Auckland Fringe Festival 2011 WWW.Aucklandfringe.co.nz

This bianual festival kicked kicked off on the 25 February through to the 13 March.

Saturday the 26 February was a festival taster with all the acts performing .

The highlight for those who recall Ben Hur ansd other 1960s epics perhaps was the Paper box Wars ears which invloved kids of all ages and a cast of 100s.

Auckland is not a cultural desert and the Fringe Festival is a fun event . the programme is extensive.

With luck and some spare time we will get to many show as we can

Tueday First March to the 5th March Opera Risque is on. Sally and I will be attending on Tuesday.

Saturday was a fun day check out the photos below.

Food for Thought

With the Greens continuous rise in the polls do you think this would this have anything to do with the Labour party long public sleep on sustainability?

I read Rod Orum and agreed with almost everything he said in his page in the Star Times today . He also hammered the importance of sustainability.

Because of Labour previous championing of sustainability we were awarded the 2009 International Award for Sustainable Tourism.
This award is of considerable importance to New Zealand both economically and for increasing our already strong environmental reputation. This relates solely to the Labour Governments efforts and also to the many Tourism Business who work hard to maintain New Zealand good name.

When I spoke at a number of events in 2009 and 2010 on sustainability and talked about Norm Kirk and the saving of Lake Manapouri in each of these presentations young people asked me what party did he lead .



Labour has done much on the environment to be proud off . why do they not shout this from the rafters?


Labour in Australia this year gave the Greens a huge number of votes .

Do you think the National Party offering to Maggie Barry a list position is to pick up a number of those votes that Sue Kedgley used to deliver to the Greens?. I have blogged on Sue contribution.

I would have thought that Labour would have chased a number of those votes . In my meetings in Auckland with heritage and urban design people Sandra Coney’s and Sue Kedgley name are often bought by women.

Chinatown

The epistle below was published in the New Zealand Herald Monday 7 February 2011as the Headline letter entitled NOT RIGHT TIME FOR CHINATOWN>

The suggestion for part of Auckland to become a Chinatown should be delayed until we have sufficient capital to make it work .
Wellington continue to embarrass itself with Wellywood. May our leaders spare Auckland the same derision.

Chinese Community representative Kai Luey is realistic with his comment that it would take a lot of investment and dedication to make it happen .

To pay a civic respect to the Chinese people who have both contributed much to Auckland and New Zealand and who have also been the victims of a past terrible discrimination a more fitting memorial would be more respected .

Councillor Lee and Waitemata Community board Chairman Chambers are correct that Ponsonby and Parnell should also be in plans to make Auckland a vibrant thriving city centre.

These suburbs contribute to the Auckland economy. Aucklanders come to dine and drink others including thousands of interactive tourists spend time and money in this Auckland’s heritage heartland. The council should investigate the many options to inshore that this is protected and enhanced. To have some progress in time for the Rugby Worlds Cup would be to Auckland’s advantage .