Thursday, September 30, 2010
Voting
Don't forget. You have only one week now in which to vote! Don't lose our democracy. Vote for our freedom
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What is your vision for waiheke?
What is your vision for waiheke?
Jan
Now that\'s a big question!
Development is now centred around sustainable local initiatives for renewable energy for houses and transport, food production, business and low impact tourism. Public transport systems are greatly improved to the point where people are happy to leave their cars at home to save time and money. On demand shuttles appear when you request them and take you where you want to go paid for by yearly passes.
Local businesses are performing to high standards and people are buying local as never before encouraging local employment.
Large scale developments have become a thing of the past because the world financial climate has moved away from an endless growth mentality towards a new view of sustainable living and world populaiton has started to stabliise. Resources in general are becoming in short supply and people have become very aware of the need to recycle resources, \'not waste\'.
Far fewer people are needing to commute to Auckland because they are finding work on the island and the using the internet for work.
Septic systems have moved to composting and biological systems that require much less water and the local council has changed building regulation to make this a requirment for new buidlings. Because of this effluent disposal systems have become smaller and more efficient and problems of run off are decreasing markedly.
Ferry services are now nationalised and fares are set by users to reflect the true cost of running the service.
The Super \"City\" is now called the Super Region and the Local Board has 10 members who are heavily involved with incorporating the expertise of the community and its projects into the budgetting and planning process.
I wont go on but you get the idea.
Jan
Now that\'s a big question!
Development is now centred around sustainable local initiatives for renewable energy for houses and transport, food production, business and low impact tourism. Public transport systems are greatly improved to the point where people are happy to leave their cars at home to save time and money. On demand shuttles appear when you request them and take you where you want to go paid for by yearly passes.
Local businesses are performing to high standards and people are buying local as never before encouraging local employment.
Large scale developments have become a thing of the past because the world financial climate has moved away from an endless growth mentality towards a new view of sustainable living and world populaiton has started to stabliise. Resources in general are becoming in short supply and people have become very aware of the need to recycle resources, \'not waste\'.
Far fewer people are needing to commute to Auckland because they are finding work on the island and the using the internet for work.
Septic systems have moved to composting and biological systems that require much less water and the local council has changed building regulation to make this a requirment for new buidlings. Because of this effluent disposal systems have become smaller and more efficient and problems of run off are decreasing markedly.
Ferry services are now nationalised and fares are set by users to reflect the true cost of running the service.
The Super \"City\" is now called the Super Region and the Local Board has 10 members who are heavily involved with incorporating the expertise of the community and its projects into the budgetting and planning process.
I wont go on but you get the idea.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Draft resolutions re the library/service centre, this is how ACC treats democracy
WICPG Proposed Resolutions for WICB meeting Wednesday 22nd
September 2010.
Subject: Proposed ACC Oneroa Library and Service Centre development.
Date: 21st September 2010
Resolutions:
1. That the Board notes that the Council has arranged for and received a
Commissioner’s Report dated 16th September 2010, determining that the
Application for a Notice of Requirement for the above development need not be
publicly notified.
2. That the Board also notes that the underlying Consultant’s Report to the duty
Commissioner dated 31st August 2010 makes no reference to the Board’s
Resolution on this matter at its meeting on 23rd June 2010, item 12B set out
below:
“ That the Waiheke Community Board request that Waiheke Service Centre and
Library development be a notified consent as there are significant impacts on the
community concerning the environment and traffic and that the community
should be given the opportunity to submit on the Resource Management [ RMA ]
iisues”.
3. That the Board is of the view that the decision not to notify above will prevent
our community’s major concerns and issues with this development from being
appropriately aired and considered.
4. That accordingly the Board wants further work on this proposed development
to be placed in abeyance, until the project can be reviewed and approved by the
new Waiheke Local Board now in the process of being elected. In seeking this
the Board notes that decision making on a project of this kind is part of the
powers to vest in the new Waiheke Local Board.
