And so the cuts begin

The new Council has hardly paused for breath before launching into a round of savage cuts to important investments made by the previous City Vision led Council.

As reported by City Vision Talk back on September 24, C&R has a policy of spending cuts that target important community investments.

John Bank's idea
of affordable housing

First on the blocks is the Affordable Housing scheme. This relatively modest Council programme involved partnering with the New Zealand Housing organisation to build 100 affordable homes over the next four years.

Affordable housing is clearly a real issue for Auckland families, and this was a modest first step towards finding some solutions to the problem.

C&R and John Banks are however hell bent on continuing with the zealous drive they started between 2001-2004 to remove Council from having any role in making our city a decent, liveable, and just place to inhabit. For these old idealogical warhorses it is back to the 1990s - cuts to public services and bugger the poor and middle income famlies who suffer.

Watch this space for further announcements from C&R and Banks about cuts to community facilites and projects, and probably a proposal to increase the Uniform Annual Charge (cutting the rates for the richest Aucklanders and raising them for everyone else). City Vision will be campaigning hard against all of these regressive measures.

See here and here for City Vision Press releases about the affordable housing issue.

Linda Leighton

Aaron Bhatnagar has reported that C&R Councillor Linda Leighton died today after a long illness.


While Linda was clearly on the other side of the political spectrum from those of us at City Vision Talk, she is acknowledged as a dedicated servant of her community, and a very genuine person. I recall attending Roskill community board meetings in late 2006 at which Linda forcefully opposed the proposal to toll SH20 through the Ward - probably not a popular position in her party, but something that she clearly felt a duty to speak up on. That is admirable.


Condolences to Linda's family and her C&R colleagues.

Santa and Freedom of Association

Six of the twenty councilors on Auckland City Council are calling for Auckland Santa Parade organisers to allow the Falun Gong to participate in Sunday's Santa Parade.

The Chairman of Auckland Santa Parade, Michael Barnett (who is also Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and a C&R ARC Councillor) is refusing to allow the Falun Gong "Divine Land Marching Band" to take part in the parade.

Three City Vision councillors, two Labour councillors and one independent councilor have now come in behind Falun Gong and called for Mr Barnett to change his decision:

Cr Casey (City Vision)
Cr Fryer (City Vision)
Cr Easte (City Vision)
Cr Northey (Labour)
Cr Boyle (Labour)
Cr Roche (Independent)

The decision by Mr Barnett is heavy handed. The stated reason is that Falun Gong have not provided a guarantee that they will not hand out leaflets. This doesn't really stack up - Queen St is a public area, and on any given day of the week any person or group has a right to peacefully distribute material to other people. Why should doing this on the day of the Santa Parade eliminate a group from being able to provide entertainment for the parade?

City Vision Talk thinks that Mr Barnett and the Committee have gone a little over the top here. In Wellington the issue was worked through, Falun Gong participated in the Santa parade, and the event didn't turn into a rabid political rally. Here's hoping common sense will prevail in Auckland.

Tough day at the office

Saturday's election saw a convincing win to Citizens & ratepayers, who will take control of the Council with 11 of 20 seats. City Vision lost several Council seats and a number Community Board seats.

While there is still a lot of analysis to do, the result suggests that there was an old fashioned swing towards C&R in Auckland that was fairly uniform across the city. C&R picked up one seat in each of Tamaki-Maungakiekie, Western Bays, and Avondale-Roskill, while both Action Hobson incumbents were tipped out of Hobson to be replaced by C&R challengers. In Eden-Albert former C&R Councillor Mark Donnelly came back under the "Focus Eden-Albert" ticket to tip out City Vision Councillor Neil Abel by just 12 votes.

This was clearly a tough election for City Vision, and a good result for C&R. Congratulations and best wishes go all all those who were elected.

The mood at the City Vision E-Day function, and over the rest of the weekend has been interesting. After some intial sadness, particularly for several incumbents who lost their positions, the mood was energetic and determined. Councillor Glenda Fryer pointed out that City Vision was in a similar position in 2001, but with hard campaigning and good candidates came back to win in 2004.

Furthermore, there is a determination that we do not simply wait for the next election to campaign again, but that the work starts now. The Banks/C&R Council has an agenda of cutting services, transferring wealth from poor and middle household to the rich through the Uniform Annual Charge, and privatisation. While we wish the new Council all the best for their term in office they should also know that we will be there every step of the way to keep them honest and to campaign for a fair and green city.

City Vision Talk will be sticking around to keep you informed about all of this.

Nearly your last chance to vote

Voting in the Local Body Election closes at noon on Saturday (13 October).

Turnout so far remains low! It is important that everyone in Auckland city who values public ownership, diversity, and social justice votes to make sure that we can continue the good work started over the past three years.

If you have not yet voted, please find your voting papers now, complete them and post them TODAY.

For Mayor, vote Dick Hubbard as the only viable choice to defeat the intolerant, privatising Banks.

For Council, vote City Vision if you live in Avondale-Roskill, Eden-Albert or Western Bays Wards. Vote Labour in Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward.

For Community Board, vote City Vision for Avondale, Mt Roskill, Eden-Albert and Western Bays. Vote Labour for Tamaki Community Board.

Vote City Vision for Portage Licensing Trust (if you live in that area).Vote Labour for Mt Wellington Licensing Trust (if you live in that area).

For Auckland Regional Council, vote Regional People across the city.

