Councils Holding the Country to Ransom

[John the builder]

Is anyone aware of the ratepayers alliance?

https://www.ratepayers.nz/news

that turkey in charge of watercare had the gall to say to John Banks on Majic ta;lk decision on upgrading the water treatment plant were above his $735k pay grade when in fact there is noone above his Paygrade including the prime minister

[Perry]

What do you expect from turkeys gorging on the public / ratepayers teat?

Apart from being devoid of any conscious ethics and replete with shallow, evasive excuses.

That's the type that such cosy sinecures attract.

An enormous-salary, pointless parliamentary appointment seems next in the calling for such leeches, ahhh, people.

[mrsaneperson]

Is anyone aware of the ratepayers alliance?

https://www.ratepayers.nz/news

that turkey in charge of watercare had the gall to say to John Banks on Majic ta;lk decision on upgrading the water treatment plant were above his $735k pay grade when in fact there is noone above his Paygrade including the prime minister

Yes, the ratepayers alliance run by Jo Holmes, and regarding Watercare i just looked that up now and copied the link to the interview. What strikes me is why is this said turkey, Raveen Jaduram the head of Watercare saying its beyond his control to access more water from the Waikato River for Auckland's current water shortage? 10 to 1 , it will have something to do with Iwi control.

What else can we expect from Auckland Council they are paving the way forward to apartheid with co-management deals with Maori all over the place, one perfect example is the 80Million they gave to the TPA Iwi authority to manage Auckland's 14 volcanic cones - the selected Maori managements first step was to eradicate all colonial past reminders by removing hundreds of non native trees and cattle from existence. Unwise as Mangere Mountain sprung into an inferno due to arson that went well beyond what would have been a normal blaze but for the fact that cattle on the mountain had been moved thereby creating an incendiary situation with long dry grass everywhere.

These will be a torrent of new and ongoing situations that is already a very messy , complex and expensive situation that Auckland ratepayers will foot the bill for.

Heres the link to the interview with John Banks and the 750k watercare executive :

https://www.magic.co.nz/home/news/2020/05/head-of-watercare--auckland-could-double-its-supply-from-waikato.html

[Perry]

. . . it will have something to do with Iwi control.

Not as I see it.

What you describe as '"Iwi control" is racism, (or racist control) plain and simple.

Remember that IWI stands for I Want It.

[Wayne]

regarding Watercare i just looked that up now and copied the link to the interview. What strikes me is why is this said turkey, Raveen Jaduram the head of Watercare saying its beyond his control to access more water from the Waikato River for Auckland's current water shortage? 10 to 1 , it will have something to do with Iwi control.

I thought it was with the Waikato Regional Council and under the RMA they have to take applicants in turn.
Watercare is somewhere down the list.
Iwi isn't holding it up at all but don't let any facts get in the way of your bias.

[Perry]

We'd need the list of applications and the dates, to be fairly informed. I did hear that the application for more water was lodged a long time ago.

[Perry]

Ah, yes - there it was . . . .

Seven years on.

Solutions Being Worked On For Auckland’s Water Supply
Thursday, 14 May 2020, 3:27 pm
Media Release: Waikato Regional Council

Waikato Regional Council chair Russ Rimmington has today responded to calls for Watercare’s consent application lodged in 2013 to be moved ahead of others. “I have sympathy for Aucklanders impacted by this water supply issue brought about by an especially long dry spell. But people who have asked first should have their application dealt with first.

“Legally Waikato Regional Council is not allowed to process Watercare’s application until it gets to the front of the queue. This includes resolving any court appeals with all those applications that are ahead of it. This obviously takes years under the current Resource Management Act (RMA) processes,” Cr Rimmington said.

Doesn't preclude the RMA and Appeals process being hi-jacked, though.

[flyernzl]

The poor starving Lawyers must be fed first.

[Wayne]

Ah, yes - there it was . . . .

Seven years on.

Solutions Being Worked On For Auckland’s Water Supply
Thursday, 14 May 2020, 3:27 pm
Media Release: Waikato Regional Council



Doesn't preclude the RMA and Appeals process being hi-jacked, though.

Hasn't even got to the front of the Q yet so no appeals.

People just need to get a few facts before they take off on a rant.

[Perry]

To a degree, I agree.

But seven years?!

Does anyone think that's reasonable?

It would take quite some investigative effort to ascertain, but by xxxxxx appealing earlier applications, the effect would be to 'stonewall' later applications.

Stranger things have happened.

[John the builder]

To a degree, I agree.

But seven years?!

Does anyone think that's reasonable?

It would take quite some investigative effort to ascertain, but by xxxxxx appealing earlier applications, the effect would be to 'stonewall' later applications.

Stranger things have happened.

but the real scandal us that IF the RC was issued today the treament plant is working at full capcity anyway and cannot increase capacity to take advantage of the increase for another 4 weeks.

So the issue isnt permission it is capacity!!!

we pay this turkey 750k to run this show and he cannot get this sorted HE MUST BE SACKED!!!!!

[Wayne]

but the real scandal us that IF the RC was issued today the treament plant is working at full capcity anyway and cannot increase capacity to take advantage of the increase for another 4 weeks.

So the issue isnt permission it is capacity!!!

we pay this turkey 750k to run this show and he cannot get this sorted HE MUST BE SACKED!!!!!

The scandal is that 7 years on their request hasn't been actioned.
A further scadal would be if they spent a track load of money years ago on plant that can't be used because they can't get the water.
The plant has some spare capacity and the pipe a bit less.

[Perry]

Weeping, Wailing & Gnashing of Teeth

I would say councils will get this loophole closed pretty quick.

They likes their development contributions, reserve contributions, resource consent fees, building consent fees, infrastructure growth fees and so on.

The also like being in control.

They will not like this, then:

DIY about to get cheaper as Government relaxes need for building consents
24 May 2020

Single-storey detached buildings up to 30 square metres - including sleep-outs, sheds, greenhouses and carports - will be affected by the new exemptions to the Building Act, Minister for Building and Construction, Jenny Salesa, said today in a statement. It’s expected to save homeowners $18 million in consenting costs per year. Building work must still meet the Building Code, however. “These changes will save New Zealanders time and money and mean councils can focus on higher-risk building work, boosting the building and construction sector in the Covid-19 recovery,” Ms Salesa said.

PT thread on the topic, here.

[PC]

So achieved more than National did in 9 years of doing nothing to reduce red tape and reform the RMA.

[John the builder]

So achieved more than National did in 9 years of doing nothing to reduce red tape and reform the RMA.

this is a Jenny Salesa knee jerk to be seeing to be doing something

it isnt law yet and the devil is in detail Wait to see the exceptions first??

also this is a building act exemption you still have to comply with RMA and the district plan that applies so dont think the council are going away?