Rodney Hide's Henchman gets a seeing to!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3525856/North-Shore-mayor-won-t-resign">> Latest update on North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams.
LATEST: Embattled North Shore mayor Andrew Williams has resisted pressure to resign and now says he will stand for a position on the new Auckland super city council.

But he has not decided what role he will seek.

http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/more-pressure-north-shore-s-mayor-3438736/video"> Close Up interview on North Shore City.
Rodney Hide's Henchman gets a pasting

In Reply to NSTA letter of Misinformation

In reply to H. Schukking for his/her comments (NSTA 25th March) but I am afraid he/she has been misinformed.


1. Firstly there were no ‘secret’ meetings and all councillors were notified of every meeting but it is true that some councillors seemed to go on holiday during the very important December meeting. Those that turned up for work had their projects go forward. In addition, I proposed the motion (CCNL-44, seconded Cr Holman) to release the information into the public agenda.

2. Cr Darby seconded the motion to have the Annual Plan (including this budget) not go out for public consultation (CNL-247).

3. All councillors had the opportunity to nominate projects that they knew were desired by their communities but unfortunately not all did so.

4. Only those projects, gone through the proper process and approved by the ATA, will continue forward.

5. I supported several important projects in the Devonport community area even when Cr Darby voted against them. I did so because I am as aware of the need in the peninsula as I am aware of community needs in the Harbour Ward. I now live in delightful Birkenhead but I first lived in Bayswater from 1957 (before the Bridge) attended Bayswater Primary, Belmont Intermediate and Takapuna Grammar schools. My immediate family have also lived, worked and attended schools in the area and retain very close ties with a large number of friends and colleagues in Takapuna, Devonport, Bayswater and Devonport. I helped secure lovely Takapuna Point for public reserve, I know the community well.

So, while I recognise that the Harbour Ward had been short-changed by successive councils since 1990 I also realise that some projects are important to the Devonport and Bayswater Communities as well. I am also concerned that the new Auckland Council’s focus will be on the CBD and our North Shore communities will once again be marginalised. If we don’t spend the NSC Holdings funds on North Shore projects, the supercity will probably spend it somewhere else, more likely to pay debt racked up by the other local councils.

So those priority projects, which have already been through the process and which communities value must be brought forward, where possible, to ensure their place in the budget is retained.

Fire Levy Ponzi Schemes

I am not surprised that the Fire Service Commission is expressing concern about some companies’ avoiding the Fire Service Levy. In 1998, I raised in Parliament the fact that some large corporations had been using schemes promoted by some large insurance brokerages to avoid their Fire Service Levy. I tabled a broker’s letter on this offer in the House which showed these rorts, equivalent to a massive corporate ponzi scheme were costing the country up to $150 million dollars a year and threatened the very viability of the Fire Service. The lack of funding led to misguided attempts to reduce fire appliance turnouts, fewer firefighters on those trucks and a general increase in community risk. The claims resulted in a Select Committee inquiry into the Fire Service that year. However, the government of the day, also National, brushed the whole avoidance issue under the table. A proposed change of funding mechanism, initiated under Labour, seems to have been shelved by this government and it is time this valued Service was placed onto a more fair system of funding to retain its viability and security.

More Vision and Less Venom Needed

The common cry was that Harbour Ward had continuously missed out on projects and funding from the George Wood led Councils, before I first joined the Birkenhead Northcote Community Board in 2007. Since, I have been disappointed to have seen little effort put into enhancing the community. I have though witnessed two community House employees verbally abused at meetings, attempts to evict pre-school from Northcote even though officers’ reports indicate a chronic shortage of places, an arbitrarily turning down of Council officer recommended businesses parking provisions when instituting a clearway on Onewa Rd, attempts to reduce the gardens and children’s play area at the new library and a tantrum about public toilet provision at Onepoto. Which helps explain the lack of focus on achieving gains for the community.


Now, finally, Council has placed about $6 million of a potential $12million budget to bring forward much needed projects. For example, concerns about sand loss at Little Shoal Bay seems to have first gone before the Community Board in 2006 (BCS.1), but a local resident today advised me that he has been waiting for the Highbury shopping centre upgrade since 1971. This should include a civic square, mainstreet upgrading and developing the empty shops on Birkenhead Ave to enhance the commercial centre. I don’t think Beach Haven has ever had something like $750,000 earmarked for it by any previous Council. Other areas are also gaining much needed amenities through this process but not to the extent as we are in our ward. Even though these projects have had reports they are still in the initial stages, and are to go before committees and will be identified in the Annual Plan process for consultation. However, I have observed Harbour Ward civic ‘leaders’ campaigning against such improvements and even arguing that the money should go to projects outside our community and to events centres that are soon to be turned over to the new council’s commercialised company with a loss of community control.

I have been advised that the effect of bringing these projects forward would also reduce the currently budgeted borrowings and hence debt (and interest payments) in later years. This will leave our City in better shape for the new Council. But, the Auckland Council will have a myriad of distractions and important regional tasks to occupy it over the next few years. So, the community conflict should cease and a focus restored onto community development and building. We have an obligation to our local communities to ensure they are well placed in the new system and our civic leaders have a responsibility to make certain things of local importance and benefit are advanced to ensure they are not lost in transition.

Pipe Dream

I am delighted that the Northboro footbridge will finally get enough money to be completed. I spent many of my youthful years walking or cycling across the old pipe that stretched from O’Neills Point (Bayswater) cemetery to the bottom of Eversleigh Road. It was always a difficult task, slipping and scrambling across the pipe but somehow that added to the adventure. However, I recognise that it is difficult for trekkers to pass each other especially if cycling or walking dogs or pushing strollers. So, this extra $200, 000 will help ensure the ‘pipe-dream’ project is designed and consented and hence prioritised for completion regardless of the decisions and implications of the new City. It also forms part of the Takapuna to Devonport walkway and so its completion will greatly enhance that project. Unfortunately, not all councillors supported this allocation of budget but I am confident that once completed they will join with the community and celebrate a long dreamt of local asset.

The Strip-mining of Auckland

Many Aucklanders feared that Hide had identified their City as another estate to be strip-mined of its assets. ATA’s discussion paper together with the Third Bill illustrates the reality of those fears. The ATA argues that 40 existing CCOs will be rationalised to 8. But the 40 represent mainly minor organisations dealing with small localised needs and some such as NSC Holding are virtually inactive. The new 8 CCOs will wield immense power over people’s lives and as such there is no comparison. The benefits of CCOs are identified by ATA as having an improved commercial focus, tax efficient businesses and yet they appear designed to disempower local communities. They will be separated from the Auckland Council by an advisory board, have many directors appointed by the Minister and control everything from water, roads, the arts, sporting fixtures, the zoo, Westhaven, waterfront and tourism. As well will be aspects of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, MOTAT and the maritime museum. Instead of reducing eight local authorities the CCO proposal serves to create 29 semi-autonomous silos in Auckland. With little democratic input or oversight. Auckland’s local body leaders have worked in virtual unison for years in rejecting Wellington’s plans for their communities. Now central government’s will is being imposed against local knowledge, desire or will. And, the rest of the country quakes knowing that they too are on Wellington’s ‘Green Mile’.