Today a tale of two ‘wokestans’, one global and one local, the term ‘wokestan’ indicating a place dominated by woke weirdos and their strange ideas, this time in the financial sphere.
First the global wokestan:
Read this from our Climate Science Coalition chairman Barry Brill, also a distinguished lawyer and former Under-Secretary for Energy in the New Zealand Government. Read the whole post, but the punch lines are at the end:
The UN’s Christiana Figueres told a Yale audience in 2018:
“We are on the verge of the greatest transformation humanity has ever set itself. We never, as a collective people, all of humanity — we never have decided before with choice and intentionality to do this. We have the chance to re-create the economy, to re-create the world.”
Anxiety about the future weather was a means to an end:
“And instead of feeling despair about climate change, people should feel awe and gratitude at the incredible opportunity to shape humanity’s collective future.”
The combination of Covid 19 lockdowns and climate change hysteria, along with the 2020 US elections, have created the perfect storm. An experiment which would have seemed fanciful only a few months ago is now under way.
How many of us BFD aficionados realise that this whole “climate emergency” swindle is really about the destruction of the free market capitalist system? A system that has taken so many of our countries out of the stultifying restrictions that kept most of our citizens in feudal bondage, relative poverty and much shorter life spans than we enjoy now? And for whose benefit? Those well-heeled wokesters who want to return the world to their greedy rule.
How does this affect us in New Zealand? When a traditional left-wing commentator like Chris Trotter complains about the woke-ism of the current Labour government, as he has done here on The BFD for the third time in recent weeks, you know that it’s serious and we should all be doing whatever we can to get them out of office.
Have you joined the National Party yet? It’s easy, do it here.
If that’ s not a sharp enough right turn for you, there’s always ACT
Be assured that National Party activists like me are making sure that our party returns to its principles of freedom and choice, and communicates better with Kiwis, but we will only succeed if we get the numbers – member-wise and money-wise. With enough of us behind her, Judith Collins will become Prime Minister in 2023 (if the present wokesters last that long).
I think rural people now realise that National is their best assurance of a secure future for our agricultural and horticultural industries, and urbanites realise just how much our economy (and thus their prosperity) rests on the success of our farmers and growers.
But if there is one major region that could decide the next General Election. It is greater Auckland, where woke-ism is rife and mismanagement has just been raised by former North Shore City Councillor, Tony Holman, in a local newspaper article with the headline “Rates: More Rates and ‘Targeted Rates’“.
The Auckland Council wants to increase our general rates significantly in its 10 year financial plan. It implies that the reason for this is because of the Covid-19 disruptions.
I believe that is misleading. Rather, rates will continue to rise because of an inefficient and costly Council structure, including the semi-independent ‘Council Controlled Organisations’ which have their own appointed Boards of unelected Directors, along with an excessively paid Council management group, many of whom are on salaries of $100,000 or more. To feed this structure Council organisations (especially Panuku) are busy selling off the peoples’ assets into private hands, such as community buildings, open space, along with valuable social amenities such as parks and reserves. This despite increasing population and densification.
Council states: “As a result of COVID-19, it is projected that our revenue will be impacted by around $1 billion. In light of this, and to provide the investment outlined above, we are proposing a one-off 5 per cent average general rates increase for 2021/2022, rather than the previously planned 3.5 per cent increase. The increases would return to 3.5 per cent each year thereafter. We are also proposing to increase our borrowing in the short term, continue to make cost savings and sell more surplus property”
The powerful Council staff continue purveying the idea of Targeted Rates. Local Boards and local groups pressing for improvements to reserves and recreational facilities, are being urged to seek approval from the electorate for special (‘targeted’ rates) as the only way any improvements can be funded.
Targeted rates pay for specific services or projects and can be set generally across all ratepayers or to specific ratepayers in certain areas. Current targeted rates include: natural environment; water quality, funding towards our stormwater and waterway projects.
The Kaipatiki Local Board (North Shore) is considering pressing for a targeted rate and says:
“ If the feedback indicates the community is in favour of the local board investigating a targeted rate, it will work with council staff to come up with more detailed information on the project costs and benefits
Once a proposed rate and the project for which that rate is proposed are identified, the community will once again be consulted through the council’s annual budget process
Only the council’s Governing Body (which includes the Mayor and councillors) can strike the rates for Auckland Council residents and businesses, although a local targeted rate will need to be put forward and supported by the Kaip?tiki Local Board.”
Until the reasons for a particular targeted rate are explained, it remains unclear how far such a targeted rate would be imposed, that is, who would be included as targeted ratepayers? It would also need to state the annual cost to those targeted, and for how long. With the usual overruns it could last for years. For example, the targeted improved water rate which we all pay, was due to run from 2018 until 2028, but it is now proposed that it should run until 2031.
Nor is it known if, after a time a reserve improved by a targeted rate, is likely to be sold for private ownership such as is happening with other parks and reserves. It seems ludicrous that on the one hand, Council, through its CCOs is selling off parks, while at the same time, seeking targeted rates to buy or improve others.
I believe that Council needs to be firmly told to STOP selling reserves and public property and that further Targeted rates are not acceptable.
Parks and other community assets are important, especially with Covid, and worth saving, but the extra rate should not be imposed on people.
Instead, economies in council expenditure need to be made, including staff, publicity, reducing the Mayor’s salary, abolishing the appointed Directors of the CCOs, and integrating their management within the council.
Beware the Targeted Rates.
Tell the Mayor what you think, and your Local Board.
North Shore City Councillor, Tony Holman
Well said, Tony! Every thinking Aucklander will agree with you.
It is interesting that I detect a small but growing groundswell among influential Northern Region National Party members toward reviving a move to make National a force in local body elections for Mayor, Councillors and Local Boards. Watch this space!
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