Friday, March 30, 2007

Is this your car????


Oriental Bay isn't the only part of Wellington where lawlessness takes place!

We even have it in the southern ward.

Stolen cars abandoned on the side of the road, left to rust away.....

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Media Watch / Jack Ruben not Happy with DomPost report


I was horrified to read the totally inaccurate article on page A6 of the Dompost Saturday March 24th . It omits the whole point of my resolution, and is seriously misleading.

1. Mr. Dickens left the council meeting on Wednesday night, before 8.00pm, and certainly prior to any discussion or debate on any of the important agenda items, including this one.

2. He phoned me Thursday morning saying he was doing a piece on the issue, and I went to great lengths to explain the reasons for my Resolution were twofold:
(i). To get rid of the pay differential between councillors, so as to bring to an end the current (perception of) 'patronage' which I and many others know exists, - not a new phenomena in politics!
(ii). If my amendment was accepted, it would save the ratepayers $47,255 dollars a year. This is vitally important.
(iii). I believed councillors were currently adequately paid, and needed to set an example that we too were prepared to 'tighten our belts', - not only those on lower or fixed incomes!.
(iv). As per my email to Mr, Dickens quoted below, I would act accordingly if my resolution was passed.

3. I suggested Mr Dickens speak to Ross Bly - the council officer responsible - who would explain the issues if he was unclear.

4. I emailed Mr. Dickens my clear undertaking as per the email below, which he totally ignored, and then proceeded to misquote me.

I do not know who briefed Mr Dickens from council, or even whether he spoke to Ross Bly, - but his article is factually incorrect and misleading. It leaves an entirely mischievous impression - I have already received comments!

At the very least the reporter should have heard the debate for himself, - and then drawn his own conclusions!


Jack Ruben

----- Original Message -----
From: Jack Ruben
To: david.dickens@dompost.co.nz
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 1:29 PM
David,
Ref our conversation this morning and to clarify. I said :

"If my amendment is accepted, I will donate the difference between my current wage and the new amended wage to charity".

This needs to be absolutely clear.

Cheers,

Jack.

Problem Gambling Social Marketing Campaign

Marion Hobbs speaking at the Wellington opening of The Problem Gambling Social Marketing Campaign.
From: Louise Hill [mailto:louise.hill@pgfnz.org.nz] Sent: Tuesday, 20 March 2007 2:06 p.m.To: Bryan PepperellSubject: FW: Problem Gambling Social Marketing Campaign Celebration, Friday 23 March - Background information for Marion's address.

Hello Bryan,

I am very pleased that you are able to speak at the Problem Gambling Social Marketing Campaign Celebration, this Friday March 23.

The social marketing campaign has been designed by the Health Sponsorship council aims to raise awareness about the negative effects of gambling harm on individuals, families and communities. It is not aimed at increasing numbers of gamblers who seek help, although it is likely that the campaign will also result in an increase in presentations to treatment providers.

The campaign is being officially launched in Christchurch by the Honourable Ruth Dyson and celebrations have been organised throughout New Zealand to support the official launch.

The Wellington celebration will be on the Corner of Manners Mall and Cuba streets, beginning at 12.10 with some food and entertainment. The first speaker will be at 12.30. You will be at approximately 12.40 and can speak for 3 minutes. The other speakers will be MP Marion Hobbs, Green Party Spokesperson, Iona Pannett and local councillors Celia Wade-Brown.

Please find a background paper with information about the campaign attached. If you need any further information or assistance please do not hesitate to contact me on the details below.


Kind regards,

Louise Hill
Health Promotion Advisor
The Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand
Phone: 04 473 4360
3rd Floor Community House, 84 Willis St, Wellington
PO Box: 11179 Wellington 6142
From: Bryan Pepperell [mailto:Bryan.Pepperell@wcc.govt.nz] Sent: Thursday, 22 March 2007 8:11 a.m.To: Louise HillSubject: RE: Problem Gambling Social Marketing Campaign Celebration, Friday 23 March - Background information for Marion's address.

Hi Louise
Last night at Full Council I moved an amendment to have a city wide cap with a sinking lid. Unfortunately it was lost by 1 vote. My amendment was supported by Celia, and 4 other Councillors.
Cheers
Bryan

From: Bryan Pepperell [mailto:Bryan.Pepperell@wcc.govt.nz] Sent: Friday, 23 March 2007 9:15 a.m.To: Louise HillSubject: RE: Problem Gambling Social Marketing Campaign Celebration,

Hi Louise

Voting for the sinking lid at Full Council of March 21 were Pepperell, Ruben, Wade Brown, Cook , Ahipene Mercer

Voting against the sinking lid were Prendergast, Shaw, Armstrong, Mckinnon, Gill , Foster.

