Wheeler’s CornerÓ
Connecting Citizens Who Care
"Broadcast every Thursday at 11.45am on Access 999AM"
Contact Peter at wheeler@inspire.net.nz
17 3rd May 2007
This Week: 1. Black side of council appears. 2. Perks for the taking: 3. Myths about rates: 4. Orchestrated model of disruptive behaviour. 5. My God says:
1. Council has finally revealed its ever-diminishing image of caring for communities. It has slashed completely funding to a long term ‘supplier partnership’ without a second thought. The bad news letter said ‘We regret to inform you that your application for funding has been rejected. But then added salt to the wound by saying ‘how valuable their service had been for the community over the years‘. Talk about a mouth full of dribble and PR double speak. There is no ten-year plan for community groups or even a one-year plan for that matter. They get told in late April 07 that funding will be gone by July 07, that’s council’s new and progressive input to ongoing community planning.
A strange committee made up of two councillors and three appointed members. [A labour party employee, a MASH CEO, and an academic from Massey] has recommended to council the complete removal of a community groups’ funding under the new contestable style of community funding. This Wylie style of slash and burn set up was installed as a departure gift. The departmental chief renown for so-called community skills and a cunning council hell bent on avoiding blame and responsibility naturally supported this weapon of mass destruction. It appears Councillor’s can only vote for what the sub-committee decides in total and not question individual decisions made by that committee.
Groups must contest against each other for declining available funding. This stupid but cunning and shortsighted contest simply removes the responsibility from councillors to allocate according to greatest need and now allows them to hide behind closed doors and agree with an unelected unrepresentative and politically driven committee. So like Pilate they can wash their hands and say, ‘It has nothing to do with us’. If this is Christian behaviour then God help us because no one else will.
Organisations that have built up a sound reputation over the years have had their expected funding chopped or reduced without consultation or representation. This heavy-handed we know best attitude is like a contagious blight on the city as a whole. And it has a ring of secret dictatorship about it. Lets take a closer look at a large group of volunteers whom had their total funding removed in one hit by this Judas type behaviour.
Te Whare Akonga Open Learning Centre has had a council community provider partnership since 1991, and throughout the years has been highly praised for its work within the city. In fact it’s latest report said, ‘This organisation has achieved the contract outcomes set within their funding agreement'. Note the word contract, a false and meaningless word in this context. It has lost its assistance grant of $36.000 per year for at least the next three years. The money was used for accommodation costs and a low paid manager.
Sadly the Open Learning Centre is not church orientated as are a large chunk of our councillors, nor is it a for profit company filled with council clones and it has always been more about empowerment rather than charity, something many Councillor’s and council staff simply fail to understand. The Open Learning Centre are a large provider to the Maori Community and practices what they preach through the application of the Treaty in real community activities.
Hundreds of Citizens of all ethnic groups have benefited over the years from the programmes run by the centre. Many have found work in the transport field because of the newly found ability to sit for their driving licence and that coupled with the huge improvement in literacy learning practice has proactively assisted hundreds of other citizens find suitable employment in our city. Some I believe actually now work for the council or its contractors.
All this progress has been tossed aside for the cost of a couple of railway line lights in a concrete Square that thousands didn’t want or need. I’m sorry if I sound angry but this kind of deception and stupidity simply gives rise the utter, understandable and long-lasting mistrust of our so-call city leaders.
The deception was and is obvious for here is what council wrote about the financial performance of Te Whare Akonga Open Learning Centre less than two months ago and I quote. ‘Their financial report shows a 22% increase in income and a 5% decrease in expenses’…[That is way and above a better performance than council itself achieved over the same period.] And for that wonderful and business like effort they lose all support from council… decided by a couple of PR driven councillors [Hornblow & Craig] and three outsiders appointed by the council. It just makes no sense! And it could mean that this service and help to our citizens would simply disappear into flag poles and concrete pathways to nowhere.
