.

The city was ranked ahead of tourism spots, such as Queenstown, Milford Sound, Waitomo Caves and the Bay of Islands.

"Auckland isn't your average metropolis," the guide says. "It's regularly rated one of the world's most liveable cities, and while it's never going to challenge NYC or London in the excitement stakes, it's blessed with good beaches, flanked by wine regions and has a large enough population to support a thriving dining, drinking and live-music scene.

"Cultural festivals are celebrated with gusto in this ethnically diverse city, which has the distinction of having the world's largest Pacific Island population."

The guide even recommends a two-week itinerary to its readers based entirely in the city (Auckland Encounter), though it suggests options for activities "within easy reach of the big smoke", such as surfing at Raglan.

When told that Auckland had taken the top two places, leaving his town third, Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters said: "Wow, that's amazing."

His exclamation was not Auckland's high ranking, but that his town was right up there with it.

"It's hard for us to compete with Auckland. Auckland is going to beat us hands down with international visitors because of the airport."

The Bay of Plenty district had recently refocused its tourism strategy - and it was surprising the efforts had been so quickly recognised.

But Lonely Planet had still got Rotorua's placing wrong, he said.

"Number one, mate. But I'm biased."

The travel guide noted that Auckland Council was trying to clean up the "mess" that is Auckland's public transport system.

Lonely Planet's NZ experiences

1) Auckland Harbour, Hauraki Gulf
2) Urban Auckland
3) Geothermal Rotorua
4) Wellington
5) Kaikoura
6) Franz Josef, Fox Glaciers
7) Waitomo Caves
8) Bay of Islands
9) Tongariro Alpine Crossing
10) Rugby
11) Abel Tasman National Park
12) Maori culture
13) Otago Peninsula
14) Heaphy Track
15) Central Otago
16) Skiing and snowboarding
17) Queenstown
18) Milford Sound
19) TranzAlpine
20) Akaroa and Banks Peninsula

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10836323 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10836323)

So Wellington is at 4, Otago Peninsula is at 13 and poor Christchurch doesn't make the list but then neither does Hamilton or Nelson.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 21, 2012, 07:48:39 pm

So.....what is the weather going to be like in JAFAville over the next few days until Sunday evening?

Warm or cold?

Blue skies or cloudy?

Fine or wet?

Or all options of the above?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: reality on November 21, 2012, 09:56:11 pm
Yes ::)...........was that a trick question ;)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 21, 2012, 10:01:39 pm
Yes ::)...........was that a trick question ;)

Go back to sleep, clown.

Or go back to (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/54_Wkr.gif) if that is what you were already doing.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 22, 2012, 06:22:00 am
20% chance of rain today, 40% chance of rain on Friday, otherwise fine for the weekend

Dunno why you are asking really. Don't you have weather this good down south?


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 22, 2012, 08:30:18 am

Down south it is clear blue skies and sunshine.

I just wanted to know whether or not to pack an umbrella and warm jacket.

I don't trust weather forecasters so sometimes a bit of local knowlege is more accurate.

Never mind, it's too late now....I'm already on a train enroute to Wellington.

Catching a flight from Welly this afternoon (I couldn't be bothered getting up at the crack of dawn to catch a direct flight from Masterton).


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on November 22, 2012, 10:22:09 am
If you bring a brolly, you won't need it.

If you don't...no guarentees ;) the weather changes fast - something to do with the narrow land mass.

It was pretty warm up here last night and I haven't used a jacket all week if that is of any help.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 22, 2012, 12:01:54 pm

I hedged my bets and chucked an umbrella and a down vest in the suitcase.

At Wellington Airport now, taking advantage of their FREE WiFi (those tightarses at Auckland Airport make you pay for WiFi connection to the internet).

There's free WiFi all through downtown Wellington and along the waterfront too, unlike Auckland where once again you have to pay.

And even the airport buses in Wellington have free WiFi onboard.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on December 14, 2012, 10:43:27 am

What has happened to all the whities in Auckland?

Late last month, while walking down Queen Street in Auckland, I counted the white faces coming the other way between Wellesley Street and Victoria Street.

