Tag Archives: Local government

by Elizabeth | July 28, 2017 · 2:42 pm

Cats —or, Infrastructure spending, Council debt, and Disenfranchisement of Ratepayers

Council cat squad checking rego fees [supplied]

After the great floods, the common affliction amongst leaders, “water on the brain”.

█ The ‘thinking’ – DCC cat control remit for LGNZ AGM

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At Twitter:

Warming: The "cat rangers" are coming – if Local Govt NZ President & Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has his way (Video) https://t.co/VHyv1Ns2sy

— Dave Goosselink (@davedunedin) July 26, 2017

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“There may be issues with cats but they also serve a useful purpose in controlling pests. The cat population doubled to two at my place last year, and we have more tui and bellbirds around than ever, as well as visits by kereru and eastern rosellas and fantails and waxeyes. The cats occasionally catch a bird but most often it is a sparrow or a thrush. But it looks like the Dunedin council and some others are keen on requiring the herding of cats. They kept as quiet as they could on cats during the local body elections, and now mid term they try to foist it on the public. Devious.” –Pete George at YourNZ

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Councils will now lobby the government to finish its National Cat Management strategy.

### radionz.co.nz 6:05 pm on 25 July 2017
RNZ News
Councils seek greater powers to control cats
By Michael Cropp – Wellington Local Government Reporter
The country’s councils are calling on the government to give them extra powers to protect wildlife from cats including microchipping, de-sexing and registration. Local bodies have the power to control dogs and their behaviour, but they only have jurisdiction over cats when they become a health risk. While the remit presented by Dunedin City Council at the meeting acknowledged the companion role of animals, it noted cats are a danger to wildlife. […] The controversial remit scraped through with just 51 percent of the vote at the Local Government New Zealand annual general meeting.
….Auckland mayor Phil Goff said his council abstained from the vote because it was not sure what it would mean for the 500,000 cats in the country’s largest city. “We are in favour of practical measures to protect native birdlife …. We’re not in favour of bureaucratic measures that might involve millions of dollars of council time and energy but doesn’t achieve the objectives that we set out to achieve,” Mr Goff said.
Read more

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More about ‘LGNZ The Blight’:

Local Government New Zealand – Media Release
Local government to debate four remits and elect new President at AGM
News type: National news | Published: 21 July 2017
The local government sector will voted on four issues when it gathers for its annual AGM in Auckland on Tuesday 25 July. There is a focus on litter legislation, local government funding, cat management and health in this year’s remits. The AGM follows this year’s LGNZ Conference, when over 600 delegates from local government and its stakeholders, industry and community will gather in Auckland for the two day event [23-25 July]. The theme of this year’s conference is Creating pathways to 2050: Liveable spaces and loveable places. Remits are voted on in a secret ballot and if passed will become official policy and be actioned by Local Government New Zealand. Local government will also be voting for a new LGNZ President to replace Lawrence Yule, who steps down after nine years in the role.
….National legislation to manage cats
The third remit was proposed by Dunedin City Council and asks that LGNZ lobby the Government to take legislative action as a matter of urgency to develop national legislation includes provision for cost recovery for cat management.
Throughout New Zealand councils are tasked with trying to promote responsible cat ownership and reduce their environmental impact on wildlife, including native birds and geckos. Yet, territorial authority’s powers for cats are for minimising the impact on people’s health and wellbeing, and regional councils’ powers are restricted to destruction of feral cats as pests. The remit seeks the protection of our wildlife and native species by seeking regulatory powers for cat control, including cat identification, cat de-sexing and responsible cat ownership.
….The LGNZ AGM is open to members only. Following the meeting, LGNZ will advise of the outcomes of all votes.
Read more

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Cat rangers and collars with bells on are some of the ideas Dunedin City Council wants to lobby Government for.

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated at 14:28, July 10 2017
Cat control: many Kiwi councils ready to lobby for national rules
By Libby Wilson
Councils around the country are looking to band together to rein in roaming moggies. Dunedin City Council has suggested its colleagues help it push the Government for national rules that could include cat rangers and shutting cats in overnight. Seven other councils around the country have given the idea, and its environmental focus, their backing ahead of a July vote at the Local Government New Zealand annual meeting.
Read more

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‘Vacuum of cat management policy and services in Dunedin’, local submission says.

### nzherald.co.nz 29 Jun, 2017 7:02am
Dunedin council proposes registration of cats in New Zealand
A Dunedin proposal that could result in the registration of cats in New Zealand will be discussed nationally. The proposal from the Dunedin City Council, in consultation with seven other councils, will next month go to a Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) vote. If it is successful, LGNZ would make it a policy, and begin lobbying the Government to have it made law. The proposal could see the Government called upon to develop legislation for cats similar to the Dog Control Act. It already has the support of the Otago Regional Council, one of 78 councils which will vote on the idea.
Read more

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### ODT Online Wed, 17 May 2017
DCC seeks support for cat control
The Dunedin City Council will seek support from other New Zealand councils to gain greater control of cat management. If additional support from councils was gained, a remit would ask Local Government New Zealand to call upon the Government to give councils statutory power to control cats. The DCC was researching a Wellington City Council bylaw on microchipping cats. However, the current bylaw could not be enforced by non-compliance fees. Cat management would focus on the control of wild cats.
Link

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S T O P ● P R E S S

At Facebook:

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

24 Comments

Filed under Baloney, Business, DCC, Dunedin, Economics, Events, Finance, LGNZ, Media, Name, New Zealand, OAG, Perversion, Pet projects, Politics, Public interest, Travesty, What stadium

Tagged as Accountability, Bureaucrats, Business, Cat curfews, Climate change cranks, Conference/JUNKET, Council debt, Council debt CRISIS, Councils, Damaging policy, Dunedin, Economic policy, Economics, Fiduciary responsibility, Finance, General competence, Governance, Greenies, GST, Hands off our WATER, League tables, Levies, LGNZ, LGNZ arseholes, LGNZ for losers, LGNZ National Council, LGNZ President, LGNZ Strategy, LGNZ The Blight, Local authorities, Local bodies, Local goverment, Local government, Local Government Act, Local Government New Zealand, Local Territorial Authorities, LTAs, Make Work schemes, Management, Moral turpitude, New Zealand, Non compliance, O Ye of no faith, OAG, Office of the Auditor-General, Policy, Public sector, Ratepayer debt per capita, Rates, Reckless investment, Risk, Send ups, Taxation, Taxpayers' Union, Transparency, Yuletide baloney

by Elizabeth | July 15, 2017 · 4:53 pm

Asbestos contamination at Dunedin Railway Station

[womentravelnz.com]

There’s a new tenancy at the Dunedin Railway Station.

People working on the project had been told the whole underfloor area was safe to enter; that there was plastic down.

Turns out the plastic cover ran short, and a number of site workers had crawled across bare dirt, kicking up a lot of dust as they went – it was found the area had been contaminated with asbestos.

We understand workmen from several companies have been affected.

The Dunedin Railway Station is a council owned property. Affected sitemen have since had their names added to the WorkSafe Asbestos Exposure Database; and Health and Safety meetings have been called to review safety drills and gear provision.

It appears a few people have slipped up along the ‘food chain’ of managerial responsibility for the workers, starting with DCC management (the building owner).

We hear DCC is now paying for workers to be educated on what protection gear they must wear on exposed asbestos worksites.

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Related Post and Comments:
19.6.16 Thoughts on ODT Insight : Chris Morris investigates Asbestos plague

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

9 Comments

Filed under Architecture, Business, Construction, DCC, Democracy, Design, Dunedin, Economics, Education, Events, Health & Safety, Heritage, New Zealand, People, Politics, Project management, Property, Public interest, Site, Tourism, What stadium

Tagged as Asbestos, Asbestos Exposure Database, City Property, Contractors, Contracts, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin Venues Ltd, Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, DVML, Exposure to risk, Fitouts, Hazardous waste, Health and Safety, Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, Health testing, Infrastructure services, Legislation, Liability, Licensing, Local government, Media statements, Project management, Protective clothing, Respirators, Site safety, Subcontractors, Training, Unprotected sites, Work crews, Workers, WorkSafe, WorkSafe Asbestos Exposure Database

by Elizabeth | May 3, 2017 · 10:24 pm

Dunedin’s second generation district plan (2GP) —notes on Natural Hazards

Received from Neil Johnstone
Wed, 3 May 2017 at 7:19 p.m.

Message: Last Thursday (27 April) I presented the remainder of my submission on Natural Hazards. Notes attached in case they might help anybody’s further efforts.

{The notes from Mr Johnstone are public domain by virtue of the consultative 2GP hearing process. -Eds}

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2GP PRESENTATION NOTES: LANDSLIDES
Neil Johnstone

I have no property interest in any landslide hazard area (although I did previously), nor in the Water of Leith catchment, nor in South Dunedin. My main purpose in appearing at this stage is to bring to the panel’s attention that the expert (so-called) opinions received from Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) natural hazard analysts are often deficient to the detriment of the 2GP process and the city’s residents.

I am a long-term resident of Dunedin and am highly experienced in flood control issues and solutions. I am appearing here on my own behalf, therefore not strictly as an Expert Witness in this instance, although I have done so in past years both in both the High Court and the Environment Court. I also acted as lead technical advisor to the NZ Govt investigation into the massive 1999 Clutha flood. My detailed investigations have ranged from simple issues such as the Water of Leith (as Investigations Engineer at Otago Catchment Board and ORC) to the entire Clutha catchment (in varying roles). These investigations have often incorporated the construction and operation of accurate, properly verified models.

I am now semi-retired MIPENZ, but still running my own consultancy on a reduced basis. I am a highly experienced expert in flood issues, I am much less so wrt landslide identification and mitigation (but I know a nonsensical report when I read one). ORC hazard analysts responsible for the landslide buffer zones originally imposed across my former property (and many others) need to accept that their approach was seriously flawed, and far from expert. Paul Freeland has mentioned to me in a recent phone conversation that Dunedin City Council (DCC) should be able to have confidence that ORC hazard analysts are expert. I have no strong criticism of Mr Freeland, but those days have passed – in this region at least – when expertise was based on proven performance, and not on a position’s title. A property previously owned by my wife and me in Porterfield Street, Macandrew Bay was quite ridiculously misrepresented in ORC’s landslide report of September 2015. The landslide hazard zone on that property has apparently now been removed, but uncaring damage has been done to us, and no doubt to many others. The Hazard 2 zone was reportedly imposed without site inspection, or without anybody properly reviewing output or checking accuracy of references.

[Reason for submitting: Natural Hazards section of 2GP dominated (undermined) by ORC hazards staff input and DCC failure to verify/review; DCC presumption that ORC “experts” do/should have appropriate expertise. We appear to be witnessing a proliferation of Hazard Analysts in NZ Local Government with little relevant experience or skill.]

