Voting Local 2010

499 Responses

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  • Mike Graham,

    re the Kiwibog comment, the first comment on this Dim-Post sums it up for me:

    this isn’t about left or right politics but about offensive comments that outraged many

    I just hope that our new Auckland Council doesn't think in such polarised left/right terms as the Kiwibog commentators.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    And just for fun, Russell: you've been Kiwibuggered! (h/t Danyl)

    If the KCC (Kiwiblog Commenters' Club) weren't so deadly serious they'd be clowns. Blaming the opposing team for an own goal, eh?

    'Guy Smiley' on DimPost summed it up neatly:

    To be fair to the guy making the useful suggestion about Russell Brown also picked McCain to beat Obama a day or so out from the election, so he’s not exactly what you’d call astute, or a full time resident on our planet.

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

  • Andre Alessi,

    And it took me all of five seconds on Google to find out the correct pronunciation of the surname of the Chief Minister of Delhi. Dix-it not Dick-shit. Doesn't TVNZ have internet access on Sunday morning?

    Actually, I was listening to Coast FM news (it was on the bus, I can't claim responsibility) and they broadcast a clip of Shelia Dikshit pronouncing her name "Sheila Dik-shit" after specifically being asked how it is pronounced, so I don't think you can assume anyone who pronounces it that way is ignorant or hasn't done their research.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    a centre left mayor, record voter turn out and a considerable empowerment of South Auckland.
    Just the destruction of democracy Labour predicted.
    There were quiet a few centre-left people who thought that the amalgamation was a good idea and it has turned out to be so. Pity Labour opposed it.

    For the sake of completeness, Neil, you might wish to add that Labour also established the Royal Commission that led to the super city.

    What Labour tapped into -- and any Opposition party would and should -- was people's sense of being railroaded.

    Without that groundswell the most undemocratic elements of Hide's original bill might have made it to law. That would have been bad for everyone.

    Even so, the rush to amalgamate will have consequences we can barely see yet. Ten of millions of spending has been deferred until it can be made to look like the council's responsibility, and the IS merger has had to be done in a way that will come back and bite us.

    So I think it's perfectly reasonable to be in favour of amalgamation and deeply alarmed at some elements of the way it has been pursued.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    If the KCC (Kiwiblog Commenters' Club) weren't so deadly serious they'd be clowns. Blaming the opposing team for an own goal, eh?

    Their whole sense of identity is tied up in victimhood.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    so I don't think you can assume anyone who pronounces it that way is ignorant or hasn't done their research.

    Fair enough, but not what I'm hearing here.

    And Peter Williams seemed to do a decent job of avoiding being a total dick-shit himself:

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

  • Kyle Matthews,

    so I don't think you can assume anyone who pronounces it that way is ignorant or hasn't done their research.

    I personally wouldn't mind someone who pronounces it as it is written, and even tries to suppress a wee giggle. Not particularly professional, but I couldn't get up in arms about it.

    It's returning to it and giggling like a five year old. Whether or not it's racist, it's just incredibly immature and not becoming of being on TV.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    And it took me all of five seconds on Google to find out the correct pronunciation of the surname of the Chief Minister of Delhi. Dix-it not Dick-shit. Doesn't TVNZ have internet access on Sunday morning?

    And me all of perusing my facebook news feed to find a different answer:

    I imagine this is what Andre heard.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart,

    If the KCC (Kiwiblog Commenters' Club) weren't so deadly serious they'd be clowns. Blaming the opposing team for an own goal, eh?

    Nooo! Please think of another acronym! The KCC are the blameless junior branch of Forest and Bird.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And me all of perusing my facebook news feed to find a different answer

    I'm sorry I don't speak Australian. :) Anyway, Aussie breakfast television hosts should stick to their knitting like slut-shaming rape victims (apparently, girls, if you get raped by a football player more fool you for being a "stray") -- which Nine is apparently perfectly comfortable with.

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

  • Ben Chapman,

    And it took me all of five seconds on Google to find out the correct pronunciation of the surname of the Chief Minister of Delhi. Dix-it not Dick-shit. Doesn't TVNZ have internet access on Sunday morning?

    If her name is standard Hindi it would probably be दीक्षित and the closest way to represent it in English would be "Di-kshit". It could be the way the name is separated in syllables that makes the difference in how it sounds.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    And just for fun, Russell: you've been Kiwibuggered! (h/t Danyl)

    You didn't quote the best bit Craig (by Danyl on his site):

    First they came for Russell, and I did not speak up because I don’t own an iPad . . .

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Their whole sense of identity is tied up in victimhood.

    And then the pot said to the kettle, "Hello!"

    Their sense of victimhood is more akin to old boys' network entitlement.

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    If her name is standard Hindi it would probably be दीक्षित and the closest way to represent it in English would be "Di-kshit". It could be the way the name is separated in syllables that makes the difference in how it sounds.

    You learn something new and of limited utility every day! :)

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

  • Neil Morrison,

    For the sake of completeness, Neil, you might wish to add that Labour also established the Royal Commission that led to the super city.

    I was being cute. The Clark govt did set this all in motion and I agreed with that. But Labour in opposition chose to play a negative role and try and stir up discontent.

    There was always going to be an element of railroading because the govt would have to fight the entrenched vested interests of the Auckland local bodies. Labour or National it would have been the same.

