We've got a great mayor in the Far North and excellent Maori ward councilors, which the current excuse for a government are trying to force us to get rid of. In my opinion, the worst of a horrible lot is David Seymour, dangerous and influential.
Tautoko Janine. We are so lucky to have an in touch, empathetic and articulate mayor in Moko! This is leadership and mana in our young Mayor, that we want to see and have role modelled to our young people. Our elder politicians like Brown, Jepson, Luxon, Willis, Bishop, Seymour and Shame Jones (I could keep going) could take a few lessons in mana and leadership. Another outstanding leader is Eru Kapa Kingi.
And sorry no we don’t want Brownie back up here, Auckland you can keep him.
gordon bennett i dont know whos worse nicotinestain willis or that utter cringe puke making buffoon wanker brown.. they both might be first equal in the sub human stakes brown the dirtbag can piss off back up north where he managed to rip off so many people with his nefarious buidling projects...what an utter dolt...shame on all the nat goons of auckland who voted this utter plonker into office and his silly little mouthpiece simpson can go with him..where the hell do these arseholes come from
I agree with you about Richard Hills (and Shane Henderson). I would have supported Richard last time round when Efeso stood as the Labour endorsed candidate and Richard backed away. Let me tell you a bit about him. When I was a buddy MP at Northcote, he contacted my office to ask how he could become more involved and be a candidate for Labour. He would have been really young. He stood for selection against Paula Gillon (who won) and the Northcote seat was lost to Jonathan Coleman (not saying it was Paula's fault). After that he became active in local body politics, and then Council. His mentor and friend was that staunch MP Ann Hartley who sadly died a week or so ago. Richard is curious, humble, listens and learns and works hard - he has earned himself a shot at the Mayoralty. There are no other possible "left" candidates I can see, but there is a threat on the right with Paula Bennett. I dunno how it will be next year. The Code Brown won't go down well with a boastful and arrogant mayor.
I'm very sorry to hear of Ann Hartley's passing; I certainly remember her.
I've been very impressed by Richard and would love to see him run. Paula Bennett would be a terrible mayor, so perhaps she could split the right vote with Wayne.
I travel the ferries 3-4 times each way per year with my two dogs and a car. If the unthinkable should happen and my dogs are trapped in kennels on the bottom deck, there will never be anywhere safe for Nicola Willis to hide from me. It was a beyond stupid decision made purely to make herself feel tough and important. It has backfired spectacularly and there is still room for disaster to happen.
Western Bay of Plenty is our district & they did keep the Maori ward which is a plus don't have any particular complaints about them. The Nats cancelled the building of the school in Omokoroa really dumb because the whole area has been under huge growth typical short sightedness.
That is crazy! We’ve stayed at Omokoroa a few times over the years, both at the motor camp and with friends of friends for dance, and it is clear that significant development is taking place.
2 things, firstly Willis being tarred and feathered , you could sell tickets like hit cakes to that . secondly just who do Curia poll that gave brown such support in their poll on him ???
Mike Joy's memoir The Fight for Freshwater has some interesting stories about what the weather and tides can do to Cook Strait. It can be very dangerous and unpredictable. I cannot understand why Nicola so readily dismissed the experts who had designed ferries specifically for the conditions.
She has a notoriously bad temper so I think it was an impetuous decision made in spite towards Grant Robertson, the Labour Government and Wellington for not electing her. A personal vendetta of some kind.
Unless you’ve seen it, it’s hard to believe. This reminded me of a trip back from the South Island in the late 1970’s. The voyage from Picton coincided with the end of a Scout Jamboree, so about 3 million youngsters, (that maybe slightly exaggerated but didn’t seem it at the time), were busy stuffing their faces with all the junk food they could get before we left. About half way across things got pretty rocky. It almost felt like an alien invasion with little green people everywhere, definitely not being happy campers. I won’t give you the gories, but this was around the same time that union activists were trying to get their members decent wage deals in just about every industry imaginable. Those who were engaged working on the ferries earned every cent they could squeeze out of another generation of National tightwads. It seems history does repeat itself. The only thing missing now are the ferries. Oh,yes, and the other thing….decent wages.
great article. Liked the references to the Morris 1300 because I know it was way better than the 1100, and the radio with the Humber 90 rang true. Good laugh. Just glad I dont have Brownie as my Mayor. Have a good day
As mayor, Brown has ducked the question about stadiums in Auckland. Any one who seriously considers Eden Park as a long term solution shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a voting position.
