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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Related Posts and Comments:
26.7.17 RNZ Morning Report : Guyon Espiner sticks claws in Cat Cull & Curfews
25.7.17 To borrow from Stevie Smith : ‘the truth is I think he was already stuck’
22.7.17 Regional state of emergency lifted in Otago (incl Dunedin & Waitaki)
21.7.17 Rainy Day reading —The Spinoff : Ministry of Transport fraud case
21.7.17 DCC ORC : Heavy rain warnings preparations #PublicNotice
1.7.17 LGNZ, don’t wish ‘his lordship’ on New Zealand #VoteRachelReese
3.6.17 ODT updates mayoral vehicle serious injury crash information
24.4.17 LGOIMA vehicle (DCC) : Hyundai Santa Fe (2016) written off Jan 2017
10.12.16 Oh christ ! [LGNZ bureaucratic dopefest]
21.7.15 Dunedin to host LGNZ 2016 conference —FFS TIME TO TAKE IT OUT
21.5.15 DCC and LGNZ, total losers
2.2.15 LGNZ run by Mad Rooster Yule, end of story
10.10.14 Cull consorts with losers at LGNZ
26.6.14 LGNZ #blaggardliars

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

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.

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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

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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]

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█ 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

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Related Posts and Comments:
28.8.15 Joel Cayford: ‘Mangawhai Ratepayers at Court of Appeal’
2.2.15 LGNZ run by Mad Rooster Yule, end of story
27.11.14 Auditor-general Lyn Provost #Resign
31.10.14 Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC
9.9.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara: Latest news + Winston Peter’s speech
19.7.14 Whaleoil / Cameron Slater on ratepayers’ lament
12.6.14 Fairfax Media [not ODT] initiative on Local Bodies
29.5.14 Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Assn wins at High Court
11.4.14 Councils: Unaccountable, ready to tax? #DCC #ORC
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ ● OAG…
29.1.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara —we hear ya!
3.12.13 LGNZ: OAG report on Kaipara
12.11.13 Northland council amalgamation
29.6.13 Audit NZ and OAG clean bill of health —Suspicious!
21.4.13 Councils “in stchook” —finance & policy analyst Larry.N.Mitchell
19.3.12 Local government reform
21.2.12 Kaipara this time

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Joel Cayford: ‘Mangawhai Ratepayers at Court of Appeal’

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

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### 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.

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Related Posts and Comments:
2.2.15 LGNZ run by Mad Rooster Yule, end of story
27.11.14 Auditor-general Lyn Provost #Resign
31.10.14 Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC
9.9.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara: Latest news + Winston Peter’s speech
19.7.14 Whaleoil / Cameron Slater on ratepayers’ lament
12.6.14 Fairfax Media [not ODT] initiative on Local Bodies
29.5.14 Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Assn wins at High Court
11.4.14 Councils: Unaccountable, ready to tax? #DCC #ORC
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ ● OAG…
29.1.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara —we hear ya!
3.12.13 LGNZ: OAG report on Kaipara
12.11.13 Northland council amalgamation
29.6.13 Audit NZ and OAG clean bill of health —Suspicious!
21.4.13 Councils “in stchook” —finance & policy analyst Larry.N.Mitchell
19.3.12 Local government reform
21.2.12 Kaipara this time

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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

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Related Posts and Comments:
21.5.15 DCC and LGNZ, total losers
2.2.15 LGNZ run by Mad Rooster Yule, end of story
14.1.15 DCC Draft Long Term Plan: more inanity from Cull’s crew pending
13.1.15 Government’s council tax freeze
27.11.14 Auditor-general Lyn Provost #Resign
3.11.14 DCC: What happened to $20 million cash on hand? #LGOIMA
10.10.14 Cull consorts with losers at LGNZ
8.10.14 Stadium: Liability Cull warns ratepayers could pay more to DVML
18.9.14 DCC considers sale of “149 properties”
5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers….
30.7.14 Dunedin City Council | Consolidated council debt
5.7.14 DCC’s debt level — who do you believe?
26.6.14 LGNZ #blaggardliars
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
12.6.14 Fairfax Media [not ODT] initiative on Local Bodies
11.4.14 Councils: Unaccountable, ready to tax? #DCC #ORC
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ….
29.1.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara —we hear ya!
3.12.13 LGNZ: OAG report on Kaipara
7.10.13 DCC councillors, no idea annual cost of owning, operating FB Stadium
29.9.13 Alert: Dunedin voters —Mayors gain more powers
29.6.13 Audit NZ and OAG clean bill of health —Suspicious!
26.9.13 DCC: Council consolidated debt $623 million
21.4.13 Councils “in schtook” —finance & policy analyst Larry Mitchell
29.10.12 DCC consolidated debt substantially more than $616m to June 30, 2012
30.5.12 Larry Mitchell: 2012 Local Govt League Table Summary
4.7.11 Local government finances

