Voting Local 2010

499 Responses

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    I say this with love, but could Kerry Prendergast please shut the fuck up.

    If the Hun can deal with STV at local, state and federal elections, I think poor dumb Wellywooders can elect a mayor without suffering from brain bleeds.

    It's not an "unfair and undemocratic" system that exploits ignorant people, and gives losers a double dip. Like Anderton in Christchurch, it's depressing watching her being outclassed by Banksie. Whatever else you say about the man, he handled a very public landslide defeat with grace and dignity. I

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

  • David Hood,

    Yup, I'm going to try for a little more subtlety on the next version, which if I can get the module working the way I want it to should also get rid of the arrows, just placing friendly people near each other.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I say this with love, but could Kerry Prendergast please shut the fuck up.

    The reports I saw yesterday were embarassing. "STV cost me this election."

    Which is nonsense. There's no way you can take the first choices of an STV election (or the results of an STV election before special votes are counted) and say that they equate to a FPP election. People will vote differently under STV, people that have no chance of getting elected will get a lot more first choices because people know that their votes are still going to count.

    Fail at winning elections, fail at being gracious afterwards, fail at attacking the voting system for being the cause. Way to go out on a low note.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    And here is version 2 of my DCC Central ward relationship graph.
    again, pdf on google sites
    Based on highest, second highest, and lowest vote reassignment when a candidate is excluded. Black lines are favoured (thickness of line showing strength) red lines are the least liked by the candidates voters.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    In other news, I hope someone will be advising "the Mayor for all Aucklanders" that this is sending out a mixed message:

    Auckland mayor-elect Len Brown has opened Labour's annual conference in Auckland to cheers and a standing ovation as the party prepares to debate radical changes to its economic and social policy mix.

    Labour is clearly hoping some of Mr Brown's success, which saw him beat former National minister John Banks by more than 60,000 votes, will rub off on the party as it struggles to make an impression on National's long-standing poll lead.

    Mr Brown, the self-styled "uniter", and Labour leader Phil Goff embraced on stage beneath the sign proclaiming the conference theme: higher incomes, better jobs.

    Mr Goff introduced Mr Brown as an independent candidate for mayor but a Labour mayor from south Auckland. {Emphasis added -- CR}

    As delegates cheered Mr Brown called out "65,000 majority - what do you think about that?"

    Well, Len, not to be churlish but your mandate was 49% of a 51.5% turn-out, and as others have pointed out here you've going to have to work with a more finely balanced council that some over-excited pundit seem to believe.

    Dick Hubbard managed to squander a hell of a lot of political good will with indecent haste and ended up as a one-term wonder. Len might want to take a look at how Celia Wade-Brown is walking the "uniter not a divider" talk.

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

  • Sacha,

    There's a huge gulf in relevant experience between Brown and Hubbard. And I don't see any lack of walking the talk going on by Brown at this stage either. Have I missed some news?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Have I missed some news?

    The "Mayor of ALL Aucklanders", who ran as an independent, might want to think twice about being the warm up act at any party political conference in future. I'd also advise him to politely but firmly tell Phil Goff not to call him a "Labour mayor" again.

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

  • Sacha,

    OK, though I wonder how many non-Labour voters will feel excluded by that (already known) association. Somehow I doubt Banks would have sworn off the National party conference or endorsement if the shoe were on the other foot.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Naughty Len Brown. We haven't seen such shameless behaviour since John Banks at the National Party conference three months ago.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    We haven't seen such shameless behaviour since John Banks at the National Party conference three months ago.

    Whose partisan tone I wasn't awfully impressed by either -- and I happen to know a fair few out of town delegates who were unamused by the conference opening being jacked into a Auckland mayoral campaign event.

    It certainly wasn't the anodyne "Welcome, visitors, please empty you wallets before you leave and don't make a mess" that appears in event programs from Kaitaia to the Bluff every week of the year.

    Anyway is "the lying Anti-Christ did it too" really the kind of bench-mark you want to use? :)

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

  • Sacha,

    Two more views on the supercity mayoral campaigns.

    Fran O'Sullivan about Brown's engagement with the business community.

    One of the great untold stories of Len Brown's mayoralty campaign is the series of private lunches he held at Tony Astle's superb Antoine's restaurant to woo some of Auckland's most influential business people.

    Antoines is also John Key's favourite Parnell haunt. With wife Bronagh, he is a frequent Sunday night diner.

    Aucklanders won't know for a couple of months yet just how successful Brown was in converting those hardcore business people into financial supporters. But good taste counts.

    And ex-journo Scott Campbell diaries the Banks campaign as its pragmatic media manager.