Absent from the Chamber were Goulden and Wain having left before the vote

Apologies Ritchie

see you later
Cheers
Bryan

A New Generation of Pepperell Supporters Comes Forward /WCC Election 2007


Hannah / Photographer/ Biscotti maker
Feb 2007
Click on line below for short video

Friday, March 23, 2007

Wellington Indian Association Bazaar 2007

Dr Jay shaw shows me a display of Hindu Deities

















Dr and Mrs Jay Shaw















President Javer Naran, Bryan Pepperell and Mohan Mistry

Thursday, March 22, 2007

WELLINGTON CITY COUNCILLORS IN ELECTION YEAR?

Wellington City Council sets rates for 2007/08-Another election year

















Wednesday morning March 21 2007
This is a Council on the run from its own policies and is about to have cardiac arrest. The Deputy Mayor, with his handful of votes that got him elected to Council, senses that CPR might be needed to a Council that is in its death throes now gasping for life with the possibility of an eight percent rate increase to the residents and a two percent increase to the commercial sector.

Rebellion will become more common from now on as Councillors realise their seats around the Council table may be lost, and rates are not the only issue that has Council worried. The increase in fees for sandwich boards will be back after the election. The proposed new charges have incurred the wrath of retailers and residents alike.

On the 20th of March I wrote to Council
The City's commercial sector is big business and residents have been forced to subsidise it with the differential rating changes. With this proposal we get a last minute act of political desperation in an attempt to fool the public but the target and transfer of wealth continues with a pause in this election year. This is an act of incredible political cynicism.

The collection of local tax should be the responsibility of the business district. I say this because millions of people a year come to it and use its services. The users of the city's services, those who are employed by business, and visitors that business makes its profits from, have become an overhead to the residents. Those who come on a regular basis and the tourists who use the city's services are being subsidised by residents. Effectively, residents are subsidising the infra-structure and entertainment of those users. The report to Council argues that it is business that subsidises residents. As such the report is a highly political document with a strong bias for the further transfer of wealth from the residential sector to business sector.

Bryan Pepperell

Council Officer writes to Council
Councillor Shaw,
You have indicated that you wish to propose an amendment to the LTCCP (and Revenue and Financing Policy) to change the 2007/08 differential to 4.2:1 and the timeline for reaching the 2.8:1 target out to 2011/12.


Councillor Pepperell
I certainly will support the first part of the amendment to the LTCCP.
"That the rates differential for 2007/8 be set at 4.2:1 commercial / residential but would like the second part taken separately as I would not agree with what followed, namely the continued but extended target differential (this was also supported by Councillors Gill and Ruben and others) .

Media statement
Wednesday Night
Breaking news
Yes I was right! The Mayor and Deputy voted to save their necks in this election year. The rating differential will remain unchanged till after the election. Wake up Wellington, because you have been told what happens next.
Cheers
Bryan Pepperell
Jack Ruben

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

The Man Behind www.Cnews.co.nz




















Ahoy there, and introducing
Ian Macfarlane, entrepreneur

Ian Macfarlane is a recognised specialist
in marketing, sales, publicity and public
relations.
His knowledge of business,
commerce, industry and public affairs is
reflected in his entrepreneurial career.
For an unprecedented four terms he was
President and for three years Secretary
General of the Hutt Valley Chamber of
Commerce and Industry Inc.

He is a competent publisher, editor,
journalist and photographer. Before selling
his publishing business he controlled
eleven periodicals with a staff of twenty-five
professionals.

Ian Macfarlane has a reputation for being
a skilful, fair and decisive chairman who
‘gets the job done’.
In roles as diverse as chairman, seminar
leader, business luncheon host, facilitator,
Ian Macfarlane moderator and radio, TV or
live audience debater his aim for all parties
is that they should all, ‘do a good deal better.’

He is a Cape Horn yachtsman who campaigned his own
60-foot vessel in the Auckland-Suva Race in 1981 –
Line Honours; and, in 1982, the Sydney-
Cape Horn – Rio de Janeiro Race – Handicap Honours.
The vessel was thensailed up the coast of Brazil,
through the Panama Canal, up to San Diego,
across the Pacific and home to New Zealand.


