2765 days ago

Report from Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance

Ian from Red Beach

You will recall my last email was about the ridiculous quarter of a million dollar mirror Auckland Council erected on Thursday above O'Connel Street.

I am sorry to report that, over the weekend, the mirror cracked.

This is the same mirror that was supposed to cost $80,000, but blew out to $260,000. It's already broken.

Yes it’s cracked.
You can read the NZ Herald coverage (including our comments) here: Auckland's controversial new $260,000 mirror sculpture has cracked open less than a week after it was officially unveiled.

But a Council official says there’s nothing to see here…

Auckland Council’s Arts and Culture Manager Richard McWha said the cracks were "not unexpected and typical of many such art installations".

Mr McWha told the Herald that "After installation, there has been some minor separation between the brass and the substrate, most likely due to some expansion after initial exposure to the elements, resulting in what appears to be cracks."

What claptrap. Who erects a mirror 30 feet in the air expecting it to need repairing a week later? Did no one think it would be exposed to the elements?!

We’re encouraging our supporters to email Mr McWha and the Mayor.

Tell them what you think about your money being used for the mirror.


How do you feel paying higher rates and Phil Goff's new Regional Fuel Tax so the Council has money to waste on this sort of project? Email Mr McWha and the Mayor here.



send Them an email....

Thank you for your support,
Jo Holmes

Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance

www.ratepayers.nz...

More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?

What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?

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If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
  • 36.3% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
    36.3% Complete
  • 63.7% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
    63.7% Complete
399 votes
4 days ago

Scam Alert: Bank cold calls

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.

🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.

Remember, banks will:​​
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes​​
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device​​
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.

If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.

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8 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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