5. That the Board also seek suspension of this project, for the reasons above, by
the Auckland Transition Agency in line with its powers under Section 31(4) (i) of
the Local Government Tamaki Makaurau Reorganisation Act.
6. That in the event that the responses from the Council and / or ATA are not
fully satisfactory, the Board will take such further action on this matter as it
deems appropriate.
7. That the above actions will include seeking support from our local Member of
Parliament and taking legal action to enforce the Board’s position. pr
September 2010.
Subject: Proposed ACC Oneroa Library and Service Centre development.
Date: 21st September 2010
Resolutions:
1. That the Board notes that the Council has arranged for and received a
Commissioner’s Report dated 16th September 2010, determining that the
Application for a Notice of Requirement for the above development need not be
publicly notified.
2. That the Board also notes that the underlying Consultant’s Report to the duty
Commissioner dated 31st August 2010 makes no reference to the Board’s
Resolution on this matter at its meeting on 23rd June 2010, item 12B set out
below:
“ That the Waiheke Community Board request that Waiheke Service Centre and
Library development be a notified consent as there are significant impacts on the
community concerning the environment and traffic and that the community
should be given the opportunity to submit on the Resource Management [ RMA ]
iisues”.
3. That the Board is of the view that the decision not to notify above will prevent
our community’s major concerns and issues with this development from being
appropriately aired and considered.
4. That accordingly the Board wants further work on this proposed development
to be placed in abeyance, until the project can be reviewed and approved by the
new Waiheke Local Board now in the process of being elected. In seeking this
the Board notes that decision making on a project of this kind is part of the
powers to vest in the new Waiheke Local Board.
5. That the Board also seek suspension of this project, for the reasons above, by
the Auckland Transition Agency in line with its powers under Section 31(4) (i) of
the Local Government Tamaki Makaurau Reorganisation Act.
6. That in the event that the responses from the Council and / or ATA are not
fully satisfactory, the Board will take such further action on this matter as it
deems appropriate.
7. That the above actions will include seeking support from our local Member of
Parliament and taking legal action to enforce the Board’s position. pr
This is an interesting way of working a bottom up democracy
How Can a Democracy Solve Tough Problems? - TIME
The kleroterion is a team led by Stanford professor James Fishkin. Each year, 175 people are scientifically selected to reflect the general population. They are polled once on the major decisions they'll be facing.Then they are given a briefing on those issues, prepared by experts with conflicting views. Then they meet in small groups and come up with questions for the experts — issues they want further clarified. Then they meet together in plenary session to listen to the experts' response and have a more general discussion. The process of small meetings and plenary is repeated once more. A final poll is taken, and the budget priorities of the assembly are made known and adopted by the local government. It takes three days to do this.
The process has grown over five years, from a deliberation over public works (new sewage-treatment plants were favored over road-building) to the whole budget shebang. By most accounts it has succeeded brilliantly, even though the participants are not very sophisticated: 60% are farmers. The Chinese government is moving toward expanding it into other districts.
The public is very smart if you give it a chance," says Fishkin, 62, who has been conducting experiments in what he calls "deliberative democracy" for nearly 20 years now. "If people think their voice actually matters, they'll do the hard work, really study their briefing books, ask the experts smart questions and then make tough decisions. When they hear the experts disagreeing, they're forced to think for themselves.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Answers to some questions
Hi Andy, some curly questions as requested:
1. How will you approach the new Transport CCO to stop them covering our island in concrete, and make them listen to our pleas for eco-friendly roading? (e.g. swales instead of kerbing and channeling, reasonable-sizes signage, modest street lighting) 2. What will you do when they don't listen?
3. TPI were recently boasting they are collecting more recyclables since the introduction of wheelie bins - but where is it going? is it still being dumped on Mt. Visy? (There was a group monitoring this, but haven't heard from them - maybe Millie would know) 4. What is your view on the proposed marina at Matiatia?
