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Ork-Lund “super-city” politics — Winston for Lord Mayor?

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ssweetpea
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« Reply #25 on: April 08, 2009, 08:50:56 pm »

Well, there is another one that won't get my vote.  Lips sealed
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« Reply #26 on: April 12, 2009, 09:32:37 am »

Mayors urged to stop squabbling


Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says the mayors of the Auckland region need to stop squabbling and focus on what's best for the city.

Mr Hide made the comments as he denied accusations by North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams that he misled the Prime Minister and Aucklanders about the consultation process for the restructuring of Auckland governance.

Mr Williams says Mr Hide has been driven more by his political agenda than Aucklanders' interests.

He says Mr Hide consulted with only one mayor - John Banks - during the process.

Mr Hide says the Government has always had the best interests of Auckland at heart, which is why it consulted widely, especially about the issue of community boards.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/04/12/1245a9dfcea5
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« Reply #27 on: April 13, 2009, 08:00:46 am »

Wrong text sparks Super City squabble

Auckland's mayors are squabbling amongst themselves over how to proceed with plans for a super-city, with an exchange of insulting e-mails and text messages.

North Shore mayor Andrew Williams has gone public with his fears about the plan this weekend.

He accused Auckland City's John Banks of being in league with the Act Party in a plot to privatise the region's assets.

Now it's emerged the pair have been trading insults privately as well.

Banks sent a text message calling Williams a lunatic, but says it was accidental and intended for someone else.

In another text, Williams told Banks he was behaving like a lone sheep.

Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey is attempting to play peace maker by trying to get all the mayors together for a meeting this week.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/wrong-text-sparks-super-city-squabble-2638728
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Newtown-Fella
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« Reply #28 on: April 13, 2009, 02:44:10 pm »

so Lord Sir [ in waiting ] John Banks is tossing his toys out of the crib now ....


creating a Super City imho is making Auckland a big business and as Councils are businesses a Super City should be headed by someone who has some very good business acumen and where possible be apolitical

the head of.the whole Super City is a figure head the Lord Mayor's main role being to represent, support and promote the businesses and the people of the greater area ..

if you are going to have 20 -30 Community Boards then the heads of each Board will be the decision makers not the Lord Mayor

if things are modelled on the British system there would still be a mayor of Auckland and the other cities as they have now i would think 

 
 
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« Reply #29 on: April 13, 2009, 02:46:42 pm »

if things are modelled on the British system there would still be a mayor of Auckland and the other cities as they have now i would think 

That I could live with.
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« Reply #30 on: April 15, 2009, 09:06:05 am »

Mayors agree to stop fighting and negotiate

Auckland's Mayors have stopped trading insults to try to reach consensus on how to inject more democracy into the Government's Super City model.

The main antagonists - Auckland City Mayor John Banks and North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams - have agreed to sit around the same table at a mayoral forum meeting at the Auckland Town Hall today to find common ground.

Over Easter, Mr Banks mistakenly sent a text to Mr Williams calling him a lunatic. Mr Williams responded by calling Mr Banks a lone sheep.

Mr Williams and other Mayors also took potshots at the Government over its plans for the Super City.

The region's Mayors, with the exception of Mr Banks, are particularly unhappy about the Government's decision to reject the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance's recommendation for six local councils under the Super City council and create 20 to 30 local boards.

The local boards will have limited responsibilities and will not be able to set rates, hire staff or hear and decide resource consents.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10566668&ref=rss
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« Reply #31 on: April 16, 2009, 08:57:58 am »

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« Reply #32 on: April 17, 2009, 08:27:38 am »

Hide clips mayors' wings at talkfest

Auckland mayors had their wings clipped when they met Local Government Minister Rodney Hide yesterday to push for a full ward system for the Super City.

Mr Hide has rejected a call from most mayors to have input on the representation issue before legislation for the Super City goes to Parliament.

Their opportunity to address the issue would come at the select committee process, he said.

