When Lucire first broke news yesterday about Peter Jackson’s knighthood in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours’ List—before any New Zealand media did—I was particularly delighted.
   Peter Jackson deserves a knighthood not just because he makes marvellous films. Peter Jackson deserves a knighthood because he continues to believe in New Zealand even after certain bodies and their bureaucrats gave him grief.
   Before he was a big name internationally, there was reported tension between Jackson and the New Zealand Film Commission in the 1990s.
   Because Jackson believed in this country so much, he got over it. A lesser man would have thought, ‘If the establishment won’t accept me, I’ll leave.’
   Many of the big Kiwi names in movies are based in California, because when they left there was no centre for movie production in New Zealand. And they wanted somewhere that could understand their vision for making movies.
   Instead, Jackson fought to make his Lord of the Rings trilogy in New Zealand—setting up a world-class hub for film in Wellington.
   While some politicians would like to give credit to the Tourism New Zealand 100 Per Cent Pure campaign for lifting the national image, I’ve always argued it was the effort of one man—Jackson—for bringing the country to the world stage.
   Destination branding can be ignored, passed over as just another tourism ad in a travel magazine. Peter Jackson alone gave it that hook, and if any one man can take credit for the first decade’s economic boosts, it is him.
   Through Jackson not only did the films become nice earners for New Zealand, the tourist industry boomed because of the trilogy. And the Film Commission came right in the end.
   And in many respects, Peter Jackson kicked the tall poppy syndrome idea out of the country’s psyche where it could only be entertained by a few foreign companies who use it to keep Kiwis down. Peter Jackson changed our culture, and helped make Wellington great.
   This knighthood is long overdue, but I applaud this honour for Jackson. He is a patriot, a word that should not have politically incorrect shades. His level of pride is just what New Zealand needs. Sir Peter Jackson is an inspirational figure and one hopes many others will have faith in their own beliefs, in the way that he does.

arts · creative sector · creativity · culture · film · Peter Jackson · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

I’ve heard a bit about permanently pedestrianizing Wellington City over the last few weeks. My first thought was: that seems to be an interesting take on my carless day idea, which I proposed here many months ago. My second thought was: weren’t these people around last month?
   This was an October which was the coldest on record for some 60 years. The winter just passed was hardly a delight. It was cold, while the winter of 2008 was particularly wet.
   If the idea of pedestrianization had been brought up during these periods, I wonder if the reception would be quite as pleasant.
   The thought of being blown about outdoors in the middle of winter while trying to enjoy a coffee hardly appeals to Wellingtonians.
   I don’t think an overkill in the number of pedestrian areas shows off Wellington at its best.
   The proponents of permanent pedestrian areas around Wellington all talk at us about how lovely it would be with all the seats outside with our wonderful cafés. And yes, it would be rather lovely.
   Wellington must have a unique solution, even if the idea has its inspiration from overseas.
   Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for pedestrianizing parts of Wellington. I love the idea that we can walk around our city and enjoy it. I accept that there are places which can be permanently pedestrianized.
   Wellington is unbeatable on a great day, and those great days happen most during the summer—which is precisely why the carless day idea is the ideal means through which to trial pedestrianization.
   Let’s be sensible about it, and take it one step at a time. Let’s also consider keeping public transport flowing through some of these areas which, incidentally, many European cities such as Stockholm have done.
   If the first carless summer day in January 2011 under my mayoralty is successful, we can extend them through longer periods, say, during the Rugby World Cup in September–October 2011. But to go the whole hog without even suggesting a trial is a gamble, and Wellingtonians shouldn’t be betting on mayors and councils who gamble.
   Let’s get feedback from not just property owners but from the rest of us, rather than put such an issue before voters and demand they go one way or the other.
   The 2010 mayoral election is not about ‘Vote for me’ or even ‘Vote for this’. It is about ‘Vote for us,’ as technology, such as blogs like this, puts the power back in the hands of everyday Wellingtonians. We are the ones who decide our fate, not groups of élites or individuals.
   As always, I’m here to listen, because the last I looked, this is our city, where we all deserve a say. Your feedback is welcome, either below, via Twitter, via Facebook, or my personal website.

