merge the port company with Tauranga which could take the Tank Farm tomorrow, along with the cars and bananas behind the red fence.

Not sure how he plans to mitigate the resulting loss of local income and…

The chance to get a representative…

The UK site, http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/, has been going for 1 year and has just celebrated its 10,000th FOI request.

Just waiting for Rob McKinnon to extend theyworkforyou.org.nz in a similar direction, after he's done 'fixmystreet'.

For one thing, most people I know can not stand the term "cultural capital", it has a pompous marketing sound to it that rubs me up the…

Because the discussion was about where the dollar are…

How the Crash Will Reshape America

Yeah, don't elections suck shit when the results aren't to your liking?

Well, yes, actually. What's your point? Your reply isn't exactly addressing the problem of Cit-Rats.

But seriously, Roger Douglas could have been put in a bottle. Then we could have marveled about how his head managed to fit.

How about a suitcase? They float better than Wall St is right now ;)

You're not a fan of the Louvre, then?

Dunno. If someone would fly me there I'll give you my unqualified opinion :)

But seriously, Roger Douglas could have been put in a bottle. Then we could have marveled about how his head managed to fit.

A lamp would work better. Rub it and ask him three wishes, and he'll magically tell you that the market will provide them and vanish back in…

there's something truly authoritarian about Te Papa

It's true. If Helengrad had been elected for a fourth term, she was going to incarcerate all the ACT MPs in a room within Te Papa. One of the smaller ones.

I find museums having vast collections of art bizarre, as I think that's what art galleries are for, and never the two should meet.

You're not a fan of the Louvre, then?

It's elitism posing as cultural democracy.

Whereas the retrenched art gallery is elitism posing as elitism. You've got to give them points for honesty, I guess.

I hate the over-mediated nature of much of Te Papa .... The museum is no longer a place of meditation, it's not a haven, it's not sacrosanct in any way. It just gives us what we know already, only more so. Sure, there's…

But does he go see the art?

Art? Man, you haven't met my son.

(I find museums having vast collections of art bizarre, as I think that's what art galleries are for, and never the two should meet. But I recognise that I'm a little unusual there.)

(Pataka rocks.)

So does the Dowse

I was a big fan of the old buckle street art museum.

Hmm! I remember my children complaining, 'Do we have to go see those fish on sticks, again!!', when another wet Sunday afternoon in Wellington loomed.

But, but ... you're hankering for a time when only a tiny fraction of the national art heritage was actually on display. It was awful.

I'm not saying it was done well. I'm saying it was the way to go, to introduce art in an engaging cultural and historical context.…

But does he go see the art? Because I think that's the rub at the moment. Now that they've largely gone back to compartmentalising and separating the gallery from the cultural exhibits, I think they've made both a lot less interesting.

But, but ... you're hankering for a time when…

As a curated exhibition, sure. But as the permanent context in which works are displayed, it's just shouting the same thing at me every time I visit, when perhaps I'm capable of having my own thoughts.

I think it needed to be a permanent curated exhibition, and I suspect that…

But one of the goals of the project was also to popularise the museum, which is hardly achieved by sticking paintings on walls. You need to provide a cultural context, and that's a hard thing to do.

As a curated exhibition, sure. But as the permanent context in which works…

My son asks to go there most times that we're in Wellington, and I can't say that about any other museum he's seen.

But does he go see the art? Because I think that's the rub at the moment. Now that they've largely gone back to compartmentalising and separating the…

I guess we'll have to differ on that then. I've had wonderful life-enhancing experiences with art: none of them with the Parade jumble sale. It's irritating, prescriptive and incoherent.

I think Te Papa is a bit of a defining line. Some people like it, some people definitely don't. My son…

Compulsory reading for PA people, I reckon.

I like the way he identifies incidents of just-making-shit-up.

It's irritating, prescriptive and incoherent.

It might not be far off how I would have personally characterised it the first time I saw the Colin McCahon next to the fridge, but the idea grew on me, and I think it had the potential of encouraging broader reflections on art and…

Compulsory reading for PA people, I reckon.

I'm firmly on the Wedde camp. I think the top floor of Te Papa is awful in its design, just the wrong space to display art, and fosters no conversation at all.

