Not Bloody Rigorous
The National Business Review must have been subjected to some Diva Devotion Potion while they were here. "A nil rates rise", they proclaim, forgetting to mention the rates increase for businesses. "Referenda" they cheer, pom-poms flailing, ignoring the funding shortfalls which effectively make the referendum little more than a "close your eyes and make three wishes" exercise.
In fact, for a Business Review they don't ask many business-like questions, such as "where's the money coming from, Michael?", or "Why are you advocating borrowing for capital projects when Wanganui is already uncomfortably close to its debt limit, Michael?"
Perhaps, as they stumbled from a long lunch, they were grateful to receive a little note from Helen; "Here's your editorial," she might have told them. "Just pad it out a little and you can take the afternoon off. Kowhai Park is lovely at this time of year."
NBR has long been the entertainment arm of the Business Round Table. So we wonder why editor Nevil Gibson and the crew suddenly decided that borrowing is okay when none other than the Governor of the Reserve Bank says it's silly in their own pages. And why a Mayor who sees one of the key issues facing Wanganui as "Council intervention – what happens when the market fails" (in his address to the recent Retreat) is suddenly in tune with their thinking. And why business should shoulder increased operating costs, in the form of rates, to pay for a populist popularity campaign.
Clearly, the smoke and mirrors worked overtime during NBR's fleeting visit, and they obviously had the desired effect. NBR left Wanganui having investigated nothing, arms loaded with press statements (carefully pruned of anything with which they'd be likely to disagree) and without speaking to anyone opposed to the Diva (or if they did, singularly failing to report such conversations, or indeed the existence of any rational opposition at all).
While Council, and the mayor in particular, are crying poor when it comes to staff health and safety issues at the Sarjeant Gallery, it seems borrowing is writ large on the agenda for other projects, especially the gold-plated swimming pool. And why, Nevil, didn't you ask just how this mayor defines a nil rates rise, and why businesses have been hit with anything but a nil rates rise.
While ducking their responsibilities for the release of information - more about that later - the new flavour of the month for Wanganui District Council seems to be the old saw: "Don't hate the media, become the media".
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24 comments:
You can't really expect the NRB superscoops to cotton on to the mayor's problem of actually FUNDING the referendumb lucky dip winners when even Mr Maslin, with the benefit of representation at most council meetings, fails to mention it in his editorial song of praise today.
THE NBR, Local Govt Assn, Wanganui Chronicle and now the editorials in the Otago Daily Times and the Northern Advocate (Whangarei)- I can't stand it! All praising this mayor and council. It's time to find another safe haven.
Not quite right. The Photos of the previous Mayors have always been in the chambers. It is only since Micky has been in office has there beem a current mayor's photo hung.
It is customary for the Mayor's photo to be put in the chamber only after that person is no longer in office. But then that's Micky for you.
4:51 PM, November 15, 2005
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Absolutely untrue. As a Council employee, I can tell you that there were never any portraits of the mayors or anything else except of the Queen.
The council chambers are impressive now and its time to give credit where credit is due - Michael Laws has made them that way. He set the new design, caused grey hairs in a few quarters around here, and insisted on the final result. Whatever his other flaws, I'm now proud to show off the civic chambers to friends who visit me in Wangas. Take a look and see what you think - the art from the 19th, 20th and 21st century is a nice touch and so are the Anne Noble and Ans Wenstra photos in the foyer.
Dear LW,
Interesting last comment about "becoming the media". I didn't and will never vote for Laws but I accept my/our adversary is smart, cunning and resourceful. Perhaps if it hadn't been for the Sarjeant issue, I might respect and even like him for those qualities. In 2007 it is going to require someone equally adroit to unseat him and don't say John Martin or Ross Mitchell-Anyon. Jill Pettis perhaps? She's looking for a role after her caucus dumped her but losing to Chester might have been fatal even for that.
The only real competition will come from someone out of left field and a woman. Jodie Dalgleish must step up to the plate in 2006 if we are tro have change in 2007.
I agree. The photos of all the Mayors have only been printed, framed and hung during the past 12 months. All at Michael's request. They were never in the chambers before and wouldn't be now if Michael hadn't requested them. The chambers are excellent now, go and have a look. The art around the council looks excellent also.
I stand corrected.
He probably won't stand for another term, but plan away. He should stand again. Whatever, he still has almost 2 years to go and the majority of Wanganui-ites like him and what he's doing.
Perhaps ML or one of his confidants could tell us why there has been no Darius Press/Chronicle short story competition this year.
After it ran from 2001-04 there is a suspicion round town that it was just part of an extended election campaign. Especially now he's so busy telling everyone how many mayoral salary dollars he splashes round town.
Or is the contest a victim of the falling out between ML and the Chron?
Perhaps if it hadn't been for the Sarjeant issue, I might respect and even like him for those qualities.