I must have passed at least 500-600 pedestrians walking in the opposite direction, yet only managed to spot NINE white faces!

Are honkies becoming an extinct breed in Auckland?   (https://cdn.smfboards.com/Smileys/smf/coolsmiley.gif)



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on December 14, 2012, 10:56:37 am
It depends on which part of Auckland - yes the CBD is a "flat white" zone. If you looked at around 4:30-5pm you would see more but not many.

Much of Auckland the european skinned Pakeha content is around the 60% mark. In some places it is as high as 80% but in more suburbs it is closer to 20-30%.

I live in a Maori, Pakeha, Samoan, Tongan area. Browns' Bay has a high South African and Korean population.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on January 26, 2013, 10:47:12 am

- Got myself a new Jack Russell puppy, he's mainly black and brown with a small white patch, so I've named him Auckland . 

Yes, I know that is from the humour thread but I couldn't let that go without mentioning the Saint Bernard the lived at Beach Haven petrol station when I was a kid.

He had lots of wind, hot air and drool all of which he would share with you by sticking his head into any open passenger's window. I am pretty sure that given his size that he wasn't short on piss either.

His name? Wellington.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 15, 2013, 08:49:36 pm

ROSEMARY McLEOD: Keep your flash and trash — the capital's just fine

The Dominion Post | 12:03AM - Thursday, 13 June 2013

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202013/8787949s_13Jun13_zps831a03a8.jpg)
ROSEMARY MCLEOD: No Botox here.

THERE IS a compelling reason for living in Wellington that has not occurred to the prime minister, who says we're dying, or most of the Government: It is not Auckland.

Hence we do not, en masse, Botox. Wellington women have lips that look like mouths, not bee-stung baboons' bottoms, and eyes that crinkle when we smile, not stretched skin that makes people wonder, but hesitate to timidly inquire, whether perhaps the old dear has had skin grafts after serious burns.

Older women here don't have eyes that seem to be propped open with invisible matchsticks, they can actually use their faces to smile, and they don't do mahogany suntans upon which to dangle sparkly baubles with the conspicuous brand name of the week.

We might wear clothes more than once too.

We do not have Paritai Drive, that exercise in breathtaking ugliness, obscene obsolescence, venal vulgarity, all-round tastelessness and precious pretentiousness. Even our most expensive streets are a mixture of cheaper and costlier housing, which makes them more interesting and more human to live in.

We quietly ignore the irritating nouveau riche here who occasionally build costly houses in imitation Roman villas, guarded by concrete urn-clutchers clad in concrete togas in a manner best described as low camp. We avert our gaze from such, whereas in Auckland crowds gather to clap.

We do not have a City of Sails, all white and glittery blocks of flats and motionless yachts, for the poor to gaze at and hope one day to clean the lavatories of if they are very, very good.

We have a harbour that's lovely enough on its own, especially with the snow-topped Rimutakas and Tararuas as a backdrop — and they are, as yet, not for sale to foreign investors.

We have rich people who tend not to flash their fortunes in front of everyone, preferring to flash at each other instead, in the privacy of their own homes.

Here, we live in our homes because the weather is not disgustingly sultry. Aucklanders mostly photograph theirs for the property pages, and their favourite pastime is comparing real estate values, which makes for dull conversation.

We are not BMW-ed and Merc-ed out, like Auckland, despite having embassies in the city that like to cling to emblems of the bigger world they come from.

Surely, we say, they are more often the calling card of the parvenu, but we have our share of four-wheel-drive vehicles, so necessary for taking kids to school in the morning, driving to bridge clubs and taking kids to tennis lessons, and possibly giving the spoodle a ride in.

As for the outdoors, there is no beach in Auckland quite as glamorous as Oriental Bay on a fine day, fine days being appreciated all the more here because they come so seldom. Any more often and they'd be irritating.

We don't, as yet, have miles of honeycombed apartment blocks in which to trap unwary Asians who are, as Aucklanders believe, keen on living the way they formerly did in cities of millions where families have to live in shoe boxes. We have some of these unlovable buildings, admittedly. Even paradise makes mistakes.

