A wall of one’s own
Creating content on the interwebs is all very well, but sometimes one has the need to express oneself in IRL.
Fortunately the council have forseen this need and erected giant triangles of expression around town. There’s one under the umbrella sculpture at James Smiths Corner, and other by the tripod sculpture down the other end of Courtenay.
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So what incindiary messages will we see? People sticking it to the man and/or lady? Telling the politicians where to go?
Or perhaps something charming and delightful.
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Bryan Pepperell answers our questions
Thanks to Bryan Pepperell for answering our questions.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
Wellington is one of the most beautiful compact cafe and cultural centres in the world.
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
Traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved by having mode shift from private to public with light rail, park and ride on bus and cycle.
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
I believe government data should be made more open to the public.
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
Public composting and recycling while energy intensive should take place here rather than in China as is the case with most recycled materials now.
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
Help find a place for the drinkers
6. Do you support pedestrianisation of the Golden Mile? Why/Why not?
Not sure it would work but would be happy to give it a try in parts with the agreement of stakeholders and the community.
7. What’s the last local market you went to? What did you buy?
Victoria Market to buy Broccoli, celery, bok choy.
8. Describe your bicycle, or your favourite bus route?
Avanti Montari dual purpose bike with road tyres and twenty four gear options and disc brakes
9. When did you last use the library, a community centre, or a council-run sports facility?
Newtown community Centre for a residents meeting.
10. Would you welcome a central government driven "super-city" amalgamation of local authorities? If not, why not?
In case of emergency
So, the Canterbury earthquake. Our thoughts are with our friends and whaunau in the area, and we’re so glad that there haven’t been any fatalities *hugz*
But, of course, living in the shaky city of Wellington, it makes us aware of the importance of being prepared should such a big one hit our fair city. Remember – parts of the two roads out of the city run along the fault line.
Resources for preparedness in an earthquake:
- Wellington City Council’s basic preparedness guidelines
- The Government’s Get Ready Get Thru guide
- The Greater Wellington Regional Council’s earthquake information
In the meantime, let’s count our blessings – we have electricity, telecommunications, running water, sewerage and a roof over our heads.
Jack Yan answers our questions
Thanks to Jack Yan for taking the time to answer our questions.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
You’ll never find a city with a better work–lifestyle mix. If I’m elected, it’ll be the most forward-thinking city in the world.
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
By reducing the traffic. Part of why I am passionate about free wifi will be allowing more teleworking and flexible hours.
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
I’m the only candidate with ideas about transparency and open source. The more these data can be opened, the more we can collaborate.
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
Get people involved via a city blog, and being transparent about our issues. People can learn about setting up their own composting bins, for example.
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
Working with police on enforcement. We need to get to the root cause. If it’s economic, it fits with why I’ve talked about job creation.
6. Do you support pedestrianization of the Golden Mile? Why/Why not?
I support greater pedestrianization but not the Golden Mile—yet. I’ve proposed a carless weekend in summer 2011, as a prelude for the World Cup.
7. What’s the last local market you went to? What did you buy?
The Sunday one at Chaffers, and a huge bunch of bananas.
8. Describe your bicycle, or your favourite bus route?
The Airport Flyer goes past my street. Comfy seats, free wifi, and friendly drivers—I’d vote for any route the Flyers go on.
Toilet cleaner
One News reporter Vicki Wilkinson-Bakers tells it like it is – the toilets at Wellington Station are bloody disgusting.
[O]ver the last couple of years conditions have varied – from utterly disgusting, truly disgusting, filthy, so smelly you don’t want to breathe, to generally grubby and unpleasant.
In my experience of the ladies’ loos, they seem almost perpetually grubby, the toilet walls are covered with schoolgirl graffiti, the rubbish bins regularly overflow and the discarded debris of urban life – ripped pantihose packets, bananas, wine bottles and lipstick packaging. And then there’s the issue of the narrow doors you have to dodge through to enter the toilet room.
The trouble, it seems, is these are really heavy duty, high-use public toilets that are set up for and maintained like much lower-use loos.
Wilkinson-Baker notes:
A while back, staff explained that the railway station is very busy. That’s true, it is, but so is Wellington Airport and their public toilets are fine. Shopping malls are busy, so are picture theatres. They manage to keep things clean and tidy. I’m assured the railway station toilets are cleaned every two or three hours. But it’s not enough. Maybe they need someone there fulltime.
It’s a really simple demand – clean toilets. Is this really too difficult for Kiwirail to manage?
Pecha Kucha 8: The Latino Connection
It’s time for another Pecha Kucha Night, but this one is a little different from previous ones – this time it’s the Latino Connection!
People who have come from or gone to the spicy side of the South Pacific will share their stories. Like all PKNs, there’s something for everyone.
