Hard News: The Auckland Council as leaky building
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Yo, Sofie. Organised the M7 tickets?
Whoops thanks 3410, have tried now. Hope we are not too late. Hint, hint.
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Whoops thanks 3410, have tried now. Hope we are not too late. Hint, hint.
Yeah, yeah, you're in. It's pretty casual, but it helps to know who's coming.
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So the staff can be warned.. :)
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3410,
Thanks, all.
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At least it'll be the first Mayor of Megatropolis who makes the appointment, not the ATA
Sadly, no
Well, kinda. The law says the Transition Agency must, as soon as practicable, appoint a chief executive for the Auckland Council for a term ending no later than 29 June 2012. So it's a bit between both of our statements, but that doesn't make it any better.
And, sadly, that bit is the law, not just a draft law. Fucking Rodney! -
Thanks Sacha. :)
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Mr Hide and Local Government NZ head Lawrence Yule discuss the role of CCOs on RNZ Morning Report.
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I'm not blaming the previous Government for anything. I'm stating they were the ones who started this process. And observing that if they hadn't started the process, it wouldn't be so advanced now. This is basically a truism.
This feels a bit like "the people who invented the rules of test cricket are responsible for 20/20 cricket".
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From Hansard:
Phil Twyford: Does he agree with media commentator Russell Brown, who said this morning in relation to council-controlled organisations that the Minister is telling “flat-out lies about this stuff”?
Hon RODNEY HIDE: No, but I do not believe that I have ever agreed with the so-called media commentator Russel Brown, so that should not be a surprise.
For the record, the actual text of the tweet quoted from -- and referring to claims made by Hide in his Morning Report interview today -- is:
Hide: CCOs are "bound to do what council wants them to do. They're entirely directed by local councils." That's just a flat-out lie.
I believe the law is on my side.
So is this the first tweet quoted in the House?
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So is this the first tweet quoted in the House?
There was that business with John Key quoting David Cunliffe's twitter account last year. Bit of an own goal when it turned out to be the fake David Cunliffe, mind.
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Farrar's response that Grant Robertson wrote about Steven Joyce texting at a ribbon-cutting ceremony isn't really comparing apples with apples.
Chauvel was on a plane in a private capacity (albeit at the cost of the taxpayer). He may have acted unwisely (don't know, haven't seen the media about it yet), but it's clear he did so off his own bat, as an individual, not in any role in which he was actually representing anyone else, like, say, the Government. Because he is an MP perceptions that he behaved badly, be they fair or unfair, do impact on public opinion about him, his party, and probably MPs in general. That's just the way it is for MPs, but they are human beings so sometimes they do human stuff.
Joyce however was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in full Ministerial glory. They even had to delay the ribbon-cutting in question because of his phone calls.
And Robertson's post was based on a story from the Taranaki Daily News, who were present at the event, not retelling, for a wider audience, a blog post from an ACT member with an axe to grind.
So saying "I can do it because someone on your side did it too" is pretty disingenuous in this set of circumstances imho.
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Tired dogwhistle in the coverage I've seen about Chauvel not being a parent (which I thought he was, actually) - including from the smug mum concerned. Nothing like this corroboration from today's Herald on either of last night's main telly news either (starts with Chauvel quote):
"It didn't seem they had been given anything to do on the flight except to sit there and screech at each other, pretty much through the whole flight.
"I certainly noticed some people in the aisle opposite me rolling their eyes and at one stage sticking their fingers in their ears as a joke."
A person on the same flight said yesterday: "I was sitting in the aisle across from Charles and I actually said to my husband that I wished the parents would tell their children to 'shut up'. They were pretty loud."
Of course entitled braying might seem quite normal to Act supporters. Campbell Live spotted the irony in these brave champions of free speech bitching publicly when someone directs it at them, poor dears.
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Well, at least the reporters managed to find someone to complain about it. Unlike this Dom Post story about a men-only suicide prevention conference where all the quoted sources say they're fine with it. Slow news week?
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Wonder if this Fred Philips guy would’ve actually tried to restrain his kids if it was someone other than Chauvel they were annoying.
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a men-only suicide prevention conference where all the quoted sources say they're fine with it
Actually, I think that's very interesting. At least as newsworthy as if some did object.
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So, this morning in the Letters to the Herald we have Josh Arbuy and Steven Joyce. One arguing the council will have no control over the CCO and the other the exact opposite.
Which is it ? I'm confused.
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And just a note to our fine friends in Wellington - if you are referred to one Fred Phillips (AKA bigotted ACT blogger "Boomtownprat") for orthapaedic surgery make a point of asking to be referred to someone else...