It is a terrible stadium, with the wrong shape for rugby and cricket, and it is in the suburbs on one train line. Absolute madness. In my view, they should've built one where Carlaw Park was, central to the city and part of the entertainment precinct out that side of town. Somewhere central with a good close crowd for the Blues, the Warriors, and Auckland FC, but not for cricket, which needs a proper ground.
Good points raised Nick, I’m sure an increasing number of people are wary of taking a ferry ride across Cook Strait if they don’t have to, although the alternative of flying isn’t as reliable as it should be either.
The new saltwater swimming pool in the city is just a joke. If there was a spare half million lying around there were surely better ways to spend it, perhaps on maintaining some of the other inner city pools. Nobody in their right mind would want to swim in that particular spot surely?
I love the list of old dungers for sale, made me think of my first car, a Hillman Imp. For reasons that could never be fathomed it constantly ran the battery flat, I had a battery charger in the spare room of our flat to keep the thing topped up.
It was on an old NZ site I must have followed. I love things like that, and the gentle humour not taking things too seriously is such a different time.
We've got a great mayor in the Far North and excellent Maori ward councilors, which the current excuse for a government are trying to force us to get rid of. In my opinion, the worst of a horrible lot is David Seymour, dangerous and influential.
Tautoko Janine. We are so lucky to have an in touch, empathetic and articulate mayor in Moko! This is leadership and mana in our young Mayor, that we want to see and have role modelled to our young people. Our elder politicians like Brown, Jepson, Luxon, Willis, Bishop, Seymour and Shame Jones (I could keep going) could take a few lessons in mana and leadership. Another outstanding leader is Eru Kapa Kingi.
And sorry no we don’t want Brownie back up here, Auckland you can keep him.
Can’t believe I left out Winnie, he definitely needs to relearn what it is to have mana.
gordon bennett i dont know whos worse nicotinestain willis or that utter cringe puke making buffoon wanker brown.. they both might be first equal in the sub human stakes brown the dirtbag can piss off back up north where he managed to rip off so many people with his nefarious buidling projects...what an utter dolt...shame on all the nat goons of auckland who voted this utter plonker into office and his silly little mouthpiece simpson can go with him..where the hell do these arseholes come from
Excellent writing today Nick, Kia Ora.
I agree with you about Richard Hills (and Shane Henderson). I would have supported Richard last time round when Efeso stood as the Labour endorsed candidate and Richard backed away. Let me tell you a bit about him. When I was a buddy MP at Northcote, he contacted my office to ask how he could become more involved and be a candidate for Labour. He would have been really young. He stood for selection against Paula Gillon (who won) and the Northcote seat was lost to Jonathan Coleman (not saying it was Paula's fault). After that he became active in local body politics, and then Council. His mentor and friend was that staunch MP Ann Hartley who sadly died a week or so ago. Richard is curious, humble, listens and learns and works hard - he has earned himself a shot at the Mayoralty. There are no other possible "left" candidates I can see, but there is a threat on the right with Paula Bennett. I dunno how it will be next year. The Code Brown won't go down well with a boastful and arrogant mayor.
I'm very sorry to hear of Ann Hartley's passing; I certainly remember her.
I've been very impressed by Richard and would love to see him run. Paula Bennett would be a terrible mayor, so perhaps she could split the right vote with Wayne.
I travel the ferries 3-4 times each way per year with my two dogs and a car. If the unthinkable should happen and my dogs are trapped in kennels on the bottom deck, there will never be anywhere safe for Nicola Willis to hide from me. It was a beyond stupid decision made purely to make herself feel tough and important. It has backfired spectacularly and there is still room for disaster to happen.