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2GP PRESENTATION NOTES: SOUTH DUNEDIN
Neil Johnstone

The comments re South Dunedin flood hazard contained in my original written submission were written prior to DCC’s producing its inaccurate flood reports in respect of the South Dunedin flooding of early June 2015 in which high groundwater levels were held to blame. These DCC reports were eventually released in late November 2015 and April 2016 respectively. My analyses (well after my original submission) demonstrated that the prime cause of widespread flooding in South Dunedin was DCC’s failure (in order of probable significance) to utilise the bypass facility at Tahuna Wastewater Treatment Plant, to fully utilise its stormwater pumping capacity at Portobello Road, and to maintain its stormwater infrastructure (mudtanks etc). Inflow of “foreign” water from the St Clair catchment added to the depth of inundation in some areas. All these can be remedied by a diligent Council. Some have already been remedied, as positively demonstrated in the admittedly rather over-hyped rain event of the subtropical cyclone remnant around this past Easter.

ORC natural hazard analysts were probably responsible for the origin of the groundwater myth as a cause of the South Dunedin flooding in their Coastal Otago Flood Event 3 June 2015 report. Reference was made there to “elevated” ground water levels. They followed up with a contentious report (The Natural Hazards of South Dunedin, July 2016). This opens by stating that the June 2015 flooding was caused by heavy rainfall and high groundwater levels, with no mention of mudtanks, or pumping failures (plural). Such reporting cannot be treated as balanced, nor its authors credible. Elsewhere, ORC essentially conceded the groundwater myth in Rebecca Macfie’s excellent NZ Listener article entitled Flood Fiasco (June 11, 2016).

Shortly after, however, ORC produced the aforementioned South Dunedin Hazards report (backed up by an embarrassingly inaccurate video presentation) that seems to reflect a desire to preach doom rather than convey a balanced defendable scientific analysis of South Dunedin realities and solutions where needed.

One of the worst features of the report and subsequent video was the depiction of projected permanently inundated areas of South Dunedin based on ORC modelling of rising sea level effects. These depictions made front page news in the Otago Daily Times with flow-on reporting nationally. The mapped areas of inundation are actually taken from an earlier ORC report entitled The South Dunedin Coastal Aquifer and Effect of Sea Level Fluctuations (October 2012). The modelling was based on limited information, and the findings would therefore be expected to be of limited reliability. The 2012 report essentially confirms this, noting that modelling of existing conditions overestimates actual groundwater levels (by the order of half a metre in places). Figure 2 (Scenario 0) of that report shows significant permanent ponding for current conditions. None exists in reality. Almost lost (in Section 3.8) are the following (abbreviated, and amongst other) concessions:

• Uncertainty of input data
• Potential inaccuracy of model predictions
• High level of uncertainty
• Groundwater system is poorly to moderately well characterised
• Aquifer properties are poorly understood or quantified
• Each of these uncertainties could have the effect of overestimating the groundwater ponding in the current setting.

The reader is advised to read the full Section 3.8 to ensure contextual accuracy. In my view (as an experienced modeller), a study that cannot even replicate known existing relationships is imperfectly calibrated and unverified. It cannot therefore be relied on. Strictly speaking, it does not qualify as a model. The relationship between possible sea level rise and consequent groundwater impact remains highly uncertain.

Unfortunately, the 2016 ORC South Dunedin Hazards report (and video) chose to reproduce the 2012 ponding predictions using more recent data (but without any better appreciation of aquifer characteristics), but the predictions are similar. It is noted that no Scenario 0 mapping is included in the latter report, nor are the model’s inherent weaknesses described. No admission of the potential modelling inaccuracies is presented other than the following note in Section 4.1: “Further discussion of the original model parameters, model calibration and potential pitfalls is included in the ORC (2012a) report, which can be accessed on the ORC website”. I believe that all parties were entitled to know unequivocally that the modelling was unreliable and unverified.

The 2016 report also makes reference to the fact that dry-weather ground water levels at the Culling Park recorder are at or below mean sea level. This is attributed by the authors to leakage of ground water into the stormwater and wastewater sewers. If that is correct (I would reserve judgement as to whether there may be other factors), then we are witnessing just one example of how an engineered solution could be utilised to dissipate increasing depth of groundwater. Such solutions are canvassed in the BECA report commissioned by DCC several years back.

To summarise, South Dunedin’s exposure to flood (current or future) is poorly described by ORC hazard analysts. The 2GP process seems to have seen these analysts “adopted” by DCC planners as their experts. I consider that to be an inappropriate approach to the detriment of our citizens.

The proposal to require relocatable housing in South Dunedin seems premature, and based on highly questionable information. The proposal for relocatable housing in South Dunedin also rather pre-empts the currently-planned DCC study of overseas approaches to sea level rise solutions.

Requiring relocatable houses will likely simply mean that aged houses that should in time be replaced will be repaired instead. Who is going to build a new relocatable house if they have nowhere to relocate to and probably insufficient money to acquire the requisite land? The proposal to require relocatable housing is ill-considered and premature in my opinion.

With respect to ground water issues across South Dunedin, the 2016 Hazard Report presents –

The reason for my pointing out these facts is to encourage Commissioners to take a step back from the current hysteria surrounding South Dunedin. Had the 2015 flooding extent been restricted (as it should have been) to that which occurred in a slightly larger rainfall event in March 1968, the event would have already been forgotten. Seemingly, at least partly as a result of that hysteria, the proposal to require relocatable housing in South Dunedin seems premature, and based on highly questionable information. Just as ORC floodplain mapping contradicts its in-place flood protection philosophy, so does the proposal for relocatable housing in South Dunedin also rather pre-empt the currently planned DCC study of overseas approaches to sea level rise.

Requiring relocatable houses will simply mean that aged houses that should in time be replaced will be repaired instead. Who is going to build a new relocatable house if they have nowhere to relocate to and probably no money to acquire the requisite land? The proposal for relocatable housing is ill-considered and premature in my opinion.

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2GP PRESENTATION: URBAN STREAM HAZARDS
Neil Johnstone

Urban Stream Comment re Leith and Lindsay Streams:

ORC’s mapping is said to be of residual flooding (post-flood protection works of the past 80-plus years), but actually represents what might have been envisaged many decades back in something considerably greater than the record 1929 flood with none of the very significant channel works of the 1930s, 1940s and 1960s; or even those lesser improvement of the 2010s in place. The ORC 2GP mapping includes areas that didn’t get flooded in 1923 or 1929. I agree with some potential dangers of stream blockage (especially in Lindsay Creek, and to a lesser extent at Clyde Street and Rockside Road), but one can only consider locations of feasible blockage in today’s conditions. Furthermore, accepted professional practice for flood plain mapping requires detailed hydrology, probability analyses, climate change allowance, hydrograph routing, in-channel modelling (allowing for stream capacity variability), and overland flow modelling. ORC’s flood mapping incorporates none of these fundamentals; instead, it reads as little more than a colouring-in exercise, when a professionally researched technical document is required. In short, ORC’s hazard analysts have carried out no fit-for-purpose analysis for a District Plan process.

Interestingly, the concerns expressed by ORC hazard analysts re channel blockage are entirely inconsistent with ORC’s own design philosophy and consent application evidence for the recent Flood protection scheme (so called). Design Philosophy minimises the issue.

Very briefly, the mapping is challenged for the following reasons (inter alia):

No descriptions of the effective flood protection initiatives (OHB -1920s and 1930s, DCC -1940s, OCB -1960s) are included. These works have ensured that overtopping is practically impossible in the George Street to Cumberland Street reach, the Clock Tower reach and Forth Street to Harbour reaches. Flood protection in these areas are all built to a much higher hydraulic standard than the so-called ORC scheme of the past decade, and to a far, far higher standard than existed pre-1929.

It is further noted that ORC’s own Design Philosophy Report (OPUS for ORC, 2005) for the proposed Leith/Lindsay flood protection scheme is adamant that debris traps recently (then) constructed at Malvern Street and Bethunes Gully would further mitigate any debris problems. Refer paras 7.7 and 10.6 of that document.

Ponding is mapped where water couldn’t even reach in 1929 (peak flood currently estimated at 220 cumecs, and predating flood protection measures) in the wider CBD area. Flows along George Street in the 1920s only occurred south as far as about Howe Street, then re-entered the river. Nowadays, the accelerating weir above George Street and the structural high velocity channel immediately downstream provide much more clearance than existed in 1929. [Most outflow then from the river occurred much further downstream.] In those downstream reaches, many of the bridges have been replaced or upgraded. Possible remaining points of interest are the hydraulically insignificant extension (circa 2015) of the St David Street footbridge, the historic Union Street arch footbridge, and the widened (circa 2012) Clyde Street road bridge. The flimsy St David Street bridge would not survive any hydraulic heading up so there would likely be of little flood consequence, and backing up upstream of Union St would be largely inconsequential because of the height of the Clock Tower reach banks immediately upstream. The Clyde Street bridge is acknowledged as being lower than optimum, but it has not created any issues in its half century existence. Any overtopping there could only impact on a limited area between the bridge and the railway line.

Overland lows beyond (east of) the rail line remain highly improbable because of the ongoing blocking effect of road and rail embankments. Flows as far as the railway station to the west of the rail line are also highly improbable nowadays as only the Clyde Street area could conceivably contribute.

The 1923 photograph showing ponding along Harrow Street is presented by ORC with an unfortunate caption stating that the water is sourced from the Leith. Some undoubtedly was, but the whole of the city was subject to “internal” stormwater flooding from Caversham tunnel, across South Dunedin to the CBD and beyond. To illustrate further, a NIWA April 1923 flood summary (accessible online) provides a summary of some of the information more fully described in technical reports and newspaper accounts, including:

• Portions of Caversham, South Dunedin, St Kilda, the lower portions of central and northern areas of the City and North East Valley were completely inundated.
• Water in South Dunedin was waist deep.
• The Water of Leith rose considerably and burst its banks in many places, causing extensive damage along its banks and flooding low-lying areas.

Today’s stormwater infrastructure is rather more extensive and effective (when maintained), and DCC has a continuing legal obligation to provide to maintain that service.

The levels plotted across Lindsay Creek seem highly pessimistic. Levels are shown to be of the order of 2 metres above North Road in some locations at least. I have [no] knowledge of any such levels ever having been approached. Care must be taken not to include unfloodable areas in the mapping. I don’t however discount localised channel blockage, and the channel capacity is substandard in many areas. The valley slope ensures that overland flow will achieve damaging velocities. Such velocities are noted in the NIWA summary.

Of greater concern to me, however, is that ORC’s mapping appears to have seriously underestimated the significance of potential Woodhaugh flood issues:-

The river channel through here is both steep and confined. The influences of Pine Hill Creek (immediately upstream) and Ross Creek (immediately downstream) add to turbulence and bank attack. The area was ravaged in 1923 and 1929, and there have been evacuations in some much lesser events in later decades. These areas are at considerable risk in a 50- to 100-year plus event. Hardin Street, Malvern Street had houses evacuated in the 1960s flood. High velocity, rock laden flows and mudslides can all be anticipated, and difficult to counter. Area below camping ground / Woodhaugh was overwhelmed in floods of the 1920s – a focus for flooding depth and velocity.

If the 2GP process is to include urban flood maps, these should be diligently derived, based on historical record and appropriate modelling. The mapping should reflect the real flood risks (including likelihood, velocity and depth). The decreasing flood risk from Woodhaugh (potentially high impact) through North East Valley (moderate impact) through to the main urban area south of the Leith waterway (localised and of little-to-zero impact) should be reflected in the mapping.