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From Hansard:
Phil Twyford: Does he agree with media commentator Russell Brown
From Youtube's Translate Audio captions.
No more on the high
Hide I I missed that stake here. The, because it's sure.
Say CIA directors will be appointed by and be accountable to the open council but not employees of the council. The jury his came to remove by the council.
Did you see the CIA satellite, the C dot?. It's companies and seventy eight and I was determined that and subject to section 56 of the companies a 1993 he is also a provision in the local government open more formal.
If I thought that unity to stand to say to the States, because the idea you would do not people. I thought that the unity to stand to say to the states because of the trial to what side the long time, Oh indeed, the calendar is it mentioned to be a time?.Speaker
Conference liveTwyford
Why did the minister side of the ocean council could meet and said one Waldhotz the people on the seas the eyes people the will of the points that we know is that would apply to not to court and council. Tumescent images with a six two reasons without reasonable policeFor 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 .
Speaker
Folks like thatTwyford
Does it great with media commentator Russell Brown do you see this morning in relation to council controlled organisations Clinton minister is telling flame now the winds have been his stuff huh?Speaker;
The lovable rightHide;
behind him is to speak at night but I don't believe the recovery.With the cycle of media commentary that Russell Brown, Segei ans that shouldn't be surpriseTwyford
So country feels like it does he still thinks that this is the Chinese ruled on this one we have here is the old the Zapatitas one million johbenet's entryWilliams Michael even local government New Zealand Michael gladden the the new Zealand payrolls the all comes out. Savannah news tonight is that the majority of all the windows and harold call the recently ceded I did not. well that's a very hot both is so the city.
Speaker
We are running highHide
He said they are and out by just reminded me of that at that he stated that old good and that the idea of the previous government in nine years to fix it up and what I i i missed that the state that has that old when this new our appreciate it... Larry, appreciate it I tell them that it takes whole serious series all right will be out much and I can tell this let alone in this ...Speaker
I think %uh it's leading to more disorder we've heard a reason lots of from the story . I think, but question number height.I think that clears that up nicely.
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And just a note to our fine friends in Wellington - if you are referred to one Fred Phillips (AKA bigotted ACT blogger "Boomtownprat") for orthapaedic surgery make a point of asking to be referred to someone else...
Or take your kids in with you.
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3410,
I think that clears that up nicely.
Segei ans %uh!
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Or take your kids in with you
Lolnui
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Just tweeted by I/S, following Parliament today:
Ouch. Cabinet advice shows Treasury, MED, Transport, and pretty much everyone else opposed supercity CCO model.
Someone needs to actually confront Hide on this point. Even by recent standards of ignoring advice, this is wild shit.
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For a practical illustration of the limits of Statements of Intent and so on, John Minto describes getting an existing Council to hold a CCO accountable.
A couple of years back I had personal experience of just how high-handed these organisations can be after a dispute I had with Metrowater over how it calculated water use for our property. It was an exercise in frustration.
The senior management refused to meet to discuss the issue so eventually I requested to speak to a meeting of the city council's finance and corporate business committee which had responsibility for Metrowater. I explained the situation and answered questions from committee members who had also received a report from Metrowater on the issue.
I asked the committee to require Metrowater to attend mediation to sort out the dispute.
A long discussion followed about whether or not the committee was able to require the council-controlled organisation to do so.
Councillors asked for clarification from the chair who consulted the council chief executive who informed the meeting it was not legally possible for the council to set such a requirement because to do so would be to interfere in Metrowater's management of the business.
The only accountability was through Metrowater's statement of intent by which the organisation outlines its responsibilities to the city council.
It was a frustrating discussion but eventually the majority of the committee took my side and voted to recommend Metrowater agree to attend mediation.
This was as far as they were allowed to go but I assumed the moral weight of these elected councillors would get Metrowater to the table even if the council lacked the legal authority to require it to do so.
How wrong I was.
Metrowater wrote to me following the council recommendation and flatly refused to agree to mediation. In an act of unaccountable corporate arrogance they gave me and the council committee the fingers.
It was only after publicity that Metrowater eventually agreed to meet and sort it out.
Throughout this dispute the elected councillors were impotent in dealing with this controlled organisation of which the council is the sole owner. It thumbed its nose at the mere thought of democratic accountability.
The elected councillors were trumped by unelected appointees.
Now you can believe Rodney Hide and Steven Joyce when they say that won't happen, but it might pay to remember which professions the public routinely says are least trustworthy. And look at who benefits.
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