Western Bay of Plenty is our district & they did keep the Maori ward which is a plus don't have any particular complaints about them. The Nats cancelled the building of the school in Omokoroa really dumb because the whole area has been under huge growth typical short sightedness.
That is crazy! We’ve stayed at Omokoroa a few times over the years, both at the motor camp and with friends of friends for dance, and it is clear that significant development is taking place.
2 things, firstly Willis being tarred and feathered , you could sell tickets like hit cakes to that . secondly just who do Curia poll that gave brown such support in their poll on him ???
Mike Joy's memoir The Fight for Freshwater has some interesting stories about what the weather and tides can do to Cook Strait. It can be very dangerous and unpredictable. I cannot understand why Nicola so readily dismissed the experts who had designed ferries specifically for the conditions.
I think Willis’s action over the ferries was the female equivalent of willie waving to prove she had the gonads for the job. How delusional was that!
She has a notoriously bad temper so I think it was an impetuous decision made in spite towards Grant Robertson, the Labour Government and Wellington for not electing her. A personal vendetta of some kind.
I overheard someone in the street this morning describing in great detail, the level of vomiting on the ferry yesterday. It was fascinating.
Unless you’ve seen it, it’s hard to believe. This reminded me of a trip back from the South Island in the late 1970’s. The voyage from Picton coincided with the end of a Scout Jamboree, so about 3 million youngsters, (that maybe slightly exaggerated but didn’t seem it at the time), were busy stuffing their faces with all the junk food they could get before we left. About half way across things got pretty rocky. It almost felt like an alien invasion with little green people everywhere, definitely not being happy campers. I won’t give you the gories, but this was around the same time that union activists were trying to get their members decent wage deals in just about every industry imaginable. Those who were engaged working on the ferries earned every cent they could squeeze out of another generation of National tightwads. It seems history does repeat itself. The only thing missing now are the ferries. Oh,yes, and the other thing….decent wages.
great article. Liked the references to the Morris 1300 because I know it was way better than the 1100, and the radio with the Humber 90 rang true. Good laugh. Just glad I dont have Brownie as my Mayor. Have a good day
As mayor, Brown has ducked the question about stadiums in Auckland. Any one who seriously considers Eden Park as a long term solution shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a voting position.
It is a terrible stadium, with the wrong shape for rugby and cricket, and it is in the suburbs on one train line. Absolute madness. In my view, they should've built one where Carlaw Park was, central to the city and part of the entertainment precinct out that side of town. Somewhere central with a good close crowd for the Blues, the Warriors, and Auckland FC, but not for cricket, which needs a proper ground.
Still can’t believe they turned down Victoria Park, or Western Springs for cricket.
Good points raised Nick, I’m sure an increasing number of people are wary of taking a ferry ride across Cook Strait if they don’t have to, although the alternative of flying isn’t as reliable as it should be either.
The new saltwater swimming pool in the city is just a joke. If there was a spare half million lying around there were surely better ways to spend it, perhaps on maintaining some of the other inner city pools. Nobody in their right mind would want to swim in that particular spot surely?
I love the list of old dungers for sale, made me think of my first car, a Hillman Imp. For reasons that could never be fathomed it constantly ran the battery flat, I had a battery charger in the spare room of our flat to keep the thing topped up.
Have a great day.
Our local councillor I mentioned, Shane Henderson, has campaigned for a second public pool in West Auckland - it could've gone towards that.
Great piece of writing, Nick!
Thanks, Alison, I trust you made it back across the bridge ok. 🙂
Yes I did, but I will not be relaxed until my panel beater gets back to work on the 7th. A few wee issues to sort out. (In the car, not me!)
Thanks!
Yep Richard Hills is an awesome councillor & one i would vote for for mayor
That car advert is great, where'd you find it?
It was on an old NZ site I must have followed. I love things like that, and the gentle humour not taking things too seriously is such a different time.