Oh-Oh!!

For those worried that giving one city a disproportionate say in this country's future, by virtue of a one third block vote and an ego that sometimes sounds suspiciously like it barely recognises life beyond the Bombay Hills.....if I may be so bold as to point a few things out

Newly elected Auckland Mayor Len Browns' vision of Auckland's role in NZ...........

"Our country, our community, our New Zealanders as a whole are looking to we Aucklanders in this time of unity to give a great and comprehensive lead to this country into the international marketplaces."

- TVNZ website Saturday October 09, 2010 Source: ONE News

We are? That's certainly news to me!! I rather thought the basis of our economy was agriculture, especially dairy, forestry, oil, coal and mineral extraction and tourism....not sure Auckland is the source of much of this

For those who worry that a city only three and half times the size of Wellington or Christchurch and only one third the total population is sucking about 75% plus of the taxes used for public transport infrastructure funding into its bottomless maw. Especially those in Christchurch the where the Government has even cut low budget bus lane and cycleway funding and said it will not fund undergrounding the Bus exchange (extra $21 million) nor light rail !!

"Talking about his transport policies, Brown said he expects to make solid progress in the planning side over the next three years but he has always worked on a 10-year time frame. Transport is a key part of Auckland delivering on the economic hopes of the nation, Brown said, adding that completing the inner city rail loop [$A] and having a rail link to the airport [$B] is vital.

- Oct 10, 2010 ONE News (online)

The third prong of his transport plan is an inner-city underground rail loop, which he says will be in construction by the time his first term comes to an end.

- Brown's town just got a lot biggerBy Frances Morton NZ Herald 10/10/10

$A = Estimated cost $1.5 billion
$B = estimated cost $500-700 million

And finally some words from cloud cuckoo land !!!

"I want them to get on the with the job and be ambitious. If New Zealand is going to be a country that's successful, Auckland has to rival Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – it's as simple as that," Key said". -

- Sort out Auckland, PM urges Brown Sunday-Star Times 10 Oct 2010

as simple as that