DIARY OF A CAMPAIGNER: DAY 22 Transport and Generous Support

DAY TWENTY-TWO:
Saturday 11 September 2010
It is 6 days until the ballot papers start arriving in the letter boxes and 28 days until ‘D’ day decision day on 09th October.

Citizens and Ratepayers is committed to making it easier to get around Auckland. We will invest in transport options which enable more of us to move around more conveniently. We will commit to essential public transport and roading infrastructure for people and goods. This will include implementing an effective single ticketing system for public transport.

We will ensure the new transport Agency Auckland Transport works constructively with central government to complete the motorway network and major arterial routes across the Region. We will ensure careful benefit cost consideration is undertaken before ratepayers’ money is invested in these major projects.

This afternoon our team Owairaka C&R was joined by National MP Melissa Lee. Her support of us has given us a good deal of confidence and we appreciate it a lot.

We door knocked in Morningside and then flyer dropped along with our C&R buddies from Puketapapa at Pak n Save Mt Albert, Countdown Pt Chev and New World Mt Roskill. It was indeed a full and exciting day.

DIARY OF A CAMPAIGNER: DAY 21; Prosperity, Brother Brent and Speeding Cars

DAY TWENTY-ONE:
Friday 10 September 2010
It is 7 days until the ballot papers start arriving in the letter boxes and 29 days until ‘D’ day decision day on 09th October.

Citizens and ratepayers is about Prosperity. We welcome progress to a world-class Auckland. C&R will create an encouraging and welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and innovators backed by infrastructure and regulations that enhance growth and opportunity. With the assistance of the communities we will create a new Auckland Council which champions a culture that helps people get things done. The team here in Owairaka is a ‘can-do, will-do’ group. We are not bogged down in bureaucratic red tape, mumbo-jumbo. Some of us are young, one of us is experienced in Council but all of us are enthusiastic, energetic and hard working.

I personally support partnerships with the private and not-for-profit sectors to build and grow our community assets. Central and Local government initiatives with Iwi/Tribes particularly with environmental kaitaiaki/guardianship of Cones and Ranges proves partnerships of this nature benefit all especially the communities.

My good friend Brent Iremonger, came door knocking with me in Mt Albert. I really enjoyed my time with him, he lives in the area and so pointed out areas of concern. Curb side drainage issues that back flow onto private property causing flooding at steps and garden edges. When I talked to the residents about it they said they didn’t know who to call to inspect the damage. Maintaining effective contact and communication is obviously an issue for the Council. Perhaps the community can suggest ways of improving the flow of information between the parties.

Mid-afternoon was spent with my sister Rosina back out on the Sandringham streets door knocking. I came across a resident who had concerns about C&R but we spent time discussing issues around transport, water and waste. I enjoyed our discussion at the end of the day voters need and deserve to be able to air their concerns with their Local Board members and on a regular basis. It’s about access to those who are meant to represent the interests of the community.

Late-afternoon it was back with the team standing at the Lights corner of St Lukes and New North Rds waving the C&R banner. Yup you have to be tough to stand waving. It’s not that you’re making a fool of yourself it’s that there’s little more than fresh air between you and a car travelling at the speed of a bullet. Cameron, Sarah and I then door knocked around Mt Albert.
We’re getting out and about – and we’re having lots of fun.

CITIZEN A BOMBER BRADBURY

CITIZEN A: TRIANGLE TV AND STRATOS TV

On Thursday 09 September. I was a guest on Citizen A the TV Current Affairs programme hosted by the charismatic, intellectual, blogger Martin 'Bomber' Bradbury. Bomber as he's affectionately known is author of the blog site 'TUMEKE'. Him and his blogosphere mates champion themselves on being 'fringe-media', 'radical-news agents', 'media activists' . The thing about, radicals, activists, fringe dwellers is that live long enough and the fringe becomes prime location, radical becomes reality and activism becomes legitimate. Bomber and his Blogosphere Brothers and Sisters are now 'legit' to the point that some of them are now mainstream commentators, while their 'opinion editorials' are now lead stories in dailies. Bloggers can be left or right and in Bomber's case he's unashamedly left. So Thursday I was invited onto his show called 'Citizen A'. Well when I say invited I actually mean I begged to be on. It's the only current affairs programme on TV that dares to challenge you intellectually, philosophically not to mention politically.

You need to have your wits about you when you talk to Bomber and his blog mates, they're more intellectual than many mainstream journalists that's because they observe, analyse, critique then research then discuss then debate every angle of every issue. My goodness they can exhaust you! But they're fun. And regardless of whether you're political friend or foe, they're respectful in a foul mouthed kind of way. Just another observation about Leftie-Bloggers have you noticed how they continually spout stats and figures, facts and figures. They rarely talk about 'people'.