[ends]

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█ 2GP Hearing Topic: Natural Hazards
https://2gp.dunedin.govt.nz/2gp/hearings-schedule/natural-hazards.html

█ For more, enter the terms *johnstone*, *flood* and *south dunedin* in the search box at right.

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[DCC Map differs from what was notified]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

8 Comments

Filed under DCC, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Education, Geography, Health & Safety, Housing, Infrastructure, Name, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, People, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, South Dunedin, Town planning, Urban design

Tagged as 2GP, Blocked filters (DCC), Central government, Civil engineering, Damaged properties, DCC, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin City District Plan, Expertise, Flooding, Hazard analysts, Hazard layers, Hazards, Hearings, Hydrology, Independent assessment, Infrastructure assets, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, Landslides, Local government, Logs, Mapping, Mudtanks, Natural disaster, Natural Hazards, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Peer reviews, Pipe renewals, Politics, Pumping stations, Rainfall records, Ratepayers, Second generation district plan (2GP), South Dunedin, Submissions, Unliveable houses, Urban streams, Weather

by Elizabeth | January 28, 2017 · 8:40 pm

DCC hideous ‘Adam of your labours’

ODT 28.1.17 (page 30)

[phoneshot scribbled – click to enlarge]

DCC is rubbish governance.

Comparing the two territorial authorities, ORC and DCC, ODT says “the regional council has been a wiser council-company owner”.

Ain’t that the sheer truth with bells on, oversewn with screaming sirens and flashing red lights.

Stuff that up your blood-soaked jumper, Dunedin City Council.

DCC takes the knife to Ratepayers’ private wealth, there’s no sign of let up. Blunt force trauma, gushing blood and the decimated entrails of a city once thriving.

The squalid recent history of Dunedin City Council is one of incompetence and worse : failed schemes, massive overburden of debt, inability to prioritise, budget and project manage, crippling levels of deferred maintenance and upgrades for essential infrastructure, unprosecuted thefts, corruption in certain of the CCOs and serious questions about the holding company (last year, a ‘partial audit’), Otago power network assets burnt off (no safety and security of supply), a dead loss-making stadium and associated companies clawing $20million per annum off ratepayers (no valid explanation, just mindless spin), destruction of high class Taieri soils for housing sprawl initiated by city councillor with a private profit motive, trite succession of gormless city councillors lining own pockets/inflating egos at the council table – leaches and nematodes have more credibility. On it goes at DCC.

Otago Regional Council is debt free.

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### ODT Online Sat, 28 Jan 2017
Editorial: City and ORC merger unlikely
OPINION Any progress towards one or more unitary authorities in Otago will be difficult, largely because of the region’s geography. The Dunedin City Council this week ordered a report into a possible merger between it and the Otago Regional Council, and it would be surprising if proposals which might emerge make much headway with the Local Government Commission.
….Since 1988, the [ORC] has received a total of $148.9million in dividends and special payments from Port Otago. How the city must covet that cash. Given the city’s pressures on Delta/Aurora for dividends and the regional council’s hands-off attitude to the Port Company, it would seem, however, the regional council has been a wiser council-company owner.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Local govt and the question of general competence #North

Received.
Mon, 9 Jan 2017 at 10:56 p.m.

Subject: Did you notice……

Message:
Whangarei District Council was reported on TV3 as supporting protesters who have put a road block across four roads and are not letting trucks pass because they are pissed off with the dust from the roads, and want them sealed. Not that we wouldn’t have sympathy with their cause, but how is it right for a Council to support illegal road closures?
These Councils may have been given by law the power of general competence but they sure don’t warrant the confidence of central government in hope that they may become generally competent……

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Protesters set up four separate road blocks along Pipiwai Road [newshub.co.nz]

### newshub.co.nz 15/12/2016
Northland residents block dusty roads in protest
By Wilhelmina Shrimpton
Frustrations have reached boiling point as locals of a small Northland town fight to have a notoriously dusty logging truck route sealed. Locals have had enough and stepped up protest action by blocking logging trucks from using the gravel roads. “Don’t piss me off, you either do it or you go,” one protester yelled at a truck driver while blocking the road. “What you gonna do bro? What you gonna do? Cause you ain’t going down here today!” Puti Tipene says the dense dust clouds thrown up by the trucks are unhealthy and dangerous. […] Locals say up to 50 trucks drive along unsealed routes every day, and believe the council isn’t doing enough to help. […] Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai says the council wants the roads sealed but doesn’t have the money. “We’ve had money in our budget to do it … if there was a subsidy from our partners the NZTA, that hasn’t happened. Until that happens, we don’t think it’s appropriate for the wider ratepayers to pay 100 percent of that.”
Read more + Video

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Pipiwai Valley protest [ngapuhi.iwi.nz]

### newshub.co.nz 09/01/2017
Protestors block trucks from dusty Northland road
By Newshub staff
Ten people blocked off a Northland road today in a fight to have the notoriously dusty logging truck route sealed. Protesters set up four separate road blocks around Pipiwai Valley on Monday morning, an area they say is plagued by dust kicked up both water tanks and trucks. They parked vehicles across Pipiwai Rd to deter trucks, but are letting locals through. Police were at the protest, which was kept low key. Protest organiser Alex Wright says truckers may have been tipped off and taken another route. Those truck drivers that did come their way had to reverse back down the gravel road. […] “It’s affecting our way of life… It’s horrific. We can’t handle it anymore and that’s why we’re here today. We’ve tried all avenues.” Ms Wright says they’re their new campaign won’t stop until the road is sealed.
Read more

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Truck-generated dust at Pipiwai, an ongoing issue for more than 10 years.
Photo: Graham Wright [nzherald.co.nz]

### NZ Herald Online 10:47 AM Mon, Sep 14, 2015
Logging and trucking industries asked to pay $132k
By Alexandra Newlove – Northern Advocate
Logging and trucking industries will be asked to cough up cash to help solve a dusty road problem that has had residents up in arms for more than a decade. Whangarei District Council had allocated $400,000 over the next two years to seal ten 100m strips along the notoriously dusty Wright, McCardle and Pipiwai roads west of Whangarei, though the work was expected to cost $532,000, said WDC roading manager Jeff Devine. “We will be asking the industry if they can make up the [$132,00] shortfall,” he said. The New Zealand Transport Agency declined a $4.5 million funding request from council early this year for a full 9km seal of Wrights Rd and McCardle Rd. Pipiwai Titoki Advocacy for Community Health and Safety Group spokeswoman Alex Wright said she was unconvinced that the strip sealing would make a huge amount of difference. “It’s our 11th year now. We’re heading in the right direction but need to do it properly and completely.” Mr Devine said he agreed that the dust was a health and safety issue. “The big issue is that when they shifted the port from Whangarei to Marsden Point the traffic direction changed. It was never planned when the forests were planted that this would be the [trucking] route.” Council would continue approaching central Government for money to seal the remainder of roads, Mr Devine said.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

1 Comment

Filed under Business, Construction, Democracy, Design, Economics, Finance, Geography, Health, Infrastructure, LGNZ, Media, Name, New Zealand, NZTA, OAG, Ombudsman, People, Politics, Project management, Public interest, Resource management, Transportation, Travesty

Tagged as Central government, Civil unrest, Community, Dusty roads, Funding, Local government, NZTA, Protest, Public Protest, Ratepayers and Residents, Road blocks, Road user charges, Trucking firms, Whangarei District Council, Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai

by Elizabeth | September 17, 2016 · 2:06 pm

Kaipara rates row : High Court finds “serious and substantial” errors

“If the council had just accepted the money, admitted that the people withholding their rates were wronged, that their case had merit, we could have all moved forward together” – Mangawhai ratepayer Bruce Rogan
(via Checkpoint) Audio | Download: MP3 (3′04″)

### radionz.co.nz 6:01 pm on 16 Sep 2016
New Zealand: Northland
Northland rates rebels win partial victory
By Lois Williams – Northland reporter
The rebel ratepayers of Mangawhai in Northland have won a partial victory in the High Court. The court has found that rates levied from 2011 to 2014 by the Northland Regional Council, via Kaipara District Council rate demands, were unlawful. In an interim decision, Justice Duffy found the Northland Regional Council (NRC) has no power to delegate the assessment of rates or the recovery of arrears to other councils. “The errors I have identified are serious and substantial,” the judge said. “In short, the NRC has failed to exercise its statutory powers properly when determining rates resolutions and it has unlawfully sought to delegate the performance of a number of its functions in relation to rates to the Kaipara District Council.” […] The Mangawhai ratepayers’ chair, Bruce Rogan, said the ruling was very welcome, although the court did not uphold the group’s challenge to penalties and GST imposed by the Kaipara District Council. The council should now agree to negotiate a deal to end the six-year-old Kaipara rates row, Mr Rogan said.
Read more

—

From Kaipara Concerns (community website):

INTERIM HIGH COURT JUDGMENT RELEASED 16.09.2016
Duffy J has made an interim judgment in respect of the judicial review brought by the MRRA and Bruce and Heather Rogan challenging the lawfulness of rates set by the NRC and the KDC.

She has made the following decisions:

NRC
1. The NRC rates were not set lawfully for the 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 rating years. [27]
2. The NRC’s delegation to the KDC of the assessment of rates and recovery of rates for the rating years between 2011/2012 and 2015/2016 inclusive was unlawful. Accordingly those rates were not lawfully assessed. [58]
3. The NRC’s delegation to the KDC to add penalties to NRC rates was unlawful. Therefore the penalties imposed on rates in respect of NRC rates was unlawful. [74]
4. The Validation Act only validated the unlawful rates of the KDC. It did not validate the unlawful rates of the NRC. [111]

Result
[129] I make the following declaration: The NRC’s rates for the KDC region have not been lawfully set or assessed for the rating years from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016 inclusive.

Duffy J has not yet decided what order to make in respect of ordering the NRC to refund the unlawful rates charged. She has invited the NRC to make further submissions and especially to examine how this ruling might affect the legality of the rates that it has set for its other constituent areas – Whangarei and the Far North. Those rates might also be unlawful.

She will make her final decision once both parties have made further submissions.
Read more

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New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has issued a press release in respect of the Duffy J’s High Court decision:

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

2 Comments

Filed under Business, Construction, Corruption, Democracy, Design, Economics, Finance, Geography, Infrastructure, Media, Name, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, People, Perversion, Politics, Project management, Property, Public interest, Resource management, Site, Travesty

Tagged as Accountability, ADOTROL, Appeals, Arrogant Disregard Of The Rule Of Law, Auckland Council, Auditor-General, Bruce Rogan, Bullying, Central government, Commissioners, Court of Appeal, Deceit, Democracy, High Court, Judicial Review, Kaipara, Kaipara Concerns, Kaipara District Council, LGA, LGRA, Local government, Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, Local Government Act 2002, Mangawhai, Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc, MRRA, New Zealand, New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, Newsletter, Northland, Office of the Auditor-General, Parallels, Penny Bright, Petition, Political parties, Public-excluded workshops, Rates strike, Transparency, Unlawful rates, Validation Act

by Elizabeth | September 12, 2016 · 2:38 am

Lee Vandervis . . . . v cull de mayor

ODT 9.9.16 (page 10)

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: whatifdunedin – election hoarding above Olivier, 468 George St

23 Comments

Filed under DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Media, Name, New Zealand, People, Politics, Public interest

Tagged as 2016 local body elections, Candidates, Cr Lee Vandervis, Dunedin, Dunedin Mayoralty, Elections, Lee Vandervis, Local body elections 2016, Local government, Mayor of Dunedin, Mayoral race

by Elizabeth | August 29, 2016 · 1:18 am

Johnstone on ORC report : ‘The Natural Hazards of South Dunedin’ (July 2016)

█ The Natural Hazards of South Dunedin – July 2016 [read online]
Otago Regional Council
ISBN: 978-0-908324-35-4
Report writers:
Michael Goldsmith, ORC Natural Hazards Manager
Sharon Hornblow, ORC Natural Hazards Analyst
Reviewed by: Gavin Palmer, ORC Director Engineering, Hazards and Science
External review by: David Barrell, Simon Cox, GNS Science, Dunedin

—

Received from Neil Johnstone
Sun, 29 Aug 2016 at 8:17 p.m.