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

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC strategies needed like a hole in the head

Updated post Tue, 15 Jul 2015 at 2:40 p.m.

### ODT Online Tue, 14 Jul 2015
DCC launches energy plan and environment strategy
By Chris Morris
Two new strategic plans unveiled by the Dunedin City Council should work together. […] The environment strategy aimed to safeguard the environment by reducing the human impact on it, while preparing for the effects of climate change. The draft energy plan’s focus was on energy efficiency and economic development, seeking to boost the city’s energy security and ability to adapt to change, including climate change.
Read more

█ Report – EDC – 13/07/2015 (PDF, 7.2 MB)
The Energy Plan – Consultation Draft

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The following media release has been strongly edited for the avoidance of biliousness and nausea. How many NEW MILITARISTIC strategies does The Public need to hit the climate change / Agenda 21 councillor goofballs on the head once and for all ???!!! In order to return Dunedin City Council to prudent care of core business including, for the most part, infrastructure services and maintenance of ratepayer assets (excluding THE STADIUM, sell for scrap to Mr Hall) —NOT growing the tear-baby imaginations of the culturally, environmentally lost and bewildered. [MacTavish Cull Hawkins Peat et al]

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
DCC launches draft environment strategy

This item was published on 14 Jul 2015

Te Ao Tūroa – The Natural World, a draft environment strategy for Dunedin, was launched at Otakou Marae today […] over 11 thousand submissions were reviewed and analysed before the document was drafted.

[The council is] now seeking feedback on the draft strategy – whether [the council has] correctly identified the right themes, objectives and priorities – and [the council is] calling for ideas about the key goals and actions that should be adopted to drive its implementation. […] General Manager Services and Development Simon Pickford says the strategy is designed to focus not just locally, but also to fit into a wider context that takes account of a range of regional and national legislation, strategies and policies. “This is about sharpening our commitment to protecting our beautiful natural environment. Dunedin is one of the world’s great small cities and our natural environment is one of its greatest assets.”

█ Link to draft environment strategy: http://www.teaoturoa.co.nz

Contact Simon Pickford, General Manager Services and Development on 03 474 3707. DCC Link

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A rough sample of recent DCC STRATEGIES, POLICIES and PLANS:
[imagine the staff hours in this lot]

Art in Public Places Policy (Approved: 27 October 2010)
Asset Disposal and Write-off (Approved: 16 March 2015)
Biodiversity Strategy for Dunedin City (Approved: 20 August 2007)
Climate Change Predictions Policy (Approved: 06 September 2011)
Code of Subdivision and Development (Approved: 05 July 2010)
Dangerous, Insanitary and Earthquake-Prone Buildings Policy (Approved: 01 November 2011)
Development Contributions Policy (Approved: 24 June 2014)
Dunedin City Integrated Transport Strategy 2013 (Approved: ……)
Dunedin Digital Strategy 2010-2013 (Approved: 27 September 2010)
Dunedin Festivals and Events Strategy 2009-19 (Approved: 17 August 2009)
Dunedin Provisional Local Alcohol Policy [June 2015]
Dunedin Visitor Strategy (Approved: 18 August 2008)
Economic Development Strategy (Approved: 17 September 2012)
Financial Strategy (Approved: 25 June 2012)
Fraud Prevention Policy (Approved: 01 December 2014)
Gambling and TAB Venue Policy (Approved: 19 August 2013)
Grants Policy (Approved: December 2014)
Heritage Strategy (Approved: 01 October 2007)
Industry Project Fund Policy (Approved: 18 August 2008)
Internal Audit Policy (Approved: 16 March 2015)
LGOIMA Charging Policy (Approved: 30 November 2009)
Local Governance Statement (Approved: 01 March 2011)
Long Term Plan 2015/16 – 2024/25 (Approved: 29 June 2015)
New Reticulated Utility Services (Water, Wastewater or Stormwater) Policy (Approved: 22 February 2010)
Parking Strategy 2008-2018 (Approved: 14 July 2008)
Peak Oil and the Economy – Background Report (published 01 July 2010)
Peak Oil Vulnerability – Assessment for Dunedin (published 01 August 2010)

