Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Competing for Auckland

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    The mayor’s office is aggrieved that the Herald’s Bernard Orsman has dubbed Goudie’s rant against anti-intensifiers “hate speech”, but I think that’s the risk you run when you use the word “hate” about Auckland electors throughout your silly screed.

    Agreed, but it would be sweet if Bernard Orsman and his paper stopped treating local government - not just in Auckland but the other local authorities in it's circulation area - like some ghastly reality show/popularity contest. I know I'm well and truly flogging a dead horse, but it's really depressing when I feel better informed about local body elections in New York and London (and not just the top of the ticket) than my own backyard.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Palino is reflecting poor advice about urban planning. Worth asking who he's getting that from and what their interests and beliefs are.

    However, opponents of the Core Rail Link are given an easy run when the agencies and people tasked with communicating it to the public fail to do so. Thank goodness for TransportBlog, whose latest post explores the CRL's benefits for the whole region.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Just to note, Goudie didn't write the post in question and I've corrected that part. But what possessed him to describe it as "brilliant" is a mystery.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    And taking a second look at that Orsman piece, I'm not sure he's exactly adding much value to the debate with sidebars like this:

    Hate speech is coming to a street near you - if you live in a quiet piece of suburbia, like Poronui St in Mt Eden, and object to your neighbourhood being rezoned for apartments and infill housing.

    Then three paragraphs later:

    Suburbs, including Orewa and Browns Bay that helped elect Goudie to the council in 2010 are branded "soulless, geriatric timebombs" in the blog he calls "brilliant" but that others label "hate speech". [Emphasis added, not in original]

    Um, who Bernard? I don't think it was a terribly well argued piece, to put it mildly, but not for the first time I really wish Orsman (and The Herald) would decide whether he's a reporter - and should properly source, attribute and contexualize quotes -- or an editorial columnist.

    Nor am I particularly convinced this contributed more light than heat to the discussion:

    Statements like this provide little comfort to Gosney and others. In fact, they confirm her worst suspicions that the council is paying lip-service and acting like the Government of Cyprus to steal property rights for a bankrupt agenda.

    Even if that's an accurate paraphrase of Paula Gosney's views, wouldn't it have been appropriate to subject some turbo-charged rhetoric to some calming fact-checking and context? Again, if Bernard and The Herald want to editorialize they're perfectly entitled to do so. I just prefer they do so while keeping a line between news and editorial.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Even if that’s an accurate paraphrase of Paula Gosney’s views, wouldn’t it have been appropriate to subject some turbo-charged rhetoric to some calming fact-checking and context? Again, if Bernard and The Herald want to editorialize they’re perfectly entitled to do so. I just prefer they do so while keeping a line between news and editorial.

    Indeed. No one seems to be covering themselves in glory here.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    TransportBlog addressed the Herald's blatant lack of balance in its coverage of Auckland's Unitary Plan process.

    One of my own comments in that thread:

    The stakes are big, so the Unitary Plan process understandably reveals spectrums of views about who our city is for and what it will be like as it evolves. Community or landowners. Drivers or riders. Owners or renters. Current residents or future ones. That sort of thing.

    Councils are charged with balancing those perspectives in consultation with citizens and other stakeholders like businesses and advocacy organisations.

    Understanding all the views and deciding what to do requires better storytelling than we are seeing, deeper appreciation of the beliefs that drive various positions, and knowing whose voices are not being heard. We can help with that.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Wasn't "building a second CBD in Manukau" what Len Brown was trying to do when he was mayor of that council; along with North Shore trying to do the same in Takapuna and Waitakere in Henderson?

    They mostly seem to have wound up with a Westfield and a large cop shop / courthouse complex.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The mayor’s office is aggrieved that the Herald’s Bernard Orsman has dubbed Goudie’s link to this rant against anti-intensifiers the promotion of “hate speech”, but I think that’s the risk you run when you endorse a silly screed that repeatedly uses the word “hate” about people who elected you. If this is a communications strategy, it’s fucking stupid one.

    Seriously, those whingeing about 'hate speech' need to hit the history books. Hate speech isn't about poking fun at a 'sea of grey hairs', it's about threatening to round them up en masse and lock them in a chamber full of cyanide.

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

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    TransportBlog addressed the Herald’s blatant lack of balance in its coverage of Auckland’s Unitary Plan process.

    One of my own comments in that thread:

    Interesting also to see people pointing out the centre-right's confused position on the Unitary Plan. Don't they want to encourage development and strengthen property rights?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    And Bernard Orsman's journalism is usually a lot better than this.

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

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Interesting also to see people pointing out the centre-right’s confused position on the Unitary Plan. Don’t they want to encourage development and strengthen property rights?

    Indeed. I haven’t been the only one to point out the hypocrisy of those who want to weaken the RMA but still invoking it when it suits them – my guess is it's a classic case of some property rights being more equal than others. I suspect also there’s a strong whiff of sour grapes about Banksie not getting the Super-City.

    I liken it to the property rights equivalent of chickenhawks.

