The Avondale-Southdown designation runs next to the Mt Roskill SH20 link, but…

What is true is the rail line designation – that's been in place for decades. The designation does not require hundreds of houses to be demolished. It requires exactly zero houses to be demolished.

What is also true is the possible loss of houses with a cheap* surface…

-Yes, We will find out National's preferred waterview option tomorrow (wed 13th)

-Ms Lee on the possible loss of hundreds of houses (paraphrased) "yes, I'm sure people who lose their house will be very…

Seriously, some people just object for the sake of objecting.

As is their right — though I did have to ask someone a few door down from us if they had any idea how many people would kill their mother (figuratively speaking) to have a police station next door. (Our…

You'd need to narrow Quay Street a bit

You mean – gasp – prioritise public transport over private vehicles?

I think. I haven't looked in TOO much detail into that, although…

The one flaw in the "surface level Waterview Connection" versus "southwest rail corridor" argument is that you can't build that southwest rail corridor unless you build the CBD rail tunnel first. You just simply couldn't squeeze the necessary 6 trains per hour…

Labour also seem to be the only party aware that Pt Chev is in the electorate.

The Green billboards are going up this week, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the ones in your locale...

Actually, I quite like the new billboards, and I think they nicely develop the…

One person's NIMBY is another's place-protective action, or a third person's valiant struggle to defend local environmental quality and neighbourhood character.

And another person's head-up-arse fuckstick who objects to a fire station in their area because of the noise from the appliances, with an estimated 1200 movements a year, despite…

something pretty good

He was probably thinking of Omaha by the sea, bastion of McMansions for wholesome white folk of means.

And just whose responsibility do you think it is…

Indeed – that's the first time I'd heard of John Key. At the time I remember thinking how unpleasant it was to have an MP basically saying "We don't want any poor people living around here, thanks."

And it goes to show that relaxing metro limits isn't really about affordable…

As for concern about the biggest change in Auckland's local body arrangements in a very long time, hard to see how that qualifies as Nimbyish unless you're buying into the whole jafa crap, Craig.

No, but it's not creeping fascism either — which was the well considered view of one…

belief, "NIMBY-ism" is not monopolised by card-carrying Greenies. The blue-rinsers got uppity when plans for affordable housing on surplus Hobsonville Air Base land were announced.

Indeed – that's the first time I'd heard of John Key. At the time I remember thinking how unpleasant it was to have an MP…

Joshua Arbury has already had a look at this issue on his excellent Auckland Transport Blog (hit me if he doesn't become Auckland's Transport Czar in 20 years time).

Ouuu... excellent. Thanks for that.

I wonder at the social effect of Auckland's motorway network when I hear stories about all the long-demolished student flats in Newton and Grafton gullies, or see the bifurcated communities from any trip…

So, it's not "cynically populist" to play up to the NIMBY vote and engage in what can most politely be described as hysterical scaremongering?

Actually, it's Not-Over-My-BackYard. 40m underground in my backyard, that's fine.

It's a serious distinction, though. If they were real NIMBYs, they'd try to get the road…

So, it's not "cynically populist" to play up to the NIMBY vote

Well, yes, but in a different way. They're all politicians, after all.

NIMBY is a pejorative that planners and politicians can and do use to dismiss any and all concerns grounded in the fact that people care about their neighbourhoods, and what happens in them.

Being neither a politician nor a planner, its a pejorative I apply to people who want all…

One person's NIMBY is another's place-protective action, or a third person's valiant struggle to defend local environmental…

Might come across in the current situation as a cynically populist distraction from other pressing topical concerns – oh, like whether to drive a six lane highway through the area, or gut the current local body democratic arrangements.

So, it's not "cynically populist" to play up to the NIMBY vote…

Might come across in the current situation as a cynically populist distraction from other pressing topical concerns – oh, like whether…

Set sail for fail indeed.

And the whole show (the first time I've lasted more than five minutes) was, as the kids say, epic fail.

Agree – although that was a particularly egregious example. I do wish the cult of celebrity had less sway and we could have a host with the wisdom to shut…

Lee was frankly ghastly in that interview.

In the context of my complaints here yesterday about the bias of the show, it is worth noting that Holmes felt compelled to mention Shearer's experience under fire.

Translation: $35 bn on rail improvements over 12 years.

Here's the transcript. Lee was frankly ghastly in that interview.

Sadly, have to agree — but Shearer was no better. And the whole show (the first time I've lasted more than five minutes) was, as the kids say, epic fail.

the little-mentioned divide between the 'old generation' (which includes those descended from Otago goldminer stock like myself) and the 'new generation'.

Agreed. The huge regional differences within "Chinese" also tend to be glossed over, especially Mainland vs Hong Kong. I recall some good discussion hereabouts at the time of the…

PAUL Did you say the other day law and order is not the priority for people of Mt Albert?

DAVID I said that when I'm in the streets talking to people their key priorities is the tunnel, they desperately want…

I checked the Q & A transcript

Simon, worth checking out video footage if you can. The transcript probably doesn't convey the blustering rudeness adequately.

I assumed this was Keith creatively paraphrasing, or exaggerating for effect, until I checked the Q & A transcript.

Turns out, Melissa Lee really did say it. Oh dear.

Apples. Oranges.

Sacha:

Keith, thank you for resisting the lazy media tide that lumps Chinese, Korean and Pakistani into one simple and…

Shearer is pioneering a new school of thought in New Zealand politics: You don’t need to apologise just because the Gallery read it on Kiwiblog. It’s okay, really.

The joy of being in opposition, tolerance of more than one opinion within the same party.

Chinese, Korean and Pakistani

But not Turkish, Lebanese or Israeli. It isn't even a correct generalisation.

$10 a day from 150,000 vehicles (based on 200,000 daily vehicles through the CMJ, plus another 100k not using the motorway, minus 50% for traffic reduction ) would raise…

“Just look at what happened in Napier.”

I assumed this was Keith creatively paraphrasing, or exaggerating for effect, until I checked the Q & A transcript.

Turns out, Melissa Lee really did say it. Oh dear.

As Joshua points out so succinctly, the Waterview project will not come out of standard transport funding, so there is nothing to…

I laughed. Still, it’s kinda ungenerous of him to say that spending money to avoid bulldozing 600 houses is “buying votes”.

"'What do you mean you've never been to Alpha Centauri? For heaven's sake mankind, it's only four light years away you know. I'm sorry, but if you can't be…

An idea that floated around the campaign launch today was to cost public transport options to see what kind of public transport alternative Waterview could buy instead. Would be great to see how they stack up…

Joshua Arbury has already had a look at this issue on his excellent [[http://transportblog.co.nz/…

Labour also seem to be the only party aware…