This year the attack appears to be targeted on Maori and Youth Groups, next year it could be women and ethnic groups and the year after it could be you. Other city community groups must now unite to combat this attack on your members. I know you are frightened that you could be next to lose your funding and you must have little faith in the so called council contracts. Organisations like the Community Services Council, the Ethnic Council, DPA, should reevaluate all support for council driven activities to prove clearly that you put principle above the mighty dollar. If ever there was evidence required for citizens to dump in mass the tight eight then this attack on the community is it. Since no evidence can be seen because it’s all kept secret. We must presume that voting for this outrageous behaviour were: Cr. Broad [Awapuni] Cr. Pope, Hornblow [Papaioea] Cr. Wall, Dennison [Takaro] Cr. Gordon Cruden, Jefferies, Naylor [Hokowhitu] Cr. Podd [Fitzherbert] and possibly Cr. Craig [Ashhurst] If I’m wrong let them go public and tell us how they voted!
2. I thought it might be enlightening after the above item for citizens to understand just what the council does spend your money on. This year they plan spending around $36.000 on councillor training. They are considering spending more on themselves right at this minute. The cost for this latest holiday break is $175 per workshop per person [each workshop lasts about three hours] to this cost would be added airfares [training is in Auckland], hotel charges, meals and general expenses. The workshop subjects make interesting reading. Here are my suggestions for who should attend. 1. Ethics [Why ethics are important] Cr. Gordon Cruden so he can defend his code of conduct charge in public. 2. Connecting with communities: Cr. Wall and Dennison so they can connect to the Takaro Ward. 3. Managing the Media and Rates Revolt: Cr. Podd and Hornblow, so they can learn to write their own press releases now that Paul Wylie is down causing havoc to the poor citizens of Tasman. Anyway that is just three of the LGC workshops. So if some members do attend that will bring the cost too more than the yearly grant they cancelled to the Te Whare Akonga Open Learning Centre. But heck what’s more important, Cr. Gordon Cruden’s and Wall’s ego or the hundreds of citizens that are directly assisted by one of the most successful community help groups ever? You decide, you judge.
3. The great myth about rates is continued by council in an attempt to create a vision of busy council staff and highly active councillors battling to keep rates down. Each has their pet theory about how this should or could be done. Those councillors with a born again religious bent believe that the lord will take care of it. Those in the business domain think more business will solve the problem. Those who have sunk their funds into the property market think more land sales and house building will offer a way out. There are some facts that all those involved need to understand. One: that all private land within the city bounds is presently being charged rates. Two: That this land will be rateable unimproved land or rateable land with a dwelling or business on it. That is the fact of the matter. So you could say that since ‘all land that exists is being charged for by council, that even if hundreds of new families arrived and brought an existing home the rates collected would remain the same’. So this rubbish about more new citizens means a greater sharing of the rate burden is simply not true…in fact it is a lie! It simply means different people pay the rates. All that this council has done over the past few years is to SHIFT the rate burden around. It has lowered the rates for higher valued properties and raised the rates for lower value properties. It has done this in various ways. The most obvious is the massive increase in fixed charges. If you live in a small flat in Takaro you pay the same fixed charge rate for your water etc as those living in a mansion on the hill opposite Massey with six bedrooms, three bathrooms and a swimming pool etc. The fact is that poorer communities simply don’t rate on the radar screen, as do richer communities. For example check out the services being provided in the richer parts of the city as against those in the less rich areas. Fay Roy said it all in her letter to the Manawatu Standard on Friday the 27th of April 2007. The only way more people represents more rates collected is if we had a Poll-Tax, or a population Tax, which we don’t have…like Fay said, ‘The only way to reduce rates, is to reduce council spending’. The only real way of doing that is to prioritise, using common sense and balance. We must never forget that grand schemes started on the credit card system as was the Square and the City Heart project have to be paid in the future. So while the Government seeks individuals to save our council does the opposite on our behalf. The worst years of imprudence and slack monetary policy has been the last five years under a council controlled by the tight eight.