1. Mark Ford, current chairman of the Auckland Transition Agency, will
head the transport CCO and the Labour Party says he will have more power than the mayor despite holding an unelected position. That may make it rather hard to meet. I suggest that the boards en masse form a posse to go after things they need from the CCO. A united council of local boards has much more chance of being heard.
2. I couldn't suggest public protests or acts of civil disobedience,
but this is usually what happens when local wishes are consistently ignored.
Will the new CCO want to spend money where the local board makes it quite clear it's not wanted in the way they are offering it. Will be be willling to say, well here's half what we would have spent and do it your way? That would definitely be saving rate payers money. After having built Whakanewha up from scratch with vitually no budget for the first ten years I know how to do much with very little.
3. Yes, this is something that would be interesting to do a
journalist's investigation on. I think I would talk with the local papers in the first place and see if they would be willing to pursue this one a bit.
4. A marina at Matiatia. The first people to ask are the Waiheke
boaties, what do you think guys, is this what this island needs? Will it improve anything for the island life. What problems will it create. Who will benefit? This would no doubt be the subject of a substantial planning application and it is my understanding that the local board would have to be responsible for approval of the resource consent for it so it does put some power in the hands of the island.
1. How will you approach the new Transport CCO to stop them covering our island in concrete, and make them listen to our pleas for eco-friendly roading? (e.g. swales instead of kerbing and channeling, reasonable-sizes signage, modest street lighting) 2. What will you do when they don't listen?
3. TPI were recently boasting they are collecting more recyclables since the introduction of wheelie bins - but where is it going? is it still being dumped on Mt. Visy? (There was a group monitoring this, but haven't heard from them - maybe Millie would know) 4. What is your view on the proposed marina at Matiatia?
1. Mark Ford, current chairman of the Auckland Transition Agency, will
head the transport CCO and the Labour Party says he will have more power than the mayor despite holding an unelected position. That may make it rather hard to meet. I suggest that the boards en masse form a posse to go after things they need from the CCO. A united council of local boards has much more chance of being heard.
2. I couldn't suggest public protests or acts of civil disobedience,
but this is usually what happens when local wishes are consistently ignored.
Will the new CCO want to spend money where the local board makes it quite clear it's not wanted in the way they are offering it. Will be be willling to say, well here's half what we would have spent and do it your way? That would definitely be saving rate payers money. After having built Whakanewha up from scratch with vitually no budget for the first ten years I know how to do much with very little.
3. Yes, this is something that would be interesting to do a
journalist's investigation on. I think I would talk with the local papers in the first place and see if they would be willing to pursue this one a bit.
4. A marina at Matiatia. The first people to ask are the Waiheke
boaties, what do you think guys, is this what this island needs? Will it improve anything for the island life. What problems will it create. Who will benefit? This would no doubt be the subject of a substantial planning application and it is my understanding that the local board would have to be responsible for approval of the resource consent for it so it does put some power in the hands of the island.
Roadside Spraying on Waiheke Island
RE roadside spraying on Waiheke - just to clarify things a little from yesterday's meet the candidates session at the War Memorial Hall.
A little bit about my background.
My wife and I set up a small permacultural farm in Wanganui before coming to the Island. At home we mostly eat organic food and have been part of an organic food coop for many years. As the ranger at Whakanewha I had to use chemical weed control where manual control was impossible. This prompted me to make it my business to research chemical weed control to minimise ill effects on the environment and I have used them in the park with the utmost care to safeguard people's health.
Re the question re blanket ban on the use of glyphosate (Roundup) on roadsides. I support the use of Coconut Fatty Acid as a roadside spray on all urban roads, despite the fact that it really stinks! My reservation concerns where the roadside is not within residential areas and forms part of a weed eradication effort. Coconut oil will not eradicate weed species, it only serves to brown them off as an inhibitor. At Whakanewha Glyphosate has been use for the last 15 years with not one complaint of ill effects from the public. We need to be aware of the difference between Roundup and the active ingredient Glyphosate and also the difference between wholesale spraying on roadside and targetted use in a rural environment. I have no wish to place anyone at risk. My extensive research over the years indicates that glyphosate is the lowest toxity chemical available as a herbicide and most allergic reactions are due to the deteregent added as a surfactant.
