Posts by Paul Williams
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Interesting that Slater tried to use depression as an excuse for breaching suppression orders. I sense a grain of truth in that. I hope he gets better for his own and everyone else's sakes. I guess we'll see if this punishment works, and if it doesn't, whether that tempers any of his attitudes to the value of harsh punishments for lawbreakers.
I suspect you're right Ben.
I'll be honest though, I struggle to have sympathy for him despite believing he is unwell. I say this as a person who has had limited direct experience with people suffering from mental ill-health. That said, my experiences do include otherwise decent people behaving out of character and causing harm. Unlike Slater however, in my experience, the person was remorseful, offered an apology and made an effort to get well (with support from many).
I don't spend much time following Slater, so maybe I've missed it, but I don't get any sense that he understands his behaviour is any way unacceptable. I also wonder if some of his "friends" are egging him on?
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Still, as I said two weeks ago, isn't it ironic that Julia Gillard doesn't believe in two people of the same gender being allowed to marry, but is now finding political polygamy well inside her comfort zone.
Yup.
Yes, but come on, CR...Tony Abbott is probably a goner after this, and will be replaced by someone more palatable to the electorate. And there already seems to be friction over the Libs deputy leadership. Snatching defeat from the jaws of near-victory, anyone?
I don't think they'll roll Abbott quite so quickly. He'll reasonably claim he took them to within a whisker and that there's a chance another election could occur soon. The Bishop thing is longstanding - and as much about Western Australians as anything else.
As much as I'd love to see Turnbull their leader, I can't vote and if I could, I'd not vote Liberal (unless I lived in his electorate, in which case I most certainly would).
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Digressing briefly across the ditch...bluidyhell. Does anyone believe that this Bob Katter bloke isn't an utter tosser outside his native Far Right -oops, Far North- Queensland?
He's a classic Australian politician and a reasonable proxy for many far north Queenslanders. He certainly odd, conservative, protectionist and Christian. But he's also genuine. I don't mind politicians I disagree with if they're at least sincere and in Katter's case, he also faithfully represents his constituents.
I can't abide the cynical, focus-grouped, pastiche politician who only ever says what s/he thinks you want to hear and has little if any conviction. I want to know who I'm voting for and against.
And, to his credit, he walked away from a deal with Labor when the Libs, who'd done bugger all for the bush for decades according to Katter, came up with more of what he'd asked for and because he thought it was the right thing by his electorate (whether it was or not isn't the point).
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Yarbury says:
So how could we go about making boarding times faster? Well perhaps the biggest step is underway already in terms of implementing integrated smart-card ticketing. The new tickets will not require interaction with the driver, so you’ll be able to board even while someone is stuffing around digging out the last 10 cents for their fare. Furthermore, smart-card boarding is incredibly fast. So a lot of improvements are already in the works – and I don’t think it has quite been appreciated the level of difference this will make for those catching the bus.
All buses in the CBD of Sydney require you to have a pre-paid ticket, ten trip or single, purchased from thousands of places. It does speed things up... now I fear I'm entirely unqualified to stay any longer in this geek-zone...
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Buses have other advantages, don't forget. You don't have to park the buggers. That matters if you're going to the city all day. Also, you don't have to own them, nor learn how to drive them.
These things are all true, however if you have the choice of driving or taking public transport, I think the public transport option is best when it is also quicker. We don't generally disagree Ben, I just think the lack of extensive and permanent transport lanes is an impediment to mass use of buses (but I understand double tracking is underway for metro trains?)
Apropos nothing in particular, for a while I've found it hard to participate in PAS (work et al) and I've missed it greatly. It remains a wonderfully engaging forum full of generous folk.
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Naturally people on buses go slower. That needs to improve, but I'm not sure if the cart can travel before the horse.
Ben, I actually think this is a big deal. For me, buses lose their appeal if they're not at least as fast, if not faster than cars.
It costs me $27 a week to travel twice a day on a bus from the CBD to inner west and back. I don't always get a seat but there's very regular services and the bus lanes ensures that, even if the bus stops at most stops, I travel much more quickly than cars at rush hour.
I'd happily return to live in Akl, it's a great city with lots of appeal but public transport needs improving - it's certainly not nearly ready for significant population growth.
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I find it quite amazing that transport really is the number one issue, and virtually to the exclusion of the others. I mean honestly FFS Auckland's bloody easy to get around, I always think that when I get back home from anywhere, even places that have frikken awesome public transport. It's got a bloody motorway right through the middle of it.
It's one of the obvious points of comparison with other NZ and international cities and it fails in my opinion. Leaving aside the Sydney ferries which are hopelessly inefficient and heavily subsidised, the train and bus system in Sydney is vastly superior to Auckland's because of more and better services including more permanent bus lanes. Melbourne's got pretty good arrangements too though I've not lived there.
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Thanks Roger. I'd not thought about the numbers/coverage and your right to point out that Sydney City is small - I live less than five kms from the CBD and am not in Sydney City myself.
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Tussle for wider power this first time, and first past post, hence the parties. Some smart independents likely in 2013.
Thanks Sacha, this makes sense.
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Was never going to be room for more than two viable candidates, given the politics.
What's interesting is that they're both so clearly aligned with the major political parties. The Lord Mayor of Sydney, broadly equivalent I believe, is an independent, Clover Moore. Her predecessor, Lucy Turnbull (wife of Malcolm) was an independent also (though clearly with Liberal support).
FWIW, I'd be happy enough (from Sydney) for Len Brown to win not least of all because I grew up in Manukau, my grandfather is a former deputy mayor of Manukau and I went to the same school as Brown (plus I'm a freshly (re)minted member of Labour)... I'm just wondering why an independent can't win?