4. At Mondays Council Meeting the Mayor Heather Tanguay made a passionate plea for an urgent item to be added to the agenda and debated. It concerned the amount of broken class and litter in the city and the failure of council staff to react to calls from the public. She felt that the removal of free rubbish bags might be the main reason for this outburst of littering. Oh dear me, the tight eight just exploded, you can’t criticize the staff! You can’t debate this issue without proper notice. Cr. Wall’s head was shaking as if it was mounted on springs, like you see in the rear windows of cars. Cr. Pope who for once had found her way to this meeting agreed. Cr. Cruden, Gordon that is, had points of order to burn. One was against the word politics being used by the chairperson Cr. Claridge. Cr. Hornblow too had a thing about the word politics. So without anyone else other than a press representative and myself being present the tight eight played out their orchestrated model of disruptive behaviour that they have collectively practiced since Heather Tanguay’s overwhelming victory over Mark Bell-Booth the tight eight’s unsung hero.
My God is considering canceling the membership of some councillors to her club. Their behaviour is just too outrageous and unchristian.
Don’t forget the May Day Concert on Saturday the 5th of May 07 [That’s next Saturday] at the Regent Theatre on Broadway at 7.30. Entry is by gold coin donation. See you there!
Peter J Wheeler
Wheeler@inspire.net.nz
I would like to thank those who have donated to Wheeler’s Corner, while I don’t know whom you are your assistance is humbly accepted and highly valued. Thank you. If any one else would like to donate the address is Wheeler’s Corner Access Triple Nine PO Box 4666 Palmerston North.Catalogue
Composed by Peter Cleave. Bass by Leo Cleave. Guitar and vocal by Peter Cleave. For Paula Miranda for her role as Mia Hill in Perfect Stranger
Sweet Killer Love
Sweet Killer Love
Come from the stars above
You smile
The devil is in your detail
The devil is in your detail
\
You walk into the market
Hand up on your hip
You look
The price is way too high
The price is way too high
Sweet Killer Love
Sweet Killer Love
Come from the stars above
You smile
The devil is in your detail
The devil is in your detail
You touch the base of your neck
You set your shades down on your nose
You look again
Who are you waiting for?
Who are you waiting for?
Sweet Killer Love
Sweet Killer Love
Come from the stars above
You smile
The devil is in your detail
The devil is in your detail
Moving right along now
Looking down the line
Who will take you home?
Who will take you home?
Sweet Killer Love
Come from the stars above
You smile
The devil is in your detail
The devil is in your detail
puff 532 Last Gasp Cafe 22
Concert for gold diggers, claim jumpers, future super stars, foxes and trout. 女子高生 Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave Concert for gold diggers, claim jumpers, future super stars, foxes and trout. 女子高生 Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Johnny Rockaway and Red Bus
Johnny Rockaway
For Johnny Rockaway
The gangsters came to play
To throw a rose
into the grave
of Johnny Rockaway
Brando on the screen
so high on his machine
waves a hand to all the fans
along the way
Wear your hair up high
Turn your collar to the sky
No surrender
No sweet goodbye
(guitar break)
For Johnny Rockaway
The gypsies came to pray
to light a bonfire
at midnight
for Johnny Rockaway
Bardot on a motorbike
The chrome so bright
so lost, so lost
in her shades
Wear your hair up high
Turn your collar to the sky
No surrender
No sweet goodbye
Johnny Rockaway
loved Jimmy Dean
the Dodge, the De Soto and the Galaxy
Go Johnny Go ,
Go, Go said Chuck,
the American King,
Johnny Rockaway
Red Bus
On the Red Bus
nothing seems to matter much
say what you like or what you don't
the bus runs on
she was a claim jumping, gold digging future super star
I sold cars on Saturdays
we met on the Red Bus
where nothing seems to matter much
say what you like or what you don't
the bus runs on
and on
she was a city girl and a foxy trout who left nothing out
I was a valley boy
we talked on the Red Bus
about anything that came to us
about life after life after life
and the bus ran on
trout 女子高生 red bus marlon brando bridgette bardot chuck berry gypsies cars gangsters
puff 531 Last Gasp Cafe 21 女子高生
Concert for the Batcave 女子高生Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Broken Road and We got lucky
Robin catwoman 女子高生 broken road ring moon cat cream bubbles bath
We got Lucky
It was all over before it had begun
it was good night nurse on the midnight shift
it was red, red wine, blue bubbles in the bath
we got lucky
there was a ring around the moon
we got lucky
and we slept till noon
gave cream to the cat
and that my friends was that
It had just begun when she said she'd won
so it was lights for the tree and wood for the fire
candles, blue bubbles in the bath
we got lucky
there was a ring around the moon
we got lucky
and we slept till noon
gave cream to the cat
and that my friends was that
puff 530 Last Gasp Cafe 20 女子高生
Concert for the Black Hawk 女子高生Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Johnny Rockaway and We got Lucky.
