Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Local interest

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  • Sudhvir Singh,

    Given the mayoral race is not as competitive as 2010, there is a serious risk of a poor turnout this year. The visionless NIMBY voters will make their voice heard, so candidates who spread fear about housing choices whilst ignoring sprawl and those who endorse the status quo of roads-heavy transport spending are likely to take office. We hope providing clear information on where candidates stand on public transport, cycling, housing/planning and climate change will be of relevance to everyday Auckland voters.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2013 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Ana Simkiss,

    I've had a crack at the voting paper and gave up (for now) because of the lack of specific info about policy and for sitting candidates voting records. For example, who T F is Team Waitemata, and why TF don't they have a website? So I am very happy that Gen Zero are helping with the research. Thanks!

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    In Christchurch (feel free to delete if this is an Auckland-only piece), Gap Filler has done a pretty little questionnaire that reveals more about candidates and their attitudes in general than they realise: http://www.gapfiller.org.nz/gap-filler-candidate-questionnaire-2013-mayoral-and-council-elections/

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Hebe,

    In Christchurch (feel free to delete if this is an Auckland-only piece),

    Not at all. I've just realised Generation Zero are doing the same thing in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Hebe,

    Kyle Chapman seems so nice… until his answer to question 4.

    ETA: and, of course, except for the name of his party.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • LouisM, in reply to Ana Simkiss,

    I think Team Waitemata are the Tory candidates. Some of them are ex C&R candidates.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2013 • 7 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Hebe,

    Gap Filler has done a pretty little questionnaire

    Thanks Hebe. Hasn't made my decision any easier but it's definitely better informed :)

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Hasn’t made my decision any easier but it’s definitely better informed :)

    Health Board is easy: start with Aaron Keown at 26, then Michael Hansen at 25…
    I found the councillors hard: I had one definite and really wanted to vote for someone I knew would be great but doesn’t have a hope of getting in. Making the choice between the next top two was very hard. I wanted to change my vote the next day, so I posted the form immediately!

    My ward has two sitting councillors retiring and four could-bes, with two more in-with-a-smaller-chance. I can’t pick the winner because the vote will be so split.

    I wish we were able to rank all the council candidates throughout the city like the STV health board system.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    We've been polling candidates over at The Wellingtonista for Wellington, obviously, and WCC Watch has done some good work too, like how in shocking news, privileged middle age white men are acting like privileged old white men.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Generation Zero

    Bit late though. Last Friday would have been better.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Young,

    Do not vote for the candidates asterisked below, given their stances against the health, safety and human rights of Manukau street sex workers and their support for the Manukau City Council (Regulating Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill, or opposition to Epsom's boutique brothels, or strongarm tactics against Christchurch sex workers:

    Local board candidates
    Mangere-Otahuhu – 7 members:

    Nick Bakulich, Labour
    Carrol Elliott, Labour
    Kayla Filimoehala, Mana
    Roger Fowler, Mana
    Roger Gummer, Independent
    Tafafunai Tasi Lauese, Labour
    Christine O’Brien, Labour
    James Papali’i, Mana
    Sam Patua, Independent
    Leau Peter Skelton, Labour*
    Lydia Sosene, Labour
    Kevin Stitt, Conservative*
    Walter Togiamua, Labour
    Joe Trinder, Mana

    Otara-Papatoetoe:
    Otara subdivision – 3 members
    Efeso Collins, Labour
    Lotu Fuli, Labour
    Mary Gush, Labour
    Ian Hei Hei, Mana
    Jenn Jefferson, Otara Local Independents
    Willie Maea, Otara Local Independents
    Tupou Tamata Manapori – Vanessa Naden, Independent
    Poutoa Papali’i, Otara Local Independents
    Jim Sinclair, Otara First

    Papatoetoe subdivision – 4 members
    Sina Aiolupotea-Aiono, Team Papatoetoe
    Ashraf Choudhary, Team Papatoetoe
    Stephen Grey, Papatoetoe Local Independents*
    Alistaire Hall, Team Papatoetoe
    Donna Lee, Papatoetoe Local Independents
    John McCracken, Papatoetoe Local Independents*
    Paul O’Brien, Papatoetoe Local Independents
    Ross Robertson, Team Papatoetoe [Former Parliamentary Sponsor of Manukau anti-soliciting bill]*
    Anthony Ryan
    Ray Strong, Independent

    Eden-Albert Ward:

    Bevan Chuang*

    Mayoral Candidates:
    Len Brown*

    Christchurch City Council:
    Aaron Keown*
    Wayne Hawker*

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 573 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Alasdair Thompson appears to have had quite the "Road to Damascus" moment since being turfed from the EMA. I'm inclined to vote for him, too.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    It wasn't until after I posted my form (we use STV down here for mayor and council) that I fully got my head around strategically using my vote to help people less likely to be elected get there, over people who are my #1 pick.