Our mayor rides a bicycle through traffic that is not permanently gridlocked, which is quaint. We have the Chow brothers too, who are quaint in a different way. They've taught us a thing or two about brothel-keeping, and are expanding their kingdom into Auckland.

This will delight Aucklanders who, lacking a city's heart of any kind, are about to build a vast gambling setup and convention centre to go with it, which they hope will do the trick. The Chows are to build a 15-storey hotel and brothel over the road — and there you have it. Auckland. You can keep it.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington-report/8786899/Keep-your-flash-and-trash-the-capitals-just-fine (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington-report/8786899/Keep-your-flash-and-trash-the-capitals-just-fine)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Ferney on June 16, 2013, 12:16:53 pm
Mcleod forgot to mention Wellingtons flash (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/MSN%20emoticons/29emphoto.gif) and trash

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8799082/Up-skirt-voyeur-a-Jehovahs-Witness


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 06, 2013, 04:58:24 pm

SEAN PLUNKET: Even if the chips are down, capital appeals as safer bet

The Dominion Post | 1:33PM - Saturday, 06 June 2013

AS PART OF my new job at RadioLive I spend one week a month in Auckland, a prospect I didn't relish when signing up for the gig but better than having to up sticks and move north to secure a nationwide radio position.

Being 25 per cent JAFA for the past four months hasn't been as bad as I imagined, partly because I have a friend who has a spare room in a lovely waterfront apartment, and partly because it is interesting to make comparisons between the city I call home and the prime minister calls dying, and the city that eats a fair chunk of my taxes and Winston Peters calls the city of sin.

First up John Key and Mr Peters are both wrong. Wellington isn't dying and Auckland isn't a cesspit of gambling, prostitution and crime. But that said, there are some big differences between the two metropoli (or is that metropolisses).

First up their airports. Auckland's is definitely bigger and generally a little more comfortable to land at, but Wellington's is much closer to its CBD and my house. A fare of $20 to $25 will get me to "Wild at Heart" but if I'm travelling by cab it's $80 to $100 to get into Auckland from Mangere.

Whether you are bussing or cabbing, the Auckland trip is going to take you at least twice as long. I allow an hour to be on the safe side when heading for a flight in Auckland but in Wellington you can go round the bays or through the tunnel and you'll be there in 25 minutes or less. So, on logistics, Wellington wins hands down.

I don't always drive in Auckland but there are significant differences when I do.

First up is parking. I'm constantly getting pinged in Wellington by our blue-clad junior security guards who circle like vultures with their chalk and ticket machines. I've never actually noticed a parking warden in Auckland, there seem to be plenty of spots and I'm as slack at feeding the meter there as in the capital. Despite that, I've yet to get a ticket in the Queen City — a big tick for Len Brown's municipality.

Auckland's drivers aren't any better or worse than Wellington's, there are just more of them. There is more money in the City of Sails and that is reflected in its vehicle fleet. Like Queen Street's pedestrians, its motor vehicles are younger and better turned out.

One thing Wellington doesn't have is a casino, which by my reckoning is no bad thing. SkyCity doesn't just dominate Auckland's skyline, it also seems to have marked out a dominant position in the commercial life of the city.

That is fine if you're one of the media presenters who has been co- opted as a SkyCity ambassador or you like feeding the pokies, not so great if you're a kid waiting in the car park or a problem gambler.

I was up there for the announcement of the U-turn on the rail loop last week and joked to a friend that the casino would probably pay for it if it could get a station and put a couple of one-armed bandits in each carriage.

I opened the paper next morning to find I was half right and I reckon by 2020 we will all be outraged at children riding round and round on the loop while mum and dad are in the casino.

No comparison of our largest and third-largest cities would be complete without mentioning race, and there is no getting round it, Auckland has far more Asians.

Yes, Winston, you're right — there are rather more people of different ethnicities (particularly Asian) than anywhere else in New Zealand but they don't appear to be kidnapping each other, running sweat shops, robbing banks or selling their bodies in any greater numbers than anyone else.

