Wellington.Scoop
The city council’s habit with the rates is first to announce a high percentage increase and then, a few months later, to congratulate itself on reducing the amount of the increase. Will it be the same this year? Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
On the same day that train services between Wellington and the Kapiti coast were halted by a fallen tree, it was ironic to read some of the key ambitions of the Wellington Regional Council. Read more »

by Lindsay Shelton
No surprise that Fran Wilde refers to a Hutt Chamber of Commerce survey when she writes in the DomPost this morning in support of a supercity. It’s the only survey that isn’t opposing the current amalgamation plans. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Fran Wilde has built her political reputation on toughness, an ability to get what she wants. One of the things she wants is a supercity. But yesterday six of her usually-compliant councillors broke ranks and told her they don’t agree with her. Read more »

by Helene Ritchie
The Local Government Commission’s draft proposal for local government reoroganisation in our region is very much modelled on the Auckland supercity model. But we are not Auckland. We are already a super duper City, and the only one in the country with a metropolitan heart. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Public opinion on both sides of the harbour is clearly against the supercity plan. Results of a Neilsen survey released yesterday by the Wellington City Council are much the same as the results of two surveys carried out in the Hutt Valley. A majority in both cities doesn’t want amalgamation. Read more »

by Tony Crewdson
On Saturday evening I appeared on TVNZ News at 6 exhorting the people of Wellington to think carefully about a single vision and a single voice for our region, and then submit a submission on the proposed Wellington reorganisation. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback and naturally some that isn’t supportive of the proposed reorganisation. For me, doing nothing is just not an option.
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Wellington.Scoop
Misleading. A fabrication. A shambolic con. Or legal nitpicking? The supercity debate has grown a lot noisier since Friday when the Advertising Standards Authority ruled against the Wellington Regional Council after a complaint from the Hutt City Council. Read more »

Photo: Wellington Stadium

Wellington.Scoop
The Sevens couldn’t do it. The Phoenix didn’t ever get close. But World Cup Cricket succeeded in selling every seat in the Westpac Stadium today.
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by Lindsay Shelton
Our city councillors have this week been reviewing their eight great ideas, as part of the debate on their long-term plan. A longer runway and a convention centre have stayed on their list. But Ian Apperley reports that some new items have emerged and others have disappeared. Read more »

by Regan Dooley
In today’s DominionPost, Councillor Nicola Young argues that cycle lanes are a good idea but must be based on sound planning and hard evidence. It’s a shame then that her article is so mis-leading. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
What’s left to amalgamate? The launch of Peter Biggs’ confrontationally controversial “bloody brilliant city” slogan is a reminder of how much has already been merged. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
The Wellington City Council is keeping the airport runway extension on the list of new projects that it wants completed within the next ten years, though no one has yet demonstrated how it’ll be paid for. Read more »

by Ian Apperley
I’m still reading through the detail of the city council’s Project Odyssey. However one thing is clear in my mind, $15m won’t cut it. I want to look at the answers that have been given so far and remind people why this is important. So, we’ll go through each response and I’ll put out there projects of a similar size and what they cost. Because, one of these things is not like the other. Read more »

by Tony Randle
Wellington’s many light rail fans are obviously disappointed at last year’s finding by the Wellington Spine Study that investing in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is the clearly superior option, both in cost and performance, to improve Wellington City’s passenger transport service compared to their own favoured light rail solution. They have been working since this decision to overturn or at least delay any investment in BRT. Read more »

by Tessa Coppard
Wellington is at war. Maybe you haven’t noticed. It is a war of words, anger, aggression and lack of reason. Like most wars, it is unnecessary, damaging to all those involved. I think the time has come to make a call for peace and reconciliation because Wellington is far too lovely a city to be divided in this way. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
We’re happy that the DomPost has joined us in agreeing that the Wellington City Council should be building the Island Bay cycleway without further delays. Read more »

by Helene Ritchie
Bond Street is fantastic – that’s the general consensus…It’s what cities are about. Read more »