Coconut oil as a herbicide is several times more expensive to use that Glyphosate and less effective as a control for Kikuyu grass, the main reason for roadside spraying. If we consider the cost to rate payers and the use of vehicles and emissions it is important to consider whether we need to use coconut oil on areas away from houses.
I would not support the spraying of any urban situation with Glyphosate. However, I would wish to be able to continue the use of this hercide in weed control areas with the utmost care and consideration and with whatever public notification is agreed.
A little bit about my background.
My wife and I set up a small permacultural farm in Wanganui before coming to the Island. At home we mostly eat organic food and have been part of an organic food coop for many years. As the ranger at Whakanewha I had to use chemical weed control where manual control was impossible. This prompted me to make it my business to research chemical weed control to minimise ill effects on the environment and I have used them in the park with the utmost care to safeguard people's health.
Re the question re blanket ban on the use of glyphosate (Roundup) on roadsides. I support the use of Coconut Fatty Acid as a roadside spray on all urban roads, despite the fact that it really stinks! My reservation concerns where the roadside is not within residential areas and forms part of a weed eradication effort. Coconut oil will not eradicate weed species, it only serves to brown them off as an inhibitor. At Whakanewha Glyphosate has been use for the last 15 years with not one complaint of ill effects from the public. We need to be aware of the difference between Roundup and the active ingredient Glyphosate and also the difference between wholesale spraying on roadside and targetted use in a rural environment. I have no wish to place anyone at risk. My extensive research over the years indicates that glyphosate is the lowest toxity chemical available as a herbicide and most allergic reactions are due to the deteregent added as a surfactant.
Coconut oil as a herbicide is several times more expensive to use that Glyphosate and less effective as a control for Kikuyu grass, the main reason for roadside spraying. If we consider the cost to rate payers and the use of vehicles and emissions it is important to consider whether we need to use coconut oil on areas away from houses.
I would not support the spraying of any urban situation with Glyphosate. However, I would wish to be able to continue the use of this hercide in weed control areas with the utmost care and consideration and with whatever public notification is agreed.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ideas for our local community and businesses
Ideas for business.
Buy local, shop local, employ local and think local must be the biggest single message to put out re businesses on the island. We must support our local businesses or we will lose our community.
In return, local businesses need to set up a Waiheke standards approval. It is the responsibility of businesses to ensure they offer services equal to Auckland and prices to match so that they deserve to be chosen by locals. Locals should demand equal service and ask them to provide it.
Businesses need to develop a stronger customer service ethic to make sure that they are providing the level of service that locals need. Successful businesses know what their market is and play to it. Cafes need to be open to provide services when people need them. Service businesses need to make sure that they turn up on time and do the job agreed. Some kind of watchdog might be appropriate.
Oneroa is the gateway to Waiheke, not Matiatia. Matiatia is where we park our cars to go to Auckland. Let's get people to come to Matiatia. A free bus to the top of the hill running more often.
Arrange public meetings for local businesses to talk with the Board. Ask local businesses to suggest ways in which the Board can assist.
The Board needs to advocate strongly to ensure that the council employs local people to carry out council contract services on the island for the sake of our community sustainability. Also that the council uses consultants from the island for advice rather than the familiar large companies from Auckland. The results of using off island consultants that impose Auckland conditions and expectations on Waiheke results in innappropriate advice and outcomes.
There is no doubt that international tourists spend the most per head of any visitor. Waiheke must market itself for these visitors.
There is no doubt that Fullers has profitted greatly from the influx of Gold Card Seniors. They need to pass on this benefit to other users rather than simply sending larger profits off shore to shareholders.
