Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums with feeling.…
40 Comments A blanket of misinformation
Two old sayings have been on my mind lately. The first is: “The pen is mightier than the sword”, describing the power of language and communication to help or to harm.
The other, which captures the speed with which falsehoods can become ingrained and hard to undo, is: “A lie can run halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”…
Matariki on K’ Road: the proof is in the people
Why can't we have so many more spaces like this, all over the city, especially but not only for special occasions? Like many making Matariki wishes on stars last week, let me make one more. I wish for more places in Auckland to be for people. Let's make every day in our city feel like a good party.
Was the 2024 Auckland RLTP Competition Rigged?
A note to readers
This satirical post is based on this document. Received from Auckland Transport under a LGOIMA request. the document reveals the ranking process used by the working group for the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP).
It shows how the RLTP working group (Auckland Transport, KiwiRail, NZTA/Waka Kotahi, and Auckland Council) determined the regional priority of proposed transport projects for the Draft RLTP 2024, which will guide investment for the coming decade.…
You do have the power to change things
When I was invited to come aboard and help with Greater Auckland a few months ago (thanks to Patrick!), it was suggested it might be a good idea to write some sort of autobiographical post by way of an introduction.
This post isn’t quite that – although I’m sure I’lll get to it eventually.…
Our guide to having your say on the draft RLTP 2024
Auckland’s draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024 is open for feedback – and you only have until Monday 17 June to submit. Do it! Join the thousands of Aucklanders who are speaking up for wise strategic investment that will dig us out of traffic and give us easy and healthy options for getting around our city.…
In Defence of Kāinga Ora
Given the headlines around the recent findings of the ‘independent’ review of Kāinga Ora by Bill English, you might assume this post will be about social housing, Kāinga Ora’s most prominent role. While that is indeed something that requires defending, I want to talk about the other core purpose of Kāinga Ora – its role as an Urban Development Authority (UDA).…
Children’s Voices in Auckland’s Future
Recently, the transport consultancy Crank publicly released a report about children’s vision for transport in Auckland. It was produced in 2023 to help shape Auckland Council’s Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) Reduction Strategy.
That got me thinking, and after going back to the recent Long Term Plan Consultation Feedback results, one thing stuck out to me.…
How Government’s road obsession is ruining Auckland’s transport plans
“TL;DR: The reality is that Central Government’s transport policy and direction makes zero sense for Auckland, and if the draft GPS doesn’t change from its original form, then Auckland will be on a collision course with Wellington.”
Auckland’s draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024 is now out for consultation, with feedback open until 17 June.…
After much debate, the Auckland Future Fund was approved. So what should it be used for?
On Thursday 17 May, the Mayoral Proposal for Auckland’s Long Term Plan 2024-2034 was passed by Auckland Council, 20 to 1. It is set to be formally adopted by the Governing Body at its June 27th meeting.
The entire process took 8 hours, with the vast majority of that time revolving around the only contentious topic of the day: the proposed Auckland Future Fund.…
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