It’s a rare setting where a politician admits that they have got something wrong. Nanaia Mahuta did that last week, and good on her. She admitted on TV1 that she had got two things wrong during the promotion of the government’s 3 Waters restructuring. In the article Local Government Minister Nanaia … [Read more...]
Garry Writes 15 March 2022
How are those challenging the government’s proposed 3 Waters reforms being treated? It’s sad that an essential public policy discourse is becoming more and more debated as” right” and “wrong”. It’s literally the litany of the deaf. Labels like “racist” are being chanted to those who are … [Read more...]
Garry writes 1 March 2022
Last week I raised a point about the social fabric of our country being at risk. Several people have got back to me saying they share my concern about how hazardous to our democracy the Wellington demonstration is right now. This feedback made me think about what we take for granted, and what is at … [Read more...]
Garry Writes 22 Feb 2022
I worked for two central government departments. Often, I found their head offices peopled by young, green, bureaucrats who had no idea about how to implement their academically perfect policy on the ground. I can’t remember how many times I left Wellington frustrated as hell about the lack of … [Read more...]
Garry writes 15 February 2022
Today I want to discuss the need for government, both local and central, to be more open. They must share their decision making early and starting to trust us the community. Try telling the truth and the facts rather than spin. It must be frustrating for journalists writing a story to have to … [Read more...]
Garry writes 8 February 2022
The government has announced a proposed light rail system in Auckland. That the National Party spokesperson on transport immediately rubbished the proposal and stated that what was needed was two more motorways says everything about his party’s commitment to the world’s environmental challenges. … [Read more...]
Garrys thoughts to start 2022
Over the holidays I travelled through Whanganui. It made me think me about that amazing nun Mother Suzanne Aubert, who started the sisters of Compassion, and worked with Māori families up the Whanganui river. Aubert was an incredible woman. She worked alongside Māori from the time she arrived as a … [Read more...]
Garry Writes – the end of 2021
The poet Rumi once wrote:Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. This week the government announced that they were not going to fast track their proposed Bill on the 3 Waters legislation before Christmas. It’s a good call. This gives local … [Read more...]
Garry Writes 7 December 2021
On Thursday evening our bar, Smash Palace, has motorbike night. It’s full of all sorts of people who ride motorbikes. It’s a sort of egalitarian mix of people, businesspeople, tradies, artists, employees from a vast array of places. Young and old. This week we had a spirited debate on the … [Read more...]
Garry Writes 20 Nov 2021 What is happening to LOCAL?
This government seems committed to remove the “local” from government. In an article in Newsroom it was reported this week that yet another minister announced that: It (the government) has two parallel work streams to seize control of housing regulation from local authorities. This has been … [Read more...]
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