For Auckland District Health Board, rank the City Vision Health Team 1, 2, 3, 4. You don't have to rank everyone. You can stop wherever you want to!

If you miss the post, you can deliver them to the Electoral Office (Level 2, 360 Queen St, Auckland - opposite the Town Hall) any time up to noon on Saturday. Or deliver them to any library between 10am and noon on Saturday.

Happy voting!

Turnout Critical

Turnout for local body elections across New Zealand continues to lag badly. In Auckland, as of yesterday just 28.8% of votes have been received, as compared to 37.1% at the comparable point in 2007.

City Vision candidates have been continuing to run a hard on the ground campaign to encourage people to vote, including strategic doorknocking and phone canvassing, visibility activities in key shopping areas and meetings with community groups.

This activity is critical because, as with the 2005 General Election, it will be turnout that determines the result of this election. While we have a Ward system in Auckland city, turnout across the city matters because, with the possible exception of C&R stronghold Eastern Bays, every single mainland ward is somehow in play:

• Hobson - a tight contest between the moderate action Hobson team and a hard right C&R ticket desperate to re-claim their perceived birthright to represent Hobson.
• Tamaki-Maungakiekie - Labour hold 3 Council positions, with Independent Bill Christian (who can swing either way) holding the fourth. Christian, representing a heartland Labour area could potentially support a Banks/C&R Council if re-elected.
• Western Bays - City Vision has a strong and high profile ticket with Lindsey Rea and Graham Easte, but turnout in this ward remains low. Progressive voters need to turnout to ensure Lindsey and Graham are elected.
• Eden-Albert - A strange contest. The strong incumbent City Vision team of Glenda Fryer, Neil Abel, and Cathy Casey should see off a divided right, but again progressive voters cannot rely on this - people must get out and vote.
• Avondale-Roskill - C&R are relying on a gain in this ward to win a majority on Council. The City Vision campaign has been organised and focussed on turning out the natural centre-left majority. Above all other wards, turnout is critical to the final result.

With a close result likely, a swing of one additional Councillor here or there is likely to have significant implications. The message is simple - Aucklanders can sit back and accept a hard right privatising, intolerant Banks/Hay led Council, or turn out to vote for a City Vision/Labour Council that protects our public assets and invests in Auckland.

Big money tries to buy the election

Just as the Exclusive Bretheren used their millions in an attempt to win the 2005 election for the political right, it would appear that big money is also at work in the Auckland local body elections.

City Vision Talk posted a couple of weeks ago about this billboard that went up on Dominion Rd. The billboard personally attacks City Vision Councillor Glenda Fryer, and says "Don't vote City Vision. They're the fun police".

Since then there have been numerous sightings of these huge billboards being illegally towed around Auckland, with a large number visible in these crucial final days of the election.

It would appear that the vehicles towing around these anonymous billboards are owned by the Giltrap Prestige car dealership, which is in turn owned by Colin Giltrap (pictured), who with around $300 million is one of Auckland's wealthiest residents.

This makes lots of sense because Giltrap is a motorsport enthusiast who blames City Vision for the canning of the V8 motor race in central Auckland (forgetting that it was the voters who resoundingly gave the V8 race the thumbs down in 2004).

The real question here is what links are there between John Banks and C&R and Mr Giltrap's expensive anti City-Vision campaign. If there is any link then the huge expenditure on these fixed and mobile billboards should be declared by C&R and Banks, and the ads themselves should be authorised. Whatsmore, if C&R did have knowledge of this anti-City Vision campaign, they need to explain to the public why it is appropriate for a major political ticket to support anonymous attack advertising of this kind.

City Vision Talk wonders if we may end up hearing a repeat of this kind of interview, with Don Brash substituted for John Banks or David Hay!

It's about policy

Political campaigns can sometimes veer towards the sensational and the irrelevant - scandals, how photogenic a candidate is, their performance in a single debate, a clever marketing ploy, or any one of a number of factors that don't actually say a damned thing about what the candidate or the ticket will actually do if elected.

This is why properly analysing the policy of the respective campaigns is extremely important.

There are huge differences between C&R and City Vision on policy. Not only because the two groups hold philisophically different views on a range of major policies, but also because City Vision is actually stating in detail what our policy is!

Look here to see the rather short and extremely vague bullet point list of C&R policy. Is this collection of apple-pie banalities really a serious platform from which to govern a city? The question is, with so little up-front policy, what are C&R planning to do that they are not telling us?

Contrast this with City Vision's policy. While you may well find aspects you disagree with, our policy is comprehensive and detailed, with carefully developed papers on eight specific areas of policy.

With C&R who knows what you will get. With City Vision it is all up front.

Post your vote today!

Turnout for these important local body elections is currently very low, with only about 20% of eligible voters having mailed their forms in.

Every day (except for yesterday) has seen the number of votes coming in at a lower level than for the comparable day last election.

It is absolutley essential that all Aucklanders have their say this election - the issues are simply too big to stand back and let others decide upon. The big issues at stake include:

• Whether we keep or sell our city's assets.
• Whether we believe Council should support affordable housing
• Whether we embrace diversity or go back to Council as an old boys club.
• Whether water is provided at minimum cost.
• Whether rates are struck fairly (everyone paying their fair share vs. big rate cuts for the rich at the expense of the rest of us)
• Whether we proceed with the necessary infrastructure investments to make Auckland a great city.

Postal ballots should all be in the mail by Wednesday to ensure they are received in time.