black hawk 女子高生 cat cream bath bubble red wine marlon brando gypsies gangsters pray hair high collar sky
puff 529 Last Gasp Cafe 19
Concert for Spiderman 女子高生 Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Long Black Jar and Johnny Rockaway
Spiderman 女子高生 long black jar picture wall hall no surrender sweet goodbye
Long Black Jar
Saw your picture on the wall
thought I heard you in the hall
put flowers in a long black jar
Now I'm playing such a sad guitar
and I'm wondering where we are
o darling talk to me
talk to me about the way things used to be
don't talk about setting me free
Thought I heard you in the driveway
Thought I felt you behind me
but there's only one person here
puff 514 Last Gasp Cafe 18
Two songs in new keys. Another concert for Mary J Blige. Long Black Jar and Idol. Both songs written and composed by Peter Cleave
idol maryjblige peter cleave last gasp cafe long black jar ghosts
Idol
It was just a wish
From high on a wish list
but it had to be you
cos you are so fine
And the idol smiles
there is a door in the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall
Latrice and Labelle
are lost in LA
But they find a sign
meant for you and me
And the idol smiles
look out the window in the wall
The traffic stops
the rain begins to fall
Way on down the hall
Uncle Phil is asleep
You whisper to me
about Dragon Ball Zee
And the Idol smiles
it is written on the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall
puff 470 Last Gasp Cafe 17
On the deck...Idol and Broken Road for the Goo Goo Dolls...concert by Peter Cleave
puffshop
女子高生
Idol
It was just a wish
From high on a wish list
but it had to be you
cos you are so fine
And the idol smiles
there is a door in the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall
Latrice and Labelle
are lost in LA
But they find a sign
meant for you and me
And the idol smiles
look out the window in the wall
The traffic stops
the rain begins to fall
Way on down the hall
Uncle Phil is asleep
You whisper to me
about Dragon Ball Zee
And the Idol smiles
it is written on the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall
Last Gasp Cafe 16 Two songs for Green Day
Last Gasp Cafe 15 女子高生
Concert for Donnie Darko. Long Black Jar and You're Free composed and performed by Peter Cleave
long black jar you're free ana carolina reston green day
puff 291 Last Gasp Cafe 12 Will there be Fox in the Metaverse
Will there be Cher in the Metaverse? Roaches? Peter?
puff 290 Last Gasp Cafe 11 Two songs for the Astrochick
Puff 285 Last Gasp Cafe 10- Upstairs Studio Concert
Long Black Jar
Colin
Last Gasp Cafe 9
A concert for the Metaverse
puff 281 Last Gasp Cafe 8 A two song concert for Tyra Banks
puff 265 Last Gasp Cafe 5
A concert for Mary J Blige by Peter Cleave featuring songs dedicated to Ana Carolina Reston and Daniela Cicarelli
puff 261 Last Gasp Cafe No 3 For Peter Wheeler
Featuring Colin, To see you is to love you, Nadine...
.
No comments:
Post a Comment