Message: Misinformation on the causes of the June 2015 South Dunedin flood have abounded since the event. As if the victimised residents haven’t suffered enough from others’ inactions (before and during the event), they are now being subjected to a hazards discovery process whose vigour appears to be exceeded only by its own recklessness. Following are a commentary of the hazards approach adopted by the Otago Regional Council (ORC), and a summary of my investigations into the flood event that I commenced after the publication of Dunedin City Council’s first flood report back in November 2015.

You can download Neil Johnstone’s report or read it below (formatted slightly differently to suit the WordPress template).

█ Download: A REVIEW OF ORC REPORT THE NATURAL HAZARDS OF SOUTH DUNEDIN (1) (PDF, 587 KB)

—

AN APPRAISAL OF RECENT REPORTING OF SOUTH DUNEDIN HAZARDS

N.P JOHNSTONE, BEng (Civil), MIPENZ

1. Introduction

There is some irony that DCC and ORC should be planning “drop in” sessions for residents in respect of South Dunedin hazard issues during September 2016, some 15 months after the major flood. The prime cause of flooding in June 2015 was DCC’s failure to maintain its infrastructure (not just mudtanks), and its failure to operate its pump stations to their intended capacities. The subsequent spread of misconceptions (i.e. groundwater levels, rainfall significance etc) surrounding the flood causes was at least partly due to inaccurate ORC analyses and reporting.

Repetitive and new doubtful information emanating from ORC via its latest report has been noted. Presentations and an over-simplistic video production have been observed. A footnote covering these observations is included at the end of this appraisal.

Long-delayed DCC reports on causes of the South Dunedin flooding have already been strongly criticised by the author. Specifically discredited are misrepresentations of sea level, groundwater and rainfall ranking. Accepted now by DCC as factors (somewhat grudgingly, and depending on the audience) are mudtank blockage and Portobello Road pump station failures (plural); still to be fully acknowledged are the failures at Musselburgh Pumping Station.

Attention is now turned to significant parts of hazard reports produced by the Otago Regional Council and utilised by DCC.

2. Coastal Otago Flood Event 3 June 2015 (ORC, published October 2015)

This report deals with a wider area than South Dunedin. It is apparent that ORC staff never visited the flooding areas of South Dunedin on 3 June, but took advantage of fine weather to take some water level readings the following day. The opportunity for useful progressive surface water level recording was thus lost. Levels were collected at some 150 points on 4 June. ORC’s main conclusion was that “localised variations in topography were probably the main driver of flood depth”. Or, put another way, water depth was deepest where the ground was lowest. This seems hardly surprising, and even trivial. No attempt was made to explain the photographic images presented of extensive ponding remaining well after the rains had ceased. The phenomena of blocked mudtanks and unutilised pumping capacity went seemingly unnoticed.

The report does usefully reference ORC’s four borehole recorders of groundwater, but makes the somewhat misleading assessment that groundwater levels were “elevated” prior to the rainstorm. This misinformation was seized upon by agencies such as DCC and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment to highlight climate change impacts.

Having obtained the actual groundwater level data from ORC via the LGOIMA process, the author was able to reveal this “groundwater fallacy” in reviews from February 2016, but it was not until the publication of NZ Listener’s article (June 11-17, 2016) entitled ‘FLOOD FIASCO’ that ORC admitted that pre-flood groundwater levels were in fact “just a little bit above average”. ORC now seems intent on resurrecting this fallacy.

The ORC report fails to address the real and key issues of pumping station failures (Portobello Road and Musselburgh), or comparisons with much lesser flood impacts in the larger rainfall event of March 8/9 1968.

The report states that the 2015 24-hour rainfall was the largest since 1923. This was patently incorrect, but again was utilised by DCC to divert blame from their role in the disaster.

3. The Natural Hazards of South Dunedin (ORC, published July 2016)

The report states unambiguously in its Opening Summary that the major flooding of June 2015 was “a result of heavy rainfall, surface runoff, and a corresponding rise in groundwater”. By now, most people are aware that the causes of the flooding’s disastrous impact were failure to optimally operate pumping stations, failure to clear mudtanks, and failure to deploy staff to key areas during the event. Again, none of these factors is addressed in ORC’s report.

The report presents a table on its second page entitled “Factors Which Can Influence Flood Hazard”. Examples of exaggerated negativity include:

1. Heavy Rainfall:
– Many recorded instances of rainfall leading to surface flooding.
– Heavy rainfall events have occurred frequently over the last decade.

Comment: These conclusions do not appear to be supported by the report’s text, and are vague, factually challengeable and alarmist. Prior to 2015, no major flooding had occurred in South Dunedin since 1968, and even that was minor by comparison.

2. Sea Level:
– Groundwater level fluctuates (by up to 0.5m near the coast) on a twice-daily cycle in response to normal ocean tides.

Comment: All of South Dunedin is near the coast; most of the area does not experience such large fluctuations. This should have been made clear by the inclusion of groundwater data from all 4 ORC sites across the plain, not just from Kennedy Street.

3. Seismic:
– Large earthquakes could result in increased flood hazard on the South Dunedin plain, due to liquefaction-related land subsidence or direct, sudden, changes in land elevation relative to sea level.

Comment: All areas of NZ have some susceptibility to earthquake damage. Dunedin is amongst the areas at lowest risk; no incidences of even minor liquefaction have ever been reported in South Dunedin, and little or no clearly liquefiable materials have been identified (Refer GNS, 2014*). Continue reading →

27 Comments

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Tagged as Blocked filters (DCC), Broken businesses, Central government, Contingency?, Contracts unsupervised, Council debt CRISIS, Cr Kate Wilson, Cycleways, Damaged properties, DCC, DCC Infrastructure Services, DCC Infrastructure Services Committee, Democracy, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Evacuations, False politics, Flood recovery, Flooding, Fulton Hogan (mudtanks contract), Greenies, Hazards, High water table, Infrastructure assets, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, Insurance, LGOIMA, Local government, Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, Logs, Mayor Dave Cull, Media statements, Mudtanks, Natural disaster, Natural Hazards, NZTA, ORC, Otago Peninsula, Otago Regional Council, Pipe renewals, Politics, Protuberances, Pumping stations, Rain, Rainfall records, Ratepayers, Roads, South Dunedin, Unliveable houses, Weather

by Elizabeth | August 16, 2016 · 4:25 pm

Site Notice

A Number of Short Videos by animator and cartoonist Douglas Field, formerly embedded at the What if? Dunedin website are no longer available for viewing. The author was contacted after holes suddenly appeared in What if? posts and comments.

It turns out Douglas had committed to a spot of housekeeping at his YouTube channel and the links were lost.

Because of healthy, greedy, viewer interest in Douglas’s craft, and the utmost value we place on the political satire, joy and reach he stirs, Douglas has generously offered to upload the animations when he has time.

Douglas, you have No Idea how much we miss your “subtle” characterisations and “situational histories” —COME BACK Douglas Field lololol

GIF files

Besides, Douglas, it’s ELECTION YEAR. We’re Desperate.
Madness has to be tracked.

No rednecks, according to MickyW.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

6 Comments

Filed under Baloney, Business, Coolness, Democracy, Design, Dunedin, Economics, Finance, Heritage, Hot air, Media, Name, New Zealand, People, Pet projects, Politics, Public interest, Travesty

Tagged as Animations, Characterisation, Comedy, Design craft, Douglas Field, Dunedin, Humour, Local government, Pointed subjects, Political Satire, Politics, Satire, Unique windows, Videos

by Elizabeth | June 19, 2016 · 9:14 pm

Thoughts on ODT Insight : Chris Morris investigates Asbestos plague

Dob in an asbestos dumper [illawarramercury.com.au]

—

B E L A T E D L Y
Cowboy New Zealand Governments wake up after YEARS of Devastating Sleep.

New Zealand’s asbestos death toll will climb to about 5100, excluding deaths from asbestosis, which were difficult to determine, a WorkSafe spokesman said. It was expected the peak of asbestos-related disease would not be reached until sometime between 2030 and 2040, the spokesman said. (ODT)

Is the Dunedin City Council opening its eyes quickly enough even with the Amalgamated Workers’ Union (AWUNZ) on its tail ? Good council workmen dead and memorialised in photographs, frightening….

“They worked regularly with the city’s asbestos water pipes – cutting and grinding, kicking up asbestos dust and sweeping up the mess later.” (ODT)

Weathered asbestos cement pipe [cep.bessens.free.fr] and asbestos insulation wrap [Asbestorama via flickr.com]

—

█ HOW MANY Dunedin City Council (DCC) staff, work crews, contractors and subcontractors have been required to work with asbestos product and exposure to fibres over the years —without comprehensive safety training and correctly specified respirators and safety clothing for individual protection ?
The answer is likely to be unlimited numbers.
Has anything changed at DCC ?
Have all asbestos contaminated DCC-owned sites and work areas been identified to date ?
Are formal protocols and a register in place for personnel who believe they may have been exposed to asbestos and require admittance to a testing regime ?

Proper warning [shutterstock.com]

—

ODT Insight: Asbestos: The Silent Killer

### ODT Online Sat, 18 Jun 2016
Asbestos toll will grow
By Chris Morris
The death toll from asbestos-related disease in New Zealand will continue to climb for decades to come, despite a ban on imports of building materials containing the toxic mineral. Environment Minister Nick Smith on Wednesday announced New Zealand would join more than 50 other countries in banning the importation of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), beginning on October 1, unless exemptions were granted. The move was designed to further reduce the “appalling” death toll caused by asbestos, used in building products for more half a century. It now claimed an estimated 170 lives a year, he said.
Read more

[DCC tragedy] ODT: Suspicions of cancer cluster
Former Dunedin City Council water maintenance staff based at the Midlands St yard say the risks of asbestos were not understood and early precautions inadequate […] a solemn memorial to 14 men taken too soon – photographs of the dead, showing men lost to lung, bowel or prostate cancer, pinned to a noticeboard in the Dunedin City Council’s former Midland St workers’ yard.

● ODT: Asbestos: ‘We were totally ignorant’ of risk’ (+ video)
● ODT: Asbestos claimed him (+ video)

South Dunedin Action Group: Notes of meeting with DCC (3 May 2016)

Received.
Friday, 6 May 2016 6:02 p.m.

