Essentially the Council has written a blank cheque to the NZTA. It is preposterous that the Council could vote on a project when no one, not even the council officers, has seen the final plans. Wellingtonians haven’t even seen sketches of what the proposed fly-over around the Basin Reserve will look like, and we don’t know how many lanes are proposed on the motorway through Hataitai.

The Government, through the NZTA, used the $2.4 billion as an ultimatum to the Council, threatening to send the funds elsewhere in New Zealand if the package wasn’t supported in full. So the Government got to push through its vision of more roads for Wellington and Wellingtonians never got the chance to look at alternatives.

It really is the height of folly for the Government, who is borrowing $300 million a week, to throw so much money at uneconomic roads that have low business cases and will increase our dependence on oil, and vulnerability to price fluctuation and rises.

Mayor Wade-Brown rightly pointed out Wellington’s commitment to an 80% greenhouse gas reducation target by 2050, yet this package is likely to increase emissions and also congestion on the roads. The Dominion Post is describing her support as ‘the mother of all U-turns’ after campaigning strongly for better public transport and walking and cycling.

I am not sure why the mayor changed her position. I suspect she would have come under enormous pressure from the bullying tactics of the NZTA and the Government, and also from the hostile reporting on the issue in the Dominion Post. That said, I think political leaders need to stick to their principles, most importantly in tough times.

One silver lining is the $1 million advance for the light rail feasibility study; however, with the Government’s fixation on motorways, it may be a long time before funding is committed.

Kerry looked mortified, Celia looked stunned, and the crowd that had gathered in the Wellington Council foyer looked amazed—because there had been no hint, in the media, that the election was other than a shoo-in for Kerry Prendergast.

The Dompost had largely ignored the election, and left voters with the impression that while Celia was a serious challenger, Kerry was a shoo-in. Clearly, they were unaware of the cliff-hanger right under their noses.

Anyway there were great celebrations on Saturday night, as we looked forward to Wellington having its first green-leaning Mayor—an inclusive, grass roots Mayor with a new transport vision and a commitment to working with small business and clean technology.

We were all buoyed by the Auckland election result as well. While Brown was obviously the favourite candidate, I am sure there was an element, in his overwhelming result, of Aucklanders sending a clear signal to Rodney Hide, John key and the government that they hated the way the government had rammed the super-city legislation through without consultation, and the way the government had wiped out eight perfectly well functioning Councils without even consulting voters first.

Hopefully the government will get the message—that if it interferes in local government, and rams legislation through without consultation—there will be a voter backlash.

Now given the good words written about Iona and Celia it is to be hoped their views on the ghastly monstrosity planned for the home of all cricket in New Zealand – the Basin Reserve start getting some traction.  Many of Iona and Celia’s pals on the WCC seem intent on destroying the character of this Wellington icon by building a huge concrete flyover across the northern side of the Basin Reserve. The good folk at the Save the Basin campaign have got hold of what the Council’s own consultants had to say about this and it ain’t pretty:

The elevated structure for the grade separation of the Basin Reserve will be visually prominent and will affect the perception, symbolic character and context of the Basin Reserve and will impact on the overall character of the wider surroundings. The grade separation may also adversely affect the experience of those using the Basin Reserve.

One of the saddest aspects of this philistinery is that the man known as ‘mystery’ Morrison – a cricketing hero of the late 70s with his droopy mo and oddly unplayable slow bowling appears to be unconcerned by the flyover.   It’s time for readers of my great blog to get involved in stopping this tomfoolery and bowling a few Jeff Thompson style verbal and written bouncers at those advocating for the flyover. 

‘I think there are some [things] we have to do,’ she told The Dominion Post.

…Ms Prendergast said a new Mt Victoria tunnel should be a high priority, regardless of what submitters to the study say.

Well, that will certainly encourage democratic participation.

Prendergast’s tunnel vision is odd given the Council’s long standing cost objections to building a cheaper ($140 million) light rail system to solve exactly the same transport concerns.

As Green Party Wellington City Councillor Celia Wade Brown notes ‘people can’t take their cars on a plane.’ So the real solution to transport to the airport should include extensive public transport, not more roads or holes in our landscape.  

‘The high speed corridor concept reduces the ability to make local trips by active modes – walking, running and cycling.’