For a prosperous, fair, and green city please post your vote for City Vision today.

The Mayor and the Pacific Community

Russell Brown has a link to a Radio New Zealand story about test that the mayoral candidates were asked to complete regarding their knowledge about the Pacific community.

These kind of things are always a bit of a gimmick, but they do give some idea about how much the candidate in question actually knows about the city, and how open they are to learning more.

John Banks comes out of the survey rather badly. As well as struggling to identify Doug Howlett as a current All Black (has this guy been living in a box?) he actually refuses to complete the survey. Now it's one thing to not do very well, and then concede that your knowledge is a little lacking (as Alex Swney did), but to start the survey and then throw your toys out of the cot when you start to struggle... not a good look for someone who is arguing that they have the goods to lead a major city.

Dick Hubbard (I understand) topped the survey, and had some useful things to say about the importance of community facilities in developing community cohesion.

Anyway, have a listen here.

City Vision believes that it is extremely important that our Council and Community Boards better reflect the diversity of our city, and has a range of outstanding Pasifika candidates standing for election this year.

Fair Rates

Rates are one of the issues that will be on people's minds as they vote in this year's local body elections.

While most people are comfortable to pay rates in order to provide the infrastructure and services needed for a vibrant, growing city, people also want to that any increases are reasonably justified, and that the way their rates are levied is fair.

It is this second point that has received very little attention in the mainstream media, and is a major difference between City Vision and Citizens and Ratepayers.

Citizens and Ratepayers policy is to levy a "uniform annual charge" (UAC) on all households. The UAC is a flat tax - all property owners pay it, no matter what the value of their property. So a modest working family in a $350, 000 home in Mt Roskill pays the same UAC as a wealthy currency trader living in a $2 million Parnell mansion.

City Vision believes that the UAC is fundamentally unfair. It places more of the rating burden on low-middle value property owners, and reduces rates for the very wealthy.

Our policy is to abolish the UAC. This term we have halved it (we didn't quite have the numbers to abolish it completely), and if elected as a majority on Council we will fulfill our pledge to make rates fairer by getting rid of the UAC completely.

The choice is clear - vote Citizens and Ratepayers to give the wealthiest people a rate cut with the rest of us paying more, or vote City Vision for a fair system under which everyone pays their fair share.

The Mayoral Decision

Here at City Vision Talk we have expressed some frustration at the strong media focus on the mayoral race at the expense of the more important overall balance of Council. Fundamentally, the best thing that Aucklanders who value public ownership of strategic assets, investment in our infrastructure, and better public transport can do is to vote for a City Vision led Council.

However Aucklanders do also have an important choice to make in deciding who will be Mayor. The Mayor has one important vote on Council, and acts as a nationally recognised voice and advocate for Auckland. The Mayor should be someone who has a positive vision and encapsulates all the things that are good about our city.

This writer had the opportunity of observing the two main candidates at close quarters at a candidate forum held at the Hillsborough Baptist Church a couple of weeks ago, during which my views about the respective merits of both candidates were confirmed.

The performance of John Banks was nothing short of a disgrace. Banks, who claims to have "transmogrified" sickeningly played up to the audience in a gross parody of a Christian preacher.

The first minute of his address was all about proving in the most craven tele-vangelist style that he was a Christian and should therefore be supported by Christian voters. Interstingly to this Christian he did not speak to any of the Bible's enduring themes of justice, concern for the sick and the poor, and love for all. Instead we were treated to a rant designed to whip the audience into a frenzy with frequent references to the "ho-mo-sexual" community, and repeated personal attacks on the mayor. Nowhere was there any positive vision for the city - just intolerant ranting and the same nasty and agressive approach rejected by Aucklanders three years ago.

Dick Hubbard was plainly upset by Bank's approach and veered slightly off track as a result. He did talk about his positive vision for a city that is greener and fairer, but sometimes became distracted by Bank's jibes. This more or less confirmed my view of Hubbard and his mayoralty - that while it has been far from perfect, he is basically a decent man who has positive plans for Auckland.

I personally disagree with Hubbard on a range of issues, from Metrowater to the Uniform Annual Charge. But given the choice on offer this election I will happily vote for his fallible decency over Bank's intolerant nastiness, and I encourage all other Aucklanders to do so too.

A new park for Auckland?

A hot local topic in Mt Roskill is the future of the Three Kings Quarry site.

Tucked away beside 'The Big King' (which is the one remaining volcanic cone of the original 3 Kings that the suburb is named after) is the Winstone Aggregates quarry that has been operating since the early Twentieth Century.

For many years locals have been extremely concerned by the quarry's de-watering activities that it is believed may lead to subsidence and stability issues in the surrounding resedential area. City Vision Community Board member Corinne McLaren has been at the forefront of these issues as President of the Three Kings United group.

The good news is that it is now confirmed that the quarry will cease operations in the short-medium term. The big question is: what happens then?

City Vision is strongly of the view that the site should be developed as a major new multi-purpose park for the people of Auckland. With SH20 cutting across Mt Roskill and increasing population density it is critical that we develop quality open space for the community. City Vision Talk thinks that there are huge opportunities for an imaginative development that includes open parkland, regnerating native bush, and community facilities.

However Winstone Aggregates track recorcd of listening to the community is not good. There is a real concern that Winstones will try to make as much money as possible out of the site by selling it off to greedy developers to put up tacky commercial and resedential buildings.