From: Clare Curran [Dunedin South MP]
Subject: Notes from the Meeting with DCC on 3 May
Date: Fri, 6 May 2016 00:31:05 +0000
To:

Dear everyone
Further to my last email here is the notes taken by office from the meeting with the Mayor and senior Council management on 3 May.
This is to keep you informed and for transparency purposes.

A new meeting date will be set up soon and I will keep you all informed

Kind regards

Clare Curran

[begins]

Notes from meeting 3 May 2016
South Dunedin Action Group (SDAG) and mayor + senior management

Mayor Cull
– acknowledged that there was collective concern, that they were pleased to meet with the group and that the meeting provided the best place to provide clarifications
– Acknowledged that the process had been lengthy and frustrating, and “sloppy”
– Council was now very sceptical about evidence relating to the flood and had been let down. He added that they would not make any changes to anything without evidence.
– If the event occurred again even with the proper maintenance there would have been severe flooding
– Determined to make the system we have work the best that it can
– Agreed need another mechanism other than the ODT to communicate with the community
– Will consider the discussion and come back with a proposal for the next meeting with a smaller group

Laura McElhone. Group Manager Water and Waste
– All mudtanks had been cleaned in South Dunedin (marked with green spray)
– Screen has been redesigned at pumping station, work about to go to tender, installation expected July/August
– Screen currently cleaned weekly by contract with photograph for proof
– Proposed screen modifications would see a 4 part screen to allow for safer and easier cleaning – could not confirm bar spacing
– Approx. 100 manholes had been lifted (Oct/Nov 2015) to identify any siltation – none identified as a problem – map can be provided of manholes checked – this exercise will be repeated in Oct/Nov 2016
– Confirmed that with the work carried out or in progress expected reduction in level of water would be about 200mm – however difficult to predict because too many variable to undertake modelling
– On issue of foul sewage infiltration confirmed that work being undertaken in Kaikorai Valley was to reduce the pressure on the system before it came through to Caversham
– On the issue of diverting foul sewage to Green Island treatment works stated that it was only able to handle a certain amount as it had been set up for a different type of sewage
– With regard to pumping out to sea, confirmed that they now know who to contact at the ORC and will maintain valves to enable this to happen if necessary
– Advised Musselburgh pumping capacity cannot run at maximum [this is disputed by Darrel]
– Forecast received on 2 June was for 1/3 less rain – only after midday on 3 June did they receive prediction on the size of the event
– Definitely had contractors and staff monitoring and out in South Dunedin, but did not have enough people to cover the scale of event
– Door-knocking by DCC did not record the number of flooded houses [DCC has not been back to check]
– 1968 flood had two peaks so had time to recover [disputed by Darrel]
– Too many variables to accurately measure topographical data
– Understand need to reassure and quantify but have to be careful not to give false impression
– Advised that 4/5 engineers employed in planning and 6/7 at the delivery end – acknowledged the identified lack of a storm water specialist – currently under recruitment

Ruth Stokes. Infrastructure and Networks General Manager
– Contractors have been asked to verify status of periphery areas
– Need to build resilience in the community – have recognised need to contact secondary schools and community groups and extend beyond the ‘What’s the plan Stan” initiative

Sue Bidrose. Chief Executive
– Unable to provide a figure on the number of roads closed by DCC as the water washed the cones away.
– Civil defence, Fire and Police all advised DCC that only 20-30 houses had been flooded – suggested that volunteers sandbagging were not part of the information loop and therefore message did not get through to emergency services

Kate Wilson. Councillor
– Have been advocating for a rain radar for a number of years on the Taieri

David B-P. Councillor
– Not just South Dunedin affected but other areas also, we need answers to give the community reassurance that the system is operating

[ends]

█ For more enter the term *flood* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

12 Comments

Filed under Business, DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Economics, Housing, Infrastructure, Name, New Zealand, People, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, Site, South Dunedin

Tagged as 3 June 2015 Flood, Accountability, Budgets, Contracts unsupervised, Damaged properties, DCC, DCC Infrastructure Services Committee, Democracy, Disaster management, District Plan, Drainage, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Election year, Emergency, Evacuations, Financial prudence, Flood, Flood recovery, Flooding, Fulton Hogan (mudtanks contract), Governance, Human aid, Infrastructure assets, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, Insurance, LGOIMA, Local authorities, Local government, Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, Logs, Managed retreat, Management, Mayor Dave Cull, Media statements, Mudtanks, Natural disaster, Pipe renewals, Politics, Property damage, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Pumping stations, Rain, Rainfall records, Roads, South Dunedin, Stormwater drainage, Stormwater systems, Transparency, Unliveable houses, Weather

by Elizabeth | April 8, 2016 · 12:09 pm

Dunedin City: Representation Review determination

Received.
Friday, April 08, 2016 11:04 AM

From: Donald Riezebos [mailto: Donald.Riezebos @dia.govt.nz]
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2016 10:33 AM
To: Mick Lester (HDC); Belinda Smith Lyttle; Brian Miller; Carissa Cooper; Chalmers Community Board; Colin Weatherall; Geraldine Tait; Leanne Stenhouse; Martin Dillon; Moira Parker; Mosgiel Taieri Community Board; Otago Peninsula Community Board; Saddle Hill Community Board; Strath Taieri Community Board; Sue O’Neill; Te Rauone Beach Coast Care Committee; Waikouaiti Coast Community Board
Subject: Local Government Commission Representation Review Determination – Dunedin City

Attached is a copy of the Local Government Commission’s representation review determination for Dunedin City, along with our media release. These are embargoed until 11.00am at which time the media will be advised.

Regards

Donald Riezebos | Principal Advisor
Local Government Commission Mana Kawanatanga a Rohe

Media Release
8 April 2016

Commission announces decision on representation arrangements for Dunedin City Council

The Local Government Commission today announced its decision on the Dunedin City Council’s membership and ward arrangements for the 2016 local elections.

The Council had proposed that:
• The council be elected at large (rather than from wards)
• The number of councillors remain at 14
• The boundaries of the Chalmers, Otago Peninsula, Saddle Hill and Waikouaiti Coast Community Boards be altered by transferring two areas between communities and excluding other areas from communities altogether
• A Rural Taieri Community Board be established comprising the Strath Taieri Community Board’s area and the rural part of the Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board’s area

There were 16 appeals against the Council’s proposal.

After hearing from the Council and the appellants the Commission has decided to:
• uphold the Council’s proposal for the Council to be elected at large
• retain the existing community board system (apart from renaming the Chalmers Community Board as the West Harbour Community Board and two boundary alterations).

The boundary alterations are the transfer of an area above Sawyers Bay from Waikouaiti Coast Community to West Harbour Community and the transfer of Quarantine Island from West Harbour Community to Otago Peninsula Community.

The Council’s representation arrangements for the 2016 local elections will therefore be as follows:
• A Mayor and 14 councillors elected from the City as a whole
• Six community boards as follows:

Strath Taieri Community Board
Waikouaiti Coast Community Board
Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board
Saddle Hill Community Board
West Harbour Community Board
Otago Peninsula Community Board

• Each community board will have six members and one councillor appointed to the board by the Council

The determination is available on the Commission’s website: http://www.lgc.govt.nz

Summary of the Representation Review process

Councils are required by law to undertake a representation review every six years. The following is a brief outline of the process:

• The Council makes its proposal
• The Council invites submissions on its proposal
• The Council considers submissions and makes a final proposal
• People can object to or appeal against the proposal to the Local Government Commission
• The Commission may hold an appeals hearing
• The Commission makes and releases its Determination

Ends

Media contacts:
Donald Riezebos | Principal Advisor | Local Government Commission
Simon Cunliffe | Communications Advisor | Local Government Commission

Downloads:
● 4549539DA – Blank Document [Determination 7.4.16]
● Dunedin City – Media Release

—

Related Post and Comments:
11.6.15 DCC representation review

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

33 Comments

Filed under Business, DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Economics, Geography, New Zealand, People, Politics, Project management, Resource management

Tagged as Community Boards, Councillors, DCC, Determination, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Local government, Metropolitan area, Representation, Review, Rural representation, Wards

by Elizabeth | March 31, 2016 · 1:47 pm

Ratepayers achieve for Kaipara District —what Dunedin counterparts fail to do for spurious ‘pet projects’

Link + message received.
Thu, 31 Mar 2016 at 8:24 a.m.

█ Message: Maybe time to revisit Jacks Point and Luggate? …

—

The Mangawhai wastewater scheme cost about $63.3 million. Overall costs were not just financial, the Auditor-General’s report said. “They included a failed council, councillors replaced with commissioners, the departure of a chief executive, a severely damaged relationship between the council and community, an organisation that needed to be rebuilt, and much more.”

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 17:21, March 30 2016
Dispute settlement sees Auditor General pay nearly $5.4 million to Kaipara District Council
About $5.375 million will be paid to the Kaipara District Council by the Auditor-General’s office now that a dispute between the two has been settled. Mediation of the dispute over audit issues around the controversial and costly Mangawhai wastewater scheme was held by retired High Court judge Rodney Hansen QC, without any admission of liability and for each party to cover their own litigation costs.

Auditor-General Lyn Provost’s scathing inquiry report to Parliament in December 2013 outlined “a woeful saga” surrounding the community wastewater scheme, managed by the then-council between 1996 and 2012. It covered roles played by other agencies, including the Controller and Auditor-General’s office. The inquiry found the council failed to adequately perform its responsibilities to the community in connection with the wastewater scheme. The council itself alleged the Auditor-General did not identify these failings in a timely manner and take appropriate steps to bring them to the council’s attention. It also alleged some of the poor decisions it made could have been averted if the Auditor-General’s office had performed its responsibilities appropriately.

The Auditor-General offered an unreserved apology in the report to the Kaipara district community for the office’s failings in some of its work, but disputed the council’s damages claim. In particular, the Auditor-General considered the council had the responsibility to comply with its statutory obligations, and its failure to do so is not attributable to the Auditor-General’s office. The dispute was settled with neither party admitting liability but the Auditor-General’s office agreeing to pay $5.38 million to Kaipara District Council.

A rates revolt began as costs were included in Mangawhai rates, with some properties connected to the new scheme now paying around $3000 annually in rates. Kaipara District Council commissioner John Robertson said the council was pleased to see a positive outcome from the High Court action it took against the Auditor-General in 2014. “If we hadn’t got an outcome we would be back in court and facing all the risks of whatever judgments go on these sorts of things.”

The Kaipara District Council has two more court battles pending with Mangawhai ratepayers.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

8 Comments

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by Elizabeth | January 28, 2016 · 9:28 pm

New Zealand local government T-shirt #haze #corruption

Whaleoil link received.
Thu, 28 Jan 2016 at 9:10 a.m.

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT . . .
“in NZ is dodgier than a 10-month-old piece of rancid mutton.” –Slater

### whaleoil.co.nz January 28, 2016 at 8:30am
NZ drops in corruption ratings
by Cameron Slater
The Herald has asked the question of whether NZ is corrupt. Really? They don’t know? Are they surprised?
Of course NZ is filled with corrupt officials. Local Government is the worst.
Corruption is foolishly assumed by the Media Party to be extreme acts. Like someone getting paid off to make a decision that avoids due process. They have tried to lay the blame on top line government “scandals” but they are missing the point. Corruption comes in many forms.
Read more

27.1.16 Fairfax: NZ’s anti-corruption record slipping: watchdog
27.1.16 NZH: Stonewalling and strange deals: Has NZ become more corrupt?

