Auckland Mayoral Election

[jared_7]

Is there anything more depressing and more of an indictment on New Zealand politics than reading through the policies of the 4 main Auckland Mayoral candidates?

Any insights here, Ric, Spy, Liz, Cas? And a comedic one liner, Len?

[morepork]

Let me guess, public/private partnerships? Cut spending?

[jared_7]

Let me guess, public/private partnerships? Cut spending?

And thats the view of the only "left" candidate; you can imagine where it goes from there.

I think all of them have towed the line "I will run Auckland like a business", how exciting. I wonder who profits?

[morepork]

What is left to sell? Water supply? It's like a little New Jersey. There's even a shady New Jersey native running.

[rowan]

No offence guys, but shouldn't this topic be on the Politics thread in the non-rugby forums? If there's a rugby angle, I'm not seeing it...

[morepork]

Don't be a dry balls. It's local politics for local dudes. Perfectly logical board for it.

[rowan]

Ok, fair enough. But if you want to define 'dry balls' I think this topic should be the standard dictionary entry.

As you were . . .

[J Dory]

Having been following, other than to read the headline claiming one of the candidates has been having sex with the same women for 40 something years. Cool.

[cashead]

Everyone knows Goff'll probably win.

Palino's campaign has utterly failed to live up to the comedy potential that the train wreck of a launch had promised, that boring cunt.

[morepork]

Everyone knows Goff'll probably win.

Palino's campaign has utterly failed to live up to the comedy potential that the train wreck of a launch had promised, that boring cunt.

The guy is actual Jersey Shore. Bridge and Tunnel lowlife that made a career of shady dealings with local body politics. Run. A. Fucking. Mile.

[jared_7]

Everyone knows Goff'll probably win.

Palino's campaign has utterly failed to live up to the comedy potential that the train wreck of a launch had promised, that boring cunt.

Yeah I read Goff is polling double the others combined?

I also see he wants to cut spending and pull the plug on a rail connection to the airport. What a visionary.

[Spy]

Goff will win, anything less than a landslide would be surprising. Probably the main reason is simply name recognition. Fortunately, however, he's also imo the best candidate for the job. He's got a long record on which he can be judged, he's proven to be a reliable, steady sort of guy, and he's a pragmatist. I think and hope he'll do a decent job.

There's a lot going on in Auckland. It's a city that's just making the transition from the sort of place where people could reasonably expect to own a house with a garden and drive everywhere; to a place where more of us will be living in apartments, using public spaces, and taking public transport. It's a good place to live, and more and more people want to live here. We're feeling the growing pains of that reality.

Managing that transition is a big job, and it's a shame that local body politics is not more high-profile (even the Auckland mayoralty), but generally I would say most people aren't too interested. Just like regular politics in NZ, I suppose, but more so. It's certainly hard to get excited about the Local Board stuff- I've had a little contact with the sort of people on those and I still don't really understand what purpose they serve.

Good things are happening though. The train service is actually functional now. Trains every 10min in rush hour - inconceivable 10 years ago. The city rail link is going ahead, which will improve this even more. I don't go into the city centre a whole lot, but I was in town last weekend and was impressed at how lively the place was, and how nice it was looking from the makeover projects. Big investment in the rail interchanges such as New Lynn, where I do spend a lot of time, has really boosted these suburban town centres.

Meh. Goff will win no matter what I do or think. House prices are stupid no matter what I do or think. Immigration and growth will happen no matter what I do or think. Better go test some eyes. That's something I can control.

[cashead]

Yeah, the only thing I look forward to with local body elections is the crazies that come out of the woodwork. The last round was a bit below par though.

[Lizard]

Goff will win. He needs to rethink the rail link to the airport though. Light rail won't cut it.

The other issues for me are the port (it shouldn't be there) and sports stadia (bowl Eden Park and build apartments, convert tank farm into a rugby stadium, next to a test cricket ground at Victoria Park. League can stay as far away from me as possible, as can T20 "cricket.")

[cashead]

Bumping this thread to note that I got my "Vote for Chloe" t-shirt. It's nice, and it comes with a handwritten thank you note. Bless her socks.

[morepork]

Bumping this thread to note that I got my "Vote for Chloe" t-shirt. It's nice, and it comes with a handwritten thank you note. Bless her socks.

Looking at her, she radiates a bit of Epsom, but is articulate and knowledgeable and could be one to watch for in the future. Mini Helen.

[cashead]

Goff won, likely to the surprise of no one.

Vic Crone, to whom Mark Thomas was sacrificed to, came second.

Chloe Swarbrick came third.

[jared_7]

Good stuff

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=11741758

Gareth Morgan has launched a political party to 'bring back fairness to New Zealand'

[morepork]

Interesting.

Wonder if they will send the filth around at dawn to confiscate his computers?

[Spy]

Haven't had a millionaire political maverick on the NZ scene since Bob Jones. Unless you count Kim Dot-Com, I suppose.

[morepork]

By the way, the NZ Harold is a fucking disgrace. Over 50% of it seems to be based on social media trends. The rest seems to be a party political broadcast. I like the claim of "best place in zee whole vorld to live" article on the front page based on a ranking by a Dubai investment firm. Class.

Let's see what Morgan can do. I am assuming he is in it to topple Johns Keys and his bunch of village idiots.

[zer0]

By the way, the NZ Harold is a fucking disgrace. Over 50% of it seems to be based on social media trends. The rest seems to be a party political broadcast. I like the claim of "best place in zee whole vorld to live" article on the front page based on a ranking by a Dubai investment firm. Class.

Let's see what Morgan can do. I am assuming he is in it to topple Johns Keys and his bunch of village idiots.

While the other 50% is old people getting angry over the young'uns and their avocados. The place wishes it could reach the journalistic heights of the Daily Mail.

[J Dory]

I have to confess, i hit the Nzherald site daily to catch up on what's going on in NZ. Is there a better online NZ news source you guys can recommend?

[Lizard]

I have to confess, i hit the Nzherald site daily to catch up on what's going on in NZ. Is there a better online NZ news source you guys can recommend?

Radio NZ has less click bait bullshit.

[cashead]

RNZ has less bullshit, period.