Certainly, it's the left-over space, but at least there are, like, paintings in it.

The rest of the…

I remember Auckland museum being very traditional, though the last time I was in there was 20 years ago. Everything in glass cases very boring, look don't touch. Hope it's changed since then.

It has, but it still feels like a museum rather than a post-modern jumble. I often feel…

I've got Always Compulsively Reminding People of Where He's Originally From: The Giovanni Tiso Story .

That would be a chapter in my book when I lived in the USA.

Yes, my name was Giovanni Tiso then. Boom-tish.

a far less benign context...

Yes, I know. Sorry, I should have been clearer: *Rodney King* is currently on Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew.

even though it's more recognisably a museum than Te Papa

I remember Auckland museum being very traditional, though the last time I was in there was 20 years ago. Everything in glass cases very boring, look don't touch. Hope it's changed since then.

Te Papa is the only museum where…

Erm, to quote someone who is currently on Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew (!): 'can't we all just get along?'

That phrase goes back a bit further, and in a far less benign context...

People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get…

(A biopic of my life would have a title something like Stating the Obvious All the Time: The Danielle Moreau Story.)

I've got Always Compulsively Reminding People of Where He's Originally From: The Giovanni Tiso Story.

If you don't bitch about the next suburb, nay, other parts of your own suburb or village, you're really not trying hard enough.

I suppose I think there's a line between 'oh ho ho, west Auckland bogan mullet Holdens neenerneener', which I'm mostly amused by, and 'we pay all your…

being charged $50 for it. When did this come in? i seem to have missed that one. It highlights a hypocrisy where if I injure myself due to my own carelessness ACC picks up the tab but if I need hospitalisation because I catch a communicable disease through no fault…

We're so miniscule. I always feel as though bitching about some other region or city to make a point is totally ridiculous.

Pfui, I say. May I remind you I come from the country that came up with the whole idea of parochialism, and that it literally means the pride…

Here in the UK we have recently moved to PR for local elections

According to Wikipedia England is still determinedly undemocratic and sticks to FPP. Only Scotland has a PR system for local and national government, and it's a lot better governed as a result.

We're so miniscule. I always feel as though bitching about some other region or city to make a point is totally ridiculous.

I still really don't get how dumping on, say, Downstage, helps the arts funding issue which is what these two Metro clowns did. I guess setting up an inter-city stoush sells more mags and pulls in the viewers.

I can imagine the AKL-WLG stoush coming to something like, "Be careful…

BTW, the Monet exhibition at Te Papa, like quite a few others there, isn't free but it *is* well worth paying to see :-)

Just remember to stand well back.

Ah, but according to the Obmudsman, the Ministers themselves are not subject to the OIA. Go figure.

And yet, they keep answering my requests for advice they have received...

The other value in a site for OIA is for transparency – seeing what process goes where, and how the machinery…

It's hard not to be cynical with the whole thing.

And God help us all if Cit-Rats get control over the whole region.

Yeah, don't elections suck shit when the results aren't to your liking? While I have sympathy towards the whole dilution of local representation argument, I'd have a…

wanted to walk to the Auckland Art Gallery but couldn't remember where it was

Now that is (or was) located in a reasonably friendly place.

BTW, the Monet exhibition at Te Papa, like quite a few others there, isn't free but it *is* well worth paying to see :-)

There are an awfully large number of people who reside elsewhere in this country who begrudge Auckland every last cent of taxpayer money that it gets, no matter what it's for or how much tax Auckland contributes.

Well, many Aucklanders seem to return the feeling with interest, especially where Wellington…

Yes, it's ordinarily a combination of regional…

If we are going to start some regular funding for museums nationally, in additional to the national museum in the capital then I'm…

I am not against funding stuff in Auckland.

That does, unfortunately, make you part of a minority. There are an awfully large number of people who reside elsewhere in this country who begrudge Auckland every last cent of taxpayer money that it gets, no matter what it's for or how…

I doubt there is much economy of scale in having a Auckland-wide garbage contract, for instance.