City Vision candidates in Roskill have publicly pledged to campaign for the site to be developed as community open space.

Keeping it Democratic

Living in a democracy is about more than voting once every three years (although that's a big part of it) - it's also about decisions being made in a democratic way in between elections.

That's why the proposal of John Banks and C&R to stop Councillors sitting on consent hearings is a terrible idea.

The reason that elected Councillors sit on these hearings is to ensure that the community, through their elected representatives actually get a say on proposed developments that will have a direct impact on the community. Elected representatives have a special role in this sense as they are directly accountable to the community.

It is essential that developments such as the proposed mega McDonalds at Balmoral are actually considered by representatives of the community.

While independent commissioners will bring certain expertise to the table, it isn't commissioners who will have to live with the consequences of a shonky development in their backyard - it is the community. City Vision Talk is also extremely concerned by who a C&R Council would appoint as independent commissioners - the last thing we need are greedy property developers and zealous free-marketeers opening our city up to their rich mates.

Whatsmore, independent commissioners will cost ratepayers more that having Councillors on hearings panels! A case of wasteful spending if ever we've heard one.

Only a vote for City Vision will ensure local decisions get made by accountable elected representatives.

Avondale-Roskill Cavalcade

The Avondale-Roskill team of candidates picked a beautifully sunny Saturday for their cavalcade across the Ward, with the aim of raising profile and reminding people to cast their votes.

The cavalcade set out from Roskill in the morning and drove around large parts of the area. At shopping areas and strategic residential areas, candidates would stop for a 20 minute burst of doorknocking, leafleting, and a good old fashioned street corner meeting. After lunch at the Cock n' Bull Lynfield we continued on to Avondale.

David Rhodes (Avondale-Roskill Council), Carmel Sepuloni (Roskill Community Board) and Michael Wood (Roskill Community Board) did the honours with the megaphone at street corner meetings. The public response was overwhelmingly positive. People seemed to appreciate seeing candidates being out and active, and openly stating our views on the important issues.

The crew finished off in Avondale town centre at the end of a hectic day, managing to cap things off in style by reminding voters of porn king Steve Crow's shady credentials as he paraded a gigantic sign down the mainstreet behind a large 4-wheel drive.

All in all, an excellent day of campaigning.

C&R for nationalisation of Pt Chev Shops!

In a remarkable turnaround from their traditional pro-private property rights stance, C&R candidates in Western Bays seem to be backing the compulsory acquisition of the Pt Chev shops because the design is a bit dated.

Here's the text of a recently distributed C&R leaflet in all it's non-grammatical glory:

"Pt Chevalier - The Pt Chevalier Shops and main intersection are crying out for a urban renewal plan. What do we get currently 'the arcade type development!' We desperately need a plan that property owners can follow as they refurbish. Council needs to put in place proper urban renewal strategies".

Well, where do we start?!?! The arcade was built in the 1960's by local shop keeper, business owner and property developer (and former C&R Mayor).... Les Mills!! It's a piece of private property - are C&R saying that because the design no longer works, and the arcade is tired and run down that Council should compulsorily buy the arcade for redevelopment?

Why stop there? St Lukes is a pretty ugly blot on the landscape - perhaps C&R think the Council should step in and support out design issues there too!

The reality in this case is that the City Vision led Western Bays Community Board has worked with the arcade owners to improve the area recently which led to a new plexiglass pergola (paid for by the body corporate) and improved footpaths and stormwater drainage (contributed by the Board).

So action has been taken, but there's only so much that Council and Community Board can and will do to someone elses private property!

The Oggi branch of the Exclusive Bretheren strike!

Pictured is a billboard up on Dominion Rd that has a go at City Vision Councillor Glenda Fryer. The lower text reads "Don't vote for City Vision. They're the fun police". Weird.

Several similar billboards have been illegally towed around Auckland by City Vision opponents.

A few comments for the creators of this piece of unauthorised third party attack advertising:

1) Regards from Glenda for assistance with name recognition in her ward.

2) If you guys are the signage experts, what's with the funny, hard to read font?

3) There is this thing called an election happening now. Given you obviously feel so strongly about... well something, perhaps it would be a good idea to stand yourselves instead of personally attacking someone who has the courage to put herself forward. Just a thought.

Culture v. Crass in Balmoral

City Vision candidates Lindsey Rea, Cathy Campbell, and Christopher Dempsey attended the opening of John Radford’s sculpture in Potters Park on Wednesday morning to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Dominion Day.

Council candidate Lindsey Rea did the honours by cutting the ribbon, ably supported by Councillor Cathy Casey and Community Board candidate Christopher Dempsey waving the NZ Flag and Union Jack.

Don McGlashan was also on hand to sing his well known song, ‘Dominion Road’ which was appreciated by passers by.

Supporting arts and culture has been a key goal of City Vision and is important to build a sense of idenitity in our city.

John’s unique (if small) sculpture is an exact replica of a home circa 1907, set on a bronze ‘section’ of the size commonly found in Mt Eden then. The scale of the sculpture is the same scale as you would experience viewing the house from Maungawhau – Mt Eden.

Ironically, this sculpture that celebrates an important part of our history is just across the road from the site of the proposed 24/7 McDonalds in Balmoral. City Vision Councillors in Eden-Albert have been strongly opposed to this crass development due to its impact on local residents and traffic safety.

Water Policy - the difference

Water is a key election issue. Here at City Vision Talk we've acknowledged that managing this issue has been a problem for City Vision in recent times.