Ian Macfarlane
45 Ferry Road,
Days Bay,
Eastbourne 5013

Telephone: (04) 562 6229
Email: Viking@wise.net.nz

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

www.Cnews.co.nz

From: Cnews [mailto:Cnews@wise.net.nz] Sent: Wednesday, 21 March 2007 4:10 p.m.To: Bryanpepperell@paradise.net.nzSubject: Ahoy there, Bryan
Have just reviewed your website on which, congratulations.Perhaps you may care to add this interview
along with the photograph to your site.
I look forward to a link from yours to mine.
Greetings,Ian

Bryan Pepperell‘Ready, willing and able’. “Yes! I believe that I can serve our city as Mayor. My ten years as a councillor have given me a total insight into how the city works and, I believe, what the community wants/needs.” Councillor Bryan Pepperell started his public service career on City Watch with Jack Ruben. “It was a ratepayer ginger group and from that involvement I was encouraged to stand for election as a councillor. We, the Council, are a disparate group and really apart from Jack, there is no one that I would choose as a friend. There are also some quite ambivalent relationships. For instance, I know of one Councillor who has not declared an interest in the proposed aquarium, and I am totally against that and, for that matter, am vehemently against an aquarium on the coast!”
Mr Pepperell was the lowest spending candidate at the last election and rates his chances of being elected Mayor, “as very good. Last time there were too many candidates.” He says that he stands for transparency and accountability and has a telling definition of democracy = ‘majority rule, minority protection, shared economic benefits’.Returning to the proposed aquarium, Councillor Pepperell says that the point is a heritage site and should not be built on. “I am totally against it, and am greatly concerned about the potential for major traffic problems. If allowed to proceed it will set a disastrous precedent by commercialising our coast.”
Defining his outlook on civic affairs, Bryan Pepperell says “I am not and have never been available for sectional interest - I have the public interest at heart, I am concerned about ethics and I believe that serving the City either as Councillor or Mayor is not about ‘me’, it’s about ‘us’.” And, elected Mayor, the three things he would work on right away are – to set up a climate change committee with clout; deal more effectively with alternative methods of transport – walking and cycling and deal to the commercial differential in rating which he believes has gone far enough.
Bryan Pepperell’s passions are collecting art, mountain biking and tramping. He is a skilful user of the Internet and has his own site www.pepptalk.net Says Bryan Pepperell, “I am a born again bicycle philosopher and word warrior. The web is mightier than the sword.”Bryan Pepperell interviewed by Ian Macfarlane Publisher/Editor of Cnews, 'the community magazine' = www.Cnews.co.nz
Ian MacfarlanePhone 04 562 6229

Monday, March 19, 2007

Simon Collins came to Coralie Leyland's farewell

Coralie Leyland Political Activist

Simon Collins March 19 2007

I was not surprised to see Simon Collins at Coralie's funeral on Monday March 19 2007 as the friendship had gone back to City Voice days when he was editor of Wellington's best community news paper. After Simon left Wellington to live Auckland he kept in touch with Coralie, who died on 13 March 2007.

There are 50 references to Coralie Leyland on Google and one of them is a publication on the pepptalk Community Forum. Coralie was interested in Banking reform, amongst other things, and before becoming unwell was starting to get used to the Internet.

Coralie had been involved in many political battles in the last 12 years that I had known her. Given her poor health, brought about by a stroke when she was 37, she had done well. From all accounts Coralie was a very competent professional musician before her stroke.

Coralie thought up the acronym GROMN around which a meeting was held in the Aro Valley Community Centre . Coralie was a founding member of The Residents Coalition that started 10 years ago. She was keen on community meetings and arranged for her last one at the Aro Valley Community Hall to allow the public to discuss Council's Long Term Community Plan. Coralie would often ring me with political advice and ideas. I was ambivalent about visiting Coralie in the last stages of her illness but she asked that I would, and so only a few days before she died I paid her a visit. She was pleased to see me but looked very tired and the conversation was kept short. I had only got back to my home when the phone rang and to my surprise it was Coralie with some political advice about my election campaign.



Friday, March 16, 2007

Wellington City Council Election 2007

Big business gets a ride on the poor man's back
Are you happy?
Your rates are your money!

Is it being spent wisely…?

facts:

• Your rates will rise.

percentage charged to homeowners is rising, business rates are dropping.
is this what you want?

• Wellington Ratepayers will owe over $424 million in 10 years.
In spite of this prediction council is giving A
7 + million dollar interest free loan (of your money) to a commercial venture on the South Coast.
Is this what you want?

No?
vote
bryan pepperell for mayor

the viable alternative

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Wellington City Councils ballooning debt at $290,809 millon and growning!

2007/08 Draft Annual Plan
Opening Gross Borrowings per LTCCP* are $259,173000 million

Opening Gross Borrowings per DAP are $236,610000 million

Closing Gross Borrowings per DAP* are $290,809000 million

2008/09
Closing Gross Borrowings leaps to $356,498000 million

In 2009/10
Closing Gross Borrowings leap to $374,598000 million

Set against these Borrowings will be increased costs of transport and heating ( Gas and electricity) not to mention our food, mortgage and rent.

This is the next 3 years!
Are you happy about this?