And there's the rub - if Michael weren't so offensive most of us might even support him. But the divisiveness is the issue: the greatest strength of deomoracy is that it brings people along with it, but Michael's ethic seems to be destroy the opposition, for nothing more than ego. Which is dumb in the end, since democracy is community, not majority.
Laws is talented and probably the most able mayor we've had since Ron Russell. He may even be good for Wanganui but you always get the feeling that he's playing a longer game. He's made no secret that he's only doing the one term and that might account for his impatience but, like or hate him, he's done more in 12 months than Chas in 12 years. If he carries on at this pace then Laws won't need another term - the lack of opposition he's had to face is startling, from this observor's viewpoint anyway. He's openly talked about selling Wanganui Gas for example and there's hardly been a whisper because of 'how' he's talked about it.
Or is the contest a victim of the falling out between ML and the Chron?
8:40 PM, November 15, 2005
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I suspect so. Apparently he sponsored Stayz' Latin spectacular at the Memorial Hall on Saturday and that was packed. More kids and parents dance than there are writers I'm guessing.
Can we have an update on Council WatcH??
Why does ML need to spend money on sponsorship etc if he's only serving one term?
I think it's important not to try and beat Laws at his own game. Any candidate needs to seek to set the agenda instead of running around after ML's red herrings.
I've yet to see any analysis of John Martin beyond the simply derogatory. The (probably nonsensical) assertion has been made that ML is more intelligent, but we all know EQ is always going to be a better mark of a good politician than IQ. I suspect ML would not want to share his EQ with us.
Jodie has said she's not standing. Perhaps you hope to change her mind, but inevitable suspicions will arise from her closeness with Helen Lawrence. She'd be a good councillor: she's quick and knows the ropes.
In the end, if the issue is Michael the person who'll do most damage to Michael is Michael.
Closing Wanganui East Pool will not be a popular move. Especially in the context of the new "user pays extra" taxation system.
Anon 9.29pm says "like or hate him, he's done more in 12 months than Chas in 12 years".
It's all smoke and mirrors ,mate.
He is the only Mayor ever that has employed his own "media executive" who has nothing else to do than produce almost daily good news press releases, that are unfortunately printed almost without comment by the Chron.
His tactic has been to allege all sorts of mismanagement by those before him,yet the revelations on analysis are as thin as water.
I suggest you read the Mitchell (the $44,000 man) Report - it comes up with zilch that was not already known. Debt levels that are so called unsustainable are not due to peak until 2008( so can be avoided if Laws is genuine), and are due solely to the new wastewater plant- and Laws is'nt saying that we should "can" that is he. The "forestry returns" revelation would have been already known by everybody, except Laws it seems.
The"nil rate increase" is a PR created myth too, but I do give him credit for minimising the increase to less than 1%. The "referendumb" spent $50,000 to come up with the projects that the previous council had already started and planned for, the committee restructure is just a reshuffle- it has'nt changed the budget at all. About the most radical thing he has done is to change the meeting times from 2pm to 4pm.
My suggestion is to look past the press releases- there is nothing there.
anon ... Why does ML need to spend money on sponsorship etc if he's only serving one term?
He probably figures ny "branding" is good branding whether it's for an election or contract negotiations for media work.
Anon 7:33
Hear hear. If Laws is so clever how come he can't even fund the Waterfront development? It bodes ill for the $1.5M shortfall in Splash funding that we don't have $100k for the river.
Philipa Baker-Hogan will be the Vision candidate for the buy-election- you read it here first.
Looks like Barb. Bullock is a starter for the next mayoral election - see council website. She'd be a much better mayor than Michael, but we need some new blood, surely.
Anon 9.29pm says "like or hate him, he's done more in 12 months than Chas in 12 years".
It's all smoke and mirrors ,mate.
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No, it's not. Everything anon said at 7.33am is wrong!
Laws & his team exposed - for the first time - the worthlessness of the forestry investments, the unbudgeted expenditure, the finance manager out of control, the debt escalating by 25%, etc etc
Stop making false assertions.
Laws did introduce a new rigour into council finances - that is not fiction and the forestry investments information wasnt known but was hidden before the 2004 election.
Looks like Barb. Bullock is a starter for the next mayoral election - see council website. She'd be a much better mayor than Michael, but we need some new blood, surely.
anon 10:03
Good grief the vote splitting begins :)
She hasn't got a prayer...
Laws did introduce a new rigour into council finances...
Oh really? And what policies have heralded this new rigour? How are the accounts team doing things differently?
Incidently, everything anon said at 7:33am is right. Laws hasn't done anything beyond what was already planned, and he's managed to set the plan back 5 years in some cases. Smoke and mirrors. If he's so great why does he need a spin fairy?
"The best rulers are scarcely known by their subjects" Lao Tzu.
forestry investments information wasnt known but was hidden before the 2004 election.
What a lot of crap. You were just ignoring all the external reporting on the drop in forestry values, eh? Your ignorance of forestry investment matters is not WDC's fault.
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