However, what we have also very clearly said is that our policy heading into this election is chrystal clear, and that it is C&R who are refusing to commit to scrapping the "charitable payment" policy that sees Metrowater being used as a cash cow for other Council activities.

Further confirmation of this came in a report in yesterday's Central Leader. The policy positions of C&R and City Vision are outlined as follows:

"Citizens and Ratepayers would seek to reduce charitable payment after the election and an independent review of Metrowater.

Councillor Neil Abel says the payments would be scrapped under the City Vision ticket, and Metrowater would be run on a non-profit basis."

There you have it. C&R are now actually conceding that they will keep using the charitable payment (at a reduced rate) to prop up Council activities. City Vision's position on the other hand is chrystal clear - we will not use Metrowater as a cash cow. End of story.

Only a vote for City Vision will deliver water at minimum cost.

Candidate Meme - Lindsey Rea

Today, Lindesy Rea. Current Chair of the Eden-Albert Community Board, seeking election to Council in Western Bays:

What is your favourite place in Auckland and why?

Western Springs lakeside park. I run a walking group which goes around the lake twice a week. I know every broken winged goose on the lake and where the pukekos raise their chicks.

Name one policy you would like to implement in your local area.

Cleaning up the 1.8million cubic metres of sewerage laden stormwater which flows onto the western beaches every year.

Why are you standing for your position?

I have the qualifications and the experience to be a Councilor. Western Bays faces major challenges with population growth and transport and I can help solve the problems.

If John Banks is the answer, what's the question?

How much have we left to sell?

Vote for me and the City Vision team for...

Strong teams of local people with local interests ot heart.

Tag: Dr Ian Scott

Politically Pasifika

A team of City Vision candidates and supporters attended the Politically Pasifika event a couple of weeks back, but due to the rigours of the campaign we've only just got our act together enough to come back with some photographic evidence of our presence.

Pictured in the centre all glammed up for the cocktail evening are Carmel Sepuloni (City Vision Roskill Community Board candidate) and Jessica Gosche (Mt Wellington Licensing Trust candidate), waiting to give their candidate speeches.

The evening was organised in a non-partisan way, with candidates from across the political spectrum. MP's from across the political spectrum were invited, with Phil Goff, David Cunliffe, and Judith Tizard in attendance.

Tapu Misa was the keynote speaker, who gave a great address in which she discussed the need for the growing numbers of successful, ambitious, and educated Pasifika people to become involved in political life. In particular she emphasised the need for talented Pasifika women to step forward.

All in all, a fantastic night. City Vision has high hopes for our candidates who attended, all of whom will make fantastic elected representatives.

Mayoral Forum: Public transport is the new black

A report about the Green Party Mayoral Forum from Avondale-Roskill City Vision Council candidate Donna Wynd:

Transport activists who attended the Greens mayoral forum last night were probably surprised to find that all the mayoral candidates came out strongly in favour of improved passenger transport. What a difference three years makes - petrolhead and Eastern Motorway fanatic John Banks did his best to convince us he is a convert to public transport.

In fact, the strangest utterance of the night came from His Former Worship. Candidates were asked if they favoured turning Queen Street into a pedestrian mall, and he replied yes, if it was integrated with public transport and cars. Now, I'm not an urban designer, but isn't the point of pedestrian malls that they aren't integrated with cars?

Last but not least, this was a forum put on by the Green Party so the candidates were asked what they would do to make Auckland carbon-neutral by 2020. To help answer this question for yourselves, stop and think about which transport device is the most efficient machine ever invented, is versatile enough to be used by South Auckland school children and Rwandan coffee farmers, and emits no exhaust fumes?

Why, the bicycle, of course. Not a single candidate mentioned making Auckland more cycle-friendly. An oversight, surely?

Editors note: Donna has been known to cycle for New Zealand at the Olympics from time to time.

C&R = Cuts, City Vision = Investment

The stark choice facing Auckland voters is becoming clearer.

After weeks of vague populist slogans from C&R with no specific detail, the cat is finally out of the bag. A C&R Council will lead to cuts to community facilities and important programmes that make our city a fair and decent place to live.

Yesterday, C&R leader David Hay strongly suggested that planned swimming pools for Avondale and Otahuhu would be canned if C&R takes over the reigns. This goes hand in hand with the C&R pledge to scrap the affordable housing scheme.

While these initiatives cost money, City Vision strongly believes that our communities deserve good recreational facilities. They serve to bring the community together, and provide a positive opportunity for our young people to engage in healthy exercise.

The message is clear, a vote for C&R will see a return to 1990s style policies, with cuts to the basic services our communities need. Only a vote for City Vision will see continued investment in the wellbeing of our communities.

Candidate Meme: Cr Glenda Fryer

Today - Cr Glenda Fryer, seeking re-election to Council in the Eden-Albert ward.

What is your favourite place in Auckland and why?

All the parks are my favourite places...and I have taken my four children to most of them over the past eighteen years. Gribblehurst Park used to be tops as my local, but now Rocket Park in Mt Albert is probably the favourite with Maungawhau/Mt Eden the next most favourite. A little bit of countryside in the middle of the city, and looking down into the crater where the volcano blew out of all those hundreds of years ago is always magical.

Name one policy you would like to implement in your local area.

