whanganui.org

This is not just a Wanganui problem. It happens all over the country, particularly on our state highways. In come the contractors, they tear up the roads, and at vast expense they lay new surfaces.

A few weeks later the tarmac is pristine not longer. The lovely smooth and expensive surface is full of potholes and ridges.

Travelled along London Street lately? Or Carlton Avenue? It’s a disgrace.

Why does it happen?

Is it because the contract goes to the lowest tender and that there’s no properly agreed performance standards or penalty clauses for substandard performance?

The engineers in charge are highly paid, highly educated, and certified. Why can’t they repair a road?

Is this rocket science or what?

How much of the responsibility lies with Council employees who let the contracts and should be overseeing results?

It’s more than a disgrace. It’s money down a hole, sorry, lots of holes in the ground.

Your money.

The Wanganui Chronicle deserves a few Brownie Points for holding the Mayoral Forum. Pity about the lack of interest.

I must not have been paying much attention. If I can get the Social Secretary off the crossword I read the Chronicle every day, but I hadn’t heard about this summit. Should have overshadowed APEC. (No George, it’s not OPEC, they’re your mates).

Obviously not alone in that – only 120 of our fellow citizens turned up.

The contenders

As everybody knows, there are only two contenders: Michael Laws and John Martin.

The ever hopeful Randhir Dahya has given stirling service to Wanganui, but he must a cheerleader for Michael’s Vision team, because all he’s going to accomplish is to split the anti-Michael vote.

Who knows what Russell Fleming and Chandra Osborne are trying to accomplish. A foot in the door for 2013?

Randhir’s obviously been keeping the punters happy, topping the poll for Councillor since the last ice age. So can anyone enlighten me as to why he’s a perennial loser in the race for the boss’s job?

So what came out of it all then?

Well, nothing new really. Everybody wants more facilities, less debt and no rates increases.

• Michael says he’s put the brake on rates.
  Debatable don’t you think? Oil on the brake pads methinks.
• Michael says he must continue with God’s work or we’ll drift into Armageddon.
  Maybe, maybe not.
• John says that the gang problem isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Boy racers and Wanganui’s negative image are the problem.
  I’ll go along with that.
• Randhir’s concerned about debt.
  Me too.
• Russell wants eco-tourism and more sports facilities. Don’t we all? Private enterprise please.
  He also thinks that cheap houses and the city’s central location should attract new residents.
  Trouble is, if they come, the prices will rise. What is the city central to I hear you cry?
• Chandra didn’t bother to front.

Cheesy anecdote for the day

An old lady told John Martin:

Politicians are like baby’s nappies. They need to be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

Good one John. So if you get the job, you won’t outwear your welcome.

Right?

Our beloved Mayor Michael is nothing if not a polarizer. People love him or hate him.

Like many voters in the last election, I felt it was time for new blood. The prospect of a Vision council with a majority seemed to be a “good thing”. The mayor and his team would be able to get things done.

The Hibiscus Coast council imploded — divisions caused gridlock. Chaos ensued and central goverment intervened. Look at what’s happened in Auckland in the past when the mayor has been outnumbered and monstered by a bickering council.

Well, Michael and Vision got things done. They kept their promises – more effectively than 99% of politicians but not as closely as they’d like us to believe. To my chequebook, project surcharges and parking fee increases are rates increases by another name.

You can call your cat Fido, but he’s still a moggie.

Nevertheless, they’ve accomplished a lot. The boardwalk is an outstanding example. The Splash Centre extensions too – although I hope we can expect user pays on that hydroslide.

So, they’ve done good. What next?

Many feel that Michael has done God’s work but that it’s time for a rest from the politics of aggression and intimidation. and for a bit of co-operation.

The Vision team bear an uncanny resemblance to Czarina Helen’s ministers: what the head prefect says goes. There’s one person making the decisions and we all know who it is.

Supporters of Rob Muldoon and Maggie Thatcher will be suffering severe déjà vu.

I’m open to persuasion, but my feeling is that Wanganui folk are ready for some decorum and unity.

But will they get it?

John Martin is the only realistic alternative. Would he be able to generate consensus? How will he handle hostile Vision councillors, bereft of their beloved leader – assuming that there are some?

What about Randhir Dahya? Alleges that he was Chas Poynter’s great mate. Didn’t stop him from trying to pull off a coup evey time an election cam along. Will he cooperate with a political virgin?

Will long serving toilers like Barbara Bullock and Rangi Wills take kindly to an new mayor with no local body experience.

It’s a worry

I can’t make up my mind. Help me out Wanganui.

The results of the upcoming local body elections will have a big impact on the direction Wanganui is heading.

And on your wallet.

I’ve been paying attention but I’m not receiving as much critical information as I’d like. People tend to be blind sycophants (OK, brown nosers) or slavering muckrakers. A forum such as this could put that right.

Reasoned argument would be good.

It occurred to me that a web log would be a good place for candidates to put their views forward and for those views to be scrutinized and questioned.

It’s a bit late for that now, but if you’re a candidate or a voter with something to say, send it to me and I’ll post it. Complete with a flattering picture.

I hope that this web log will generate dialogue in our community.

Interesting and provocative letters make it into the Wanganui Chronicle but with several days between responses that kind of discussion has its limits.

I’ll be writing regular posts on topics of interest to Wanganui and the people of the Whanganui River.

In most web logs the “blogger” writes the posts and everybody else writes comments in response.

That will happen here too – please add your opinions to mine. But I’m not without my prejudices, so at whanganui.org you can write your own posts.

If you have something to say, send me the copy (text and pictures if you wish) as an email to alan@whanganui.org. If you’re a local body elections candidate or a sitting politician your input is particularly welcome.

If Telecom broke your email, you can post feedback here at MistyWindow. Mention that it’s for the whanganui.org web log and I’ll post it here.

I reserve the right to edit and abridge, but I won’t change the drift of your message. You will be acknowledged as the author.

Regular contributors will be invited to post directly as administrators. In that case there will be no editing on my part except in exceptional circumstances –

Go for it.