Transparency International – Corruption Perceptions Index
First launched in 1995, the Corruption Perceptions Index has been widely credited with putting the issue of corruption on the international policy agenda.
█ https://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/

### radionz.co.nz 3 hrs ago
High-profile deals behind corruption slide – report
By Robert Smith
Controversies such as the Saudi farm deal and SkyCity’s Convention Centre mean New Zealand no longer sets the standard for integrity in the public service, as it slips down the world rankings for corruption.

New Zealand fell to fourth in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International released yesterday.

It has previously topped the index seven times, including as recently as 2012 and 2013, and fell two spots this year after losing the top ranking to Denmark in the 2014 list. Finland and Sweden have now overtaken it and are perceived to have less corrupt public sectors than New Zealand.
The SkyCity Convention Centre plan, the Saudi sheep deal and the Oravida affair have been cited by Transparency International as the primary reasons for New Zealand’s slide down the rankings.
The findings in the latest report have been backed up by the Public Service Association (PSA), with national secretary Glenn Barclay saying the group was not surprised by the drop thanks to a “growing lack of transparency” in the public sector.
Read more

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█ For more, [sample] enter the terms *corruption*, *delta*, *flood*, *citifleet*, *hotel* or *stadium* in the search box at right. [there are other terms, Dunedin is a clear seat of fuzzy avoidances of accountability]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: (top) aliexpress.com – tshirt mickey mouse fudged by whatifdunedin | linkedin.com – corruption

6 Comments

Filed under Business, Carisbrook, Citifleet, Climate change, Construction, Corruption, Crime, CST, Cycle network, Delta, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Infrastructure, LGNZ, Media, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, ORFU, People, Perversion, Pet projects, Police, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Resource management, Sport, Stadiums, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design

Tagged as Abuse of power, Corruption, Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Democracy, Dunedin, GREED, Lack of accountability, Lack of transparency, LIES LIES LIES, Local example, Local government, New Zealand, Obfuscation, Thick as fog, Transparency International, Whitewash

by Elizabeth | January 14, 2016 · 3:40 pm

‘Quaking!’ Dark day$ and tide$ to come #Dunedin #Jun2015flood

Douglas Field Published on Jan 14, 2016
Noah Cull floating his boat
Dunedin’s mayor (Cull) persists with his obsession with global warming and catastrophic sea level rise as being in some way connected to the flooding event of June last year in Dunedin. This, even though local meteorologists dismiss it as nonsense.
In order to pay for the effects of the damage caused, he is now trying to link this to the truly catastrophic damage caused by the earthquake in Christchurch the cost of which is substantially underwritten by central government.
The sketch lampoons the mayor for trying to squeeze money from central government coffers on such patently baseless arguments.

█ For more information, enter the term *flood* in the search box at right.
A sister ark ‘construction’ has also been identified in satirical comments about the stadium.

****

But what of Noah’s contrariness towards rules of the district plan, lack of consultation over the build (see LTP and AP), and obvious parking demeanors incurred by the ark.

Received.
Thu, 14 Jan 2016 at 7:07 a.m.

█ Message: Worth noting that the council instructs officers that they must write 3 tickets per hour. How have we let councils construct such an unpopular and penal extra tax?

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 19:29, January 13 2016
Wellington City Council’s multimillion-dollar ticket haul
By Tom Hunt – The Dominion
Wellington drivers are being stung by millions of dollars in parking fines, and are 10 times less likely to have them waived than if they parked just 20 minutes away in Porirua. Official figures from Wellington City Council show the number of tickets it issued dropped to 141,341 in 2015, but that still put an extra $6.4 million in the council coffers. In 2012, when the council issued 262,627 tickets, it gathered almost $10.01m in revenue.

In May, it was revealed that the capital’s 32 wardens had been told they had to issue at least three tickets an hour. The council defended the “performance measure” and insisted it was not a quota.

The region’s councils were asked to supply figures showing how many tickets were issued, how much revenue this generated, and how many tickets they waived.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

4 Comments

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Tagged as Ark, Barking sounds, Central government funding, City parking, Climate Change, Coastal erosion, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin Mayor, Gopher, Local government, Managed retreat, Mayor Cull, Parking, Parking officers, Sea level rise, South Dunedin, Spokespersonship, St Clair, Wellington

by Elizabeth | January 2, 2016 · 8:36 pm

ODT 2.1.16 | Passing Notes by Civis #Poverty #NZ

Excerpts from today’s Otago Daily Times, message for 2016.
‘Poverty mission poses big questions’ (page 29). Perhaps the best Civis has written in a long while.

—

tonybennettVEVO Published on May 9, 2014
Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole – Watch What Happens
Music video by Tony Bennett & Natalie Cole performing Watch What Happens. (C) 2012 Columbia Records, a divison of Sony Music Entertainment
Music: “Watch What Happens” by Tony Bennett & Natalie Cole (iTunes)

Natalie Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015)

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

1 Comment

Filed under Business, Democracy, Economics, Geography, Inspiration, Media, Name, New Zealand, People, Politics, Travesty

Tagged as 1%, Auckland City Mission, Children, Civis, Dame Diane Robertson, DCC, Dundin City Council, Education, Egalitarianism, Families, Filthy greed, Health, Housing, Individuals, Local government, Moral just society, Natalie Cole (US), New Zealand, New Zealanders, Otago Daily Times, People People People, Philanthropy, Poverty Central government, Rates increases, Responsibility, Social contracts, The great divide, Welfare

by Elizabeth | November 25, 2015 · 5:41 pm

Mayor Cull and the GREAT Asbestos Defeat ….trucks in toxic waste

Dave doesn’t know whether to swallow his kornies or not.

His hair is turning grey, he’s feeling tired and he looks old.

Meanwhile, someone files divorce papers.
[“I thought we were Green! I can’t understand you anymore! Asbestos for cash?! These are your scarves, your suits, I’m throwing out the window – along with this stupid bike helmet, used camel shackles and all the skanky lycra. Go away!”]

Secretly, young woman seen rubbing hands with glee at so much dosh.

[Stifle obvious questions about what else goes into Green Island landfill. This is Tartan Mafia town.]

DCC receives $millions for landfill dumping of hazardous waste, WHO CARES ABOUT GREEN except for the imprint of Serious Money to bolster Council slush funds, rugby? stadium ? cricket ? – anyone ?

NOO! For Sue’s next trips to Oxford, staff’s Grand Central City Plan, and some left-over to pay planning fees and charges for the VB’s aquarium, hotel and connector bridge to the waterfront.

[Share spoils, maties! Leave suspicious Ratepayers out of it.]

There are no serious equitable plans to improve South Dunedin or Mosgiel drainage systems, or manage coastal erosion.

The dilemmas of High Office and short men.

—

Cheaper to dump hazardous waste at Dunedin than at Canterbury.
DCC stoopid again, takes a cheap ride instead of bumping up contract price.

Deals worth millions of dollars —council staff cite commercial sensitivity.

### ODT Online Tue, 24 Nov 2015
Asbestos fill headed for Dunedin
By Chris Morris
Up to 12,000 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated fill from Canterbury is destined to be dumped in Dunedin, but that might just be the tip of a toxic – but lucrative – iceberg. The Otago Daily Times understands the Dunedin City Council has more than one contract to accept contaminated material from outside the city at the Green Island landfill.
Read more

—

The latest inanity. [Comic Sans]
Source: RNZ News: South Dunedin considers sea level threat.
20 November 2015 at 8:42 a.m. (AUDIO LINK)

—

[Listen and Learn] At another thread:

JimmyJones
June 17, 2015 at 9:49 am

Hype O’Thermia: YouTube and Wikipedia are good places to find out more about ICLEI. ICLEI teaches the DCC how to inflict the Sustainable Development world view on the citizens by using devious, undemocratic, secret and manipulative methods. ICLEI has helped the DCC to produce “marketing and communication” strategies to break down barriers to their deeply stupid ideas being accepted by the public. The goal is “behaviour change”. East Germany had the Stasi (Staatssicherheit), now we have ICLEI, Dave Cull and Sue Bidrose.

The influence of ICLEI explains a few things – like the DCC’s tendency towards increasingly secret (staff only) decision-making (eg the development and implementation of the Environment Strategy) and the generally severely deficient level of public consultation due to: skimpy information, poor publicity, expanding decisions beyond the scope of the consultation and treating it as just a ceremonial procedure (eg Dave’s Bicycle Network and its implementation). The pursuit of ICLEI’s goals is a direct cause of the underfunding of the city’s deficient (and worsening) infrastructure.

As far as I can tell most DCC councillors don’t know that the DCC has become a member of ICLEI and are unaware of the financial cost and its big influence in forming DCC policy. This demonstrates a problem with the attitude of the staff that councillors need to fix. The collusion between Dave Cull and Sue Bidrose is, however, a barrier to this that needs to be overcome. Councillors need to stop sleepwalking and start to become aware of the decisions that are being made without their involvement.

[ends]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: cartoonaday.com – Dave breakfast gruel [Warcraft-All-Nighter-Gamer tweaked by whatifdunedin]

15 Comments

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Tagged as Central government, Chief executive Sue Bidrose, CLIMATE CHANGE MYTHS, Contracts, Cycle network, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, False politics, Greater Dunedin GREENIES, Green Island landfill, Greenies, Hazardous waste, High water table, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, JimmyJones, Lack of public accountability, Lack of transparency, Local government, Mayor Dave Cull, Media statements, Pipe renewals, Politics, Radio New Zealand, Rain, Rainfall records, Sea level rise, South Dunedin, Tartan Mafia, Weather

by Elizabeth | November 21, 2015 · 4:50 pm

Mayor Cull won’t admit lack of maintenance #SouthDunedinFlood

Mayor calls on government for help
39 Dunedin Television 20.11.15
A rising issue for seaside suburbs, a new report shows Dunedin is most at risk of suffering the negative effects of rising sea levels due to climate change. South Dunedin residents in particular are likely to experience flooding from rising ground water. Ch39 Link

—

█ Preparing New Zealand for rising seas: Certainty and Uncertainty
A report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment shows Dunedin is one of the most vulnerable areas in the country.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

34 Comments

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Tagged as Blocked filters (DCC), Broken businesses, Central government, CLIMATE CHANGE MYTHS, Contingency?, Contracts unsupervised, Council debt CRISIS, Cr Kate Wilson, Cycleways, Damaged properties, Dave Cull, DCC, DCC Infrastructure Services, DCC Infrastructure Services Committee, Democracy, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Evacuations, False politics, Flood recovery, Flooding, Fulton Hogan (mudtanks contract), Greenies, High water table, Infrastructure assets, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, Insurance, Jan Wright (PCE), LGOIMA, Local government, Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, Logs, Mayor Cull, Mayor Dave Cull, Media statements, Mudtanks, Natural disaster, NZTA, Otago Peninsula, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Pipe renewals, Politics, Protuberances, Pumping stations, Rain, Rainfall records, Ratepayers, Roads, South Dunedin, Unliveable houses, Weather

by Elizabeth | November 3, 2015 · 6:08 pm

South Dunedin Flood | Correspondence & Debriefing Notes released by DCC today #LGOIMA

Downloads:

█ Kerr, Elizabeth LGOIMA Correspondence Hendry and Williams 2015

█ Kerr, Elizabeth LGOIMA Flood Debrief Notes 2015

—

See earlier exchanges (via LGOIMA) and other comments at this post:
█ 30.9.15 DCC liability? South Dunedin Flood (June 2015) #LGOIMA [post removed]

Otago Daily Times Published on Jun 4, 2015
Raw aerial video of Dunedin Flooding
Video courtesy One News.