I would like Auckland City to buy more parks... just small ones so that mums and dads only have to walk a couple of blocks to get to some greenspace and let their children run around, and let themselves calm down. Life is busy and parks are our 'breather' mechanism with their trees and flower gardens and play equipment. With apartment living or smaller units with no backyard now a way of life as we become a more compact city, it is even more important to have our free city parks that are an enjoyable experience for families and friends.

Why are you standing for your position?

I am both big picture and community focussed and know the economic and social pressures on Auckland families. The City needs people on Council who think at the community level as well as at the bigger picture level. My big picture focus this term has been to put together how transport and land use combine to affect communities.

If John Banks is the answer, what's the question?

Why is rude and mean better than nice and considerate?

Vote for me and the City Vision team for...

A more sustainable city for families.

Tag - David Rhodes, Council candidate for Avondale-Roskill

Hard campaigning in Roskill

The City Vision team in Mt Roskill are running a hard on the ground campaign to talk to the public about City Vision's record and policies, and our plans for the area.

Attached is a picture of Avondale-Roskill Council candidate Bruce McCarthy, and Roskill Community Board member Corinne McLaren at the Roskill Village Housing New Zealand flats on Stoddard Rd.

Bruce, Corinne, and Michael Wood spent yesterday afternoon doorknocking the village and talking to residents. The response was very positive. Residents are still furious at John Banks and C&R for hocking off their homes (which were Council owned Pensioner flats) during their last term in office. Banks and C&R have again positioned themselves against affordable housing in Auckland by pledging to scrap the affordable housing project.

Only a City Vision/Labour Council will deliver a socially just Auckland that ordinary people can afford to live in.

It's not just about the mayor!

A great frustration of many local body candidates I have talked with (of all political stripes) is the media obsession with the mayoral contest in Auckland City, to the exclusion of the rest of the campaign.

While the mayoral race is important and should be covered, the fact remains that the mayor has just one vote on Council, and ultimately the direction of Auckland over the next three years will be decided by which group has a majority block on Council. A Dick Hubbard mayoralty with a C&R majority would see a right wing agenda rolled out, and a John Banks mayoralty with a City Vision/Labour majority would see the continuation of a progressive, centre-left agenda.

Yet in spite of this, the media focus is strongly on the Hubbard v. Banks tussle.

Today's Herald poll on the mayoralty race is interesting. It shows John Banks with an 8.5% lead, which is solid, but given the small sample size (400), far from a done deal. While City Vision does not have an endorsed mayoral candidate, any City Vision candidate will tell you that Dick Hubbard, although far from perfect, has delivered far more for Auckland than John Banks with his agressive style and privatising agenda.

Interestingly, the Herald poll also asks questions about Council performance. It shows that 67% of people rated Council performance as good-excellent. This is not a bad result and shows that City Vision's policies of inclusion, investing in infrastructure, public ownership of key assets, and fairness for all citizens are valued by a strong majority of Aucklanders.

Water Hypocrisy

Yesterday's parliamentary report that slammed the policy of using Metrowater as a 'cash cow' to fund other Council spending is right on the mark.

Access to water is a basic right, necessary for human health and dignity. The policy of requiring Metrowater to make profits, which then get used by Council for other services is strongly opposed by City Vision. Our comprehensive policy on water states this clearly:

"Water and wastewater will be charged to fund a financially and environmentally sustainable service and not be a source of profit to subsidise other Council activities"

The Herald and Brian Rudman all report that "City Vision and Citizens & Ratepayers, are promising to abolish the policy (of using Metrowater to subsidise other services)".

While City Vision's policy is clear, C&R's behaviour on the issue is hypocritical in the extreme. C&R are attempting to make as much political capital out of the water issue as possible, yet at the first opportunity to actually vote for a change of direction , C&R councillors last night block voted against a motion put forward by City Vision Councillor Neil Abel that would have made Council take the select committee report into account at the Annual Plan setting meeting.

If C&R want to stop Metorwater being made to run a profit, why oppose this motion?

Only a vote for City Vision will ensure that Council will stop using Metrowater as a cash cow.

Candidate Meme: Christopher Dempsey

Today - Christopher Dempsey, current Eden-Albert Community Board member, standing for re-election:

What is your favourite place in Auckland and why?

The steps of the War Memorial Museum, at dusk on a cool, dry, slightly cloudy, winters day.
The views over the harbour are stupendous, and the sense of history is powerful. One of my relatives is named on the war memorial inside, and I can see North Head, where my forefathers and foremothers sailing from Graves End in England, arriving here in March 1866, went past. The sense of how things change yet the landscape endures is quite remarkable.

Name one policy you would like to implement in your local area.

More artwork! Artwork, of all shapes, sizes and materials would make Eden Albert great!

Why are you standing for your position?

I care about people and about the environment that they live in. I want people and their families to have the best living environment possible.

If John Banks is the answer, what's the question?
Who’s yesterday’s man?

Vote for me and the City Vision team for...

More artwork, more transport choices, and a focus on the quality of life issues, not money.

Tag: Corinne McLaren

Rudman is Right... Mostly

Brian Rudman has an interesting column in today's Herald in which he discusses Judith Tizard's Auckland Regional Amenities Bill. He rightly points out that the importance of this Bill has largely slipped under the public radar screen.

The Bill sets out to ensure there is secure regional funding for 11 major amenities in Auckland. The issue is that, while most of these amenities are based in Auckland city, they have big benefits for the whole region, and are used by people from across all 7 territorial authorities. Because they're in Auckland city though, the other Council's don't contribute, and the amenities generally struggle to pull together the necessary funding to keep going.