Well, there's enough scale in the recycling contract to have justified the $30m "just chuck it all in the recycling bin" (yes, that's plastics graded 1-7) recycling centre in Onehunga, and it's only servicing…

Auckland City Council wears an awful lot of annual expense for things like MOTAT and Auckland Zoo, because they're located in Auckland City.

The arts budget is a pretty small (< 5% in Wellington) part of council spending. Also, city centre councils get the benefit of rates from CBD property, don't they?

I don't see any reason why community councils shouldn't provide many local services, either. I doubt there is much economy of scale in having a Auckland-wide garbage contract, for instance.

But don't blame Te Papa…

even though it's more recognisably a museum than Te Papa

Is that like a CD is more recognisably music than a digital download, then? :-p

but how will the people of North Shore, Manukau and Waitakere feel about paying to fix Auckland City's water and wastewater woes once there is s regional water entity?

How will Auckland City ratepayers feel about paying to build North Shore's new treated outflow pipe into the harbour? That's a…

I'm a Te Papa fan mainly because it is free

Auckland Museum used to be totally free. Then the funding woes hit it, and now you're "encouraged" to pay a "donation". Had Te Papa not been built, but instead its obscene sums of startup funding dropped on Auckland Museum, it'd…

even though it's more recognisably a museum than Te Papa

.
Careful, Russell. There is a whole field of museum studies that could dispute such assumptions.

I'm a Te Papa fan mainly because it is free which means it is not so much a destination as such as another public…

However, for decades I have noticed the completely disproportionate investment in Wellington's culture at national expense, so have considerable sympathy for the…

The way to support the arts in New Zealand is not to go about shitting on other cities. Those two Aucklanders deserve to be hounded for a wasted opportunity and a good attempt at killing the arts scene in a parts of the country they appear to disdain.

Aw, hardly,…

If the remaining bodies are not reasonably large they simply will not have the critical mass in terms of resources to actually do anything.

Including "advocacy".

The way to support the arts in New Zealand is not to go about shitting on other cities. Those two Aucklanders deserve to be hounded for a wasted opportunity and a good attempt at killing the arts…

Seems very chip on the shoulderish. Why not just focus what is good about your place rather than trying to pull something down?

You certainly can share activities to reduce the costs, but how will the people of North Shore, Manukau and Waitakere feel about paying to fix Auckland City's water and wastewater woes once there is s regional water entity?

Of course, Watercare (and it's rates revenue) already covers all of those…

From my experience wellington City is extremely lucky to have a city council that supports and promotes the arts as much as it does. They put a lot of money into the arts

Andrew: if one were reimplementing, I think talking to them about what they've learned would be the very first thing to do.

Stephen – it would be worth talking to the Rob (McKinnon?), who does the NZ version of They Work For You as well, to see what his experience…

not only between community boards, but within wards – the passive aggression between the elected boards and the unelected community committees (and why the hell do they exist?) is comedy gold.

Yes, well I've also witnessed the difficulty Community Boards have in struggling with budgets for local projects and amenities…

Anyone serious about having the new proposals adopted needs to seriously address local representation issues, for example by proposing a larger number of 2nd-tier councils than the current six.

What you need to bear in mind however is that the proposal sees water, wastewater and raods go to regional entities.…

If in doubt, send it to the Minister. It'll take longer, but postage is at least free :)

Ah, but according to the Obmudsman, the Ministers themselves are not subject to the OIA. Go figure.

The other value in a site for OIA is for transparency – seeing what process…

It doesn't look technically challenging (famous last words).

Contact I've had with MySociety about an improvement I suggested to them (not geotagging in that instance) indicates some parts of the back end are pretty challenging.

and you want to talk about inter-city parochialism? that shit goes all the way down.

not only between community boards, but within wards – the passive aggression between…

It is difficult, living south of the Bombay Hills, to discern what benefits there might in a super-charged Auckland. I guess we need any benefits better explained

Well, for one thing it'd simplify rating by having a single council that sets and collects rates. At present there's Auckland Regional Council…

I'd tend to agree, but I come from a public sector background (and I understand you have a smattering, yourself, I/S?)

The closest I've come to working in the public sector is being employed by an labour-hire sweatshop to process student loan applications one year. It gave me a firm…

what benefits there might in a super-charged Auckland

Something like 50% of NZ's tax revenue comes from north of a line drawn across the Bombay Hills. The great fear is that an UberAuckland would want more control of that.