█ For more, enter the terms *flood* and *south dunedin* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

12 Comments

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Tagged as Blocked filters (DCC), Broken businesses, Central government, Contingency?, Contracts unsupervised, Council debt CRISIS, Cr Kate Wilson, Cycleways, Damaged properties, DCC, DCC Infrastructure Services, DCC Infrastructure Services Committee, Democracy, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Evacuations, False politics, Flood recovery, Flooding, Fulton Hogan (mudtanks contract), Greenies, High water table, Infrastructure assets, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, Insurance, LGOIMA, Local government, Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, Logs, Mayor Dave Cull, Media statements, Mudtanks, Natural disaster, NZTA, Otago Peninsula, Pipe renewals, Politics, Protuberances, Pumping stations, Rain, Rainfall records, Ratepayers, Roads, South Dunedin, Unliveable houses, Weather

by Elizabeth | October 3, 2015 · 1:11 am

Kaipara Concerns —ADOTROL* disease [Dunedin mention, again!]

Received from Anonymous
Fri, 2 Oct 2015 at 6:49 a.m.

█ [fascinating] Latest Updates at KAIPARA CONCERNS
http://www.kaiparaconcerns.co.nz/

THE FLAG DEBATE 01.10.2015
It is worth reading Guy Steward’s article on the flag debate, the symbolism behind the flag, and the reasons why John Key is pressing for a change. Cont/

A MONSTROUS MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE? 30.09.2015
Many will have read the article on Penny Bright in today’s Herald and the massive legal bills that the Auckland City has incurred pursuing her for arrears of rates. Penny tends to polarise. To some she is a folk-hero espousing the interests of a fair and just society, and to others she is a no-hoper who should “get a life” and pay her dues. The reality is that she has discovered the Achilles heel of local government, and all the whitewash from the Council, the defamatory put-downs, and all the legal pressure they are putting on her, is not going to alter that fact.

All local authorities in New Zealand have the legal right to charge rates but only if, and I repeat only if, they comply with the requirements of the LGA in respect of consultation and only if they comply with the LGRA in respect of rating processes and rating documents.

Ms Bright has refused to pay her rates until she knows where the council spends its money – particularly on private contractors – and acts in a democratic manner.

Unlike taxes which are levied by statutes that are unconditionally binding on all citizens, rates are only binding if they comply with the law. Local government in New Zealand has long suffered from a chronic case of ADOTROL* disease [Arrogant Disregard Of The Rule Of Law] which has caused it to adopt procedures and documentation that are lazy, slovenly and simply fail to comply with the law. That means that most of the rates set by local authorities are unlawful. Cont/

[2.10.15 NZH Editorial: Bright’s free ride has cost us enough]

SECRETS AND MORE SECRETS 30.09.2015
Alexandra Newlove’s article in the Northern Advocate reported Whangarei councillor Stuart Bell’s criticism of public–excluded workshops. “I don’t agree with having to make decisions on behalf of our community when, because an issue has been deemed confidential, the discussion I can have with the community on it is somewhat limited.” Cont/

AND EVEN MORE SECRETS 30.09.2015
How is that when someone goes into central government or local government their individual ethical standards become compromised and they adopt the party line or appropriate political line? Respect for the principles of law or fair play, or common sense for that matter, fly out of the window. We have seen it in successive Ministers of Local Government who chose to ignore the blatant illegalities of the KDC, and tacitly gave Jack McKerchar and Neil Tiller the stamp of approval for their reckless plunder of Kaipara ratepayers. […] But the ADOTROL* disease is endemic throughout the Beehive. Justice Minister Amy Adams has a severe case of the disease if the NZ Lawyer is correct. An article in that magazine claims that the Minister has refused to disclose details of why the costs of renovating Dunedin’s historic courthouse have leapt from $2.5 million to $15 million. Barrister Anne Stevens has slammed the secrecy saying that “scrutiny of decision-making underpins a democracy”. Cont/

[30.9.15 NZ Lawyer: Lawyers slam secretive plans for courthouse upgrade]

—

More to read at Kaipara Concerns.
But is it true activism stands more chance in Northland than Dunedin.

YES, because the Dunedin public are nearly if not always asleep. Or they want to pick up someone else’s trash to qualify for Darlene’s job keeping Dunedin ‘beautiful’ and semi-comatose.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

6 Comments

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Tagged as Accountability, ADOTROL, Appeals, Arrogant Disregard Of The Rule Of Law, Auckland Council, Bruce Rogan, Bullying, Central government, Commissioners, Deceit, Democracy, High Court, Kaipara, Kaipara Concerns, Kaipara District Council, LGA, LGRA, Local government, Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, Local Government Act 2002, Mangawhai, Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc, MRRA, New Zealand, New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, Newsletter, Northland, Parallels, Penny Bright, Petition, Political parties, Public-excluded workshops, Rates strike, Transparency, Validation Act

by Elizabeth | September 14, 2015 · 4:48 pm

Screening tonight: Paradigm Episode 2! Local Government Corruption in NZ #Sky #YouTube

Updated post
Tue, 15 Sep 2015 at 1:25 a.m.

███ A “MUST” WATCH
Vincent Eastwood Published on Sep 14, 2015
Local Governance & Corruption, Paradigm Episode 2 Vinny Eastwood
Episode 2 of PARADIGM broadcasted on Face TV Sky Channel 083 on September 14th 2015 at 9pm NZT

TOPIC: Local Governance & Corruption
GUESTS: Bruce Rogan from the Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association with activist and Mayoral candidate Penny Bright.
● How privatisation and secretive powerful roundtable groups (comprised mostly of large companies) have led to the rise of unelected, unaccountable officials.
● The utter refusal of EVERY SINGLE AUTHORITY in New Zealand to investigate corruption.
The police, the judiciary, the ombudsman, the minister for local government, the auditor general, political parties, the list goes on, every authority whose job is to investigate, prevent or punish corruption actually supports it!
● Why local citizens have no rights and why local government has no rules.

FACE FACT KIWIS
Believing NZ is corruption free was the very mechanism by which criminals took control of our country. The only reason NZ is #2 on Transparency International’s “perceived” least corrupt countries in the world list, is we’re the 2nd best in the world at concealing our corruption.

—

Vincent Eastwood Published on Sep 12, 2015
Paradigm Episode 2 coming soon! Local Government Corruption
PLEASE SHARE THIS!
Help me get as many people as possible to watch the show tomorrow night!
9pm NZT

—

Received. [names deleted]
Mon, 14 Sep 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

Re: DOCO ON CORRUPTION, AND MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL.

Tonight (14 September, 9:00pm) on Sky channel 83 there will be an episode of Paradigm which will feature the Kaipara Scam. Paradigm is a program that is the brainchild of a guy called Vinny Eastwood, and it is not an exaggeration to say that Vinny has picked up the ball that John Campbell (or rather Channel 3) dropped. Promo for the programme is at https://www.facebook.com/vincenteastwood/videos/10153220793607879/
Vinny has a deceptively casual and disarming manner that belies a very serious commitment to exposing corruption and fraud (he calls it scumbaggery).
As an MRRA member you will already be aware of the degree of scumbaggery besetting Kaipara, but it is highly unlikely that your friends and relations will grasp the scale of what is happening in New Zealand. Please do yourself a favour and send this email to everyone in your circle, especially your adult children, who are going to be wealth-stripped by the corporates that are taking over. Add your personal plea that they take a few minutes away from Coronation Street and watch something that might actually affect their lives.
Our financial year ends on 31 October. We want everyone to renew their membership please and we want new members from all over the country (world!) as we mount the final campaign to get justice for the country’s ratepayers. Please renew – don’t just leave it to the other guys to carry all the water. What other association can you think of that supplies over forty free informative newsletters per year?!, and has an executive team that is prepared to go to jail to defend your rights! (informative might be stretching it, but beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, going to jail is still a real possibility!).
The annual sub is still only $15.00 per family, or $10.00 single, and we have put no limit on donations, because we do not want to discourage that philanthropic person out there with $100,000 they have no further use for.
The account number is 38 9012 0318164 00 or cheques to MRRA at Box 225 Mangawhai 0540. Make sure please to include your membership number […], and if you are a new member please provide a name and phone number so we can call you and get all the details.

Kind regards,
MRRA Executive Committee.
[Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association]

—

█ More at Kaipara Concerns (online news):

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION SCAM 14.09.2015
Tonight, Monday night (14 September 2015), 9pm on Face (access) TV. Sky network channel 83.

NZ’s MASSIVE Local Government Corruption Scam, Paradigm Episode 2

Bruce Rogan (Mangawhai Ratepayers) and Penny Bright interviewed by Vinny Eastwood on council corruption in New Zealand.

See the promo video here. #Facebook

See Bruce Rogan’s rates revolt speech here. #YouTube

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

8 Comments

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Tagged as Bill of Rights Act, Bruce Rogan (Mangawhai Ratepayers), Corporatisation, Council debt CRISIS, Councillors, Councils, Court Action, Court of Appeal, DCC, Debt, Deceit, Decision, Dunedin City Council, Ecocare Wastewater Scheme, Economic policy, Elected representatives SELL US OUT, Face (access) TV, General competence, High Court, Infrastructure, Judgment, Justice, Kaipara, Kaipara District Council, KDC, Legislation, LGA, LGNZ, Local bodies, Local government, Local Government Act, Local Government New Zealand, Local Territorial Authorities, Long term plans, LTAs, Mangawhai, Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association, MRRA, New Zealand, Non accountability, Overspend, Paradigm 2, Parliament, Penny Bright, Proceedings, Ratepayer debt per capita, Ratepayers and Residents, Rates, Rates strike, Sewerage, Sky network channel 83, Sky TV, Validation Act, Vinny Eastwood, White collar crime, Yuletide baloney

by Elizabeth | August 28, 2015 · 8:29 pm

Joel Cayford: ‘Mangawhai Ratepayers at Court of Appeal’

Link received. [Hooray!]
Fri, 28 Aug 2015 at 10:50 a.m.

—

### joelcayford.blogspot.co.nz Thu, 27 August 2015
Mangawhai Ratepayers at Court of Appeal

Joel Cayford [‘Reflections on Auckland Planning’] updates the Court of Appeal hearing (25-26 August) – Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association v Kaipara District Council – in front of Justice Rhys Harrison, Justice Mark Cooper, and Justice Forrest Miller.

Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association (MRRA) is represented by Matthew Palmer QC and barrister Kitt Littlejohn. David Goddard QC represents the council.