    Example - if my #1 candidate is going to be elected for sure, and my #2 candidate is more marginal, I should rank them #2 then #1. If #2 doesn't make it, then my vote falls to #1 anyway, so I lose nothing.

    If I do it the other way and vote #1 then #2, then when #1 gets elected, some proportion of my vote stays with them, and only part of my vote falls down to #2.

    Maybe next STV election I'll have the strategy down pat.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Young,

    Do not vote for the candidates asterisked below, given their stances against the health, safety and human rights of Manukau street sex workers and their support for the Manukau City Council (Regulating Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill, or opposition to Epsom’s boutique brothels, or strongarm tactics against Christchurch sex workers:

    It's very easy to condemn the people of Manukau when you don't have to live or work in places where there are many street sex workers. I'd like to see someone do the much harder job of trying to come up with a solution that respects everyone's rights.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Barnaby Nicholls,

    I'm told John Morrison is likely to win the Wellington mayoralty, which is a truly disturbing thought. Dinosaurs aren't really extinct, after all. A delight came in the voting packet - all the candidates except Celia Wade-Brown have given their party as "Independent", while she is down as "A Good Choice for Wellington". That's a stroke of genius that marks her out on the ballot paper (the party name appears next to each candidate)

    Wellington • Since Apr 2013 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Barnaby Nicholls,

    He's only going to win if people don't turn out (or turn in, given it's a postal poll) and put him last. I suspect a lot of his front-runner status is due to his equally Jurassic mates on the Dom Post plugging the old twatcock.

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

  • Stephen R,

    Dom Post/Stuff has totally jumped the shark recently on their political coverage. I have deleted them from my bookmarks and try not to visit them any more, so I don't curse at my monitor as often.

    Complaining about Celia photo-shopping her pic because they reckon she looks wrinklier in person was pretty foul.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2009 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Barnaby Nicholls, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Too true - when the Dom Post finally reported his ludicrous showering remarks (lagging behind an Auckland newspaper - which is ridiculous in itself), they didn't even use his name in the headline. They talked about 'Mystery remarks', and then filled the article with references to "Former NZ cricketer John 'Mystery' Morrison" - it read like an indulgent fluff piece about him "landing in hot water", which is quite an act of contortion.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2013 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Hannah, in reply to Barnaby Nicholls,

    Hi Barnaby, did you see that 'apology' article in a hard copy paper? Cos I've only seen it online (and not exactly highly placed), and have looked for it in print.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 228 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It’s very easy to condemn the people of Manukau when you don’t have to live or work in places where there are many street sex workers. I’d like to see someone do the much harder job of trying to come up with a solution that respects everyone’s rights.

    Sure, but how many time do people have to point out to folks who really really should know better that child prostitution is illegal everywhere? And can we all agree Wayne Hawker is a creep? If this idiot get on Council, is he going to release the personal information of people he disapproves of when things don't go his way?

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

  • Lucy Telfar Barnard, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Um, I'm a little confused.

    Alasdair Thompson's blog says "In 2011 I was the subject of an international media furore for saying that some women’s productivity and income is affected by difficult menstruation; a truth I was internationally pilloried for speaking about."

    To me that still sounds like a refusal to acknowledge or accept what he did wrong.
    He may have had a road to Damascus conversion to Christianity, but it doesn't sound like his reading of feminist literature has been internalised in quite the same way. If his 2011 statements had been in any way supportive of women adversely affected by dysmenorrhea, there wouldn't have been a problem. Instead he implied that women in general deserved to be paid less than men because of "monthly sick problems". He also stated that women take more sick leave than men, without any actual data to back him up. While he claimed even then that he supported equal pay, I've yet to see him acknowledge that views such as those he expressed in 2011 are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Hebe,

    I found the councillors hard:

    Me too. Only one option, know 2 candidates socially. And there's another who's a bit tempting!
    I want to vote for a rep who will say "Nah, no thanks, not now, maybe later" to convention castle and rugby palace. Noone seems to be signalling that!

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Something I was wondering: in many countries overseas there is fairly blatant corruption between councillors and companies wanting consents and contracts. Is NZ squeaky clean here, or does it also go on?

    And if not, why are councillors generally so keen on anything involving lots of concrete?

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

  • Keir Leslie, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Rob --- which ward are you in? Because putting aside the other candidates (I don't know) the People's Choice candidates will take a strong stance against wasting money on stadia and convention centres. (As Paul McMahon always says, roofs for houses before roofs for stadia.)

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    I just voted. Including for Len Brown, before I read this (sorry Craig - though unfortunately if it's not Len, it will be Palino who is unlikely to be better).

    I'm not a fan of the DHB electoral system. I'm immersed in both health and politics, and the document I filled out left me hoping I'd made the right choices rather than confident I was putting in place people who would improve the health of Manukau.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

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