Perhaps the single biggest difference I find in Auckland is its local body politics. Whichever suburbs my friends are from they all know who their mayor is — Len Brown. In general they feel when Len wins Auckland wins, even if they didn't vote for him.

I don't get that feeling in Wellington, perhaps because we haven't been winning enough lately or maybe because, despite our smaller size, we just can't get together and ask loudly enough with one voice.

Let's hope we can fix that because as much as I'm enjoying my time north of the Bombays, Auckland will never truly be home.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/sean-plunket/8886369/Even-if-the-chips-are-down-capital-appeals-as-safer-bet (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/sean-plunket/8886369/Even-if-the-chips-are-down-capital-appeals-as-safer-bet)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 15, 2015, 07:12:12 pm

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ Oh happy days… ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

Got my annual rates bill from the District Council today…

…an increase of $13.41 more than last year.

Bugger....I'll be able to afford two less handles of beer at the boozer 'round the corner over the next 12 months…

…eat your hearts out, JAFAs!  (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww32/XtraNewsCommunity2/Animated%20emoticons/16_Whistling.gif)

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la… ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪



Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: reality on July 16, 2015, 06:18:19 am
♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ Oh happy days… ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

Got my annual rates bill from the Auckland Council today....

$600 more than last year..

How many less handles of beer will the tenants be able to afford at the boozer around their corner over the next 12 months ;)

And the property value went up $85,000 ;D

eat your heart out Musturtunarians

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la… ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 16, 2015, 11:14:03 am

When the bubble bursts, you'll get hurt.

Whereas I won't give a stuff, because I'm not planning to sell this property before I kark it.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: reality on July 16, 2015, 05:58:19 pm
Bubble?.....What bubble? ;)

Yes ...I agree..it would be a public health hazard to any unwitting residents to reside where you had resided ;)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 25, 2015, 11:32:15 am

When the Auckland property market bubble bursts (or another volcano erupts in the Auckland volcanic field), I'll get in the beer & popcorn and watch the show on TV.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on November 25, 2015, 11:35:21 am

(http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/News%20Story%20Pix%202015/20151125_1448409256683sr_zpsltv4wqor.jpg) (http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/74380950)
(click on the picture to read the news story)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: reality on November 25, 2015, 11:45:48 am
Yes, I agree, the Auckland property market has been very fruitful...especially for those who had invested in multiple properties :P

..but it looks like the boom may be over...I think now investors will start moving to the regions...where better yields are available :P

.......hopefully we get a new mayor for Auckland who can get the finances back in order, unfortunately it looks like we are likely to get another trougher in Goff ...so it will probably be more of the same ::)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on April 15, 2016, 11:31:26 am

It's an interesting observation that every seat-back in every new electric train in the Auckland region has had graffiti carved into it (as well as graffiti scratched into a large proportion of the windows), whereas the interior of every new electric train in the Wellington region has no graffiti or vandalism whatsoever.

I guess this PROVES that REAL NZers are a better class of people than those JAFAs, who have trashed their new trains while travelling in them.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on April 22, 2018, 01:56:34 pm

from the Sunday Star-Times....

Auckland versus the rest of NZ: It's a classic
big brother, little brother relationship


People love to hate our largest city, and it gets
less sympathy when natural disasters hit.


By CRAIG HOYLE | 5:00AM — Sunday, 22 April 2018

(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/k/w/s/x/y/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/k/w/s/x/y/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Why the hate for Auckland? New Zealand's largest city is actually a beautiful place
to live and play. — Photograph: Simon Maude.


THE TWEETS rained down hard on our largest city.

“Why do I physically hate Auckland,” wrote one social media user, while others poured scorn as residents struggled to recover from the largest storm in a decade.

Columnist Rachel Stewart told Aucklanders to harden up and get a resilience plan.

Her scathing words came as tens of thousands of people went days without power, some facing the frightening prospect of going without food and water.

Hundreds of trees came crashing down in hurricane-force winds on the night of April 10. Arcing power lines lit up the sky, and the next morning poles were strewn over roads like matchsticks.