El Line-up:
Bella Kalolo – Singer/Entertainer – Lost In Paraguay
Warwick Murray – Musician – From Birmingham Days to Santiago Nights
Amelia Lobo Martinez – Journalist – La Apasionante Historia De Manuel Jose
Alda Rezende – Singer – Minas Gerais State, Brazil
Natalia Parra – Artist – Wellington Through the Eyes of a Colombian Artist
Cori Gonzalez-Macuer – Comedian – How to be Funny in Another Country
Katia Guiloff – Documentary Maker – Musicircus
Alice Hang – World Citizen – Perceptions
Irene Morales – Guatiwi – The Curse of Dr Ropata
Rich Dunmore – Media & Animation Specialist – Tres Amigos
Carlos Navarrete Aka “Carlos Navae” – Musician – Acapulco Soul Machín
María Marquez De Satyanand – Educator – A Work in Progress
This Pecha Kucha will be held at Downstage Theatre, Monday 6 September.
Doors open at 6.30 with a 7.30 start. Tickets are $9 on the door, cash only.
Kerry Prendergast answers our questions
Thanks to Kerry for sending in her answers to our questions. As you can see, we were serious about only publishing 25 word answers.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
We have it all – great food, great recreation and art, and great nightlife. It’s the cultural hub of New Zealand. 93% of Wellingtonians rate our…
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
We need to complete our planning for and implement a rapid transport system on dedicated lanes from the Railway station to the Airport and the…
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
It’s important to understand it isn’t the Council’s job to deal with Government data. I have always taken the view that the majority of local…
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
We recently announced a new recycling contract which will see Wellingtonians continuing to use their current green bins (used by 85% of residents) but with improved…
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
We need to provide care and shelter for these people and I support the Night Shelter. I drove a Mayoral Taskforce on this issue which…
6. Do you support pedestrianisation of the Golden Mile Why/Why not?
This is and should remain the pre-eminent public transport artery, along with service vehicles and taxis. It is a narrow portion of Wellington CBD and…
7. What’s the last local market you went to? What did you buy?
Chaffers market last weekend. I tend to buy the fresh veges, cheese, oil, bread, and fresh fish from Yellow Brick Road Distributors. No matter how…
Al Mansell answers our questions
Thanks to mayoral candidate Al Mansell for taking the time to answer our questions too.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
If they don’t know how grouse Wellington, is, maybe they’re not the sort of people we want. Pay more attention.
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
Make the buses and trains free. Extend the Johnsonville line through Newtown to the Airport.
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
Government communication, and legislation, needs to be in plain english. That’s the biggest obstacle to openness.
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
Introduce composting scheme for inner-city businesses. Promote communal resources, to reduce resource use.
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
Support a wet house in the city. We don’t need liquor bans; police already have powers to arrest people if they are being offensive/violent.
6. Do you support pedestrianisation of the Golden Mile? Why/Why not?
Yes. Move the buses to Jervois Quay. Use human/electric three-wheelers to link to the bus routes and to car parks.
7. What’s the last local market you went to? What did you buy?
Willis st market- peanut brittle. It’s my one weakness. Well, that, and methamphetamine.
8. Describe your bicycle, or your favourite bus route?
A red giant. Stolen from Wakefield st while I was dangling off the supreme court. I will find it, and I will have my revenge.
Celia Wade-Brown answers the questions
Yay, we have our first response! Thanks to Celia Wade-Brown for her answers to our questions.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
Wild nature close to cosmopolitan centre! Kayak with dolphins, buy eco-fashion, eat fresh seafood, drink Fairtrade coffee and see brilliant exhibitions and inspiring theatre.
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
Light rail (modern trams), flexible office hours, travel plan for hospital day shift, safer cycling, bus priority lanes, tradespeople parking permits, downtown airport check-in.
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
Share GIS layers between Councils, DoC, NIWA and make public. Most Council decisions and data must be open while also respecting individual privacy.
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
Recycling wheeli-bins for plastic, paper and tins. Green bins for glass. More NZ recycling. Home compost bins, Bokashi for apartments and Kai2Compost for cafes.
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
Support wet house, DHB investment in treatment facilities. Look at root causes for people feeling despair, violence and alienation. Limited liquor ban not city-wide.
6. Do you support pedestrianisation of the Golden Mile? Why/Why not?
Public transport essential for workers and shoppers. Car-free peak hour bus priority then light rail. Bikes, pedestrians, street trees coexisting with good public transport.
We will ask the questions!
Now that we have a definitive list of mayoral candidates, we thought it was time we send them some of the questions we’d crowdsourced over Twitter ages ago. So I just sent out this list of questions. We’ll print replies verbatim, cutting off answers at 25 words for the sake of brevity as they come in.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
6. Do you support pedestrianisation of the Golden Mile? Why/Why not?
7. What’s the last local market you went to? What did you buy?
8. Describe your bicycle, or your favourite bus route?
9. When did you last use the library, a community centre, or a council-run sports facility?
10. Would you welcome a central government driven "super-city" amalgamation of local authorities? If not, why not?
11. Do you think the council has a role in fostering community websites? If so, how?
12. Where do you stand on water privitisation, and why?
13. What city overseas inspires your vision for Wellington? How?
14. Is the concept of democratic representation important to you? How so?
15. What do you think about commuunity gardens on public land?