Cayford summarises the “causes of action for this hearing – which followed the judicial review heard by Justice Heath (posts here and here)”:

“that the Kaipara District Council (KDC) does not have the power to rate for unlawful purposes. That KDC acted unlawfully in deciding to enter into and expand the Ecocare Wastewater Scheme, and that it could not then enforce rates on ratepayers.

“that the Validation Act did not retrospectively validate ALL matters stemming from those unlawful decisions. It only validated various historic rating defects. Significant matters – including the additional $30,000,000 loan were not dealt with or validated by the Validation Act.

“that the KDC acted inconsistently with the Bill of Rights Act by initiating Validation Legislation which had an effect of undermining MRRA judicial review proceedings – to which they had a right.”

Of critical interest, Cayford says Matthew Palmer, in his closing, “told the Justices, to the effect: “a consequence of adopting the arguments of my learned friend would mean that any Council in New Zealand can breech Local Government Act provisions with impunity, leave ratepayers with the bill, and mean that Long Term Plans all become window-dressing, ratepayer submissions become meaningless. That cannot have been what Parliament intended.””

█ Read Cayford’s excellent post and reader comments here.

LinkedIn: Joel Cayford

Although the Court of Appeal ruling is some way off, fallout might very well illuminate effects of the Dunedin stadium rort, council debt loading and issues of general competency.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin to host LGNZ 2016 conference —FFS TIME TO TAKE IT OUT

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Dunedin to Host 2016 LGNZ Conference

This item was published on 21 Jul 2015

Dunedin is all set to host the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) Conference for 2016 as this year’s conference wraps up in Rotorua today. LGNZ announced Dunedin as the host city for next year’s conference this week. The conference will bring up to 600 delegates to the city from 24-26 July 2016. Delegates will include mayors, chairs, chief executives, councillors and senior management from New Zealand’s councils as well as senior government ministers and stakeholders from the private sector, businesses, central government and non-government agencies.

[PROFLIGATE SPENDER ALERT] Mayor of Dunedin, Dave Cull says, “This is great opportunity for us to showcase Dunedin as a conference destination to the rest of the local government family. We don’t often get the chance to welcome people to Dunedin from every part of New Zealand at once. Delegates will get to experience New Zealand’s only UNESCO City of Literature, Gigatown winner and the country’s wildlife capital firsthand. It will also be an opportunity for all kind of councils to look at the challenges they have in common and discuss solutions.”

[DEBT-SPENDING PROPONENT ALERT] LGNZ President, Lawrence Yule says he is delighted the conference is returning to the deep south. “We have had a number of conferences in Dunedin over the past 20 years and the southern hospitality is always great,” he says. “The city has completed a significant upgrade of the hosting facilities at the Dunedin Centre and Town Hall and you put forward a very strong bid.”

The conference bid was made by Dunedin Venues and Enterprise Dunedin at the start of the year. They presented the Dunedin Centre and Town Hall facilities for the event and used Dunedin’s reputation for innovation, creativity and wildlife as a drawcard.

Contact Dave Cull, Mayor of Dunedin on 477 4000. DCC Link

—

█ For more, enter the terms *dcc*, *dchl*, *annual plan*, *long term plan*, *stadium* or *dvml* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

10 Comments

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Tagged as Being shafted, Bullshit artists LGNZ, City Leadership, Conference/JUNKET, Council debt CRISIS, Councillors, Councils, Dave Cull, DCC, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin Town Hall Redevelopment Project, Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, DVML, Economic policy, Economics, Enterprise Dunedin, General competence, GST, INSIDIOUS EVIL, Larry Mitchell, Lawrence Yule, League tables, Levies, LGA, LGNZ, LGNZ arseholes, LGNZ National Council, LGNZ Strategy, Liars, Local bodies, Local government, Local Government Act, Local Government New Zealand, Local Territorial Authorities, LTAs, Make Work schemes, New Zealand, Overspend, Policy, Ratepayer debt per capita, Rates, Reckless investment, Taxation, Yuletide baloney

by Elizabeth | June 11, 2015 · 12:36 pm

DCC representation review

Updated post Thu, 11 Jun 2015 at 11:10 p.m.

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Representation Review Report Released

This item was published on 10 Jun 2015

The Representation Review Team has completed its review and will discuss its findings with the Dunedin City Council at an extraordinary Council meeting on Monday.

The independent panel reviewed the Council’s representation arrangements after hearing people’s views on the structure we have for electing representatives, whether we have the right number of Councillors and how our wards and community boards meet the needs of our communities.

The Representation Review Team’s recommendations include that the Council be elected at large (which means there would no longer be wards and Councillors would be voted for by all residents) and that the number of Councillors remains at 14.

The Review Team recommends several changes to community boards, such as establishing a Rural Community Board to cover the Strath Taieri and Taieri rural communities. It recommends adjusting the boundaries of Chalmers, Otago Peninsula, Saddle Hill and Waikouaiti Coast Community Boards and reducing the number of elected members on each community board from six to four. The Council would continue to appoint a Councillor to each board.

Review Team Chair Associate Professor Janine Hayward says, “The Review Team is grateful to everyone who participated in this process. We heard from many people from all parts of Dunedin with a wide range of views and perspectives. It is heartening to see how highly people value our local democracy. We encourage everyone to continue to participate in the next phase of consultation also.”

Members of the Review Team will be present at Monday’s meeting to discuss their recommendations with the Council, which will then agree on a proposal that will go out for public consultation.

Councils are required by law to look at their representation arrangements on a regular basis.

The other Review Team members are Len Cook, Paulette Tamati-Elliffe and Mayor Dave Cull.

Report – Council – 15/06/2015 (PDF, 8.6 MB)

Report – Council – 15/06/2015 – low resolution (PDF, 1.9 MB)

Contact Associate Professor Janine Hayward, Representation Review Team Chair on 03 479 8666.

DCC Link

—

### ODT Online Thu, 11 Jun 2015
Wards’ abolition proposed
By Shawn McAvinue
Dunedin city’s three wards should be abolished and council candidates should vie for the votes of every resident, a team including Mayor Dave Cull has recommended. Under the plan, the number of community boards would be cut from six to five, with fewer members on each board.
Read more

Is this really the end of the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board ?? The board with the mostest…. conflicts of interest, and greatest propensity to misuse city council grants ?? HAPPY DAYS.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

88 Comments

Filed under DCC, Democracy, Economics, Fun, Geography, LGNZ, Media, New Zealand, People, Politics, What stadium

Tagged as Community Boards, Councillors, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Local government, Metropolitan area, Representation, Review, Rural representation, Wards

by Elizabeth | June 5, 2015 · 6:09 pm

WEATHER is not climate change; this is not the 100-year flood

Debate is raging, more comments and posts will surface on Greenie Mayor Cull’s witless screwy remarks at Otago Daily Times today.

Flood will cost ratepayers: Cull
Dunedin’s massive deluge will hit ratepayers in the form of delayed projects and funding reallocations, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull concedes. […] “This kind of downpour is exactly the kind of climatic change that is predicted for the eastern South Island in the event of unfolding climate change.” […] “My feeling is central government and local government will need to co-operate right around the country and this is a bit of a pre-taste of some of the effects we can expect from climate change and sea level rises,” he said. “I think it would be a bit naïve to think this won’t happen again for another 100 years.”
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/344767/flood-will-cost-ratepayers-cull

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Received from Mick Field
Fri, 5 Jun 2015 at 4:20 p.m.

You might find this interesting in view of all the alarm and hype over the latest flooding. The Green Party is entirely wrong to blame the 3 June Dunedin flooding on climate change. Why? Because they show that the severe flooding two days ago is not new. Unusual, but not unique. A combination of rainfall data and photographs makes these comments as convincing as they were prompt.

22 Apr 1923 Dunedin 230mm in 24 hours
19-20 Mar 1929 Ross Creek (Dunedin outskirts) 279mm in 24 hours
[June 3 2015] was 175mm in 24 hours

The Otago Daily Times said it was double the previous record for a full day since records began in 2006. [But 2006 was only the start of recording rainfall in the city centre rather than Musselburgh, 3 km away.]

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Local experts:

### ODT Online Fri, 5 Jun 2015
Don’t blame climate change for city deluge, weather experts say
By Eileen Goodwin
The flooding in Dunedin on Wednesday was not caused by climate change, a University of Otago climatologist says. “I think this is just a weather event,” Dr Nicolas Cullen, of the department of geography, said.
Read more

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Comments received:

JimmyJones
Submitted on 2015/06/05 at 12:12 am

….Dunedin has experienced two bad floods, one in 1923 and another in 1929. More rain fell in the 24-hour periods than what we got on Tuesday/Wednesday. In the first 1923 flood, 229mm (9.02 inches) fell (measured at Musselburgh) and in 1929, 279mm (11.0 inches) fell (measured at Ross Creek reservoir). Figures are from City of Dunedin, a history by K C McDonald. Our recent big rain was only 175mm in 24 hours. Probably it wasn’t severe enough to be called a one in 100 year event.

Based on these three measurements, it looks like severe rainfall in Dunedin has become less frequent and less intense. And if Tuesday’s flood was caused by Global Warming, then what caused the other floods? If it was the weather that caused the earlier floods, then why would you think that it wasn’t the weather that caused the recent flood?

A very serious problem for crusaders that blame extreme weather on Global warming is that for at least the last 17 years there has been no warming trend of global temperatures. In fact there has been a slight cooling trend. The conclusion is that anything that has happened over the last 17 years can not have been caused by Global Warming (because there has been none). Don’t expect to get credible scientific advice from the Labour Party, Dave Cull or Jinty MacTavish.

Diane Yeldon
Submitted on 2015/06/05 at 10:51 am

Well, I just did a bit of checking and the Resource Management Act was amended in 2004, putting the responsibility fairly and squarely on to local councils to budget and plan for and take responsibility for reasonably anticipated effects of climate change. There’s a guide about what local councils have a legal responsibility to do on the website for the Ministry for the Environment (mfe.govt.nz – local government and climate change).
So Mayor Cull’s contention that central government will or should bail out Dunedin is as fatuous as a similar claim I read in a past Annual Plan document (2011, I think) that central government would (might?) bail the city out if it got into financial strife after committing to the stadium expenditure. (No central government would set such a precedent, rewarding financial irresponsibility on the part of a local body!)
Mayor Cull’s claims that maintenance is up to scratch and that 100-plus-year-old pipes held up as well as could be expected are ridiculous. He is merely asserting that the DCC is not at fault in any way. And trying to offload the responsibility for any climate change effects on to central government when councils have known since 2004 that it was a local government responsibility. Even if you think climate change is a myth, it seems prudent to protect a city against a 1 in a 100 years weather event. I wonder if the DCC can truthfully say they have been doing that.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

183 Comments

Filed under DCC, Democracy, Events, Geography, Hot air, Media, Name, New Zealand, People, Pics, Politics, Project management, Property, Site, Town planning, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as Central government, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, False politics, Greenies, High water table, Infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure services, Local government, Mayor Dave Cull, Media statements, Pipe renewals, Politics, Rain, Rainfall records, South Dunedin, Weather

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WEATHER is not climate change; this is not the 100-year flood

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