Voting Local 2010
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I've voted for Cathy Casey because I think she's hard-working and intelligent.
Yes and she's a genuine, cool, good person too.
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And she's a dog lover. What's not to love?
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And trees, likes the trees.
And I am liking her artistic abilities. -
Don't really have the heart to seek it out online, but today's Herald carries a full-page ad from Family First ranking the Auckland mayoral candidates on a range of 'family friendly policies'.
Results are presented via the highly technical means of smiley "yes"/ frowning "no" / neutral "not sure" emoticons.
The policies pushed for are pretty much the usual from McCroskie et al - clamping down on street prostitution, banning Boobs on Bikes, the Erotica Expo and anything even vaguely of that sort, pre-vetted G-rated billboards only, and that sort of thing. (Others actually seem halfway reasonable to me, in fact, but we'll get to that.)
Overall it seems Simon Prast comes out with the most frowny faces. Banks, Brown and Colin Craig are roughly line-ball with an equal spread of ratings. Note however that there are no instances where Brown gets a smily face but Banks does not - it would seem he's the pick of the two front-runners for the McCroskie brand of 'family friendliness'.
Banks is down as supporting bylaws to mandate G-rated public billboards and for restrictions on brothels in residential areas or near schools, playgrounds or shopping areas - Brown is rated 'not sure' on these.
Banks is also 'not sure' on whether he would ban Boobs on Bikes and R-rated events on council property - Brown has said 'no' to such bans, and earns two of Bob McCroskie's frowny faces.
All candidates except Simon Prast are apparently in favour of introducing bylaws to ban street prostitution. Again, all candidates except Prast have apparently said they will restrict alcohol outlets in residential areas and limit trading hours.
There's a policy on "Affordable Housing", which asks if candidates will amend zoning to unlock more land for building to bring house prices down for first-home buyers. (In other words - suburbia continuing out into the wops forever.) All candidates showed as neutral on this particular 'family friendly' policy, except for Colin Craig who I believe is/was a property developer by trade. How odd.
Overall, the person who seems to come out of it best for the wowser crowd is apparently Andrew Williams - except for that ridiculous 'affordable zoning' question, he gets the nod for their full shopping list of policies. Make of that what thou wilst.
From my POV, a moment of brightness to end, though: all candidates apparently support a reducing/sinking lid policy on pokie machines (except for Craig and Prast, who are neutral), and all except Simon Prast (neutral again) have said they will lobby the government for greater regulation of loan sharks especially in lower socio-economic areas.
Well, those are what I thought were the key points anyway - if, like me, a thumbs down from Family First almost always means a definite thumbs up from you, it's interesting information to have...
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Russell:
I don't know how I can be much stronger that admitting I was just WRONG and unfairly accused Mr. McCarten of a serious ethical lapse.
I offer Matt an unreserved apology, and will repeat this to him in a personal e-mail.
To be fair, Russell, can I do any better than that?
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I offer Matt an unreserved apology, and will repeat this to him in a personal e-mail.
To be fair, Russell, can I do any better than that?
No, and I'm sure Matt wouldn't even expect the email. I just thought you moved on a bit quick from the acknowledgement.
I did feel my council choices were agreeably straightforward. While I might not agree with Casey and Fryer on every political point, they're known quantities and I had no trouble trusting them.
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I did feel my council choices were agreeably straightforward. While I might not agree with Casey and Fryer on every political point, they're known quantities and I had no trouble trusting them.
Fair enough, and whatever their personal relationship you hardly need a Ph.D. in political science to realise that McCarten and Casey are ideologically simpatico. And I did have to chuckle a bit at his "better the right-wing bastard you don't always want to beat with a stick" nod to Cameron Brewer. I heartily endorse that statement. :)
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"better the right-wing bastard you don't always want to beat with a stick" nod to Cameron Brewer.
Heh. I totally get that, even though Brewer sometimes seems phenomenally irritating to me.
But I'm puzzled by his hoarding on Pt Chevalier Road. We're not his ward, but he's scribbled "Pt Chev Man" on the top corner. Or possibly "Pt Chev Nan", which would make even less sense. Unless, like, his Nan lived here ...
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Interesting that the C&R hoardings around us have had their original slogan -- "Let's make our region succeed" -- covered with a new one, on flouro green card: "Lowest possible rates".