Initially, more than 180,000 homes were cut off from the grid, and on Friday, ten days later, Vector was still working to restore power to a number of properties across the region.

This wasn't the first time the City of Sails experienced a massive power cut, and it likely won't be the last.

The big one happened back in January 1998 after a 40-year-old gas-insulated 110kV cable failed and plunged central Auckland into darkness for five weeks.

More than 70,000 people were forced to work from home, and those living in apartments had to relocate elsewhere until the power was eventually restored.

As was the case in 1998, there was little sympathy in recent weeks from many south of the Bombays.

Stewart pointed out many in the regions often had to wait weeks for power to be reconnected following a storm.

“Plus we get the chainsaw out and sort the downed trees, start the generator, fix the roof, and cope with instant coffee if we have to. Or moonshine. Whatever's available.”

Stewart says her tweets were supposed to be funny and she wasn't trying to pick on Auckland.

“But it does seem to me that urban people are very focused on urban things, and they forget that living in a big city in New Zealand won't actually save them.”

Aucklanders have embraced the derogatory term ‘JAFA’ (‘Just another f***** Aucklander’), in the same way that some other communities have turned insults into terms of endearment.

“You know that NZ is a nice and supportive country when it turns into a ‘hate on Auckland’ session every time a disaster happens lol,” wrote one Twitter user.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/d/5/u/4/k/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/d/5/u/4/k/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Columnist Rachel Stewart says Aucklanders should harden up and stop complaining
about storm damage. — Photograph: David White.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/b/w/r/0/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/b/w/r/0/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Hundreds of trees came crashing down in hurricane-force winds on the night of April 10.
 — Photograph: Jarred Williamson.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/d/k/6/z/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/d/k/6/z/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Scafolding collapsed at a building site in Hobsonville Point as the storm swept
through Auckland. — Photograph: Lawrence Smith.


WHY THE DIVIDE?

James Liu, a professor of psychology at Massey University, says personality differences help explain why the rest of the country sometimes feels alienated from a booming Auckland.

Aucklanders tend to have a more open, global outlook, while those in provincial New Zealand place greater importance on character traits such as humility and honesty.

You could be forgiven for thinking we're not all that interested in getting to know each other — a survey in 2016 found more Aucklanders have been to Sydney than Queenstown.

The survey also highlighted a larger rivalry between the North and South Island as it found that more Southlanders have visited Melbourne and the Gold Coast than the Bay of Islands or Coromandel.

“Each group validates their own in-group characteristics, and maybe downgrades the other one a little bit,” says Liu.

Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt thinks the rest of the country sometimes feels overwhelmed by a city that boasts one-third of our population.

“It feels like it throws the whole country out of kilter, in a way,” he says. “It does generate a bit of resentment.”

Shadbolt says there's also a feeling that when natural disasters happen, cities like Auckland are big enough and strong enough to look after themselves.

It's a classic big brother, little brother relationship.

Shadbolt adds: “You think sometimes, why does everyone want to live in Auckland, and not provincial New Zealand? What's wrong with us? We're friendly, we're financially successful, and we have the lowest unemployment rate.”

But be warned: hating on Auckland can carry a price, as Dean Anderson discovered as an eight-year-old back in 1997.

The Christchurch local waved a banner reading “I hate Auckland” at a Canterbury NPC game, unaware of the uproar he would cause.

There were calls for him to be banned from Lancaster Park and he avoided going to the rugby for many years.

In a 2013 interview, he admitted: “I can see how people would get quite wound up about it”.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/n/v/1/t/i/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/n/v/1/t/i/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Professor James Liu says there are personality differences between Auckland
and the rest of the country. — Photograph: Victoria University.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/k/7/3/z/v/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/k/7/3/z/v/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt thinks the rest of the country sometimes feels
overwhelmed by Auckland. — Photograph: John Hawkins.


AUCKLAND'S CHEERLEADER

Auckland councillor Richard Hills is an unapologetic cheerleader for the supercity.

He loves the city's diversity, and points to the fact people from more than 200 ethnicities call it home. Mostly, you can express yourself however you like and feel accepted.

