Posts by Sacha
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and the mayor was the leader who could command a majority of members
Which is effectively what happens after the election anyway - when all those "independents" suddenly find they only have choice of two main voting blocs after all. Hence my cynicism.
Local government runs its affairs more like First Past the Post than MMP, regardless of the voting method it uses at public elections. I think some otherwise smart voters are not grasping that, judging by arguments I've seen elsewhere recently. In a way it's a tribute to the effect of MMP government on our expectations.
Committee chairs get casting votes which gives whoever appoints them a little more power - in Auckland for instance, that's the new supermayor. Otherwise it's simple majority decisions and the largest bloc wins (subject to the usual horse-trading and reading of shifting public opinion).
Blocs often vote regardless of the quality of argument from other perspectives, though you have to hope it has some influence over time. The Mayor can be outvoted by an opposing bloc on any issue.
Perversely, just like our previous national electoral system, strong competition from multiple players on one side can often gift a win to the other with an even smaller fraction of the total votes on that decision and of the public mandate.
By all means, vote for an independent candidate if they most closely reflect your values and priorities - but do have some idea where their vote will go after you've elected them. And I agree, being sure of that takes more info that we're getting.
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double, double, toil 'n' trouble
I knew someone would go there.
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Ask Brownlee - he's in charge isn't he?
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Thanks, Jolisa and Chris. Ihimaera losing both parents really changes the context of this latest wrinkle in the tale, for me.
I agree with Ngaire and Craig that it doesn't excuse Penguin not releasing just a tad more information. A respectfully-crafted sentence acknowledging that grief changes priorities and capabilites would have done wonders. Along with some simple honesty about having no intention of carrying through with their earlier public promises.
Witi's beautiful obituary for his mother mentions:
She had a strong moral compass, too: something was either right or wrong and there were no ifs, buts or maybes.
I wonder what she'd make of this?
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Bit like living with a going-on-9-year-old boy in your head, then?
Not a bad description of Aspergers (not that I'm being diagnostic or scientific or any such thing, alright).
when it's two and half pages
Fortunately some 9 year olds are less talkative than that
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How hard can it be?
To find an excuse? She's a professional.
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different political potiions
Aaagh. Different political positions
My fingers remain crossed that the site redesign also removes the broken scripting that locks me out of editing at crucial moments.
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Neutrality is soo last year.
Anything goesThanks, Sofie. That story is interesting.
Former National Party president Michelle Boag is facing fresh conflict of interest claims after she solicited money and votes for John Banks' mayoral campaign in emails bearing Super City recruitment contractor Momentum's letterhead.
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When asked, Ms Boag initially said she saw no issue with Momentum's branding appearing on the political emails. The emails were personal and sent in her own time.
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Ms Boag later told the Herald she had discussed the matter with Mr Ashby and they had agreed it was inappropriate for her personal emails to bear Momentum branding.
"We are talking to our IT people about how to disable it."
Not only does Boag seem to not see how that is wrong, she is too ignorant to just use a private email account. Or you might say it's framing it as some technical problem that's to blame, not a human decision.
I'll let voters decide what that tells them about the character of some folk who believe they're entitled to run your city - and our country. This gem should help mansplain how all that "independence" works.
In another email also bearing Momentum livery and under the heading "John Banks for Mayor", Ms Boag says she wants "a more experienced Mayor for the first Super City which will also help the National Party to another term in central government".
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It's a classic case of our need to invest in civics education and ongoing broad publicity campaigns, when a smart voter doesn't have basic information about what different bodies even do, let alone their influence over time or how different political potiions might shape that.
It's not just the 'technical' stuff about enviromental management, traffic engineering and community development theory, but yes, it's far from common knowledge for most of us.
Councils shape cities. Along with DHBs they strongly influence the wellbeing of the people who live in their area, directly and indirectly. Yet we all have more chance of knowing what some minor celebrity wore to Fashion Week or ate for breakfast.
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I know it's not about voting, but lest we forget for whose benefit a region was rogered:
Auckland's building industry has been upset for many years by inconsistencies in approach and time delays in the processing of consent applications by different councils in the region.
The region's building industry sees the controls area as a litmus test of the success of the Super City.