Hard News: The Message
83 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 Newer→ Last
-
And going by his quotes to the Herald after Goff’s announcement, the Prime Minister is okay with that. I don’t think the Right will try to put up a sensible candidate against Goff.
Well, I rather wish “they” (whoever they are) would, because coronations tend to lead to more platitudes than serious policy subject to equally serious scrutiny. Then again, that would rather depend on Auckland’s media – particularly the New Zealand Herald – stepping up and actually doing their bloody jobs. That ship’s long since sailed and hit an iceberg, based on previous form.
But a good start would be asking Goff to stop being so bloody foggy and say what this actually means:
We need to put our own house in order and make Auckland New Zealand’s best performing city. When we do that, we are in a stronger position to leverage Government resources to meet the needs created by rapid growth …
Perhaps I’m way too cynical for my own good, but that sounds an awful lot like a low-level dog whistle to people who retire to the fainting couch at the idea that their rates are not excessive by any rational metric, and Auckland isn’t actually choking in debt.
-
I wish Goff all the best.
Key was going out of his way to say nice things about Goff, even suggesting he could stay on as an MP when he's Mayor to avoid a by-election*.
First reaction: "That's jolly generous of you, PM".
Second reaction: "OK, so which National MP is planning to do the same thing? Where's the by-election Key doesn't want?"
*FWIW, I think he shouldn't do both jobs. Undermines both of them, and increases public contempt for democracy. And to be clear, Goff hasn't said he would.
-
George Darroch, in reply to
FWIW, I think he shouldn’t do both jobs. Undermines both of them, and increases public contempt for democracy. And to be clear, Goff hasn’t said he would.
Goff campaigning while being an incumbent MP will annoy the right greatly. It won’t make any great difference to the result though, even if they push the issue strongly.
National has a distinct lack of appreciable candidates to stand in Mt Roskill, and Labour has a couple of very good ones in Michael Wood and (possibly) Priyanca Radhakrishnan. National won’t want a trouncing, even at the expense of making the opposition spend their funds. Giving them longer to put something together will help National.
Edited.
-
To those whinging about rate rises:
"It's very popular for people to stand up and say 'let's cut this, let's cut that, let's attack the bureaucrats in the Town Hall',
"People don't actually know what they're talking about."
Massey University local government expert Dr Andy Asquith -
Russell Brown, in reply to
FWIW, I think he shouldn’t do both jobs. Undermines both of them, and increases public contempt for democracy. And to be clear, Goff hasn’t said he would.
Goff campaigning while being an incumbent MP will annoy the right greatly. It won’t make any great difference to the result though, even if they
He'll take a leave of absence for the actual campaign, but it's daft to expect him to resign and force a byelection a year out from the Auckland local body elections.
He could even continue to do both jobs if elected mayor, but he clearly won't do that.
-
One thing that is interesting is that we've settled on a fairly coherent political 'normal' that most endorse. There are no huge deviations from the current script. It's actually testament to Brown and Hulse and a bunch of reasonable people around the table that this has happened - the Mayor has been a far more competent manager than most have realised, and the Government has enjoyed his leadership. That experience will be a large part of why they're comfortable endorsing Goff for Mayor.
I'm not sure how far Goff's call for efficient spending is a matter of policy, or simply useful rhetoric. A twitterer was decrying the fact that he didn't go deeply into talking about the west and south, but the fact is that the red suburbs are already largely his, thanks to an army of Labour footsoldiers. Everything within view on the north and east of One Tree Hill is where he needs to concentrate on winning. Aspirational and intelligent Auckland has a far more resonant pitch there.
One thing I think he could do very well to promise would be more pools and libraries. These come in the order of $10-20m each, depending on their size and scope, but have huge benefits. They improve knowledge and health and make people happy. Compared to widening a section of road or upgrading a pipe, they're electoral gold. Various parts of the city have remained neglected, a legacy of their former councils, and they wonder what they're getting for their rates. (Manukau meanwhile has an abundance, and free entry thanks to a targeted rate.) Perhaps we could sell the Remuera Golf Course and build pools across the city.
-
From the Herald:
Labour MP Phil Goff has announced he is standing as an independent candidate for the Auckland mayoralty, ending months of speculation about his political future.
Former Green Party member and council employee David Hay is also standing.
Other confirmed candidates are Orakei Local Board member Mark Thomas, right-wing candidate Stephen Berry and activist Penny Bright.
It remains to be seen whether a heavyweight candidate from the right can still be found following new ticket, Auckland Future, getting the backing of the National Party. Career businesswoman and Xero New Zealand managing director, Victoria Crone, has also said she is considering running.
Of the others confirmed as standing, Mark Thomas seems the most capable. Berry and Bright will make their usual noise from the margins. Has David Hay rejoined the Greens after his one-year expulsion?
