Mangawhai Fight or Capital Flight

Last Saturday and Sunday at Mangawhai Heads. Photos from looking around a few streets. The number of Open Homes and For Sale signs was pretty overwhelming. But they were overwhelmed by the number of Striking Ratepayer signs. And two hundred ratepayers attended the Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers meeting on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

This is a community that is fighting for its future. A community that is being forced - at the moment - by a Government Minister, Government Officials, Government appointed commissioners, and an almost bankrupt Council - to pay illegally set rates on a crippling loan they had no control over.

Some have decided to sell. Most have decided to stay. Most have been "loyal ratepayers" for years. But a strong sense of unfairness has driven many to the point they are now refusing to pay their rates. They feel no-one is listening and no-one outside the District cares what happens to Mangawhai.

It is deeply ironic that the Council inspired infrastructure project designed to attract development and investment is responsible for the exact opposite. For years ratepayers have sought audits and intervention from Government and from Office of the Auditor General.

To little effect. Sure the Government sacked the Council. But the Long Term Plan to rate the crap out of Mangawhai Ratepayers has stayed firmly in place, and appointed Commissioners are simply doing what Government told them to do: "...implement the Long Term Plan... get the debt under control...".

Well. The news is that the ratepayers are not complying.

Civil disobedience is what they are demonstrating.

Triathlon Brings Life to Waterfront

Over Labour Weekend this year Auckland hosted a major triathlon event on its waterfront. The ITU World Triathlon Series allows the world’s top athletes to compete head-to-head on an ongoing basis. The format features seven world-class events and finished with this exciting Grand Final in Auckland. It started in April in Sydney, Australia. With eight events in eight different countries, the 2012 ITU World Champions were crowned at the Grand Final, which was held in Auckland from 14-22 October 2012.

But it wasn't just about world champions. On the Monday of the event, over 3000 athletes from all round the world competed in various age ranges. This is my sister Andi. She represented New Zealand in the 50 to 55 women's section....

Each Triathlon race begins with a swim between Queens Wharf and Captain Cook wharves. This picture was taken on one of the few fine days over the event....

But when Andi swam the weather was murky but relatively calm. On the men's elite day it was blowing a gale and raining hard. Very challenging. This pic shows a group of swimmers in Andi's race, heading round the corner of Queens Wharf. Plenty of protection in sight.

And around these large buoys they swim. And once round the corner they had to contend with the incoming tide current. Not easy. Especially when you're midway through a 1.5km swim lasting between 30 and 50 minutes!

Then out of the water and onto Captain Cook Wharf for the transition to the cycle section of the race. The wharf handled this technical section of the race with great economy it seems...

Andi's nearest the camera, getting out of her wetsuit and into her biking gear...

Her she is walking out of the transition area, getting ready to jump on for the two lap cycle section...

Different grade athletes had different courses to cycle, but most had to deal with hills, corners, and sometimes wet and slippery surfaces. Really dramatic stuff. Made for great pictures. Our own mini Tour d'Auckland....

...and here she is just about the complete the cycle. This is Quay Street. This section was closed to traffic for most of the event. It was possible to see how Quay Street might look and be used if it was significantly pedestrianised.

It wasn't as if Auckland stopped....

This is one artist's conception of Quay Street on race day. Those character Britomart buildings really come into their own, and feature strongly in photos. A contrast with sky tower icons. More human scale. People streets. Walking and cycling environment....

"Had a puncture", she explains as she cycles and walks into the transition area again - ready for the run.

Again, this was a spectacular part of the event, and strongly reinforced the connection between the waterfront and the heart of Auckland CBD....

One of the major barriers to break in Auckland planning is between the city and its waterfront. People need to be able to bike and walk between city and waterfront, and along the waterfront, as easily as it was for these athletes.... you don't need to do it so quickly... but it needs to be safe....

And here's my sister on the blue carpet, completing her run, completing her participation in the event. Her taxi driver explained he reckoned Auckland had done better economically from the triathlon than for the rugby world cup. I don't know if he's right - but what is certainly true is that no new stadium needed to be built. Not even a new Cloud. The triathlon was fitted into Auckland and its infrastructure with little additional cost....

And everybody who competed got their piece of video footage showing them crossing the line....

Even my sister. And the commentator made special mention of her pink shoes....

So. Moving on.  We can learn from the success of this event - in opening up walking and cycling access between the waterfront and Auckland city, and along the Waterfront from Westhaven, Wynyard to Britomart.

Quay Street is the key to that.