Newsletter #9 - July 15 2019 ​​ Hello and welcome to the Craig Lord newsletter :) As always it's directed towards those not on social media or those just wanting a general wrap-up between the last and this - and there is a lot to talk about. This week is nomination week - rather exciting really. Only problem is we all have to wait until August 16 to see who is running and for what position. Did you know there are 170 positions that get voted on across the entire Auckland region? Massive isn't it. Possibly top-heavy to be honest. I've just done an interview with NBR (below) and Stuff is tomorrow - sadly though the mainstream media are still only touting the former MPs. It's a bit arrogant of them to assume who the public is interested in, and they're actually doing themselves a disservice, but they'll come around pretty quick and realise they've been missing out. I've been invited to some 'Meet the Candidate' evenings by Grey Power North Shore and Howick, along with a youth night and a locals in Wellsford. I'm just in the throes of sorting some private public meetings and I'll let you know when and where those will be held as soon as finalised. I just finished building my Parrilla BBQ recently (Well not quite true I still have some bricks to mortar up but isn't it just beautiful!) and while I was cleaning it over the weekend it made me think about my campaign. How getting help to do things is often incredibly beneficial - but also how I love to do things myself, put my own spin on things, create and build with my own hands with ideas from my own mind - just like my wood fired BBQ here. They're related because the reason I don’t have a ‘professional campaign team’ is simply because I want the voter to know the real me. I don’t want to sit around a table with 'veteran central party political campaigners' discussing with them exactly what they want me to say to the voters. What you get is me. You don’t get fake. There is nothing wrong with having confidantes to make contact with and bounce things off - and I have a handful of awesome mates for exactly that - but I don’t want a team directing me as it's important for you to see the real me. I don't want you the voter to wonder what was mine, and what was directed from the 'expert team' - I can think for myself. If I can’t make my own decisions on what to say or do on my own campaign how can I be trusted to be independently efficient in office? It's a big picture. People say having a campaign team shows power and support - and there is some merit in that - but I say it stops you showing the real you... In saying all this, there is one exception, you. You are by proxy my campaign team as it’s you I’m listening to the most. I genuinely mean that. This is the path I walk. And yes - I love to DIY and build! (I'm so proud of my recycled products BBQ!) Ok time to rip into newsletter #9, and see where we end up. Remember you can see all the previous newsletters HERE . The Council Machine My brain works a certain way and I was writing a few words down as notes which ended up turning itself into a short analogy. It's all about how the Council is just a machine. READ HERE ​ Waste To Energy is Still a Go! I've been inundated with communication from around the globe. Scientists and waste specialists from Canada, India, Australia and the States have read my press release and watched the video and they've been sending me documents and offering assistance. The popularity of having a plant to incinerate our refuse in a green way has been nothing short of remarkable. The companies and general public that have made contact to support the build makes the step learning curve worthwhile. I'm going to stay on the case as it is a much better idea than letting Waste Management build another landfill - especially in Dome Valley. Harrison Grierson invited me to their central office for a meeting. They are a multinational company with an Auckland division and overseas they are involved in the building of WTE plants. They tried to present the idea of a WTE Plant to Council more than once and were shunned. They'd actually given up and were happy to know that people out there actually want it and that there is a Mayoral candidate willing to fight for it. Those with skin in the game using landfills will try stop it. I say let them try. Meanwhile, take a look at this awesome unit from Copenhagen Remove Fuel Tax - Replace with Tolls Because the previous and current city administration have spent money so recklessly they continually tell us that we do need a petrol tax to help cover the cost of the transport and roading projects. However whilst it’s a guess, I’m actually confident that the city already collects enough to operate itself properly, and at the same time complete the infrastructure needs, but it just gets spent in the wrong places and rather inefficiently. We are being told that all the petrol tax raised in Auckland is indeed only going to transport projects. This I would like to confirm rather than just hearing second hand from the media. But the petrol tax is hurting many. It doesn’t appear to be a fair system - well it is and it isn’t. If we do genuinely have to raise the extra income via vehicles then I prefer tolls. Congestion taxes. Genuine user pays. The electronic systems in place around the globe work, and also enable different rates to be set. Trades, PT, taxis, etc.. You could turn it on and off - being on at peak times might make people think about using Public Transport more. Evil to force such things in people - but it has merit - as we all know someone that uses a car to travel to their workplace each day when they don’t really need too. There are setbacks though. Collection costs. Admin costs. It would also need some penalty procedures in place for those who trick the system, which also comes with admin costs but I reckon it wouldn’t outweigh the idea. This would also ensure that EV drivers pay their share equally with everyone else. I'm just thinking out loud on this but it seems to be effective overseas. I’ll do more research, and it’s the kind of thing where we just talk to other countries to garner all the pros and cons, but on initial thoughts it seems sensible and logical to me. I’ll keep chewing on it. NBR Interview So NBR was the first of the mainstream media to do an interview - this Tuesday it is Stuff's turn as they rate me as a contender now. I'm happy with the NBR interview, it allowed me to explain myself as there is still a lot of education needed on dictatorship vs leadership. WATCH ON YOUTUBE ​ "Bermageddon" I love the idea of berm gardens. Done right it would be fantastic for the city. One of my friends suggested taking it to the next level by planting certain flowers to help get the bee population back up - which to be fair is a major upcoming issue. The last time I looked at the rules was a few years ago when Auckland Transport took over control of the berms (and do a poor job of it by no longer mowing) - but I have seen that they now have additions to the website, and they are interesting: 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝘈𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺. 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 600 𝘮𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 600 𝘮𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 (<300 𝘮𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘹𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 2𝘮. 𝘈𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