For the rain, it raineth...

This Thursday has been one of those days when it is impossible to believe we have a water crisis and not a water management crisis. Large cities bathed in sunshine for much of the year don't talk about having to ration water. Surely the silver lining of all this rain in a small but truly fabulous city must be no worries about having water on tap. However I do think we should be avoiding using more chlorine than necessary. That is why I am rather keen on the German practice of collecting water from downpipes for use in gardens - when the sun deigns to stay around a while.

A thanks to Wellingtonians

Campaigning can be full on. Today it was up at 6 a.m. and battling the breeze as I stood on the traffic lights as cars poured down from Wadestown and up off the Hutt Rd, a bill board threatening to follow the vagaries of the wind with every gust. I thought I would hate doing this but what is impressive is the civility of the Wellingtonians who don't agree with me and even better, truly heartwarming is the good will of Wellingtonians who toot and chat and pat me on the back. Thank you all so much.

A reminder of things I support

I support:

• more resources for our suburbs including artificial turf on our playing fields
• clusters, citywide ultra fast broadband and helping Wellington businesses into export markets
• smoothing traffic flows through our city - especially to and from the airport
• no long term contracting out of water management
• a review of waterfront management
• better follow through of council - citizen communications

A Cautionary Tale a....

There is a tendency to belittle the precautionary principle - the idea that even if something isn't proved it shouldn't necessarily be ignored. The more likely a situation is and/or the greater the damage the event could have if it happened, the more likely it is it should be given weight in decision making.

Christchurch is a case in point. The University of Canterbury warned there might be a new fault line in the making. The Council knew if they were proved right houses in areas where they planned to build suburbs could subside with catastrophic results. They went ahead on the grounds it was improbable. Not a wise move.

Blogging Before Bed: Amenities in the suburbs

I have some problems with the concept of concentrating amenities around major hubs. I don't mind supermarkets, dress shops and the like being bunched up conveniently - provided its all decently planned - but every suburb needs places where people can need for a variety of activities. It's the way communities are built and friendships formed. Yes you can stop and chat when you run into someone in the mall but that's not the same as doing things together with your neighbours. And when all your leisure activities take place in large facilities, it can make you feel a bit anonymous.

Beating Rate Rises - If you cab afford it.

The WCC has sent out a notice reminding ratepayers of the GST increase in October and suggesting a way of avoiding that increase at least for this year by paying installments 2, 3 and 4 right away. A good idea - if you have the ready.

Encroachments Episode Four (Final)

Councillors hearing submissions on the encroachment policy said that they hadn't realised the proposed changes would have on individual ratepayers. They dismissed suggestions by submitters that this was a money grabbing exercise. 'No', they said, "it was merely intended to have fairer results so people in the outer suburbs paid less that those with more prestigious properties.

But surely if fairness was your aim wouldn't you ask your policy advisers to crunch the numbers to find out just what the effects were? In fact whatever the aims good governance requires all public bodies - and private boards to have costs and other financial impacts at their finger tips before they make any decisions. A bit worrying really.