Rodney Republic

Government Grant

rodneyrepublic — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:13:28 +0000

In my naïveté I welcomed the appointment of Grant Kirby to the Local Government Commission with liaison responsibilities between the Commission and the Auckland Transition Authority. I believed that Mr Kirby, a Rodney resident and a former commissioner for the district, would have a special affinity for us and be a strident proponent of our independence. “Not so,” I am told. In fact, Mr Kirby is quite the opposite and could be quite possibly the biggest disaster Rodney has in store as it fights for its life.

The Government has shown its colours and has made its biggest “blue” yet with this appointment. Mr Kirby is the former chairman of the One Auckland Trust, and that name speaks for itself. He is a relentless advocate for the one city concept and is repeatedly on record as such. How then could this appointment be anything other than an undermining—read slap in the face—of the so-called independence of the Local Body Commission? What is the Government thinking?

The answer to that may be found on the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance’s website http://www.royalcommission.govt.nz/. Put “Grant Kirby” into the search field and bring up his One Auckland submission. Notice something? In every respect but one it is exactly the same as the Government’s proposal for Auckland —not the Royal Commission’s, the Government’s! The only difference is the number of councillors (26) proposed by Mr Kirby.

So, the Government has installed one of its own in this key position when and where the people of Auckland and Rodney would have hoped for a dispassionate, disinterested and unbiased view to take us forward. We ain’t going to get it with Mr Kirby, that’s clear, and I despair of what we are going to get on the Transition Authority.

The Joyce Choice

rodneyrepublic — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:00:36 +0000

At last Sunday’s Auckland Governance meeting hosted by the Honourables Lockwood Smith and John Carter in the cavernous Leisure Centre we were lead a merry dance. And dance we did. We were for the most part compliant partners. We were told nothing we didn’t already know and, despite all the polispeak in the world, such as “we’re here to hear what you have to say” (Carter) and “I’m here representing you” (Smith) we were left in no doubt that this government is hell-bent on following a pre-determined course and meetings such as this are simply there for them to say they had a meeting.

Even so the dance masters must be gratified at the lack of passion and stridency shown by those who braved a blustery night only to get sucked in by more bluster. If I were cynical (surely not Sheil) I might point out that this may be exactly why they chose the Hibiscus Coast for this meeting—largely compliant, largely ambivalent and politically moribund on this issue, as in many others. The honourable ones may expect a more feisty reception from the Wild West—and good on you for forcing them into that Pat Delich.

The Dancing Masters last Sunday - out of step?

Meanwhile, what are we to do to make up for the compliant Coast? I’ll throw this in. Arguably the second most influential man in New Zealand , the one with the most meteoric rise in the current cabinet, and the one hungry to be Rodney’s next electorate MP is Steven Joyce. If I am going to do any dancing with stars, he’s the star I’d choose. Tell him what you think of the Super City proposal. Here are his contact points:

Email: steven.joyce@national.org.nz
Phone: (04)817 6813 (Parliament)
Phone: (04)8176813 (Electorate).

Sandy Sail

rodneyrepublic — Sat, 16 May 2009 22:56:57 +0000

Took a trip up to Warkworth to see the relaunch of the Jane Gifford. What a stunning occasion to celebrate the return of this venerable old boat. Hard to guess the number that turned out but I am picking most of Warkworth and few Jafas thrown in. The organisors have to be congratulated, not only for their restoration work on “the Gifford” but also for organising such a wonderful function that engaged every age group and had something for everyone.

Noted the fact that Mayor Penny Webster attended and, as someone said, that’s unlikely to happen under a super city. And I doubt somehow that the Jane Gifford Restoration Trust would have got the level of support it did from RDC if we had a Banks-based council. Of personal interest, spotted in the crowd was Mr Hunkmeister, Michael Goudie, no doubt showing support for fellow councillor Dave Parker.

Jane Gifford relaunch

I would sail away on the Jane Gifford (or any other boat) with the Tanned One (Goudie) any day. But, no, my relationship with someone inside RDC is not with Michael Goudie. I am open to offers though, Mike.

Now it’s really hitting the fan

rodneyrepublic — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:56:44 +0000

Bernard Orsman of the NZ Herald is not noted for his sense of humour, but he is meticulous in his research and unexcelled in his network of contacts. So it was good to see those two facets plus a sense of humour come across in this piece from today’s Herald. Love it Bernard!

It’s all about me

rodneyrepublic — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:50:20 +0000

Well, it’s not actually. At least I hope not. I understand the Rodney Times is going to publish an article about Rodney Republic next week. I don’t mind my little blog getting a little exposure like that, but I would rather the article be about the blog and what I am trying to do with it, rather than about me.But that’s cool. My partner is a little nervous though.

Rodney Hide gets councilling

rodneyrepublic — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:58:26 +0000

I see Rodney District councillors (most of them anyway) have waded into the Auckland Governance issue. One wonders what took them so long! Having said that, their joint “letter” published in last Thursday’s Rodney Times (and good on the Times for giving them the space) delivers a sensible solution and a way forward (and way out) for the Government. Here, if you haven’t already read it, is the letter. Only the names of the councillors have been removed–to protect those who didn’t stump up.

———————————————————

It is our belief as elected councillors and Rodney residents that the Government needs to urgently re-think its proposal regarding the incorporation of Rodney into its so-called super-city. It’s a point taken up on behalf of the community by Rodney mayor Penny Webster and chief executive Rodger Kerr-Newell.

But now it also needs the strength of the community itself coming to the fore. Having their say.

