Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Auckland Council as leaky building

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  • Ian Dalziel,

    From Youtube's Translate Audio captions.
    I think that clears that up nicely.

    so that's where William Burroughs went...
    still channelling the last words of Dutch Schultz: A boy has never wept...nor dashed a thousand kim.... You can play jacks, and girls do that with a soft ball and do tricks with it. Oh, Oh, dog Biscuit, and when he is happy he doesn't get snappy. French Canadian Bean Soup ...
    Link

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    Tumescent images with a six two reasons without reasonable police

    I'm seriously tripping balls here.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    Is it reading CCO as CIA? Maybe it's onto something. As in, Did you see the CIA satellite, the C dot?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Discussion about the Chauvel "beat up" over at Te Standard - mentions other recent right-wing smears uncritically passed on by dumbed-down media, and some surprisingly entertaining comments. Also links the dots with Heine and co's childish homophobia.

    Poor old Chris Carter’s getting the treatment again today, with Audrey Young seeing fit to cover allegations from Whaleoil (yes, Whaleoil!) that Carter only recently removed a taxpayer-funded phone line from his mother’s house. “Now with her good and loyal son not able to sup quite so often at the trough, she has had to move to having to pay for it herself”, Whaleoil is quoted saying in Audrey’s article. It’s bullshit of course – Chris Carter’s mother died in 1993. At least Audrey mentions this in her article, but you’ve got to wonder what she was doing wasting valuable space covering right-wing smears like this in the first place.

    So what’s behind this trend? For the right-wing smearers it’s easy, the beauty of the politics of the personal smear is that even if the MP is proven to be in the clear it doesn’t matter. Explaining is losing and the damage is already done. It’s also no coincidence that both of the MPs targeted so far have been gay.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Bio-Hansard ahead...

    For the council to remove directors from opened transport if this is the CIA's a trust United States the trustee to sit at the provisions foe the removal of trustees not because of the existing tracks .

    I think this is the script for the next series of 24

    Tumescent images with a six two reasons without reasonable police

    and this shows that there is a telepathic brain scanner operating in Parliament as well

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    this one we have here is the old the Zapatitas one million johbenet's entry

    zapatitas is a diminutive of zapata

    zapata de freno, patín de freno, zapata; A restraint provided when the brake linings are moved hydraulically against the brake drum to retard the wheel's rotation.

    So put the breaks on? Sound advice.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Breaking news...?

    this one we have here is the old the Zapatitas one million johbenet's entry

    could this be a lead at last in the JonBenét Ramsey murder case?

    - too soon?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Late post:

    Not only the public will be neutered

    Neutered is the polite term. Auckland is about have its balls cut off and thrown into the Manukau. Is it because Rodney has lost his that he wants EVERYONE to suffer?

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    According to I/S Hide has tried to go for Chauvel in the House -- and asked him -- he actually fucking said this -- "why do you hate children?".

    It would appear that Act's leader has actually managed to be more sad and unpleasant than even David Garrett.

    After Boscawen's ridiculous pursuit of conspiracy theories about NIWA in the House this week, I think it can safely be said that Act, as a Parliamentary party, has lost any semblance of dignity. They now make New Zealand First look good.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    According to I/S Hide has tried to go for Chauvel in the House -- and asked him -- he actually fucking said this -- "why do you hate children?".

    Tell me that he replied "I don't hate all children - just Fred Phillips'".

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    According to I/S Hide has tried to go for Chauvel in the House -- and asked him -- he actually fucking said this -- "why do you hate children?".

    Doesn't Mr Chauvel actually have a kid himself? Even the Society for the Promotion of Censorious Spouting know that fact.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Doesn't Mr Chauvel actually have a kid himself?

    And Hide doesn't. Life's small ironies.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Doesn't Mr Chauvel actually have a kid himself?

    I've spent some time mulling this today, because it just doesn't seem possible for that fact to have escaped people, even Rodney Hide, over the last few days. Part of me wonders if they're deliberately trying to get Charles to mention his own family, so they become 'fair game'.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    O crikey Emma- that would be so the pits...I was going to add 'surely even politicians wouldnt stoop to that' and then thought, for a couple of moments-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    I ventured into the pits of the Herald and Stuff's comments, and was surprised and pleased to find a bunch of complaints about this non-story beatup, and some more backing Chauvel for expressing what many people feel. I have a feeling that this is going to be an own goal for the right-wing noise machine.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    I have a feeling that this is going to be an own goal for the right-wing noise machine.

    And when they start crying about it we can tell them all to STFU
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Back to the new "supercity" CCOs, Rod Oram outlines the new Council's impotence over them, deliberately engineered by this scumbag government.

    So, the CCOs will jump into this power vacuum, boots and all. Each will seek to maximise its power and influence. Expect, for example, Auckland Transport to create its own strategy and policy team. Each CCO will maximise its opportunities under the plans inherited from the old councils and operational until the new council devises new ones.

    Imagine, for example, the chaos on a particular stretch of waterfront: The waterfront CCO might want more green housing; the economic development CCO more boat-building; the major facilities CCO a sports stadium; the property CCO quick profits from council land sales; the transport CCO more land for the next harbour crossing; Watercare more networked stormwater and sewage treatment for new developments rather than local processing wanted by the waterfront agency to tout its sustainability credentials; and the investment CCO refusing to give up more port land to make this happen.

    Meanwhile, the council is trying to devise a spatial plan to lift Auckland's growth and sustainability to a whole new level. But it lacks the resources, powers or skills to do that because they largely reside in the CCOs. And it lacks power to pull the CCOs together in the common cause of Auckland's progress.

    The government could stop this disaster happening by drastically amending its third Auckland governance bill to give the council: much stronger powers and resources to set strategy; real control over the CCOs; and flexibility to change CCOs by making them publicly owned companies rather than locking in their functions by making some of them statutory entities (such as Auckland Transport) or trusts.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    It gets better still. The Tammany Hall fellas would be proud.

    The Granny - Mayors' bid to vet directors rejected

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    That's great calling of Hide and Joyce's bluff about 'involving Auckland' in CCO appointments, with both rejecting Len Brown's proposed joint Councils panel.

    Mr Hide said he did not agree with Mr Brown's suggestion, but planned to discuss the appointments with a range of people in Auckland before making recommendations to the Cabinet.

    Mr Joyce reiterated his intention as Transport Minister to hold informal talks with mayors about the board appointments to Auckland Transport. He did not support the level of formality suggested by Mayor Brown.

    Any guesses who Hide's "range of people" might be?

    In that same story, local government expert David Wilson backs away from his earlier confidence about the proposed governance arrangements, noting where CCO relationships are positioned in the new Council structure designed by ATA and its corporate advisors.

    Meanwhile, an academic has questioned whether the model for the Auckland Council to monitor the CCOs is sufficient to keep tabs on the large and complex organisations that he says are in danger of working as "silos" instead of in an integrated way.

    David Wilson, director of the Institute of Public Policy at Auckland University of Technology, said the council committee overseeing CCOs would take its advice from a governance and monitoring unit based in the finance division.

    "What that indicates to me is the 1980s contracting-out model where we have a performance agreement around financial outputs, whereas what we are trying to achieve is better outcomes in the long-run for Aucklanders."

    Mr Wilson said the monitoring unit needed beefing up with specialist advice.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Don't worry Sacha. CCO directors will be appointed through an appropriate process, I'm sure.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Yes, no doubt the appointees will similarly be "well known to Ministers". Daddy knows best.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    This gets sicker by the day, but you knew that, didn't you?
    What a bunch of wankers, all of that lot.:(

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

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