The Government plans for eight of the 20 councillors to be elected at large, raising fears the system will favour political blocs and the rich and famous who can afford city-wide campaigns.

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster, who chaired the mayors' first talks with Mr Hide on the Super City, said the mayors had not bowed to the wishes of the Government.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10567052&ref=rss
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« Reply #33 on: April 17, 2009, 08:51:03 am »

What concerns me the most about this super city idea is that we could well end up with more representation at national government level than we have a local government level. Count the number of electorates within the super city boundaries and add in the list MPs based here as well and you will see what I mean.

Then there is the levels of bureaucracy. Sure by amalgamating the 8 councils you may be able to reduce the number of e.g. town planners down to say, 5, but then you have to put someone in charge to co-ordinate them. I honestly don't see how there will be any cost savings at all - quite the opposite is more likely as this juggernaut will become self propelling with no limitations on how much it can suck up in the way of rates. The situation will be worse than at present.

As for removing duplication - many services are already shared across current council boundaries. E.g. dog control is covered by one body and one pound for Rodney and North Shore combined. Recycled rubbish collection occurs in Waitakere one week and North Shore the next, both cities use the same rules, same bins and the same collection company on the same contract.

Yes the Auckland region seems to have an over supply of small to medium council owned venues and not much in the way of really large ones.
It this really a problem?
Just how many cars to we want traveling long distances on roads limited by geography?
Just how far is reasonable to expect people to travel to venues?
I haven't mentioned public transport because covering many of these distances would require people to change buses or trains. That is a major drawback. plus many of these already existing venues don't have good links to public transport. Now there is a no-brainier than needs fixing - but we don't need a super city to do so.
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« Reply #34 on: April 17, 2009, 08:52:00 am »

Hell - all our rates are going to increase so Auckland can make fools of everyone!
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« Reply #35 on: April 18, 2009, 11:19:35 am »



I'd love to see Winston stand for Lord Mayor of Auckland and win the mayoral election.

Watching Rodney Hide lose it completely would be absolutely priceless.... Grin


I would quite like to see Winston as Lord Mayor.

Pleeeze let it not be Hide or Banks
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #36 on: April 28, 2009, 09:52:50 pm »








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« Reply #37 on: April 30, 2009, 12:33:37 pm »





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« Reply #38 on: May 06, 2009, 04:21:10 pm »

Speaking at a local government conference about the potential Super City in July 2004, Michelle A'Court got a big laugh with this one: "I hear there's a proposal for the formation of a Super City - the amalgamation of all Auckland city councils into one. The word is Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey and Auckland Mayor John Banks will job-share. Harvey will be the day mayor and Banks will be the ... "


 Grin
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« Reply #39 on: May 06, 2009, 05:31:58 pm »

LOL

That about sums it up nicely!
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« Reply #40 on: May 21, 2009, 10:57:28 am »

Carter's Super City role 'abuse of process' - Labour

Appointing Northland MP John Carter chairman of the special select committee dealing with legislation setting up Auckland's new local government structure is an abuse of process, says Labour.

National named its five representatives for the 11-member committee yesterday and put Mr Carter forward to be the chairman.

Labour MP Darren Hughes said proposing Mr Carter to chair the committee was an abuse of the process and unprecedented because he had been so closely involved in developing the Government's proposals for Auckland's governance.

There was a "clear conflict of interest" and the Government had botched the handling of an important decision regarding the future of Auckland, he told Radio New Zealand.

Mr Hughes said the associate minister of local government was being forced on as chair of a Parliament committee, when he was also on the executive.

Select committees were a tool of Parliament and were overwhelmingly for back benchers to scrutinise the work of the executive, he said.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10573640&ref=rss
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« Reply #41 on: May 21, 2009, 11:27:23 am »

  yes this super city idea will back fire on Nats Act as the winner will be someone like Winston or Mike Lee

The left are so dumb Labour introduced the idea and Red Ken ruled London so I hope peole keep protesting
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« Reply #42 on: May 22, 2009, 11:03:40 am »

Meanwhile back in the real world, it has been generally agreed for a long time that Auckland's local body governance needs a shake up.

The Royal Commission listened to tons of submissions and eventually came up with a series of workable recommendations. But Rodney Hide decided he knew better.

He persuaded gullible Nats to take up his plan and that's when the fun began. After years of railing against dictatorial governments who think they know better what is good for people than people do themselves, Rodders got a sniff of power and it went straight to his empty head.

He then did all the things he criticises others of doing: ramming through unpopular legislation under urgency, consulting no-one and not listening to anybody.

But even the Nats have jibbed at some of the names Hide has put forward for the all powerful Transition Authority. Stacking this body full of all his business mates wasn't a good look apparently. Hide is beginning to look more like Benito Mussolini every day.

The transitional group will have the power to veto any local govt spending over $20,000. This unelected bunch will to able to put a red pen through any spending proposed by people were WERE elected to office. And that is supposed to be democratic?

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« Reply #43 on: May 22, 2009, 11:28:12 am »

National will advance local government reorganisation on a case-by-case basis. We do not subscribe to the view that big is necessarily better, and note that some of the highest consumer satisfaction surveys come from small councils. We believe that the greatest gains can be made by clarifying the roles between district and regional councils. - National's local body policy, 2005.

So what happened?

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« Reply #44 on: May 23, 2009, 10:23:00 am »

So the head dude of the transition group is on $1000 a week!!

How is that justified?

I am amazed that Aucklanders are just taking this kick in the gut .. shows how accepting they are for being done over.
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« Reply #45 on: May 25, 2009, 11:54:44 pm »


Who stole our voice?

Relevant offers

By DAVID KEMEYS - Fairfax Media in Auckland | 8:27AM - Monday, 25 May 2009

Rodney Hide, Yellow Jacket, Dancing & Auckland

Enough is enough. The government’s insistence on forcing change in Auckland’s governance is bullying.

There is no evidence Aucklanders want it, and plenty that they don’t.


Local Government Minister Rodney Hide should remember he is in Parliament because his electorate can double-dip and ensure a partner for National.

This government’s stance strips democracy from residents.

The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance’s position, reached after months of work, submissions and consultation, has been dumped. It proposed shared governance within the region and Wellington, and outlined how to achieve that.

The Auckland Council would decide plans, own everything and employ staff. Six local councils would oversee services in their areas, and make sure community needs were taken to the Auckland Council.

The commissioners proposed a local councillor in the existing four cities for every 20,000 people, for every 9000 in Rodney and every 12,000 in Hunua.

They also proposed various initiatives that, in short, meant councils with real powers, community engagement and an effective voice.

The commission decided the six councils would retain local knowledge and be efficient, though the change would mean a new relationship between Auckland and the government.

To meet that challenge a minister for Auckland was proposed, alongside a permanent Auckland cabinet committee and other cooperative measures.

But Prime Minister John Key and Mr Hide know better.

Despite not doing any research and with limited analysis, they have dumped the recommendations, wiping out the local councils and giving all the power to the Auckland Council, while cutting it from 23 and an elected mayor to 20 and a mayor.

The councils are replaced by 20 to 30 utterly powerless community boards.

That is a region of 1.4 million people controlled by 20 councillors and a mayor. Explain that in democratic terms? We can’t.

Mr Key and Mr Hide might as well have set fire to the money the commission cost, though that appears not to matter since neither man can say what cost savings their proposal will bring.

Mr Hide claims to have consulted the region’s mayors. He has not. Auckland’s mayor John Banks does not represent the region — yet.

North Shore’s Andrew Williams even goes so far as to accuse him of misleading the people of Auckland.

Mayors are asking to be told what is going on, which seems far from unreasonable.

Manukau’s Len Brown, rightly, has called the government’s proposal a travesty for local democracy because it strips away the local voice.

