A shadowy group which gathers with but one purpose - to analyse, and occasionally mock, the reign of The Diva of the Ditch, His Worship the Mayor, Michael Laws. Fuelled by scurrilous rumour and innuendo, The Watchers shine the unblinking spotlight of scrutiny on the ambitions of the Man Who Would Be King, of Wanganui and beyond...
The first anniversary of the Mayoral swearing has passed... sorry, that should read swearing in... without the appropriate commemorations.
But not here on LawsWatch. We thought we'd mark the event by a look at happenings around town this weekend...
Comments on this post are now closed.
By
Laws Watch
at
7:00 am
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. David Brin, American author (1950- )
46 comments:
Thanks to all those Watchers who amused us yesterday with captions and verse for the Muzza-in-gumboots post below. Comments are now closed there but feel free to continue to exercise your satirical muscles here.
Michael says to us all "listen up!
I'm finding all this really tough
With the trouble and strife
That I've caused all my life
And all this consultative stuff."
The Doctor replied, "Listen Mickey,
The problem's we've got are quite sticky
Keep your eye on the ball
Get that sign off the wall
And stop calling everyone thicky"
But that didn't bother the Diva
He said "I'm our highest achiever
I'm witty and smart
And I do look the part
Even if I'm mostly in Australia."
Give up Matt.
A poet or limerist you are not and you spend way too much toime for a man who ays he has a job and kids doinf this sort of thing.
Let's stick to debate and discussion over council matters.
(not Matt) Okay, anon, please discuss why Dot told the Chron she would take down the Vision sign but her boss said it would stay.
Who is right, and how should Dot feel about her ability to deputise in his absence? For that matter, how should the ratepayers feel about all this?
From an objective viewpoint, I would think they were both right. Dot was acting mayor so she sets the rules for the mayoral office and when the mayor comes back, then ditto.
I also read on the mayor's website that his office still hasnt received a complaint from anyone so whats the big deal?
I read that too and was surprized that Ray Stevens had not actually raised it with anyone at council.
Yes, but this wasn't the mayoral office - it was a public area of the Wanganui District Council.
Surely it is an executive function to set the rules for what goes on at the council?
No its the mayoral office. I've been up there and the area you're talking about is the waiting room for appointments to see the mayor.
Then you need to think about our local MPs Chester and Jill. Both have their party affiliations prominently displayed on the outside of their offices incl the street windows but the taxpayer funds their offices. Michael Laws was the Vision candidate which was/is a local political party.
It is part of the function of an Mp's electorate office to promote their party's policies etc. The same cannot be said of the mayor's office any more than it could be said of the Prime Ministers office at the Beehive. Laws' banner is advertising, pure and simple, and political advertising at that. I don't think it has any place in a public office: ratepayers of all persuasions are paying for that space, not just diVision. Would Mickey be happy if Ray Stevens put up a big Lawswatch banner?
Well he won't for a number of reasons from LawsWatch not being a political party (like Vision or Ratepayers) to not being mayor. If he was elected as mayor and had his own area then he could do what he liked.
It is not the function of an electorate MP (like Chester or Tariana) to promote their party. It is their job to represent all their constituents regardless of who they voted for or which party they belong to. They are not list MPs so having their party logos prominently displayed is a good analogy why the mayor can do what he likes in his own office.
It is a bit silly to suggest otherwise when you think about it, otherwise you'd have to have a policy as to everything they display in their rooms or offices.
Its good to have an abuse free debate in here - trolls on both sides is my reading.
I agree with the last post, it's a small point, but it's just another insight into ML's thinking. 'And one ring to rule them all'
"the mayor can do what he likes in his own office."
Oh, possibly, but the sign isn't in his office. Or is it? How far do the physical limits of the mayor's office extend, if they've already been extended past the actual door?
I think the interesting angle here is the disarray in the Vision ranks when ML isn't there to tell them what to do.
'And one ring to rule them all'
Yes, the ring of Helen Lawrence's cellphone. I wonder how Dot feels that HL has more power than she (Dot) does; it certainly didn't take long to have Dot's orders countermanded with ML overseas.