Potential Areas of Change Report (Approved: 01 August 2011)
This report summarises the research undertaken for selecting potential areas to encourage more housing and housing choice to be developed through enabling residential intensification and/or redevelopment using design criteria that will provide for good amenity outcomes for residents and neighbours. The report identifies the 14 areas recommended for consultation and potential rezoning.

Protected Disclosure/Whistleblower Policy (Approved: 26 May 2015)
Residential Capacity Study 2009 (published 01 January 2010)
Residential Research Report (published 01 October 2011)
Responsible Camping Policy (Approved: 23 September 2013)

Significance and Engagement Policy (Approved: 01 December 2014)
The Significance and Engagement Policy provides a framework for determining the significance of decisions; and when and how the community can expect to be involved in the Council’s decision-making.

Social Housing Strategy (Approved: 22 February 2010)
Social Wellbeing Strategy 2013-2023 (Approved: ……)

Spatial Plan for Dunedin
The Spatial Plan provides the Council with the building blocks it needs to ensure that, over the next 30-40 years, the city develops in the direction in which you have told us you want it to develop, about where things will be located, their design and their overall effect, and to future-proof the city against the inevitable challenges it will face, such as climate change and peak oil.

Spatial Planning and Centres: Retail in centres and improved social, cultural, and economic performance (published 01 July 2011)
Spatial Strategy for Retailing in Dunedin (Approved: 01 December 2010)
Special Character Areas Report (published 01 October 2011)

Strategic Framework (Approved: ?? 2015)
The DCC’s work is guided by a vision of Dunedin becoming ‘one of the world’s great small cities.’ To deliver on this vision, there are eight key strategies that, with some other things, make up its ‘strategic framework’. Including:
3 Waters Strategic Direction Statement 2010-2060 (Approved: ……)
Spatial Plan (Approved: 17 September 2012)
Economic Development Strategy (Approved: 17 September 2012)
Social Wellbeing Strategy 2013-2023 (Approved: ……)
30-year Integrated Transport Strategy 2013 (Approved: ……).

Treasury Risk Management Policy (Approved: 15 December 2014)

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Received from Calvin Oaten at another thread.
Submitted on 2015/07/14 at 2:50 pm

Dunedin has no need to feel it is not progressive. Why, just yesterday the council announced two new ‘strategic plans’. This comes hard on the heels of a continuous screed of ‘strategies’. In recent times there has been the ‘Spatial Plan’ (whatever that is), the ‘Ten, Ten, Ten Plan’, which is aimed at increasing the population by ten percent, increase the job market by ten thousand and the average income by $10,000 pa. Then of course there are the Annual Long Term Plans.

Now we are to have this new draft environment strategy plan to secure the city’s environmental future. Plus the interrelated draft energy plan. These twin initiatives were interrelated because Cr Hawkins says so. Exactly how is yet to be seen in the detail. Cr MacTavish said the “most exciting” part of the plan was a new energy leader’s accord, under which the council would work with major energy users to share energy ideas and other initiatives. “That’s where the magic is going to happen,” she said. Cr Neville Peat said addressing energy issues was “the future of the world”, but “minimal progress” had been made until now. “This will lead us toward a low carbon footprint,” he said. Mayor Dave Cull told the committee meeting the energy plan aimed to tackle issues that were “fundamental” to the city’s economic and social future. “We need to be under no apprehensions — this is hugely important.” Now there’s some ‘learnings’ for Cr Benson-Pope to grapple with. It’s become the norm nowadays to expect this type of ‘silliness’ emanating from council. At what cost one can only wonder. More ‘green ideologies’ running rampant within our Town Hall.

Why, just on the same page of the ODT above these strategic announcements we see “NZ slated for inaction on emissions”, an article in which it cites the comment that “if NZ doesn’t pull up its socks on the global warming issue it would likely exceed 3degC or 4degC — making a world in which oceans would acidify, coral reefs dissolve, sea levels rise rapidly, and more than 40% of species become extinct.”