Waiheke needs to find ways of attracting Aucklanders to come to the island in winter. Small targetted events and conferences would be ideal. Ideas such as toy fairs, literary festivals, cooking shows etc. using local halls as venue giving needed revenue to these locations. A festival committee could be set up by businesses to facilitate these.
WAICOS as an organisations representing social services and benefits could be asked to recommend groups deserving of funding from the Board. This would avoid the Board merely responding to the loudest voices that request assistance.
There is no doubt that the island can provide much more of it's own needs for food. Eugene Kitto is doing some amazing things with growing produce and has some very interesting ideas to put to the new Board. There are many reserves that can be planted in fruit trees or used for allotments. People on sickness or unemployment benefit would benefit greatly from the opportunity to grow their own food with advice and assistance. Our farmers market has the potential to change the way in which we shop. Meat grown on the island should be readily available. Why don't we have locally produced lamb, chicken, pheasant, peacock, milk, cheese, peppers, and all manner of produce. This is how we can start to employ ourselves.
Do we really need a bigger supermarket? What will this mean for our local businesses? Are we just selling out to big business interests at the expense of our own people just so we can have more varieties of pasta or toothpaste and is this worth it.
If we want our community to prosper we must support our community.
If our community prospers then we can afford to support our environment and take care or our own.
Buy local, shop local, employ local and think local must be the biggest single message to put out re businesses on the island. We must support our local businesses or we will lose our community.
In return, local businesses need to set up a Waiheke standards approval. It is the responsibility of businesses to ensure they offer services equal to Auckland and prices to match so that they deserve to be chosen by locals. Locals should demand equal service and ask them to provide it.
Businesses need to develop a stronger customer service ethic to make sure that they are providing the level of service that locals need. Successful businesses know what their market is and play to it. Cafes need to be open to provide services when people need them. Service businesses need to make sure that they turn up on time and do the job agreed. Some kind of watchdog might be appropriate.
Oneroa is the gateway to Waiheke, not Matiatia. Matiatia is where we park our cars to go to Auckland. Let's get people to come to Matiatia. A free bus to the top of the hill running more often.
Arrange public meetings for local businesses to talk with the Board. Ask local businesses to suggest ways in which the Board can assist.
The Board needs to advocate strongly to ensure that the council employs local people to carry out council contract services on the island for the sake of our community sustainability. Also that the council uses consultants from the island for advice rather than the familiar large companies from Auckland. The results of using off island consultants that impose Auckland conditions and expectations on Waiheke results in innappropriate advice and outcomes.
There is no doubt that international tourists spend the most per head of any visitor. Waiheke must market itself for these visitors.
There is no doubt that Fullers has profitted greatly from the influx of Gold Card Seniors. They need to pass on this benefit to other users rather than simply sending larger profits off shore to shareholders.
Waiheke needs to find ways of attracting Aucklanders to come to the island in winter. Small targetted events and conferences would be ideal. Ideas such as toy fairs, literary festivals, cooking shows etc. using local halls as venue giving needed revenue to these locations. A festival committee could be set up by businesses to facilitate these.
WAICOS as an organisations representing social services and benefits could be asked to recommend groups deserving of funding from the Board. This would avoid the Board merely responding to the loudest voices that request assistance.
There is no doubt that the island can provide much more of it's own needs for food. Eugene Kitto is doing some amazing things with growing produce and has some very interesting ideas to put to the new Board. There are many reserves that can be planted in fruit trees or used for allotments. People on sickness or unemployment benefit would benefit greatly from the opportunity to grow their own food with advice and assistance. Our farmers market has the potential to change the way in which we shop. Meat grown on the island should be readily available. Why don't we have locally produced lamb, chicken, pheasant, peacock, milk, cheese, peppers, and all manner of produce. This is how we can start to employ ourselves.
Do we really need a bigger supermarket? What will this mean for our local businesses? Are we just selling out to big business interests at the expense of our own people just so we can have more varieties of pasta or toothpaste and is this worth it.