Go here for a full ist of the amenities we're talking about, and more information about the Bill.

The Bill is a sound piece of legislation that will see the different Auckland Council's each paying their fair share (instead of it all being lumped on Auckland City), and give our important amenities a secure financial footing.

Rudman's column goes on to make a few other points that City Vision Talk doesn't necessarily agree with, but at least someone's making informed comment about local body issues!

Candidate Meme - Leigh Kennaway

Today sees the start of our candidate meme, with City Vision candidates answering questions about themselves, their reasons for standing, and a few other things...

First up - Leigh Kennaway, Western Bays Community Board member, standing for a third term:

What is your favourite place in Auckland and why?

My home in Point Chevalier - surrounded by revegetating bush and great neighbours, a friendly, vibrant local community, close to lots of parks and pleasant beaches, handy to town and work, and a few minutes walk from Motat and the Zoo - two great places to spend a day.

Name one policy you would like to implement in your local area.

Heritage conservation and quality urban development is vital.

Why are you standing for your position?

To continue improving the environment, protect our heritage, and advocate for the community.

If John Banks is the answer, what's the question?

How bad can things get?

Vote for me and the City Vision team for...

A great team that provides advocacy, fiscal and environmental responsibility, and sensible decisions!

Tag: Chris Dempsey, Eden-Albert Community Board Candidate

More on Affordable Housing

Did you know that:

* home ownership rates in Auckland are projected to decline from 64 per cent in 2001 to 58 per cent in 2016

* house price to income ratios have increased across the entire Auckland region

* about 21 per cent of owner-occupier households in Auckland are paying more than 30 per cent of their gross income on housing costs

* a decline in housing affordability affects wealth accumulation, social cohesion, and education and health outcomes.

All of this comes out of a major study by global real estate advisors DTZ. City Vision and Labour councillors are doing something to start addressing the problem through the affordable housing project.

The project is a partnership between Council and the New Zealand Housing foundation. Council provides some funding (up to $9m over five years) and NZHF builds up to 100 houses for low-middle income people who would not otherwise be able to afford their own home. NZHF and the family enter into a shared equity agreement to own the house together.

This is a great initiative. While it doesn't solve Auckland's housing problems it is a good example of what can be done. Banks and C&R will scrap the affordable housing scheme if re-elected as part of their 1990s slash and burn policies. Only the return of a City Vision led Council will see this important initiative continue.

Standing up for public transport

The Campaign for Better Transport is an independent organisation that, well campaigns for better transport in the Auckland region. In particular, they campaign for sustainable transport solutions, including better public transport, integrated transport linkages, and more intelligent roading design.

Recently, CBT scored a big success in pushing to get the Onehunga rail track re-opened. A current campaign is to push for a rail link to Auckland International Airport.

CBT's recent member newsletter offers some thoughts on the upcoming local elections, and makes some positive comments about a number of candidates who are either with City Vision, or have strong links with City Vision:

On Mike Lee (ARC Chair and Regional People candidate for ARC):

"Current ARC Chair Mike Lee was instrumental in getting the Onehunga branch line included in Ontrack’s programme of work, and has had a long involvement in our campaign to extend rail to the airport and beyond."

On Graeme Easte (Western Bays Community Baord Chair and City Vision Council candidate):

"We wish CBT spokesperson Graeme Easte all the best in his bid for election to Auckland City Council. I’ve always been able to rely on Graeme to provide level-headed, thoughtful replies to questions from the media, and I’m sure that he will bring the same insight to the table at the Auckland City Council."

On Maire Leadbeater (Regional People candidate for ARC):

"Finally, founding CBT member Maire Leadbeater is also contesting one of four seats available in the Auckland constituency of the ARC. Maire is an experienced former ARC and Auckland City councillor and has always been a strong advocate for better transport in the Auckland region."

City Vision's full transport policy is available here.

Banks transmogrified? Yeah right.

Lost in all of the hubbub yesterday about John Bank's posturing over Eden park was another announcement made by the "transmogrified" Banks.

In addition to picking a fight with the ARC and the government over Eden Park funding, Mr Banks has announced that he will scrap the Council's affordable housing project.

The project is a City Vision/Labour intitiative that will modestly begin to build up a stock of affordable housing in Auckland, particularly in central areas where prices have moved well beyond the reach of most ordinary families.

Bank's plan to scrap the project shows he has not moved on from the slash and burn days of the 1990s. When he was last Mayor of Auckland, Banks and the C&R Council hocked off our stock of affordable housing at firesale prices. Now we are faced with a housing affordability crisis.

The Banks proposal to scrap the affordable housing project shows he has not "transmogrified" at all. A vote for Banks and C&R will see a return to privatisation, user pays, and cuts to important council services. Only a City Vision-led Council will continue to make the investments necessary to build the infrastructure necessary for a prosperous and fair city.

40 Below - Politically Pasifika 07

A 2005 Justice and Electoral Committee found that while Pacific people make up 7% of New Zealand’s total population, they only make up 1% of the people elected to local government positions.

City Vision has a number of excellent Pasifika candidates who are out to turn around that statistic, one of whom (Roskill Community Board candidate Carmel Sepuloni) is involved in a really good example of regional and cross-party co-operation, called 40 Below – Politically Pasifika.