The city has beaches, bush, and sunshine, and is regularly ranked as one of the best places in the world for quality of life.

On the flip side, it also faces traffic gridlock and a crippled housing market that has driven more impoverished families into cars and onto the streets.

Hills understands why some people get sick of hearing about Auckland. And yeah, it must get boring seeing a city always in the news if you're in a different part of the country.

But, Hills says, “we've still got over a third of the country here, and we're really large, so people should expect we get a lot of coverage”.

He says Auckland provides a lot of economic support to the rest of the country, and if the city gets ahead, then the rest of New Zealand gets ahead too.

Some might consider that non-Aucklanders are actually jealous given that Auckland is expected to provide 60 per cent of New Zealand's population growth over the next two decades, which means many of the jobs will be created there.

Or could they be envious that Auckland has the highest annual average household income with almost a third of households earning $100,000 or more?


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/l/x/3/q/2/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/l/x/3/q/2/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Auckland is regularly ranked as one of the best places in the world for quality of life.
 — Photograph: Fairfax NZ.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/h/0/o/p/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/h/0/o/p/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Auckland councillor Richard Hills is an unapologetic cheerleader for the supercity.
 — Photograph: Christ McKeen.


(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/f/w/g/6/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/p/f/w/g/6/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pf9gk.png/1524345711857.jpg)
Hills says the storm was a scary time for many Aucklanders, and they have every right
to be upset. — Photograph: Chris Skilton.


“IT'S TOUGH FOR US TOO”

Hills thinks it's unfair for people to pile on Auckland following a natural disaster.

He also says comparisons to Christchurch aren't helpful, and that when people are suffering, they're not usually stopping to think about whether someone else has had a worse experience. It's all relative at the time.

That doesn't take away from the horrendous things that happened in the Christchurch earthquake, including loss of life, but Hills defends Aucklanders as having every right to be upset.

“It's a scary time for a lot of people,” he says.

Liu says any sniping against Auckland is relatively tame compared to other bitter grievances such as those between China and Japan.

Research after major earthquakes and natural disasters in Japan showed that a number of mainland Chinese thought the Japanese people were getting what they deserved.

Here in New Zealand, Liu says, the grievances are minor and the dominant response is actually sympathy. The extreme voices have to be balanced against the reality that most Kiwis are very good at helping each other out when bad things happen.

Hills agrees that sometimes we give too much attention to the loud voices saying that Auckland sucks.

Shadbolt likes to think we share a common sense of patriotism.

Most of us, he believes, feel empathy and sympathy for Kiwis affected by a crisis, no matter where they live.

But there will always be the haters.


__________________________________________________________________________

Related to this topic:

 • 400 Auckland homes without power one week on (https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/103190934)

 • Tremendous wind, then big crash, as huge tree crashes onto Auckland roof (https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/103005096)

 • Auckland storm: why were we so unprepared? (https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/103004569)

 • Air traffic halted in Auckland, after day of destructive storms (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/102964197)


https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103168676 (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103168676)


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: ssweetpea on May 31, 2018, 11:18:14 am
Yes, ssweetpea is still here in Jafaville. Still hoping that it won't be for much longer. 2 "kids" are making noises about leaving home - and Auckland and the third...may have to trail a supported flatting situation however the parents aren't getting any younger and are still here too.

The traffic is worse although the Waterview tunnel does provide a quicker if longer route north. Between 5 and 7 in the evening it takes over half an hour to get down Onewa Rd (roughly 3km) to the motorway...that is against the rush hour flow of traffic. The middle of town is all F****d up due to the underground railway being buried under Albert St.


We are seriously considering the Wairarapa - have to go there in winter first.


Title: Re: The REAL NZ vs the JAFAs
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on May 31, 2018, 05:52:13 pm

I'm in Orks at the moment (first time for a couple of years, I'm here until Tuesday) and it was a much quicker trip into the city from the airport via the Waterview tunnel.

And Wairarapa is filling up with JAFAs fast....they are starting to push house prices sky high. And overcrowding the trains getting to their new jobs in Wellington.