May 29, 2009
To its credit, as part of its overall budget exercise, the National Government managed to find $2 billion in concrete spending cuts and savings over the next four years, enabling them to re-direct these funds into alternative priorities. To document this, it published a list of the specific cuts and amounts saved. I wouldn’t agree [...]
May 27, 2009
In a tremendous demonstration of citizen participation, an estimated 22,000 Hastings residents turned out for a public meeting yesterday on dog control. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” exclaimed Mayor Yule, “This is twice the number of people that voted for me in the last election. I want them to know I feel their anxiety. [...]
May 26, 2009
Democracy … from two Greek words meaning “people” and “rule”. Separately these words are benign enough. But put them together and watch out! Democracy is playing out in amusing ways in each of our local councils these days. In Hastings on Wednesday, the Council will spend hours at a session devoted entirely to listening to [...]
May 25, 2009
In their draft ten-year plans (LTCCPs), the Hastings, Napier and Regional Councils each display the same chart touting the various initiatives on which they, plus the Wairoa and CHB Councils, have collaborated or are currently working on together. Nevertheless, more cynical council-watchers might say that this synchronized communication itself is in fact one of the [...]
May 22, 2009
Unless you have a broadband connection! Just for a break from the vexing issues of Hawke’s Bay, here’s a link to the top ten viral online videos in the world in the past week. Or you can skip directly to one of my three favorites: 1. For all the Poms out there, Hey Jude, an [...]
May 21, 2009
Although I consider myself an environmentalist, I’m not a Green as defined in NZ politics. But I do think the Greens have sharpened their political game lately. First came their memorandum of understanding signed with National back in April. Here’s how it was assessed by conservative pundit David Farrar (complete article here): “By signing this [...]
May 21, 2009
Hawke’s Bay Inc, the region’s economic development and tourism agency, is now under the supervision of the Regional Council, and will be funded through that Council in the future. In the May BayBuzz Digest, Neil Kirton, Chairman of HB Inc (Venture Hawke’s Bay as of July 1) provides the rationale for this new approach in [...]
- Will Jenkins on Dear Fenton ... Yours sincerely, Lawrence and Barbara
- Paul Bailey on Inside Hawke’s Bay Politics, circa May
- Ian McIntosh on Jobs For Hawke's Bay
- Paul Dutch on Jobs For Hawke's Bay
- John J Harrison on Inside Hawke’s Bay Politics, circa May
- alan burke on Inside Hawke’s Bay Politics, circa May
- Ian McIntosh on Land issues undermine Te Aute learning legacy
- Angela Hair on The 'F' Word
- Collin Blackman on Fighting Talk: Hawke’s Bay telco challenges big duopoly
- Pat Magill on Inside Hawke’s Bay Politics, circa May
- Dear Fenton … Yours sincerely, Lawrence and Barbara
- Jobs For Hawke’s Bay
- May/June BayBuzz magazine now online
- Yule and Arnott take risk concerns to Regional Council
- Regional Council nears meltdown
- Open appeal to Hawke’s Bay media
- Who will get the money?
- Demand escalates for ‘Time Out’ on $600 million dam
- Dam promises Maori jobs!
- Dazed and confused in Napier
