Biased Articles that no one reads anyway really

Dear sir, A more balanced article about Auckland's Unitary Plan would have been overly optimistic I suppose. But a cynical, sneering poorly informed article appearing in the June issue depicted an ideological bias not seen since the writing of the Draft plan itself. I attended most of the meetings discussed and saw only concerned residents seeking answers unable to be found in either the Council's text nor its maps. Even if one was able to access the clunky website, purchase a copy for $1800 or attend a PR meeting most would have been left bewildered. Hence it was important to arrange more open meetings where the community could speak rather than be spoken to. The meetings were arranged after local board members were told there was no budget for such meaningful consultation. It is interesting that a budget was suddenly found after a group of us started to arrange our own meetings. Not only was a budget found but the Local Board timetabled their meetings at the last minute to coincide with our local community meetings. Coincidence? Maybe. But, the funding of young people to leaflet outside some of the community meetings, apparently on a Local Board budget was not. The issue is that Auckland Council based as it fundamental assumption that Auckland would have to accommodate $1million more people in 30 years and panicked. However, Statistics NZ have a recommended projection of 300,000 less than Auckland Council's figure. If the basic assumption is wrong then Council should review their planning. It is important for the Unitary Plan to be shaped at this stage rather than relying on the more formal, technical submission stage. But, the hopes of many who thought that the submission stage would allow the chance for meaningful engagement were dashed when it was made public that Council was lobbying hard to get the Resource Management Act amended to make it legally operative in September (earlier than currently lawful). This action and more recent comments from the Deputy Mayor undermined faith that the Council will heed feedback. But, if nothing else the community is now talking about the Unitary Plan and the Council appears to be talking with communities. That in itself must be something worth celebrating.

Our residents started to receive their rate notice this week. I have had a number contact me expressing outrage and deep concern about the massive rises they are confronted with. Rarely has a trip to the letterbox been such a traumatic experience for some. But of course, one doesn't have to go far to see the reason. The Auckland Council owes over $7 Billion in debt and plans to increase this to well over $8 Billion in the next few years. Interest payments are $1 million per day and absorb about 20 cents of every rates dollar collected. This debt equates to $4,883 of debt per every man, woman and child in our fair City. This debt per person has almost tripled in the time of Auckland Council. A family of five has had nearly $25,000 racked up against their good name. Every man, woman and child owes about 66 cents in interest payments every day of the year. That means the same family of five owes about $23 per week in interest payments on Council's debt. All this is due to increase and is madness. At some point people are going to cry "enough". At some point local people are going to demand a fairer proportion of their rates be returned to their community instead of being sucked into the corporate centre. This weeks trip to the letterbox might see that point arriving in October

Nasties were out in force last night. I lost two billboards on Onewa Rd. Our Team of Independents must be having an effect!