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

  • Graham Dunster,

    I can't speak for the rest of the supercity, but the thing that is confusing Grey Lynn residents is the way that the proposed new housing zoning is based on the seemingly arbitrary earlier Auckland City zoning, thus multistory new buildings can pop up without any reference to the actual streetscape or existing usages. It's all very well calling for consultation but until the Council creates easier inclusive ways of having this dialogue, rather than seemingly sitting in their offices issuing fiats, there will not be a real reflection of the living experiences and wishes of residents. The inner western suburbs were considered densely populated enough last century to have trams and that density still exists. It is hard, for me at least, to see how the density can be increased in a productive fashion without much, much better consultation. This whole situation has introduced a new acronym to my vocabulary - QUIMBY (quality in my back yard) which seems to encompass a reasonable end result.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2009 • 184 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Interesting also to see people pointing out the centre-right’s confused position on the Unitary Plan.

    The centre-right mainly want is to get rid of Len Brown, whose mayoralty is seen as a daily insult to the Auckland born to rule establishment. So they'll take any opportunity to put the boot in with confused attacks, half truths and hysterical nonsense via their house journal (AKA the NZ Herald).

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Sacha,

    Thank goodness for TransportBlog

    If Kiwiblog is the number news source for commerical radio in NZ, then TransportBlog occupies a similar position in Auckland for opinion makers on transport issues.*

    *Except for the government, who appear to think Tony Friedlander is still a cabinet minister.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Graham Dunster,

    QUIMBY

    QUIMBY FOR MAYOR!

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    The centre-right mainly want is to get rid of Len Brown, whose mayoralty is seen as a daily insult to the Auckland born to rule establishment. So they’ll take any opportunity to put the boot in with confused attacks, half truths and hysterical nonsense via their house journal (AKA the NZ Herald).

    With any luck they won't resort to a Greater London Council scorched-earthing.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Graham Dunster,

    thus multistory new buildings can pop up without any reference to the actual streetscape or existing usages

    I'm not clear how the Plan's various 'overlays' resolve that as some say they do, but it does appear to be a central issue, yes. And lack of worked-through examples doesn't help our understanding.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes, exactly how the Heritage Overlay will be applied no-one appears to be able to answer.

    Nor is there any provision for where the extra children will go to school.

    Then there are the seemingly random zoning changes.
    e.g. the 8 properties at the end of Peel Street re-zoned for 4 story apartments or the re-zoning of 1/2 of the Francis Reserve (including the main access from Richmond Rd) for the same 4 story apartments.

    The non-enforceable design guidelines are a concern if we are to achieve QUIMBY as well.

    Sorry to highjack the mayoralty thread with Unitary Plan.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Ana Simkiss,

    Amazing bullshit from the NBR today for those who have the stomach and the subscription. Apparently it is "outrageous hypocrisy" that Len Brown does not live in an apartment. because that's what happens in the Unitary Plan - everyone will be forced to live in apartments!

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/len-browns-lifestyle-block-%E2%80%98outrageous-hypocrisy-nk-p-139628

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    it would be sweet if Bernard Orsman and his paper stopped treating local government - not just in Auckland but the other local authorities in it's circulation area - like some ghastly reality show/popularity contest.

    New Zealand's Got Auckland's Next Top Got Mayoralty Quest

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Ana Simkiss,

    Amazing bullshit from the NBR today for those who have the stomach and the subscription. Apparently it is “outrageous hypocrisy” that Len Brown does not live in an apartment. because that’s what happens in the Unitary Plan – everyone will be forced to live in apartments!

    Seriously? What a silly argument.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Glenn Pearce,

    Sorry to highjack the mayoralty thread with Unitary Plan.

    Not at all. It's clearly going to be a key issue.

    I guess that in my hood -- The Chev -- it's easier to envisage. Four-storey developments along the south side of Great North Road, overlooking the motorway, will be a good use of the existing land. I get that it's not so straightforward on the other side of the main road -- and there are already issues about school capacity -- but it seems to make sense in principle.

    I think that when the Waterview Connection is completed and it's not possible to get on the motorway at Carrington, it'll be very efficient to shuttle people to the Mt Albert railway station too,

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    What a silly argument

    Yet all too easy to make stick when no one is reminding us that most Aucklanders will still live in detached houses for many years yet. The communication management on this stuff is poor despite the best of intentions.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Seriously? What a silly argument.

    Would anyone like to liberate the meat of the story from behind the NBR paywall? As I understand it, the story (accurately) points out that Len Brown lives outside the Metropolitan Urban Limit -- which isn't "outrageous bullshit" if it's actually true. Personally, I'm struggling to see what "outrageous hypocrisy" that signifies on Brown's part but it would be nice to see first hand if the NBR makes a case. If only for the sheer entertainment value.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol,

    Avondale says "bring it on" and Milford says "go away".

    I haven't read the unitary plan, so I'm not actually clear on the criteria for where intensification would be focussed, but why would anyone ever consider intensification of Milford which has zero rail over Avondale which has a rail line running directly through it?

    All intensification should be along the rail corridors, and centred on stations. Anything else is frankly baffling. This seems really obvious.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

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