    It never was going to be the end of democracy as Labour claimed. And I see now Goff is saying the that Labour will work with the super city. I hope he doesn't think that it's only democracy when his team wins.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    But Labour in opposition chose to play a negative role and try and stir up discontent.

    Compact flourescent bulbs are burning down our houses!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Neil: the structure initially proposed by Hide was anti-democratic, and to some extent still is. I don't see the hypocrisy in pointing that out.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    I figured this was worth a proper post....

    So in other words, doing the Greater London Council thing would do the Govt no favours? Then again, Len Brown doesn't seem to come across as the bolshie 'Red Ken' Livingstone type.

    If it were only that simple....

    Ken Livingstone in the days of “Red Ken” probably had a role to play in the downfall of the GLC. This piece of history is still an interesting message for the “New Auckland”.

    Ken Livingstone has recently received the Labour nomination to run against “Boris the bicycle Johnson” in the next GLA election. It is worth noting that the GLA is a rather different beast to the old GLC. The nominations are highly politicised and I do wonder if the same will come about in Auckland over time.

    Joyce (roads) vs Brown (Public Transport) is an interesting standoff indeed – but I agree not on the scale of the old GLC vs. the Tories.

    But here’s the bit I really wanted to get to.

    How many of Auckland’s mayoral candidates were willing or capable of putting their name to a policy document such as this. Which comes from a man who charges cars to drive into central London; making many "proper" politicians look gutless by comparison.

    Where does New Zealand find such a mayor ?

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Wellington, on Wednesday?

    *fingers crossed*

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Neil: the structure initially proposed by Hide was anti-democratic, and to some extent still is. I don't see the hypocrisy in pointing that out.

    Me neither. Especially seeing as raising merry hell about it did actually result in some significant changes.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    Changes were made during the public consultation process - which was always going to happen. I can't see how any of that was anti-democratic.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    First they came for Russell, and I did not speak up because I don’t own an iPad . . .

    Made me LOL.

    And while we're talking about Red Ken:

    He ran for mayor of London in 2000, and won, primarily because he was an 'up yours, tony' candidate (similar to the 'anyone but banks' vote here).

    Despite supposedly being a baby-eating hardcore marxist, he was also pragmatic enough to appoint the very highly respected but politically opposite Robert R. Kiley, as his transport commissioner. From Wiki:

    Kiley, who was given a $4m four-year contract was regarded as a strange bedfellow for "Red" Ken Livingstone - the former firebrand socialist elected London's first mayor in 2000. Indeed they themselves described their working relationship as "a CIA activist working for an unreconstructed Trotskyite". However, Livingstone's and Kiley's views on London transport have proved very similar. Both were vehemently opposed to the government's plans for public-private partnerships (PPP) in running of the tube. Kiley was sacked as chairman of London Regional Transport in July 2001 and repeated clashes with his boss, Transport Secretary Stephen Byers.

    Remaining as Commissioner of Transport for London, he and Livingstone took the government to court in trying to prevent PPP. They failed and in January 2003 three separate private companies took control of maintaining various tube lines. In July 2003 powers for running the rest of the Tube network, including manning and maintaining the stations, was transferred to Transport for London and London Regional Transport became defunct. Kiley welcomed the opportunity to take greater control over the running over the tube but warned that he felt he would be hampered by PPP:

    And what was the result of the PPP? From Wiki:

    One of the key points of conflict between Livingstone and the Labour Party had been the proposed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) deal for the London Underground. Livingstone had run in 2000 on a policy of financing the improvements to Tube infrastructure by a public bond issue, which had been done in the case of the New York City Subway. However the Mayor did not have power in this area at the time as the Underground operated independently of Transport for London. The PPP deal went ahead against his wishes in July 2002, but it did not diminish Livingstone's desire to re-join Labour. Metronet, one of the winners of the contract for PPP, subsequently went into administration in July 2007. It was subsequently bailed out by the UK Government at a cost of £2 billion.

    Now, for 10 points, can anyone point out to me the possible lessons for Auckland there?

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Me neither. Especially seeing as raising merry hell about it did actually result in some significant changes.

    Yes, Russell, because that's how democracy works - not how it dies. Personally, I don't want to hear Penny Hulse saying "many of us didn't support the Super City" ever again because it's her bloody job to make it work. Many of "us" didn't support MMP either - and it's very far from a flawless electoral system - but you've got to give Helen Clark and Jim Bolger full credit for accepting they weren't on the winning side of that argument.

    Now, for 10 points, can anyone point out to me the possible lessons for Auckland there?

    Well, I'm sure Len Brown would say that there's plenty of lessons. But I've got to wonder how many non-Werewolf reading Morning Report listeners were shocked to find he's keen but rather vague on the subject.

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

  • LegBreak,

    My favourite, possibly apocryphal, Red Ken quote; from the 1980s.

    “The day Thatcher is no longer Prime Minister of this country, complete strangers will make love on the underground

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    It's nice that the people of Auckland voted in an centre-left mayor and council.

    It'd be better if the newly elected representatives could have decided the level of staffing for the new council and influenced key purchasing decisions.

    And if they could decide to run some services directly instead of therough unaccountable CCOs.

    And if local boards could have had tax raising powers and the ability to run local services.

    And if towns that happen to be somwhere near Auckland and have a rural, conservative population could be left with their own councils.

    And if the council could have been elected by a fair, proportional voting system that would give wider representation and limit the mayor's power.

    Etc.

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

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