Anyway, I think I held my own on the show. I was on with Phoebe Falconer. Unfortunately I can't get Triangle so I'll have to wait for the rescreen on Stratos. The show is funded by New Zealand on Air. Congratulations to Bomber for the concept and to Jim Blackman as well for supporting it.

DIARY OF A CAMPAIGNER: DAY 20 Affordability, Sandringham and Safety in Mt Albert

DAY TWENTY:
Thursday 9 September 2010
It is 8 days until the ballot papers start arriving in the letter boxes and 30 days until ‘D’ day decision day on 09th October.

Citizen’s and Ratepayers is about affordability. It is crucial we build and maintain an affordable region to live and work in especially here in Tamakimakaurau/Auckland because without a shadow of a doubt it is an expensive place. C&R is determined to minimise the burden on households and businesses both urban and semi-rural by extracting savings from the new, streamlined council arrangements. We will channel investment into the essential infrastructure our region and local communities need. We will commit to keeping Auckland Council rates as low as possible without decreasing the core services that residents expect.

We will deliver you better value for money. We will keep Auckland Council spending under control by focusing on core local government activities and services. We will focus on essential Auckland Council services and not duplicate central government’s welfare functions locally.

Water and waste water costs will be kept to the minimum necessary to maintain a world class system. I support a user-pays system. I don’t agree that a user pays system disadvantages lower income whanau; on the contrary it will advantage them. I would not expect a single person house hold to pay as much for water or waste as my whanau of 5, but then I would not expect to pay as much as perhaps a student household of 5 or 7.

Nadine. Manawa and I dropped flyers into letterboxes along Mt Albert Rd this morning. The mix of homes from flats, to single dwellings to former state houses and some commercial properties reflects the eclectic nature of Owairaka.

We stopped and chatted to the shop owners at the corner of Owairaka Ave. Two owners talked about their disappointment in the current Council. Numerous attempts to have the Council attend to roading and rubbish issues went unanswered. Much of that I suspect has to do with the number of silo agencies taking care of essentials like roading, rubbish etc. Both owners explained they were ‘passed off’ from one department to another. Under the new Council this maze of bureaucracy is slashed, replaced with a more streamlined process. It still requires the good will and energy of the Local Board to insist on action. So an enthusiastic energetic ‘can-do, will-do’ team is essential.

My sister Rosina has been helping door knock this week. We’ve both really enjoyed meeting my neighbours here in Sandringham. Over the years the area has welcomed new immigrants and their contribution to Sandringham is invaluable. Citizens and Ratepayers celebrate diversity and difference, the languages, customs, food makes for a rich and layered community.

I know I’ve mentioned before but our whanau the Hauiti’s have lived here for over 50 years. We think we’re part of the fabric here. We are yet to find a whanau or individual that’s lived here as long as we have but we know there are many many locals who can top our years.

Well before we arrived in the area, Kitchener Road was farmland. Carrie Street is part of that original farmland owned by Mr Carrie. In those days the picture theatre called Edendale was the social focal point along with the Baptist Church on Duncan Ave. There’s no evidence left of the trams that ran along Sandringham to Mt Albert Rd. But I’m sure there’s residents still remaining who do remember.

Sandringham deserves to have its history celebrated along with its new and every evolving identity. It deserves a Local Board that does remember its past as we progress confidently into the future. That Local Board must be one that is enthusiastic, energetic and proactive. That Local Board is C&R.

Later in the afternoon our team talked to cummuters at the train station in Mt Albert. We talked to students mainly on their way home from Unitech. The graffitti on the walls opposite the tracks is evident. This is an example of too many departments taking care of essentials that no one organisation takes responsibility. It needs a vocal assertive Local Board to keep insisting relevant departments do their job and clean up our streets, stations and public areas. This is what we pay our rates for.

We then spent some time with the Mt Albert shop owners. They're still feeling vulnerable from the Grant Gillard Pharmacy hold up and the death of the intruder. Occassions like this it's crucial both the shop owners and community are made to feel they're not alone, they must be supported by their Local Board members until confidence returns.

DIARY OF A CAMPAIGNER: DAY 19: CCO'S COUNCIL CONTROLLED ORGANISATIONS

DAY NINETEEN:
Wednesday 8 September 2010
It is 8 days until the ballot papers start arriving in the letter boxes and 31 days until ‘D’ day decision day on 09th October.

