Leadership is one thing, dictatorship is something else.

“Visions” can be useful, if they can be made practical, but what of the “liveable city” and current Mayoral transport “visions.”

As presently envisaged, the transport vision (especially the CRL) does not resonate in either the practical sense, and the costs will make Auckland “UNliveable” for a large and increasing number of people.

The proposed increase in rates (also affecting rents), or transport costs like tolls, increased fuel taxes, will eat into wages through increased consumer costs.

As representatives of the people, (whose rates pay your salaries, lunches, transport, electronic devices and other privileges), your primary mission is to represent and to look after the citizens of this region to the best of your ability. Inevitably, what is best for the ‘public good’ is a complex and difficult judgement.

 

However, in my view, it must not include impractical, misguided visions of a few, imposed from above, with the mass being made hostage to someone’s dream, rather than a community-led, grass roots construct with widespread support, which is achieveable without driving many into penury, or forcing them to leave what has been a pretty liveable city before the “visions” came to town.