Petrol Tax Increase

This letter was published in The New Zealand Herald on Friday, 21 December,  2012.

The increase in petrol tax and cancelling the reduction in Accident Compensation levies is an attack on small business and rural tourism.

Sir Owen Woodhouse, the father of the ACC scheme, is on record as saying that self employed and small businesses are paying 30% more in ACC levies than they need to. As employers and self employed we have seen our rates rise significantly over recent years and we were looking forward to some relief. The impact of high dollar is real.  In the Tourism and manufacturing sectors people feel this reduction is long overdue. To cancel it is short sighted.  

The increase in petrol tax will impact further. Even Audi drivers think twice about a visit to the Matakana wine country. We hear regularly anecdotal stories of people reducing activities and about the flow-on effect that this is having on the economy.Things can only get worse with the fuel tax increase.  

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Solution to Heritage in Auckland

This week in Auckland a presentation from a Brisbane Architect  Peter Marquis - Kyle.

Regrettably the New Zealand  Herald in an editorial today chose  not support his proposals .

These proposals have been policy in Brisbane since 1992  and have served Brisbane well . I am confident if they were adopted in Auckland they would    also serve  Auckland well .

 Your editorial proposing that the Auckland Council not accept the Character Coalition’s well researched plan is surprising especially as Devonport has something similar. Brisbane’s conservation architect Peter Marquis–Kyle’s evidence is compelling.

In 1992 Brisbane doomsayers also claimed that such a policy would restrict growth and harm the Brisbane economy. The opposite happened by protecting housing stock it enhanced the community.

Hospitals, railway stations and other amenities are complemented by these neighbourhoods. They help provide a liveable city.

Marquis-Kyle’s presentation showed that this proposal had not stopped development. Indeed Brisbane is growing faster than Auckland.

By protecting housing stock and the heritage neighbourhoods it has made Brisbane a better place. Business thrives.

Heritage is not anti development. It is about the place we live. It is more than the story of an individual dwelling and that is not to say an individual house cannot be important, it is the neighbourhoods, the streets themselves which make a district or a city. The Brisbane Plan has achieved that. A similar plan can only make Auckland a better place

Auckland Energy Consumer Trust Dividend Payments

Doug Armstrong and David Shand have a right to be concerned and cynical over the timing of the 320 dividend payment being paid out so close to the local ballot taking place. Trust Chairman William Cairns answer that he was confused over the timing issue is inadequate; in fact in reality if it is not scandalous it is certainly unethical. 

Given the lows of the banks donations from Kim Dotcom and the amnesia that Mr Banks had on this issue, one would have expected that all candidates and sitting trustees would of been scrupulous in their campaigns and absolutely careful of using any trust dividends in such a way as to compromise integrity. Returning officer Dale Ofsoske saying ‘that it does come uncomfortably close’ says it all. If the returning officer was unable to use the mana of his office then perhaps we need to look at a law change to prevent such unethical payment ever happening again. The New Zealand body politic deserves far more respect than the Community and the Residents ticket has done by paying out the dividends so close to an election.  

Our Civel Rights Should Not Be At Risk

This was published as a letter in the New Zealand Herald Wednesday 26 September ,2012 titled Civil Liberties At Stake



The bungling or whatever it is   by the Government Foreign Agency is
not acceptable in our democracy. ‘Mr Dotcom’s business which was a
legal entity under New Zealand law is now unable to operate.  He has
lost substantial sums of money. The police actions in storming his
home and also his civil rights have been rights interfered with to a
degree that is frightening.
In 1974 our then Prime minster Norman Kirk stood up to the security
intelligence Service (The SIS }  and stopped  them bugging people
homes . He warned about the about the coming computer age and wanted
safeguards introduced to protect New Zealanders from possible
intrusion by the state or security agencies into our lives.  Kirk was
correct.
Twenty seven thousand citizens marched in the streets of Wellington in
1977 against proposals that would put our rights  at risk.  We need at
this time an unequivocal statement from our government that our
citizens (Dotcom is one too) be they rich or poor, Maori or Pakeha
will be protected from the excess that have been dealt to Dotcom and
his family

. Mr Key says that the since he has been Primeminster the GCSB has
actually thoroughly professionally and within the law. The grounds for
this inquiry must be wider than the security agencies would  want to
ensure that the public as much as the Primeminster can have confidence
that our rights’ are secure.     Dotcom and his family are entitled to
such an enquiry and also an apology.

In The National Interest

Investors, share brokers and writers have all raised concerns about
the Haier bid for Fisher and Paykel. One prominent writer /economist
has even suggested a joint venture with a majority share holding
remaining here.

Sentiment and emotion have no economic reason usually but in the case
of F& P they do.

This company is an icon that we are all proud of.  Fisher and Paykel
is a first choice or option for most kiwis.

The increasingly wide kiwi diaspora is keen not only to talk this
company up but to show their dish draw dishwasher to their neighbours
in Brooklyn or Paddington. What better symbol of both our industrial
heritage and modern know how is there?

.
The brand, the innovation and the underlying financial value and F&P
shows the world of what we can do and achieve. Also that New Zealand
is not only dairy farms, film sets and beautiful scenery.

Government should and many others do act in the national interest.
It is in the national interest for F&P to remain in majority kiwi
ownership. To ensure this happens the government could instruct the
ACC board to take a strategic shareholding in F&P.  This would be
publicly popular and also caste the ACC board in favourable light.

Three Lamps Ponsonby

The return of these lamps to Ponsonby is fantastic news.

It has been long awaited and would not of happened with out the generosity of the Cossar family as reported but also the efforts  of former Western Bays Community Board member  Bruce Kilminster who tirelessly pursed all options to get the Three Lamps back into their rightful place.Tricia Reade continued his fine efforts and she was able to bring the final negotiations to an ultimately successful conclusion. 

 Our ever increasing diaspora are  returning to the cities and towns  of their birth  often with mokapuna seeking to find where their forbears came from.  Film productions  are also seeking locations will find the return  Three Lamps most  satisfying  .They are a  wonderful  addiction to the historic neighbourhods of Freemens Bay and Ponsonby where people can connect with their soul.

Heritage buildings, street scape, including furnishings and  lighting are also  important .With the reinstatement  of the Three Lamps , the poll and foundations one would expect  be of the same style and standard .

To complete the picture the streetlights  around There Lamps should  complement and the undergrounding  of cables and telegraph wires should happen simultaneously .When this has been completed the Waitamata Board can congratulate themselves on a another  job well done. This will also help local retail and other commercial business. 

The Angels Share at the Auckland International Film Festival

 Today at the Civic Theatre  we were treated to another  Ken  Loach human masterpiece .

 Robbie and a few losers who a met on a PD program thru Harry their warden   discover a taste for and enjoyment of malt whiskey  .


Through whiskey  they turn their life around .

The film is both  emotional draining and humorous .I am sipping a Glenlivet as I write this post

Enough said , get tickets , and  enjoy  The Angels Share