Ad Feedback The commission produced an 800-page report with 100 recommendations. If its work was irrelevant, as seems evident, the process must be open to question.

The government’s proposal is an insult to Auckland, an insult to North Shore, an insult to Manukau, Waitakere, Rodney, Papakura and Franklin — and worse, it is an insult to democracy.

There is no doubt Auckland can benefit from a new model — just not this one.

Local government is often boring, it can even create and fuel apathy, but Aucklanders need to speak up. Let the government know this decision is many things, but above all else, it is just plain wrong.

Email your MP

Auckland Central: Nikki Kaye, nikki.kaye@parliament.govt.nz

Botany: Pansy Wong, p.wong@ministers.govt.nz

East Coast Bays: Murray McCully, m.mccully@ministers.govt.nz

Epsom: Rodney Hide, r.hide@ministers.govt.nz, rodney@epsom.org.nz

Helensville: John Key, j.key@ministers.govt.nz

Hunua: Paul Hutchison, paul.hutchison@parliament.govt.nz

Maungakiekie: Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, peseta.sam.lotu-iiga@parliament.govt.nz

Northcote: Jonathan Coleman, j.coleman@ministers.govt.nz

North Shore: Wayne Mapp, w.mapp@ministers.govt.nz

Rodney: Lockwood Smith, mp.rodney.warkworth@xtra.co.nz

Pakuranga: Maurice Williamson, m.williamson@ministers.govt.nz

Papakura: Judith Collins, j.collins@ministers.govt.nz

Tamaki: Allan Peachey, allan.peachey@parliament.govt.nz

Waitakere: Paula Bennett, paula.bennett@xtra.co.nz

• This column first ran last month across all community newspapers in Fairfax Media's Auckland Suburban Newspapers group.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/2437926/Who-stole-our-voice
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Charlie
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« Reply #46 on: May 26, 2009, 12:08:54 am »

My guess is that Hide will get away with it becuase the last thing most people want is what the commision proposed - seperate seats Maori seats for council. And on that count the vast majority are going to agree.
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #47 on: May 26, 2009, 12:26:17 am »



What's the bet Key over-rules Hide and Auckland get their super-city (Rodney Hide's and the Nats version) AND Maori Seats on the Auckland Super-City Council. If the TAB were holding bets on that happening, I'd place a bet!
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« Reply #48 on: May 26, 2009, 09:07:09 am »

Quote
So the head dude of the transition group is on $1000 a week!!

How is that justified?

I am amazed that Aucklanders are just taking this kick in the gut .. shows how accepting they are for being done over.

If this is a full time job that salary isn't terribly high - only $52,000 a year. I guess it depends on how many hours a week this transition group will be working.

As for local government shake up - yes it is desperately needed in Auckland but just like the last round of amalgamation's this isn't the correct way to do it.

As I and many others have said all along, we need a strong Regional Council with allot more responsibility than just some parks and ecology. It needs to be responsible for roading, transport, water, wastewater, waste management and regional facilities. Auckland's zoo, museum, MOTAT and art gallery should also be under the control of this council along with several event centerers, theaters and sport facilities. However things like resource consents still need to be handled locally.

That may sound similar to the super city but there is one important difference. Greater local input. Things like little local parks, reserves and libraries are of little interest to the region as a whole but vitally important to many communities. Things like libraries are more important to some areas than they are to others.

I'll spare you another rant on the Birkenhead library - the new one is finally under construction. A win-win for both bibliophiles of Birkenhead and basketball players (they will get the basketball court back).
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« Reply #49 on: June 06, 2009, 10:31:06 pm »

Article from the Herald reads in part ------------------


There are also rumours afoot that Winston Peters might have a go at the super-mayoralty contest next year.

Imagine Key having to work with "Sir Winston" as he would surely become as Lord Mayor of Auckland after ruling out working with him in Government!


http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/audrey-young/2009/6/6/sharples-speaks-national-conference/?c_id=1501219&objectid=10576837
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