If we want our community to prosper we must support our community.
If our community prospers then we can afford to support our environment and take care or our own.
Speech to Grey Power Candidates meeting at Ostend War Memorial Hall 19 Set
You know me as the ranger at Whakanewha Regional Park and you will probably have enjoyed what has been achieved there. I am first and foremost an environmentalist but I am not an extremist, and today I want to talk about community.
It is community that I have worked for and love and it is community I am standing for.
community means.....
being accountable to each other and standing together to support one another
it means caring for our world for without a healthy environment we cannot survive
it means taking each other views into account, valuing differences to find the middle way
it means working with our tourist industry that supports us and brings money to the island
it means supporting local businesses, encouraging them to develop, buying locally even if sometimes this might mean some inconvenience or paying a little more
it means acting locally, becoming more self reliant in this rapidly changing world, supporting local produce, energy, and public transport initiatives,
it means looking after the young, the old, the infirm and community members in need
This next few months or more will be chaotic for the new Auckland Council.
We need to elect a team that will be accountable, that can stand firm and resolute in our negotiations to gain greater decision making responsibilities and make major advances in consolodating our local identity.
Then, when big issues face us, and at the moment we are faced with public transport, signage, matiatia, roading, affordable housing, tourism, struggling local businesses....... then we will be able to decide amongst ourselves.............. as a community.
An issue focussed approach tends to create division amongst us. We need a visionary approach which incorporates all these aspects of community.
This election is not about my views …...........it is about community needs. As a local board member I will facilitate decision making for our needs.
Elect a board that can work together, that will reach out and establish advisory groups and coopt to gain greater expertise because, the real power is not in money it is people, people, people.
A real community is capable of bottom up democracy where the needs of the people and their environment drive the planning process.
I would like to see major decisions taken by referendum particularly where there is dissent.
We still have community - Much of the world has lost it and do not understand it's value. It is absolutely precious, we must safeguard it.
When the board has negotiated reasonable local funding then we the community can be responsible for make the best use of it. We can achieve far more with similar levels of funding by being more creative.
We want to sustain our community's quality of life and our island's character and diversity into the future.
This is why we live here, why we love it, and why thousands visit us.
Vote for Andy, someone who has proven that they can work with and for community.
It is community that I have worked for and love and it is community I am standing for.
community means.....
being accountable to each other and standing together to support one another
it means caring for our world for without a healthy environment we cannot survive
it means taking each other views into account, valuing differences to find the middle way
it means working with our tourist industry that supports us and brings money to the island
it means supporting local businesses, encouraging them to develop, buying locally even if sometimes this might mean some inconvenience or paying a little more
it means acting locally, becoming more self reliant in this rapidly changing world, supporting local produce, energy, and public transport initiatives,
it means looking after the young, the old, the infirm and community members in need
This next few months or more will be chaotic for the new Auckland Council.
We need to elect a team that will be accountable, that can stand firm and resolute in our negotiations to gain greater decision making responsibilities and make major advances in consolodating our local identity.
Then, when big issues face us, and at the moment we are faced with public transport, signage, matiatia, roading, affordable housing, tourism, struggling local businesses....... then we will be able to decide amongst ourselves.............. as a community.
An issue focussed approach tends to create division amongst us. We need a visionary approach which incorporates all these aspects of community.
This election is not about my views …...........it is about community needs. As a local board member I will facilitate decision making for our needs.
Elect a board that can work together, that will reach out and establish advisory groups and coopt to gain greater expertise because, the real power is not in money it is people, people, people.
A real community is capable of bottom up democracy where the needs of the people and their environment drive the planning process.
I would like to see major decisions taken by referendum particularly where there is dissent.
We still have community - Much of the world has lost it and do not understand it's value. It is absolutely precious, we must safeguard it.
When the board has negotiated reasonable local funding then we the community can be responsible for make the best use of it. We can achieve far more with similar levels of funding by being more creative.