It is this “silliness” that will be the undoing of Dunedin as it increasingly becomes more and more irrelevant in this world. Energy is the ‘staff of life’ as far as modern society goes, whilst this city’s penchant for divorcing itself from the reality of this fact can only force that irrelevancy. Why history is totally ignored by this current ‘fad’ of ‘carbon’ hatred which is so prevalent is difficult to understand. ‘Horror to Betsy’, the atmosphere is reaching the point where CO2 content is 380-400 ppm. It’s been there before and much much higher and we have still survived. That means that 999,600 ppm is other stuff, mainly water vapour. It is water vapour plus solar cycles that have the greatest influence on Earth’s climate and consequent temperatures, CO2 is in the margin of error. Still, we are beset by this mania and I guess it will have to run its course until the IPCC and these ‘green’ acolytes finally accept the fact that they can no longer ignore history, the empirical facts, accept that they are wrong and there is no warming, sea level rise, and admit that the whole issue is a manmade concoction of ‘computer models’ not meeting the outcomes predicted. Until then Dunedin, like much of the rest of the gullible will tax itself to death and continue to bring forth the type of policies it does. Pity they couldn’t tax the ‘hot air’ within instead of CO2, then the problem would disappear from the political landscape overnight.

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Related Post and Comments:
6.4.15 Energy, a little picture #wow

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

LGNZ #blaggardliars

Received from Anonymous
Thu, 26 Jun 2014 at 3:17 p.m.

Horowhenua Chronicle 25.6.14

[Anonymous] “Another report by another highly paid expert, strategically placed on the front page to calm the masses only weeks after Horowhenua District Council (HDC) announced rate hikes of 10%.”

[Evidence] No-one believes his crap. Slippery Lawrence Yule treated like yesterday’s scrumpled chip paper.

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Our reading preference:

█ The Ratepayers’ Report is based on data collated by the Taxpayers’ Union, a lobby group, from councils’ annual reports. It also includes information collected independently from the Department of Internal Affairs and Statistics New Zealand. All of this has been checked and sent to the 67 councils involved for them to review. See local government league tables published by analyst Larry Mitchell since 2010.

Related Post and Comments:
12.6.14 Fairfax Media [not ODT] initiative on Local Bodies
21.4.13 Councils “in stchook” —finance & policy analyst Larry.N.Mitchell
30.5.12 Larry.N.Mitchell: 2012 Local Govt League Table Executive Summary

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Fairfax Media [not ODT] initiative on Local Bodies

The Taxpayers’ Union in collaboration with Fairfax Media has launched the “Ratepayers’ Report”. (Link)

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Comment received from Russell Garbutt
Submitted on 2014/06/11 at 10:04 am

The Fairfax initiative on Local Bodies is an excellent one.

It can be found at http://www.ratepayersreport.co.nz/

It seems that this whole thing has stemmed from the excellent work of Larry Mitchell, in trying to educate Local Bodies as to some financial nous, and also to alert ratepayers to what circumstances their local body has put them in.

I know from experience over many years of trying, that my recommendations to local Councillors to contact Larry Mitchell and learn from his experience as an independent consultant on Local Government fell on totally deaf ears. They seemed to know better. Yeah, right.

Now it is out there in a form that is very readable and comparisons can be easily seen.

What is totally amazing is the views of the DCC in this. Yes, the second highest debt per ratepayer, but the DCC says that it has the second highest value of assets. Crap. This is just rubbish and it can’t sell those assets. Every Council has water, roading etc which it must provide and can’t sell, but in the case of the DCC it has the stadium. Not an asset as we all know but a fearful liability, but it appears in the books as an asset. Well, sell the bloody thing. It isn’t needed.

I know that this story won’t be picked up by the ODT as it is a Fairfax story, but the other point in here of course is that the ability of Aucklanders (who have the highest debt levels) to pay. Dunedin doesn’t. Its population is well below that of Auckland when it comes to average income per household.

The other thing that the ODT won’t cover is the local comparisons. While the DCC has a debt level of $15,093 per ratepayer, the Central Otago District Council has only $327 per ratepayer, with virtually the same equity value per ratepayer. What’s the difference? As the CODC says of the area “A World of Difference”. I know which Council I admire the most.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr