Posts by Ben Ross
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It was the most important story for the print edition of the Herald as it panders to the ultra conservative group that most likely prop up the ailing print edition (who's readership is still declining)
As for the marginalised five they are slowly signing their own warrants in the next election especially if good contenders run against them and the Council gets on with its job as it has been doing since the elections last year.
In any case the main safeguard towards wayward Councils is there and has not been used - that is installing Commissioners. If the Government was that concerned over Len we would have had commissioners put in by now.
But no the Council and Government continue its awkward relationship. The Unitary Plan is about to go through the hearings process and we have the Special Housing Areas. The Government and Mayor are lined up with a transport package although that needs a bit of reworking. Businesses seem to be chugging along well enough and have no concerns towards the Council that are out of the ordinary.And true and actual people power is working with the Council as well.
Twice AT have backed down and sought compromise with the communities over the East-West Link. For myself personally after three years of advocacy attention from Council has turned to getting Manukau out of its auto dominated past into something more vibrant and worthy in representing its South Auckland base.So yes there are some pitfalls with the Council and the Mayor but there are positives as well worth mentioning.
This perennially marginalised group and to some extents the marginalised five Councillors are starting to disrupt the legitimate business of Council and the legitimate business of citizens and businesses trying to participate without having to fear constant disruption by a very small few
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Hehe Simon pulling another heavy hit again I see this time against Cameron Brewer. Ah well least it wasn't Chris Fletcher or Mike Lee like last year when Simon wrote on both of them.
As for this:
It’s hard not to feel sympathy for Penny Hulse and the other productive Auckland Councillors: once for the way Brown’s stupidity compromised them, and twice and thrice over for the way their work will be impeded this year by the cranks and self-seekers who cannot see past their pursuit of the mayor. Auckland needs to get some big things done in the next three years. We can can only hope the city will be allowed to move on.
After a comment our Deputy Mayor left behind when I picked up a remark from Greg Presland I say Penny and the other senior councillors are ready to go and will be taking no prisoners to those cranks and self seekers as you put it Russell.\
The various committees have their briefs and their jobs to do (and some of those committees will have very heavy work loads). Speaking personally I am in no particular mood for cranks and self-seekers either. Unitary Plans, Area Plans, Transport Plans and plenty other things to keep one busy for most of the year and have no time for the cranks