Bryan Pepperell

* DAP = Draft Annual Plan
* LTCCP = Long term Council Community Plan


Saturday, March 10, 2007

Industrial wind turbines, effect on health

From: Jenny Jorgensen [mailto:ralph_jenny@paradise.net.nz] Sent: Sunday, 11 March 2007 1:02 p.m.To: Bryan Pepperell
Dear Bryan,

Here is an electronic version of a report:
Noise radiation from wind turbines installed near homes: Effects on heath.

The report states at page 3:

"The review concludes that a safe buffer zone of at least 2km should exist between family dwellings and industrial wind turbines of up to 2 MW installed capacity, with greater separation for a wind turbine greater than 2 MW installed capacity."

There are 136 family dwellings within 2km of Meridian Energy's proposed 3 MW wind turbines at Makara. (There are 39 wind turbines of 3MW installed capacity within 2 km of homes).

This cannot be in New Zealand's best interest.

Families are to be sacrificed (unnecessarily) for "the greater good"?

As you know, Meridian Energy has lined up its proposed 3MW turbines opposite the Makara community, there are no turbines in the unpopulated south western area of Terawhiti Station. These massive turbines are as close as 650 metres from homes and blades would overhang people's fences!

For the full report see Community Issues on the Pepptalk Forum

Regards,
Jenny

Save Te Rae Kai Hau Point 2007

Remember this from 2000? Click on picture.
The $22 m cost of this project(the fish zoo) continues to escalate due to its proposed location at Te Rae Kai Hau Point and the need to protect the building from the relentless force of the sea. Not only will ratepayers be press-ganged into paying the inevitable shortfalls and ongoing costs, we will lose our precious natural heritage to so called environmentalists.

This year (2007) we can put a stop to this folly by voting Bryan Pepperell for us at the local body elections.


Tuesday, March 06, 2007

The rates switch from business to your rates bill !

Alert
STRATEGY AND POLICY COMMITTEE
REPORT
THURSDAY 7 MARCH 2007

The Wellington City Council Funding and Activity Review Working Party Report Back Page 6

3. Recommendation

11. Note that the Revenue and Financing Policy outlines a shift in the commercial residential rating differential from 4.4 in 2006/07 to 3.8 in 2007/08.

I will be opposing this switch of rates from business to your rates bill but you must ask your councillors what their intentions are on this important matter.

Bryan Pepperell

Please pass this on to other people

Saturday, March 03, 2007

The End of the Age of Oil

From: Bryan Pepperell [mailto:Bryan.Pepperell@wcc.govt.nz] Sent: Wednesday, 28 February 2007 6:07 p.m.To: Garry PooleCc: GRP: Councillors
Subject: Spicers Magazine "The Adviser" writes on The End of the 'Age of Oil'?

A sobering article entitled The End of the Age of Oil published in the Summer issue 2007 of The Spicers Group magazine, "The Adviser", finishes with a review of Dr Keith Suter's analysis of the current energy situation regarding oil. With Dr Suter's permission the article begins with the following quote. " Historians looking back over the past 150 years will call this the 'Age of Oil' (in much the same way as earlier eras were based, say, on canals or railways). Dr Suter goes on to explain Dr M. King Hubbert's theory of Peak Oil. Suter finishes by saying that.. "By 1956 Hubbert was already predicting the end of the oil era.Now some scientists and financiers fear that he may have been right after all"

Peak Oil is now on the radar of most financial advisors, and with this latest article it is moving into the thinking of the mainstream, but I fear that there is still ambivalence and even denial on the part of Councillors and Council management. I fear that political pressure has meant that Peak Oil has not been regarded as a serious issue. It is for this reason that I'm forming the opinion that Council under this current watch has failed in its fiduciary duty. If Spicers is now warning investors of the consequences of Peak Oil then it is well overdue that local government concentrate its mind more rigorously on this pressing and inconvenient truth. What is at stake is our very survival and we have failed to grasp the significance and gravity of the situation. Once again leadership has failed.

Bryan Pepperell

From: Jack Ruben Sent: Wednesday, 28 February 2007 7:01 p.m.To: Bryan Pepperell; Garry PooleCc: GRP: Councillors
Subject: RE: Spicers Magazine "The Adviser" writes on The End of the 'Age of Oil'?

Bryan,
Regretfully the same cllrs who still refuse to accept Climate Change will not accept Peak Oil.
I suggest we ask our officers to update their views on what practical steps we, as a council, need to take to address the situation/s.
Of all the public issues I find the hardest to get my mind around, in practical terms, Climate Change and Peak Oil head the list. I'm still going to drive my car, burn firewood to keep us warm, and need to travel by air - even though I am scared of flying!

So, colleagues........ any other suggestions as to how WCC tackles the problems?

Cheers,

Jack Ruben