Two thirds of Auckland's city services will be run by Council Controlled Organisations. CCO’s are seven business units set up by the Government to run about 75 percent of the council services. Water, waterfront development and transport will all be governed by CCOs. A further four CCOs are being established to run council investments; economic development; tourism and events; and major regional facilities and property holdings. The Auckland Transport CCO will have a budget of more than half the total rates take – or $650 million and will replace the nine separate existing transport entities across the city.

Citizens and Ratepayers are adamant the people of Auckland control CCO’s. The Local Boards are the representatives of the community, it’s imperative then that the Local Boards are strong enough to stand up to these CCO’s, we must ensure that we are not dictated to by these organisations, but rather they facilitate the wishes of the people of Auckland. This means ‘can-do, will-do’ individuals must work collaboratively and for the interests of the people. This will be essential until the roles and responsibilities of both the Boards and CCO’s are ironed out. Voters need to know their Board members can cut through the bureaucratic red tape to establish workable practical strategies moving forward. The Boards must have their eyes on the big vision while delivering on the essential basics.

Rodney Hide has already chosen CCO Directors and Chairs. There are however provisions for additional Directors appointed by the Local Boards. On the one hand I can see the practicality of the CCO’s being chosen before 01 November when the new Council comes in. On the other hand it gives the impression that the people of Auckland and the Local Boards will have no say or control over the organisations and what they do. This must not happen. The people must be in control of their City.

According to earlier reports, Auckland Council will have the right to discard the council controlled organisations, though possibly not the transport CCO. Mr Hide had said while the Government will appoint the founding members of the board it will leave one or two positions on the board vacant for the new council to appoint when it comes into being on November 1.

In a NZ Herald Local Government Minister Rodney Hide added that the Auckland Council will have total control of the CCOs, appointing the chair and deputies of each, including Auckland Transport.

“It’s the council that is in total charge,” said Mr Hide.

“On day one the council can fire the CCO board and appoint their own board members.

“That to me makes it very clear in legislation that it’s the council that will have the future of Auckland in its own hands.” Added Hide.

Public meetings of the CCOs will also have to be held in ‘public’.

Auckland mayor John Banks said public meetings would help ensure transparency.

“The best local government is local decisions being made in a transparent way. I’m all for having meetings in public. There’s not much in local government that is secret, given the use of ratepayers money,” he said.

The Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill is the third and final one that completes the legislative framework for the reform of Auckland governance and is currently going through its remaining parliamentary stages.

The changes do not allow for the privatisation of Watercare and any assets owned by Watercare would have to revert to the council if it decided it did not want Watercare to be the water and wastewater service provider after 2015. Only Auckland Transport is being set up as a statutory CCO, requiring an act of Parliament to disband it.

The appointments are for a term of between one and three years. Each director will be paid between $35,000 - $52,000 per year, deputy chairs will receive between $43,750
The new directors and chairs of the CCOs take up their positions 01 November and are as follows:

Auckland Transport Chairman: Mark Ford - executive chairman of the Auckland Transition Agency and former Watercare chief executive. Deputy chair: Philippa Dunphy. Other directors: Rabin Rabindran, Dr Ian Parton, Paul Lockey.

Auckland Waterfront Development Agency Chairman: Bob Harvey - long-serving Mayor of Waitakere City. Deputy chair: Adrienne Young Cooper. Other directors: Kerry Stotter, Ngarimu Blair, Terry Kayes.

Auckland Council Property Chairman: Sir John Wells - businessman, Rugby New Zealand 2011 director. Deputy chair: Richard Aitken. Other directors: Anne Blackburn, Peter Wall, Tuku Morgan.

Regional Facilities Auckland Chairman: Sir Don McKinnon - former Deputy Prime Minister and Commonwealth Secretary-General. Deputy chair: Dame Jenny Gibbs. Other directors: Hugh Burrett, Peter Stubbs, Derek Dallow, Rukumoana Tira Marie Schaafhausen.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Chairman: Dave McConnell - McConnell Group managing director and Committee for Auckland director. Deputy chair: Peter Drummond. Other directors: Norm Thompson, John Law, Vivien Bridgewater.

(SOURCE NZ Herald)

DIARY OF A CAMPAIGNER: DAY 18 VISIONARY LEADERS

DAY EIGHTEEN:
Tuesday 7 September 2010
It is 9 days until the ballot papers start arriving in the letter boxes and 32 days until ‘D’ day decision day on 09th October.

There’s 9 day’s remaining till we all receive our voting papers. I’m standing as a Local Board member for Citizens & Ratepayers in the Owairaka subdivision of Albert Eden. From now until the 17th September, I’m going to list for you what I stand for and what I believe in. You’ll be able to make up your mind about whether my values, C&R values and yours are in synchronicity.

