Andrew Dickens Afternoons by Newstalk ZB
Newstalk ZB
Radio: NewsTalk ZB Network
Categories: News & Politics
Listen to the last episode:
Now, I'm not part of the tribe who automatically thinks that Auckland Transport is a bunch of ideological toss-pots who want to force us out of our cars.
I'm the sort of urbanist that gets there's a limit to the number of cars that can use our roads, and when that limit is hit then you have offer choices so we can all get somewhere.
I don't reflexively hate cycleways or bus lanes. I comprehend congestion charges and I'm excited for the Central Rail Link and even Light Rail. Mostly because I've seen the good a co-ordinated public transport system has done elsewhere in the world.
But AT's 24/7 parking charges change is beyond the pale.
Having developed the city centre with apartments, it will inconvenience residents who have been trying to take their cars off the roads by living in town. It's going to cost ratepayers. Either directly, such as the residents who reckon it will cost them $11,000 a year to park their car now. Or by funding a bureaucracy to run resident parking schemes.
It's said it will affect hospo workers. It won't stop punters who tend to cab or even use public transport into town because they're on the lash. The people it will really affect are the minimum waged workers who need to get in and out of the city outside public transport times - and who are least able to afford it.
But the most chilling part of the story is that the mayor and the Council are powerless to stop it, even though they've helped to cause the problem.
Councils fund council controlled organisations but they don't run them. In this case, the Council looked to reduce its funding so AT unilaterally increased its external fundraising by hiking the parking charges.
But that is AT’s constitutional right. The main Council body, including the elected representatives, have no operational control.
Rodney Hide designed them that way so politicians couldn't get the filthy, compromised hands on big assets.
Which is why I've always laughed about National's plan for council controlled operations to run all our water.
Councils may own and fund CCOs, but they certainly don't control them.
Just look at Auckland Transport.
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Previous episodes
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677 - Andrew Dickens: Auckland Transport is proof you can't control a CCO Mon, 13 May 2024
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676 - Andrew Dickens: The new Government deal is Three Waters lite Mon, 06 May 2024
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675 - Andrew Dickens: There's worry the Government cuts will go too far Mon, 29 Apr 2024
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674 - Andrew Dickens: We need to put perspective on the current state of our economy Mon, 22 Apr 2024
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673 - Andrew Dickens: The media model is broken because of fear Mon, 15 Apr 2024
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672 - Andrew Dickens: New Zealand knows the price of everything and the value of nothing Mon, 08 Apr 2024
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671 - Andrew Dickens: Let's put SailGP on at an appropriate venue and move on Mon, 25 Mar 2024
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670 - Andrew Dickens: Did the Government know that their pre-election promises were unaffordable? Mon, 11 Mar 2024
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669 - Andrew Dickens: National's state of the nation address was blame game politics Mon, 19 Feb 2024
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668 - Andrew Dickens: This weekend showed the Greens are fast becoming unelectable Mon, 12 Feb 2024
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667 - Andrew Dickens: The Government has to learn perceptions stick Mon, 04 Dec 2023
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666 - Andrew Dickens: Is this what we can expect for the next three years? Mon, 27 Nov 2023
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665 - Andrew Dickens: There's big stones in the path to coalition Mon, 20 Nov 2023
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664 - Andrew Dickens: Enjoy this respite from criticism of New Zealand, it won't last Mon, 30 Oct 2023
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663 - Andrew Dickens: New Zealand is confused Mon, 16 Oct 2023
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662 - Andrew Dickens: We've got an incompetent cohort of politicians Mon, 09 Oct 2023
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661 - Andrew Dickens: National has abandoned their plans for social investment from 2017 Mon, 02 Oct 2023
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660 - Andrew Dickens: I don't know why National is so wedded to these tax cuts Mon, 18 Sep 2023
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659 - Andrew Dickens: Luxon shoots himself in the foot, time and time again Mon, 11 Sep 2023
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658 - Andrew Dickens: New Zealand needs smart leadership- but no one's offering Mon, 04 Sep 2023
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657 - Andrew Dickens: Misguided, naïve, or just plain timid Mon, 28 Aug 2023
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656 - Andrew Dickens: This country won't survive drastic cuts to the public workforce Mon, 21 Aug 2023
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655 - Andrew Dickens: Will they have any mandate at all come October? Mon, 14 Aug 2023
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654 - Andrew Dickens: There's one piece of infrastructure working well- Eden Park Mon, 07 Aug 2023
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653 - Andrew Dickens: We're not nearly as bad as so many make us out to be Mon, 31 Jul 2023
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652 - Andrew Dickens: Hipkins is a lame turkey waiting for Christmas Mon, 24 Jul 2023
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651 - Andrew Dickens: Matariki is not going away Mon, 17 Jul 2023
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650 - Andrew Dickens: Cancel culture continues to grow Mon, 10 Jul 2023
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649 - Andrew Dickens: The treatment of the Police is regrettable Mon, 26 Jun 2023
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648 - Andrew Dickens: This policy should've been placed in the "not now, not ever" pile Mon, 19 Jun 2023
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647 - Andrew Dickens: Green's tax policy is barely worth the paper it's written on Tue, 13 Jun 2023
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646 - Andrew Dickens: A bit of a culture shock Mon, 29 May 2023
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645 - Andrew Dickens: Why did so many mainstream outlets miss the point of the coronation? Mon, 08 May 2023
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644 - Andrew Dickens: King Charles makes a useful sideshow from the drudgery of everyday life Mon, 01 May 2023
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643 - Andrew Dickens: We need to pay people more Mon, 24 Apr 2023
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642 - Andrew Dickens: Infrastructure planning is a lesson we fail to learn Mon, 17 Apr 2023
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641 - Andrew Dickens: It's time for politicians to back away from the bluster Mon, 03 Apr 2023
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640 - Andrew Dickens: Posie Parker's visit and the fallout played out exactly as predicted Mon, 27 Mar 2023
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639 - Andrew Dickens: We ignore what's possible when we talk about crime and policing Mon, 20 Mar 2023
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638 - Andrew Dickens: We have to admit our health system is broken Mon, 13 Mar 2023
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637 - Andrew Dickens: How can you reduce both public servants and consultants if you want anything done? Mon, 06 Mar 2023
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636 - Andrew Dickens: Tribute to Chester Borrows Mon, 27 Feb 2023
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635 - Andrew Dickens: I won't be voting for a party that doesn't have a cogent water reform policy Mon, 27 Feb 2023
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634 - Andrew Dickens: It's time to stop doing only enough to get by until tomorrow Mon, 20 Feb 2023
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633 - Philip Duncan: WeatherWatch Mon, 13 Feb 2023
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632 - Andrew Dickens: Much to unpack from the Auckland Floods Mon, 30 Jan 2023
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631 - Andrew Dickens: It's making for a great election Mon, 23 Jan 2023
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630 - Andrew Dickens: The by-election needs to be taken with a grain of salt Sun, 11 Dec 2022
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629 - Andrew Dickens: Saturday's Billy Joel concert gave me perspective on transport investments Mon, 05 Dec 2022
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628 - Andrew Dickens: We've been used as a rubbish bin and the Aussies know it Mon, 28 Nov 2022