Supercity

1. The tatty remnants of Occupy

   Published on Thursday, January 26th, 2012
   When the messages become so blurred, disparate and even meaningless, surely it’s time to retire the brand. Such is the case with the “Occupy” movement in this country.

   There was a time and place for “Occupy” in our civic precincts, but it has now totally lost its legitimacy. The individuals involved in the tatty remnants of  “Occupy” are entitled to their views and free to express them, but their encampment is no longer acceptable.

   In Auckland, the Council’s limp and long drawn-out treatment of this issue has become a disgrace.  John Minto has maintained that the illegal camp in Aotea Square was no more messy than other New Zealand campsites. I don’t know where he’s been, but I’d suggest it’s not to any Council or DOC parks around the Auckland region this summer.

   The proper functioning of the city depends on the observance of a whole raft of bylaws, of which the “no camping” in Aotea Square is one.  How do you respect a council which is penalising parking breaches on a daily basis, yet vacillating over the illegal presence of a few flimsy tents?

   Perhaps Occupy is not the only blurred brand here.

2. The spirit of communicating

   Published on Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
   St Matthew-in-the-City sees the Christmas season as an opportunity to spark thought and conversation in the community.  They’ve put up their Christmas billboard portraying Mary, Jesus’ mother, looking at a home pregnancy test kit revealing that she is pregnant.

   In much less dramatic ways, on one level many of us use the Christmas season to express thanks to our clients or customers, business partners and colleagues using small gifts, cards or a timely call.  It is a time for thinking about and acknowledging others.

   On a more personal level, we are out buying for those near and dear, and preparing for the occasion that is Christmas.

   All this shows that with the right imperative, we are all very good communicators.  Our challenge is to push that spirit of good communication deeper and deeper into New Year. Right?

3. Concern and outrage – time to chill

   Published on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
   Excuse me if I’ve said this before, but it’s sad when price is the only message of certain communication initiatives, and value is left unconsidered.

   I for one welcomed the “glossy flyer” that came through the mail box from Auckland Council, inclusive of a “letter from Len”.  While this may have contained nothing new for the bureaucratic who expressed “concern” and the councillor who found it “outrageous”, I found its content of interest.

   We have reached the stage in our little country when concern and outrage are trotted out every time information is gained under the Official Information Act.  Last week we had one of RNZ’s senior reporters wanting to know whether the Treasury got a better interest rate from the banks because they had lunch or dinner with their senior executives.  It appears she sees no value whatsoever in business relationships.

   It is time to cool it, in merely reporting the cost of everything without any effort to measure value.

   As regard the glossy flyer, some say there were “cheaper and more effective ways to communicate”.  OK, let’s hear them.

4. Indifference wins out over responsibility

   Published on Monday, October 11th, 2010
   In the last week two issues underline how indifferent we are as a nation to our civic responsibilities.

   Only 38 percent of us agree to serve on juries when the dreaded summons appears, while voter turnout nationally in local body elections is likely to be no higher than in the mid 40s.

   Even for general elections, only three quarters of us bother to vote.

   The lack of enthusiasm for jury service can at least be partially excused on the grounds that it can be a real imposition, particularly for those who are employed in a small business. (30 percent of all people are employed in businesses with 5 or less people).

   Jury service can also be frustrating. I have personally on more than one occasion spent a week dutifully turning up at Court each day only to be immediately challenged every time my name was called – something to do with wearing a suit and tie I’m told.

   But why are we so apathetic when it comes to voting in local body elections?

   The voting papers are put in our letter boxes, and all we have to do is find a pen, make a few ticks and put an envelope in the mail! We don’t even need to find a stamp!

   Compare our indifference to what occurs in some countries where people risk their lives to vote or turn out on the streets in outrage when they know that an election has been rigged.

   Where the indifference of non voters ends in our society, however, is when those who are elected fail to act in a way acceptable to them.

   As an individual I’ve always taken the attitude that even when I’ve been indifferent to the issues or people standing, that I have a responsibility to make the effort to vote. It’s the price that has to be paid for living in a society where we wish those who make decisions about our lives to be elected by us.

   Obviously people who have similar views to me are in the minority.

   And at the very minimum it gives me the right to praise or complain – although I haven’t noticed those who don’t vote being any less vocal in their opinions.

5. When more than two or three is a crowd…or a circus

   Published on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
   Industrial disputes always present communications challenges, regardless of what side you are on. This is an age-old tenet of industrial relations.

   Each party to the dispute seeks to win hearts and minds to their position, or at very least provide a context for their actions.  In the current bus strike, the union wants people to understand its reasons for a “work to rule”, and the bus company’s objective is having people understand the reasons for the lockout. Behind the scenes, the mediator is working feverishly (we hope) to achieve meaningful resolution.

   If non-daily bus commuters are not disqualified from a judgment on the current state of play, I’d proffer the view that the involvement of the ARC’s Mike Lee and now his “puppet state”, ARTA, are singularly unhelpful.  Their incantations over penalties and dire threats of loss of contract would make lesser folk wonder why we have the processes of employment law, including a special authority, court and mediation service.

   Lee is transparent in that he wants to return bus services to full public ownership – Lord forbid – and a role in the Super City.  ARTA will no doubt fall in behind.  Another to get into this circus ring has been Cameron Brewer, but his motivation is no doubt the interests of Newmarket retailers.

   As a contributor to the daily bus subsidy, I say let’s leave resolution to the parties involved and the employment disputes processes created to assist them.

   That is of course unless Lee and Brewer are suggesting their respective organisations are willing to chip in by making up what the bus company doesn’t want to pay.

   Disclosure: the writer is not a regular bus user.

6. Absolutely Terminally Wellington

   Published on Monday, September 7th, 2009
   I have a blended family, a blended cat family. For a whole raft of legacy reasons I’ve ended up playing den-mother to four cats, which is odd really because I’m not that much of a fan.

   Lovely ‘Larry’ the strident striped Bengal, ‘Golly’ the black as soot moggy, ‘Pepper’ our outdoor cat and ‘Wellington’, a scrawny chocolate Burmese, call my house home. 

   By their very nature cats are hierarchical, territorial and not team players. Trying to wrestle some kind of order with these four has been no mean feat, but we’ve brokered an uneasy truce through staggered feeding times and strategic division of affection, so currently all is peaceful on the cat front.

   Well it was until Saturday when Wellington, after a long battle with diabetes, went and died. Since then all hell has broken loose. As nature abhors a vacuum, the change in cat dynamic has resulted in fur flying and all out war, as the remaining three jostle for position in the new cat order.

   This was an unexpected response after the loss of a beloved pet, and one that has left the humans in my house sleepless in the din. But change it appears, even the most subtle, can have unforeseen consequences.

   The weekend not only saw the demise of our cat, but the long awaited reveal of the blueprint for the supercity. There were no surprises, the new mayor of Auckland will get wide ranging powers and have a dedicated budget to lead the new council which will have 20 to 30 boards under it, with control of funding for community initiatives and local decision making powers.

   But big question is; how much fur will fly before Auckland gets its new top-cat?