The surveys within Rodney that show a majority of our community vehemently opposed to the proposal, plus the emergence of late of a pragmatic and more realistic alternative to the Government’s hastily formulated and superficial plan for Auckland both suggest that Government should now take a breath and take a step back to its pre-election promise to consult with the people of Auckland after the Royal Commission’s findings were announced.

There is an alternative to swallowing up Rodney. What it involves is looking and somehow combining all the valid reasons the Government and the Royal Commission presented for amalgamation and the well-reasoned arguments local communities have since made in opposition to it.

Among the arguments for amalgamation are rationalisation of resources and more decisive leadership for the region. And certainly there is great merit to have a regional authority to handle our big ticket items such as three waters and roading. We would be grateful for that.

But among the arguments against are the degradation of democracy with the very real prospect of our having only one councillor to look after 90,000 plus of us, the grab of our not inconsiderable assets by Auckland , and, frankly, the fact that we in Rodney (and in Franklin ) are not Aucklanders and don’t want to be. Indeed many of us moved up here to escape the place!

So what is the solution? It’s simple, but it requires all Rodney residents to have a united voice and to use that voice now—today, tomorrow and certainly before that legislation hits Parliament. It is this:

We go to the Government and say to them that what they are proposing, particularly the rationalisation of resources and, makes sense—for Auckland , for metropolitan Auckland , for urban Auckland . But that’s not us. That’s not Rodney. Never has been. Never will. You (the Government) can achieve everything you want without including us and by confining the amalgamation to the obvious—Manukau, Auckland , Waitakere and North Shore are a natural fit (and the core of your problem)—Rodney is not. Never has been.

It’s hard to see what contribution we can make to the super city—and under the planned representation it’s probably next to none anyway. By all means consider us as part of a unitary authority or even in the future give some thought to an amalgamation of rural councils in the north–but, into a city?

We are urging all local residents to fight this proposal. If you support the continuation of Rodney as a distinct and distinctive entity, if you want more control over decision-making that affects you, if you don’t want to become part of Auckland , write to your local MPs now copying your email to us at customerservice@rodney.govt.nz . They are among the most influential in the Government and that gives us a powerful voice. Please use it.

Hon. John Key, Prime Minister: j.key@ministers.govt.nz
Dr Hon. Lockwood Smith , Speaker House of Representatives: lockwood.smith@national.org.nz

Wayne’s world

rodneyrepublic — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:47:25 +0000

Councillor Wayne Walker

Councillor Wayne Walker of Rodney District Council has his detractors but I admire him. Of all the present councillors, he seems the one who remains most true to himself. He stands resolutely for merging with Auckland when most of us don’t want a bar of it.

But that’s Wayne. Wayne has his beliefs and they are intractable, as is he. He takes a stance and he stands on it. He will not be moved. He flies in the face of fashion.

We know this because of his haircut.

Long after everybody else dispensed with their Beatle brows, Wayne retains his. Good on you Wayne. Fab.

Franklin my dear, I don’t give a damn

rodneyrepublic — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:45:17 +0000

I have never knowingly gone to Franklin. I have a suspicion I might have driven through it on my way to Hamilton but my not inconsiderable disquiet at the prospect ahead of me would have preoccupied me. I am sure Franklin is a nice place with nice people and a rich and distinctive culture. It must be—I believe Hamilton wants Franklin to become part of the Waikato and, as we all know, the only culture Hamilton presently has is that which grows on its cheeses.

But if Franklin is to become part of anything it makes sense that it should be Waikato. Both are largely rural hinterland, both have rural economies and of course Waikato has a better rugby team than Auckland. Certainly Franklin, like Rodney, has nothing in common with Auckland. Not to put too fine a point on it, we don’t give a damn for Auckland.

It’s therefore amazing to me, and increasingly to most pundits, that Mr Hide should include Franklin and Rodney in his super city. Or is there something else to that. Something he is not currently revealing? That’s something we shall explore in a later post.

Nowhere to Hide

rodneyrepublic — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:45:57 +0000

Rodney Hide may be a reasonably good dancer but he is way out of step with the people of Rodney over this governance issue. If he thinks we “country-folk” are going to apathetically sit back and allow him to allow major decision affecting our area to be made by whomever in Auckland can put together the most money or an ideological or populist vote, he’s wrong.

At least, I hope he has it wrong.

I can’t believe that Rodney—the district, not the man—is prepared to roll over and allow the toe-tapper from Mt Eden to dance all over us. Right now we have 12 councillors and a mayor representing us on a local council. They may vary in quality, but at least they are ours. What Rodney Hide is foisting on us is one councillor to look after 90,000 of us and the opportunity to vote for eight others who, God help us, could come from Mt Roskill and such like.

Yet Mr Hide does seem to do that with impunity. He’s making proclamations as if all this is a done-deal. And no amount of protestations about select committees will convince us that his 39-page “plan” dreamt up over a week and possibly a few chardonnays is not something he is hell-bent on doing anyway. Put simply, we have nowhere to hide, the way it stands at the moment. So we might as well come out, and go down, fighting.

What have we to lose?

David v Goliath!

rodneyrepublic — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:32:53 +0000

You have to admire this Kemeys guy. He’s a bit of a throw-back to those old-time crusading newspapermen—the kind they shot in the Old West.

David Kemeys is editor in chief of Suburban Newspapers in Auckland, and of late he has used those newspapers to rip the veneer-thin sheen of the Government’s hastily concocted plan for Auckland’s governance

In doing so, he has placed himself and his newspapers at odds with the Government. He even got those newspapers mentioned in Parliament (that cheer-squad for the Dominion Post), albeit from the still flaccid Labour opposition.

So, good on you David for taking a stance on this. It’s good to see the media taking a stance on anything these days and you have done it from a point of passion and genuine insight into the needs of the community you and your newspapers represent