Politics
Again Waiheke Islanders have had a huge rush of blood to the head, a whole lot of chest beating, letter writing and protesting. The first local board has been elected and, like it or not, Faye has control of the helm.
What lessons have we learnt? Well maybe we have learnt that Nobilangelo wasn’t so bad, or perhaps that we shouldn’t have posted so many candidates and allow the toastmasters through?
Maybe we might have learnt that leopards dont change their spots and we should have seen this from Faye Storer, as she has never let go of Denise beating her in the last election.
And maybe we have learnt nothing, and like the TPI affair, after a couple of months we all crawl back to our grass huts, enjoy summer and get on with our lives.
The one thing that worries me is that, in spite of the unfair process electing the chair and deputy chair, we don’t actually know that this board is going to do a bad job. Even if the board had met correctly the outcome would be the same.
My hope is that Denise perseveres with, that the fourth estate monitors and the island never forgets this board.
Don’t let the bastards grind you down.
Dear Waiheke,
I want to thank the 2239 voters who elected me to the Waiheke Local Board. I really do appreciate your confidence in me. Sadly my colleagues on the board – Faye Storer, Jim Hannan, Don McKenzie and Jo Holmes – don’t share your confidence.
The first decision for the new Local Board on the 6th November will be to decide who will be the chair and deputy chair for the next three years. I had called an informal meeting with the local board members to start to discuss this and possible portolio roles on Thursday.
I was really keen that we should meet because as a group we hardly know each other. I thought it would be an opportunity for us to talk about our passions and what we hoped to achieve as a board for our community and begin to develop criteria on how we could make good decisions – including for the chair and other roles on the board.
But at the start of the meeting Faye handed me a sheet of paper listing all the roles which they had already divied up between the five of us including allocating the role of chair to Faye and deputy chair to Jo. The discussions that produced this sheet of paper were kept secret from me.
I was gob-smacked at the level of pre-determination here. None of these people actually know me. But these four people had already decided things about me without me – and I had no opportunity to inform them or defend myself.
It’s the way the decision was made, rather than the result, that concerns me most.
I had hoped that as a board we would be able to make good decisions together. Good decision-making requires all participants to take an active role. It requires participants to keep an open mind. It requires people to sit down together and look at all the available information, explore options, maybe robustly debate some of the points and in the end come to a decision. Additionally, for elected representatives, the Local Government Act applies. This requires board members to take into account the views of the community when making a decision. Unfortunately I was locked out of the decision-making by the other four elected board members and clearly your 2239 votes are irrelevent to this decision as well.
It saddens me that at a time of incredible opportunity with the new council and local board structure our brand new elected board members are kicking things off without the slightest nod to a transparent decision-making process. What does this say about their intention to act democratically?
On Thursday Faye told me that I am a ‘minority’ on the board. I had hoped that oppositional politics was behind us – as these were the people who made campaign promises that they would be happy to work as a team.
I’m greatly disappointed about the way things are starting off. I remain grateful to our community for the support you have shown me as your elected representative. I am especially appreciative of all of you who have argued and engaged with me and shared your thoughts and ideas because you keep me accountable. I trust you will continue to do so and will do the same for the other board members too.
Again, thank you for your vote.
Denise Roche
Copied verbatum from OneWaiheke Please visit OneWaiheke to follow and place comments.
“The tide has definitely turned, Waiheke has shifted to the right. Went National in the general election and now with the local board. The ever decreasing number of left bangers perhaps ought to be looking to Great Barrier for their future”.
Well I have been laughing all afternoon. Not sure which was funnier: John Banks on the dole queue, Alex Swineflu losing by such a huge margin, C & R being decimated or Denise Roche having to work with Faye Storer and Jo Holmes.
I think the decimation of C & R has to be the highlight. 25%, bet they will still wear their wanky uniforms though.
I was surprised by Jim and Don. Didn’t see that one coming, guessing the red noses backfired. Thought Paul Walden could have done better. His choice of Billboard was curious, I wonder if he got more calls as a builder than he got votes. Surprised the bisophere ticket was passed over. Didn’t see that coming either.
All in all IMHO a good result and no scream team. Yay. Got three of the five which was better than I normally do.
The Cynic reckons this will be the makeup of the First Waiheke Community Bored
Densie Roche, Fay Storer, Herb Romaniuk, Colin Bearsonand Jo Holmes.
Go on, prove me wrong
While all the candidates are busy lobbying for our votes I have noticed a level of madness setting in. Councillor Roche declared she is not part of a team yet her campaign manager and partner John Stansfield posts“Waiheke local board Denise Roche, Dorte Wray, Millie Watkins,gals all in the top 5 of the radio poll.We should be so lucky folks, make sure you vote” on his Facebook page.
John has not advised which radio poll, There are three Radio Stations on Waiheke, only one would be interested in doing a poll an guess what, according to Waiheke Radio’s Chris Walker, they haven’t
As a commuter and effectively part of the life force of the island, the number one concern to me is parking. Easy access and close to the boat. This lucky team John Stansfield is supporting consists of a Greenie and a person who has disposed of her car. What f’n interest do any of them have in commuter parking.
My advice to commuters, Vote for Herb. Here is a serious set of eyebrows that has actually clearly defined his parking objectives. As for the dream team promoted by John Stansfield, keep dreaming.
The recent, hard hitting pull no punches, Gulf News interview with John Banks proved without a doubt that he has David Hay’s hand right up his arse.
Dear John,
There is no substance to that perpetually spouted drivel about of the cost of Waiheke waste collection under Clean Stream vs. TPI. When you are ready to release the true figures give us a call however we won’t hold our breath as we all know you are just a puppet mayor and David Hay and his C & R team really run council.
The Cynic
So Faye Storer is still bitter at being robbed of her job as Gulf Islands councillor. I would like to suggest that Landslide Denise Roche’s overwhelming 12 vote victory was little more then testament to the contempt Faye showed to the voting public of Waiheke. On my regular Saturday visits to the market, Faye would be holding court with her cronies in the hall, never lifting an eye to even acknowledge the people that would smile in her direction. A smile of acknowledgment to our councillor. All it would have taken was to be nice to 12 more people. A big ask? apparently.. You got what you deserved Faye.
For f&^%$ sake, who does John Duthie think he is spouting off this unbelievable nonsense. The Cynic is absolutely astounded at the way these Auckland City Council officials pedal their poo.
To John Duthie, please answer the questions asked by the Marketplace. Do you honestly think that if you spout the same bullshit often enough it will become the truth.
George Carlin once said, Just think how dumb the average person is, then you realise half of them are dumber than that.
And to the Marketplace, it is good to see you starting to ask the hard questions.
Waiheke island’s number one enemy has posted this on his Facebook page
Aaron Bhatnagar wonders if angry Waiheke people are going to nominate him for a “Roger Award” this year.
Give me a break Aaron, you know you fucken well deserve it, but thanks for the idea!
Entry forms available here
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