It’s a fundraising and social event on tomorrow evening that brings together under 40 Pasifika candidates from the Auckland region and beyond. Supporters buy a ticket to come along (with most of the proceeds going to support the candidate), and over an evening of drinks, nibbles, and meeting new people, each candidate gives a short presentation on why they are getting involved. Tapu Misa (this is the best bio I could find) is also down as the keynote speaker.

It all sounds like a good night, and a big turnout is expected at Mt Roskill’s Fickling Centre – will take some photos and post them here later.

Avondale Coast to Coast walk

Avondale Community Board candidate Michelle Johansson came up with the very good idea of combining a fundraiser and a publicity activity into a single event – the Avondale Coast to Coast walk.

City Vision candidates, and a squad of candidates kids and Waterview supporters set out on Saturday to walk the 8km or so from Waterview in the north of the ward, down to Blockhouse Bay at the southern tip of Avondale. Participating candidates collected sponsorship money from friends and supporters for completing the walk.

Along the way candidates with silly hats and City Vision sandwich boards (who said politics has lost its dignity?) created a big walking advertisement for City Vision.

We stopped at strategic points for some good old fashioned street corner meetings, which attracted plenty of supportive waves and toots from passing traffic.

And in truly stylish fashion we finished off the walk with a cool drink at Jagz cafe in Blockhouse Bay.

We've hit a raw nerve!

With over 80% of Aucklanders strongly against any privatisation of Auckland City’s airport shares, it is no wonder that our posting about the pro-privatisation credentials of C&R has hit a raw nerve.

C&R candidate Aaron Bhatnagar, has tried to have a dig at City Vision’s position on this issue, while skillfully ignoring the actual issue at hand - which is C&R’s history of, and support for privatisation.

Mr Bhatnagar sets up a straw man by arguing that:

"no sell down or complete sale of the shares is possible with any proposed restructure”

This ignores the point originally made by City Vision Talk. That point is simply that a future C&R Council could change the city’s long-term plan to allow for the shares to be sold. Mr Bhatnagar’s C&R colleague Cr Scott Milne has himself pointed out that the next council might need to consider its position on future bids, stating that:

“there was nothing to stop potential buyers coming back with offers for the airport shares, but the council would have to consult ratepayers again” (NZ Herald, September 3)

City Vision Talk’s point is simple. Given their history (they sold half the shares in 2002) and their belief in privatisation, there is a real chance that a future C&R Council will try to sell the shares. City Vision will not. Only a vote for City Vision will secure the airport shares in public ownership.

Hitting the streets

A key component of City Vision's campaign is meeting people face to face on the streets and doorsteps of Auckland City.

Attached is a pic of Carmel Sepuloni and Michael Wood (both Roskill Community Board candidates) holding a stall at the Mt Roskill shops yesterday. One suggested titles for this pic is "the long and short of it".

The response in Roskill was really positive. Heaps of information was given out, and many local shop keepers showed their support by hosting City Vision leaflets in their stores.

Dubai deal on ice. Great, but threat to public ownership remains

Dubai Aerospace's bid to take control of Auckland International Airport has been shelved - but only for the moment. Continued threats to public ownership of the airport shares remain.

Firstly, there is no certainty that this is the absolute end of the road for the Dubai bid. All Dubai have very vaguely said is that the offer "could not proceed in the form proposed". Word is that "DAE could come back with a cash bid for the airport, but will wait till CPP discloses details of its offer". Clearly there remains a possibility that Dubai will ressurect its bid in some other form.

Secondly, as the Canadian Pension Plan bid shows, there are plenty of other willing buyers out there. Why wouldn't there be? The airport is a prime asset.

And thirdly, although Auckland City Council has decided not to alter its long-term plan to enable a sale on this occasion, C&R Councillor Scott Milne has publicy noted that the plan could be altered if another bid came along. It is here that the threat to Auckland ratepayers continuing to hold the shares lies.

C&R have consistently equivocated about the sale of the shares. Although pressure from the public and City Vision has saved the shares this time, C&R, who sold half the shares in 2002, are philospohically in favour of the privatisation of "non-core" assets:

"Former C&R Now councillor William Cairns said now was the time to sell the shares and use the proceeds to invest in stormwater, footpaths, buses, train station ugprades and community facilities like libraries, the zoo and art gallery" (August 28 2007)

"Another C&R Now politician, Michael Barnett, wearing his hat as Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive, is also pushing for selling the shares" (August 22 2007)

City Vision's position is clear. The airport is a strategic asset for the people of Auckland and we will not sell it. Only a vote for City Vision will guarantee ongoing public ownership of the shares.

The Campaign is on!

The local body election campaign in Auckland City is on.

What happens during this campaign will shape Auckland significantly in the coming years. While interest in local government is often very low, the decisions made by City Councillors and Community Board members have a real impact on the lives of people in Auckland.

Whether it’s rates, water charges, privatisation v. public ownership, the future of Eden Park, the state of footpaths in your street, community facilities for young people, or getting decent public transport into your area, many important decisions are made at local body level. The different tickets all have very different views on these issues.

City Vision Talk isn’t an official City Vision site, but will feature the views of City Vision candidates and activists on important local issues, and the ups and downs of the campaign. Comments are welcome, but they will be moderated – keep to the topic, and leave personal remarks out.

City Vision has worked hard over the past three years to bring Auckland together. The sailing has not always been smooth, but the progress we have made is light years on from the disastrous privatising Banks/C&R Council of 2001-2004. We look forward to a hard campaign and the opportunity to outline our vision for Auckland over the coming weeks.