I come from a long line of great Māori Leaders. On my Father’s side there’s Hauiti the East Coast Chief who we are direct descendents of. I am also related to Sir Apirana Ngata who held the Eastern Māori parliamentary seat from 1905 to 1943. Among his achievements were his schemes for consolidation of fragmented land titles, the development of unproductive land, Māori health and welfare and the establishment of the Pioneer Māori Battalion in World War I. My Father Jerry Teretiu Hauiti was a great leader, he was from Te Araroa on the East Coast but sadly he passed away when I turned 16. My Father was a visionary who instilled independence in us his children and a hard work ethic that included a healthy ambition to achieve well at school. My Aunty Elsie my Mum’s sister, although she was the youngest of her whanau – was a tohunga tikanga me nga kawa o Nga Puhi. She was fun but had an air of gravitas about her that she probably inherited from my Nana. My maternal Grandmother Raiha Lucus nee Riki was formidable. I don’t remember her but the stories have painted her as steeped in historical knowledge, articulate in English and Māori and extremely confident.

So I am used to following in the wake of strong visionary leaders who worked hard for their whanau and communities. That’s why I have chosen to put my efforts behind Citizens and Ratepayers. This Party supports strong, confident articulate individuals. C&R encourages individual expression and are firm believers of unity in diversity. The Māori leaders I have mentioned were forward thinking solution seekers with can-do, will-do attitudes. Me and my Owairaka Local Board members Cam Morris, Saraha Turner and Murray Doreen are can-do, will-do people. We are leaders all of us - we either run our own businesses or we are Centre Managers. We find solutions when others offer excuses. So when a small shop owner asks why the Council hasn’t moved her rubbish in two weeks – we won’t fob her off to a call-centre, we’ll have it shifted. When Brian the Dairy Owner wants to know why the Police refuse to see him after being robbed at knife point, we’ll work to establish patrols and security systems to protect hard working folk and deter low life crims from repeat offending.

The C&R Owairaka team is a can-do will-do group who individually are Leaders in their own right, collectively a formidable force and united in our support of Citizens and Ratepayers. This is why we’ll succeed in Owairaka. The community of Albert Eden want action, the people of Owairaka want progress. We are the team who can give it to them.

DIARY OF A CAMPAIGNER: DAY 17: WHAT I STAND FOR.

DAY SEVENTEEN:
Monday 6 September 2010
It is 10 days until the ballot papers start arriving in the letter boxes and 33 days until ‘D’ day decision day on 09th October.

There’s 10 day’s remaining till we all receive our voting papers. I’m standing as a Local Board member for Citizens & Ratepayers in the Owairaka subdivision of Albert Eden. From now until the 17th September, I’m going to list for you what I stand for and what I believe in. You’ll be able to make up your mind about whether my values, C&R values and yours are in synchronicity.

I am about Community. Along with C&R I too recognise that individual neighbourhoods and specific communities make up the rich diversity that is Auckland. I support the strengthening and the promoting of our vibrant communities – all our communities. I will work hard to champion individual projects, by empowering them with information that can maximise their ability to gain access to resources. This not only benefits the communities but all Aucklanders.

Each and every one of these communities and roopu/groups also has the right to know they are safe here in this City, they call home. As a City we should not and we must not tolerate violence towards, intimidation of, or anti-social behaviour aimed at any individual, group or community. I will champion for zero tolerance to crime directed at any individual, group or community and will personally advocate vigorously for effective policing. There is a ban on alcohol consumption in public places due to roll out in Mt Albert-Owairaka in November. I intend to ensure that it is enforced to the letter of the law. I will not tolerate excuses or pleas of leniency from politically-correct apologists at the expense of hard working, law abiding citizens. I will also vote to revoke licences to off-licence premises - if they are within a 1k radius of schools. I am in the business of economic development and progress; I am not in the business of social disintegration. I am not a hard-liner but I am a champion of zero tolerance to crime.

This new Auckland City is a chance for the people to set the agenda. Now is the time for us to look positively to the future with a ‘can-do, will-do’ attitude. This is a time to leave behind those ‘old-hands’ in Council who can’t see progress because they’re blinded and bound by bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo and red-tape. Now is the time for solutions not excuses. Now is the time to look towards the future and plan for the tomorrow we all want. This is our chance to get it right.
There is a Māori proverb: Nau te rourou, naku te rourou. Ka ora ai te iwi – which means with your food basket and my food basket together we can feed the people. It means we can do this – we can make this happen together, you, me and Citizens and Ratepayers.