It looks a bit desperate.
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I had thought that bribing people to cast a vote (as opposed to voting for a candidate) could not be "corrupt".
If we had ballot box voting for council, most of these abuses would be much harder.
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It looks a bit desperate.
Also, not quite supported by their record and who the hell campaigns on "highest possible rates"?
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I noticed that Russell - smack bang on the corner of Mt Eden Rd. I am very much hoping Aucklanders aren't stupid enough to fall for that one. Cos y'know, rates have just gone up.
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There's a policy on "Affordable Housing", which asks if candidates will amend zoning to unlock more land for building to bring house prices down for first-home buyers. (In other words - suburbia continuing out into the wops forever.) All candidates showed as neutral on this particular 'family friendly' policy, except for Colin Craig who I believe is/was a property developer by trade. How odd.
We all know that "affordable housing" when said by the Suburbistani tribe is really a trojan horse for McMansions developers, for the simple fact that they'll have the most to profit from it. And how many of these McMansions actually have more than 1-2 kids?
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Did you not know that Jesus was a property developer? All that "carpenter" businesses was about throwing up timber framed villas in the outer reaches of Galilee using his trusty team of subbies / disciples.
He only came unstuck due to the Romans robust approach to code compliance. Apparently his last words were "ok mate. so I used untreated timber for outside walls. You aren't gonna nail me to a tree for it?"
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I'm glad you find those qualities in Cathy Casey, because I struggle to find them myself, having been in a 'working' relationship with her.
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DPF getting merrily stuck in to Len Brown again.
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We all know that "affordable housing" when said by the Suburbistani tribe is really a trojan horse for McMansions developers, for the simple fact that they'll have the most to profit from it.
Further to this: over at Kiwiblog, Owen McShane is not happy that the Charities Commission doesn't regard gutting the RMA as a legitimate charitable purpose.
But it was all about housing affordability all along! Won't someone think of the children?
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DPF getting merrily stuck in to Len Brown again.
Further spreading the lie with that conflation of Council with Mayoral decision-making power, just like the dimwitted Herald story as I noted upthread:
"Auckland City is the only Council to be transparent on this issue. why won’t Len Brown reveal the size of the golden handshake he agreed to with the Manukau City CEO?"
Of course Mr Farrar knows exactly what he's doing.
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Further to this: over at Kiwiblog, Owen McShane is not happy that the Charities Commission doesn't regard gutting the RMA as a legitimate charitable purpose.
Jesus. That whole thread went mildly insane from there, didn't it?
They had some legitimate raw meat about debt-fuelled growth from Bernard Hickey, and still everyone nutted off about their own thing. Abolish the Charities Commission, etc, etc. Gah.
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Hoorah! My voting papers arrived while I was out of town. Now to see if I can get them back to NZ in time for the deadline!
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Jesus. That whole thread went mildly insane from there, didn't it?
They had some legitimate raw meat about debt-fuelled growth from Bernard Hickey, and still everyone nutted off about their own thing. Abolish the Charities Commission, etc, etc. Gah.
Sounds like the usual suspects are sensing the beginning of the end of their little pseudo-empire.
And am I not the only one to draw comparisons with Family Fist and Orwellian Goodsex?
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You are not alone DeepRed!
(And really like Orwellian Goodsex.)The sooner the better for the end of that lot-
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If talent and hard work were the criteria they’d both top the poll (I should disclose that Cathy Casey is an ex-partner of mine - but I wouldn't hold that against her - she's still a good candidate).
For info: Page modified:Monday, 27 September 2010 3:08:45 p.m.
Note: I have no connection with Matt at all, I just happened to be reading the page later than everyone else (as usual).
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Disclosure with humour even - bravo
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This week's Media7 moves on from our recent show about the Auckland Super City election campaign to look at local body races around the country.
Our panel for the show is Wanganui Chronicle editor Ross pringle (who will have some fairly striking things to say about working in Laws Town); Tom Conroy of Southland's Cue TV; Lani Sowter of Northland's Tautoko FM; and the delightful Joanna McLeod, whose work on the Wellingtonista blog has been putting the Dom Post to shame.
If you'd care to join us for tomorrow's recording, we'll need you to arrive at the Victoria Street entrance of TVNZ by 5.30pm. Do try and click the little envelope under my name and drop me a note if you're coming.
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