Councils Holding the Country to Ransom

[Wayne]

tell council + their nimby planners

You think it is only the planners who are nimby?

[eri]

true

we are nimbies to a degree

but it's the planners + council who decided to ignore affordability

who created the urban boundaries

decided to divert rates from growth infrastructure to pet projects

created the miles of red tape that has strangled development and made affordable housing impossible

this lack of affordable housing is not

an "act of god"

but an "act of council"

the solution is not rationing, the further removal of property rights, finger-pointing, hand-wringing + denial

it's freeing up more land, making it easier to build cheaply and giving people more property rights

so reducing the power of the nimbies

but don't take my word for it

come the run up to the next council elections

focus on the contender's track records and action plans

if they are like penny

and insist it's just a matter of getting developers around a table

and telling them what to do

move on - that's how we got here

[Wayne]

so reducing the power of the nimbies

Interesting perspective - be careful what you wish for.
Wouldn't that reduce the voice of the people?
The people who pay their wages?
Shouldn't they be listening to the people more rather than structuring things so the people have less say?

[eri]

As it stands, the RMA has become a Nimby charter.

It is not just the tales that abound of bureaucratic nightmares and legal delays that only Franz Kafka or Charles Dickens could do justice to.

It is not just about the built environment, building consents, urban planning and the interests of existing property owners.

There is also a kind of Nimbyism in disputes about the natural environment.

Take two examples, not from the RMA but its sibling legislation relating to the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

People who go to a beach and protest against offshore drilling are no doubt sincere in their concerns.

But don't they also take for granted that they will be able to pull into a gas station and refill their tanks on the way home if they need to?

And that relies on trade.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11423701

[Wayne]

You morphed it Eri rather than answering the questions.

[eri]

listening to too many conflicting voices

leads to madness

people get to be heard

when they vote

in between elections work needs to be done on the chosen path

not drowned out by the twitter

JK + crew have the country in an international sweet spot

so i'll forgive the odd ponytail tug

brown has built the city that kiwis can't afford

so i won't forgive him screwing around

until i get the chance to act on those opinions

i'm part of the off-grid chatter

[Wayne]

so i'll forgive the odd ponytail tug

Very odd really (and not so infrequent it seems).
Child like.
Unbefitting a leader of anything let alone a country.

[Perry]

I'm no fan of Shonkey, but it has the look of a set up. If playful banter and 'horsing around' is
the usual daily behaviour pattern for patrons and staff, what's the big deal?

But it is a miniscule mote that serves to mightily distract all and sundry from any and all the
important issues facing NZ. In that sense, the W'gton woodenheads will probably welcome it.

[Wayne]

I'm no fan of Shonkey, but it has the look of a set up. If playful banter and 'horsing around' is
the usual daily behaviour pattern for patrons and staff, what's the big deal?

Banter is words.
Horsing around (or practical jokes as JK described their habit) - who really does that at their local cafe?

Banter I can understand, calling someone Princess, but physical stuff?
Really?
Shows poor judgement and being 'out of touch'.
He needs to get that child within under control.

[Perry]

Interesting news snippet from one web site:

Waitress Amanda Bailey, 26, the woman at the centre of Prime Minister
John Key's hair-pulling harassment accusations says she was duped into
talking to the country's biggest newspaper by its gossip columnist.

"I made it absolutely clear that all and any comments I had made were
given under false pretences, not to mention completely out of context."

[speights boy]

Interesting news snippet from one web site:

John Key says he has lessons to learn as he apologises again for pulling waitress' hair

John Key apologised this morning for his ponytail-pulling antics, saying he had lessons to learn.

The waitress said she made it clear the physical contact was offensive and unwanted, even threatening to hit him if he did not desist.

He eventually apologised by giving her two bottles of his own pinot noir wine.

However, Mr Key said today he was just having fun and hoped it would not turn the New Zealand public against him.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11438907

[Wayne]

Interesting news snippet from one web site:

no doubt duped into posing for the photo etc.

[Wayne]

John Key says he has lessons to learn as he apologises again for pulling waitress' hair

As a grown man he should have learnt them by now.
Most little boys get the lesson at 6 or 7.
Slow learner?

[eri]

it's an odd thing to have done

but i can't think of anyone

who an odder thing

hasn't done

[Wayne]

You are sounding like a Key apologist eri.