The best example is the petrol tax thing – as has…

A really helpful contribution would be if they could adapt What Do They Know from the MySociety folks to New Zealand.

I'll second that. It's a fantastic idea which provides a good public resource both of stuff that's been dug up, and areas people are looking into.

Even more useful…

so is it worth the thousands they cost and the mountains of reports they generate to keep them running just so they're there to yell at when the once in a blue moon issue that finally raises some parish pump passion comes about?

Well, yes. I have been to a…

To digress once again (but it has to be said),…

For all my bitching and complaining, that has been my overwhelming experience. Its not painful, unless the Minister is particularly sensitive about something. And then you write a polite letter to the Ombudsmen, and they take a look at it.

I'd tend to agree, but I come from a public…

The problem with having a lot of experience with OAI requests is that you sometimes lose the perspective of what it _should_ be like as opposed to what it _is_ actually like.

Not really. You write to the Minister or appropriate official, and in about a month (20 working days,…

Even more useful would be to use their apparent geospatial background to add geotagging to the requests and responses. A Google Earth layer for accessing official information that relates to your locality?

Good idea. All of the data they get is made available on Koordinates which is pretty cool. Anyone…

Speaking as a private citizen, the Local Councils are kind of a Community Board 'supersized' so that it represents an…

The Commission makes no recommendation on this, because it was not persuaded that the adoption of this voting system would assist in solving Auckland’s problems.

I think that says it all.

I had the funny idea that the idea of a democratic system was to represent what people want, not…

from where I sat it was only ever the same old obsessives – aka water pressure et al – who showed up to argue about footpaths and the…

My prediction is that the current government will try to bury the recommendations of the report, or at the most, significantly water them down. The ostensible reason will be the loss of democratic representation, but the real reason will be that a super-city that contains…

That's an awesome cat vid on Leo's blog. It didn't seem worried at all, and managed to find its way round quite well.

Particularly since such views tend to lead to things liek this?

In that case I withdraw my opposition to John Banks' candidacy.

And God help us all if Cit-Rats get control over the whole region.

More than likely, given first past the post and the fiscal resources needed to campaign across a large region, says IdiotSavant.

A really helpful contribution would be if they could adapt What Do They Know from the MySociety folks to New Zealand.

I'll second that. It's a fantastic idea which provides a good public resource both of stuff that's been dug up, and areas people are looking into.

Even more useful…

is there going to be a referendum on this

No.

Please, PLEASE, don't let us have a "Lord Mayor". The title has all sorts of connotations. Do we need the rest of the country thinking we're lording it over them?

Particularly since such views tend to lead to things liek this?

A really helpful contribution would be if they could adapt What Do They Know from the MySociety folks to New Zealand.

I'll second that. It's a fantastic idea which provides a good public resource both of stuff that's been dug up, and areas people are looking into.

I thought they could also add the rest of the Waikato, the Manawatu and the South Island. They could call the resulting supercity "New Zealand".

Wouldn't those places all just become "South Auckland"?

1. the potential loss of any local voice. I think this is a legitimate concern that needs to be addressed.

2. Please, PLEASE, don't let…

That's a great blog! Very useful ...

Well, it's not bad for a couple of IT people who are new to this whole OIA thing that's been around for more than 25 years (in this country). I/S's and Steven Price's blogs are more informed. A really helpful contribution would be…

And God help us all if Cit-Rats get control over the whole region. Perhaps this might be the first opportunity to really consign them to opposition on an ongoing basis. If ever there was a less visionary group of politicians,…

– I think the system of local democracy being presented is deliberately majoritarian. I'd suggest having a proportionately representative council (with maybe 60 councillors, similar in electorate size to NZ…

Be interested to hear from anyone who has delved into…

I thought they could also add the rest of the Waikato, the Manawatu and the South Island. They could call…

It's good to see Rodney et al stating similar concerns

Yes, I'm pleasantly surprised by that.

The guys at Koordinates have started an Official Information Blog which is a running commentary of their OAI requests. It makes for interesting reading.

That's a great blog! Very useful ...