I've seen the vision sign and its directly before the entrance down the corridor into the mayor's rooms. it is in the waiting area for the mayor, not the council which is on the other side of that landing. Its a storm in a teacup but there are interesting strands like why didn't Stevens complain direct and why did Mckinnon react the way she did. Anybody ever thought to ask them?
I wouldn't cross Helen Lawrence - after the new CEO she'd be the most powerful person on their staff.
I doubt it. The most powerful person after the CEO would have to be Kevin Ross, not one of the Secretaries.
I seem to recall a suggestion that Laws actually tops up her salary ... but does that mean she is any less accountable to the CEO than any other staff member?
She handles a lot of information, and knows Laws pretty well. Having said that, the fact that hers is a political appointment means she may go when Laws does. Rumour has it that he tops up her salary, although rumour has a lot of things.
:)
I suppose every mayor is entitled to his own Weapon of Mass Deception.
With respect to whoever posted, Helen Lawrence does her job professionally but is not as much an influence within Guyton Street as Kevin Ross. Julian Reweti is highly regarded and so is the new finance man Julian Harkness - I hate to say it but this council probably has a better top team than under Chas.
Matt, shouldn't the mayor's press secetrarys salary be a matter of public record. Official info request?
It's already on record I think - $53kpa from memory. Any top-up ML provides wouldn't be covered under the LGOIMA, since it would (no doubt) be a private agreement.
"Influence within Guyton Street".
I have no doubt you're right, but HL's influence is with the wider community, through her media role, in conjunction with ML. They play the media game well, those two.
Just the media game?
Just the media game?
Wrong Mayor
what does that mean???
From my limited knowledge, Ms Lawrence seems to be pretty professional and good at her job. The council newsletter was her work, wasn't it? That was excellent.
Hey, pretty quiet in here tonight.
everyone`s at the business awards????
Report from this evenings Biz Awards: Barrymore was fantastic; the 2 boys in gold in the front could have a few things questioned and ML looked great in a white jacket and tails. He could have commanded any woman in the room but instead choose to go home with a hot mystery blond who he sat with all evening.
Yeah
good one and good night, McHael
I'm sure most of the women there would have something to say about 'he could have commanded any woman in the room'. Good looking is one thing, commanding women something again. Don't be sexist Marion 12.04am.
Now, is the best you can do, Laws Watch. Quiet last night, boring this morning.
Is THIS the best you can do, Laws Watch?
Everyone looked good last night. Wanganui did itself proud. The only strange parts were the guy from Tauranga who spent 30 minutes talking about himself and three award categories not being won.
The awards are a fun night, however entering is'nt.
Maybe thats why 3 categories were'nt awarded.
Most businesspeople I speak to are just too busy to go down the entry trail- it will be a shame if this leads to a decline in the prestige .
Saw that but so as not to massacre the reputation of either M Laws or C Webb, it was the mayor who approached Carol - and then they both embraced. From this slightly pissy-eyed point of view I thought that they were both declaring a truce with each other and if they are then thats a good thing for Wanganui.
Probably the best entertainment of the evening.
Wonder how Sue P felt about the strange Barrymore attempts to get a laugh out of the H debate.
GDM winning the top award with 50 staff ...and Axiam who dont enter with 300, bit of a shame. The Oskams most likely dont give a stuff about entering this type of thing, and thats their choice.
The awards not being issued is not necessarily a bad thing as it is about excellence not entering..but perhaps they should have awarded the highly commended after the big build up by the sponsor.
Barrymore was great!
carol=your version of last night,please!!!
was leo there?
(not Carol) I think Leo was the mysterious blond at the mayor's side all night.
Anyone read the mayor's latest column???
A compliment for Carol: if there was an embrace then brilliant on both sides because it was obviously public and shows that at least these two are bigger than their egos.
The blonde on the mayor's arm was certainly one the major talk items. Tall, lean woman, late 20s and very attractive.
was it leo???
i hope for her sake that it was
Of course it was Leo, those two are so tight. Hope someone took photos.
You would have to say he choregraphed it all very well.
Post a Comment