    Tonight Banks and Brown battle one last time - television's Close Up with Mark Sainsbury. The polls aren't looking flash. Banks needs "his voters" - Auckland City and the Shore - to start posting their ballots. Time for a last ditch call to arms?

    In his final comment Banks lets loose-he has little support in the South so no harm in calling it a social disaster. Does it work? Not sure, but we're up against it. Why not?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    We haven't seen such shameless behaviour since John Banks at the National Party conference three months ago.

    Whose partisan tone I wasn't awfully impressed by either -- and I happen to know a fair few out of town delegates who were unamused by the conference opening being jacked into a Auckland mayoral campaign event.

    I'm thinking of opening a sweepstake on how long it'll be before you think of something neutral-to-positive to say about Len Brown ;-)

    I'm surprised to hear that those delegates didn't approve -- although the standing ovation Brown received would seem to suggest they were in the minority. Having Brown step up seems like a very good way to open the conference to me. Why wouldn't they want to associate themselves with victory?

    Brown's campaign manager was a young 2008 Labour electorate candidate, and he brought with him Labour people who were prepared to work hard for Brown. I don't really see Brown thanking those people and delivering a message of inclusion as inappropriate.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Is Scott Campbell saying here that the Prime Minister did a fundraiser for Banks? Interesting.

    We've jumped the Olympic hurdle for most of the day. Polls are still good. Tonight we're off to a swanky hotel for an evening with two Johns - Banks and Key (shh, don't tell anyone though, it's not an endorsement)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Maybe the just met at a swanky hotel. You know, while Goff was home eating fish and chips and watching the footie.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'm thinking of opening a sweepstake on how long it'll be before you think of something neutral-to-positive to say about Len Brown ;-)

    Shove the smiley, Russell -- It was, IMO, a stupid and tone-deaf move to be effusing at a party political conference less than a week after being elected. Don't have to agree, but the imputation of bad faith was uncalled for. And as soon as the Council does anything praiseworthy (which I wasn't expecting in the first week) I'll be dancing down the street and strewing rose petals -- shouldn't take long, as I've no reason to back off from my initial view that the council is more balanced and generally sensible that the Mayor seems to be.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    Shove the smiley, Russell -- It was, IMO, a stupid and tone-deaf move to be effusing at a party political conference less than a week after being elected.

    Fair enough, but I suspect you're in a minority in thinking so.

    It strikes me that Brown is now a significant influence on Labour, from outside.

    With Andrew Little apparently having kicked off his medium-term plan for leadership, it seems that the party's bases are shifting somewhat.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    Labour, Green or deeply pink it would be politic of a smart party to invite the Mayor of 1/3rd of the country to their opening simply because as National is finding out, having one mayor speak for 1.3m is a good thing for us all, and deeply discomforting for who-ever is warming the benches in Wellington.

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Has anyone also noticed John Roughan has been rather "lalalalala, I can't hear you" lately about 'Red Len' taking the mayoral chains? Judging by his advertorials in the lead-up, he was tacitly in favour of Banksie.

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

  • Rich of Observationz,

    They should all run for the party they happen to belong to, IMHO and stop pretending to be independent when they're not.

    Brown is a Labour mayor, Celia is a Green mayor, Parker is a National mayor.

    Has it occurred to the parties that if they got behind local politicians who then do a good job, it could help them get elected nationally?

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

  • Just thinking,

    Sideshow just doesn't get it.

    Band together is alcohol free, except for his VIP tent.

    I'll be packing a hip-flask of Bushmills in protest.

    http://bethere.co.nz/community/2010/5109-band-together

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Russell, you might want to sit down but I don't think this was at all fair to Len Brown -- not least the #Heraldfail special, the blaring headline with a tenuous relationship to the already sketchy story.

    So, the Manukau City Council made a unanimous decision that was not greeted with universal praise. Well, shag me sideways with a genetically modified turnip...

    I will resume my usual tsunami of psychotic Brown-bashing after this commercial break...

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

  • nzlemming,

    Hmmm, a 5 hour commercial break. I think we've broken Craig.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Hmmm, a 5 hour commercial break. I think we've broken Craig.

    Nah... Brown's got to do something stupid before I harsh on him. Otherwise, I might as well go sell my soul to Kiwibog or the Sub-standard, and that's the very definition of sub-prime mortgage.

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

  • Mike Graham,

    The mayoral results on a ward by ward (and therefore previous city) basis are now out. Results

    It does seem that Banks received approx 20,000 more votes in this election in the old Auckland than he did in 2007, but Brown still won in the old Akl.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

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