We want to sustain our community's quality of life and our island's character and diversity into the future.
This is why we live here, why we love it, and why thousands visit us.
Vote for Andy, someone who has proven that they can work with and for community.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Cinema One Minute Video
I just had Lindsay and Jo Redding round at home this morning to film my one minute video spot for the cinema. Lindsay brought a camera from work and after some problems getting the sound to work properly managed to do some really good takes with Jo holding the script for me. It was a great idea to do the video at home in a nice relaxed setting. It will be really interesting to see how it turns out on the big screen.
It is wonderful how many people have offered help and come through. Thank you everyone.
Vote for Andy Spence. Spence makes Sense.
It is wonderful how many people have offered help and come through. Thank you everyone.
Vote for Andy Spence. Spence makes Sense.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Unesco Biosphere Reserve and self Determination
I am supporting the UNESCO Biosphere proposal because my friend Chris Wragge asserts that this will be a very useful way to galvanise public vision for the future protection of Waiheke and will support and add to the existing protection. I get that if the Biosphere idea can serve as a flag and a direction which is more easily communicated to and followed by the general public to make sense of the plethora of planning jargon then it will be very useful
The election issue of the desire for greater Waiheke self determination and the need for greater public understanding of the how this can be developed are of course completely interdependent.
Greed and hatred are the cause of human suffering according to the Buddha and from my own meditation experience, so, the fact that we are looking at this issue as a race of humanity is not surprising. Our greed will lead to the demise of our race if we do not learn self control, again exactly the message of the historical Buddha. We can best serve as wise caretakers of our world.
These are the messages that I teach in my meditation group and on retreats and they are relevant to the current political debate because they are universal.
Interference with natural systems will effect them to some degree and we human are very good at interfering. The more complexity we bring into our deliberations of natural systems the less we really understand them. I have spent many years observing and working with natural systems and it is always the degree of interference that is the issue. Natural systems adapt to new conditions and become something different. We constantly decide which systems are to be kept mostly pristine and which are to be modified, which are to be restored and the degree to which we modify the natural process of restoration.
It becomes a simpler process when we jointly and openly decide on these matters. Perhaps again the biosphere will enable this discussion to be publicly transparent and reasonably free from legal jargon. People can more easily relate to visuals and maps than words which as concepts therefore lack essential reality.
The election issue of the desire for greater Waiheke self determination and the need for greater public understanding of the how this can be developed are of course completely interdependent.
Greed and hatred are the cause of human suffering according to the Buddha and from my own meditation experience, so, the fact that we are looking at this issue as a race of humanity is not surprising. Our greed will lead to the demise of our race if we do not learn self control, again exactly the message of the historical Buddha. We can best serve as wise caretakers of our world.
These are the messages that I teach in my meditation group and on retreats and they are relevant to the current political debate because they are universal.
Interference with natural systems will effect them to some degree and we human are very good at interfering. The more complexity we bring into our deliberations of natural systems the less we really understand them. I have spent many years observing and working with natural systems and it is always the degree of interference that is the issue. Natural systems adapt to new conditions and become something different. We constantly decide which systems are to be kept mostly pristine and which are to be modified, which are to be restored and the degree to which we modify the natural process of restoration.
It becomes a simpler process when we jointly and openly decide on these matters. Perhaps again the biosphere will enable this discussion to be publicly transparent and reasonably free from legal jargon. People can more easily relate to visuals and maps than words which as concepts therefore lack essential reality.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Dear Rodney
Thank you for telling us that the Board's powers will depend on who gets on the Boards. Well actually the Gulf News reported that you said, it depends on "Your (the community's)ability to choose the right candidates. I could read between the lines a little here and read. Your ability to choose the kind of candidates that are going to agree with the New Super City Council agendas. I will however in good faith that it that you mean we need to elect a really good team of capable people who can be trusted to do a good job of representing the democratic wishes of our community.
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