-
Here's Transportblog on heavy versus light rail to Auckland Airport:
AT’s planned operating pattern will see trains from the western line pass through the CRL before heading towards Onehunga. It seems like there’s a bit of gerrymandering going on this. If AT are talking about delivering single seat rides then they should also include all the people next to the western line, even just the people near the inner west and CRL stations add almost an extra 60k to the walking catchment.
For now, coming from the West for morning flights means going into town and out, or driving. Would be lovely to have a one-seat option!
-
George Darroch, in reply to
I believe that Hay has not been allowed to rejoin. I'm not 100% confident of that, but reasonably certain.
It's a pity that he's standing for mayor, because he was actually a really good policy analyst for the council and drove them towards some decent social policy. Those policies remain in place, but my experience is that they need good people to defend them (against the gambling industry, for example).
-
The voters of Auckland want access to the foreshore, better PT and no asset sales but done with no higher rates and also seem to love John Key, whose government seem determined to keep a firm jackboot on the financial windpipe of the supercity. Aucklanders want intensification and cheaper housing, only they are also NIMBYs, NOTES and BANANAs lest it affect their property values. And we haven't even thought about controlling the CCOs. Goff can get away with being a bit foggy, because the voters are in a pea souper of wishful thinking.
As for National - they are so crippled by factionalism in Auckland that even picking what champagne to serve with the caviar at the next conference would degenerate into a fight between Boag and Collins.
-
Goff campaigning while being an incumbent MP will annoy the right greatly
John Key seems his usual relaxed self about it - maybe he thinks a National MP might want to do the same at some stage, maybe he'd rather have Goff as mayor than some of the wingnuts on offer?
-
Rich of Observationz, in reply to
I rather wish “they” (whoever they are) would, because coronations tend to lead to more platitudes than serious policy subject to equally serious scrutiny
I don't know how these things work, but can't a National Party member propose that the party starts adopting candidates in local elections according to a defined policy?
-
When Christine Fletcher won the Auckland Mayoralty in 1998, she kept her post as Epsom MP until the 1999 general election. Stones and glass houses come to mind.
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
Has David Hay rejoined the Greens after his one-year expulsion?
Is that the same David Hay who’s previously been involved with the CitRats? Or are there 2 of them?
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
I’m not sure how far Goff’s call for efficient spending is a matter of policy, or simply useful rhetoric.
Someone better be asking Goff that if he doesn’t know himself, because today’s “useful rhetoric” has a most unfortunate tendency to come back and bite you in the arse. I sure don’t remember Len Brown (or anyone else) campaigning on cutting library hours before the last election, but it happened and could have been a LOT worse. The next time it might be.
-
George Darroch, in reply to
Is that the same David Hay who’s previously been involved with the CitRats? Or are there 2 of them?
Different guy. The former deputy-mayor hasn't been seen or heard of lately, thankfully.
-
James Butler, in reply to
National has a distinct lack of appreciable candidates to stand in Mt Roskill
FWIW I seldom heard a bad word about Jackie Blue when she was an MP.
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
FWIW I seldom heard a bad word about Jackie Blue when she was an MP.
I think she's pretty happy as a Human Rights Commissioner now though.
-
James Butler, in reply to
Oh yes. Just noting that they had an appreciable candidate until quite recently.
-
George Darroch, in reply to
She seems to be loving the job of Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, and isn't afraid to get stuck into her former colleagues. I've found her to be intelligent, kind and genuine.
But she didn't ever excel at 'retail-politics', the kind of handshaking and speech-making talent that a politician in a strongly contested seat needs to have.
-
Oh goody, Bernard Orsman is back to his click bating best.
-
Matthew Poole, in reply to
Oh goody, Bernard Orsman is back to his click bating best.
Really struggled to muster any fucks on reading that article. The residents of aforementioned "leafy suburbs" have been determined to keep everyone out, but they'll happily preach long and loud about how Auckland really does need to stop sprawling.
-
Sacha, in reply to
free entry
pools across the whole region are now free to children at least, but yes, huge discrepancies in which areas have them.
-
Sacha, in reply to
Mr Seymour said residents have been worn down by the lack of consultation
Too much, more like. People like the coastal geezers of Ak 2040 who have their own 3-level homes but do not want anyone else to share a similar height building.
None of these clowns (Orsman included) seem to grasp that current residents do not get a veto on the needs of future ones - of which there will be many. Councils are legally required to balance the rights and needs of both groups over long timeframes (well, until this govt guts our planning laws).
You really have to wonder which young people Seymour has been consulting:
"It's also a betrayal of young people in its assumption that they can never own a house and must live in apartments."
#pffft
-
Matthew Poole, in reply to
current residents do not get a veto on the needs of future ones
In which parallel universe do you reside, Sacha? Are they taking applications? Coz the universe I currently occupy very definitely gives veto rights to those with the money and connections to say "I've got mine, so you can fuck right off!"
They even have their own supposedly-libertarian MP, going by the name of David Seymour.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.