2011 · Business · carless day · Europe · future · Infrastructure · Jack Yan · mayor · pedestrian mall · pedestrianization · Rugby World Cup · transport · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

When I was manning one of the stands at the Newtown Fair earlier this year, we had a petition for Wellington residents to oppose the adoption of water meters and charging for water. I noticed that the campaign has continued today outside the Newtown Mall.
   By the looks of things, today’s campaigners were more successful, filling up more pages of their petition. I know from my experience that there were people both for and against water charging, with the majority against. How do site visitors feel about this issue?

privatization · profiteering · technocracy · utilities · water · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

During another meeting today, the idea of an IT park in Kilbirnie makes sense. There’s that data pipe already heading out toward Miramar, and this could help rejuvenate the Kilbirnie area. There’s so much going for what I regard as my home ’burb. I understand ideas are currently being collected at committee level there, but I can certainly envisage new businesses springing up in the Kilbirnie area, which could become a home to new technologies and creativity. We already have a good recreation centre and library—which provide some balance to the public space. Bay Road and Onepu Road could be ideal places to sit back and meet people—if it were better geared for that.
   I certainly feel it is far more than a place people pass through to get to the airport or out to the Lyall Bay retail park. Any thoughts?

eastern suburbs · internet · IT park · Kilbirnie · Miramar · rejuvenation · Rongotai · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

Some of the highlights in recent memory for Wellingtonians were the film premières of Peter Jackson’s films, namely The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King and King Kong. The city, closed to traffic, was manageable, and I venture to say that most Wellingtonians were not too upset at the inconvenience.
   In cities across Europe, it is not uncommon to have carless days, but not one forced on people due to a fuel crisis. I remember one Sunday in the late summer where I drove from Amsterdam to Bruxelles as one city began its carless day and the other ended one. These are annual, where on one summer Sunday a year people can explore the city using public transport or bicycles or go on foot. People enjoyed a day exploring their cities free from exhaust. Oh, and it’s good for the environment.
   Do other Wellingtonians see this as a good idea?

carless day · cars · Environment · Infrastructure · public transport · summer · Sunday · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

In my work at Jack Yan & Associates, I came across a company called Nanosolar, which, according to our description, ‘is poised to mainstream the idea by printing solar cells, rather than use conventional silicon cells.’ Without getting into the technical stuff, I believe our city should lead the way in sustainable energy such as solar power. If the city can help drive prices for solar cells down by adopting them on a wider basis, then it will help everyday Wellingtonians meet their electrical needs without hurting their wallets quite as much. And allow Wellington to be the envy of other capital cities. At the very least, we need to examine the implications here, rather than have steep power bills that do not help ordinary Kiwi families.

electricity · Environment · green movement · Jack Yan · Nanosolar · solar cells · solar energy · solar power · sustainability · technology · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

In 1989, I signed up to Kosmos, the Wellington City Council’s email service. WCC, as far as I can remember, wanted to lead the way in becoming a wired capital, and offered free email to those who signed up. It was my first email account.
   It strikes me that we have lagged behind somewhat, although Wellingtonians, by nature, are very creative. In fact, that’s one thing that sets this city apart: our innovation and our spirit of independent, individualistic thinking. Sure we are the political capital, which implies only incremental thinking; perhaps as a counter to this, the rest of us seem to like thinking outside the square.
   We need a stronger IT strategy again, and that means we need to start looking at how we can get free wifi, with some data caps, in public spaces. That means Civic Square, the City Library, the Art Gallery and those areas should have free wifi for ratepayers. Our tourists should benefit, too, since they’re most likely going to blog or upload things favourable to Wellington.
   This is the creative capital, and programmes to support that should be at the forefront of our strategy.

Aotearoa · computing · creativity · independence · innovation · IT · New Zealand · public spaces · technology · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara · wifi

I have lived in Wellington for more of my years than any other place. I first arrived in 1976, and have been proud to call it my home. I did virtually all my schooling here, from primary to uni.
   When I started my business in 1987, I have watched companies here go through good and bad times. But in business you can only do so much. More recently, I became interested in seeing what we could do to make and sustain positive change for our city.
   Wellington is already a great city. We have a great cultural core, and a population that cares as much about the meaning in their lives as the quality. But there are a few problems, such as our population growth lagging behind Auckland and Christchurch. And what can we do to encourage and grow business here, without losing our essence?
   Can we grow while being sustainable? What safety issues are there for families living here, and can we make it more accommodating for them? How about our roading and traffic? What about our sporting and recreational venues?
   I set up this blog to find ways we can all explore that. I firmly believe if others around us benefit, we each will, too. I want to hear from you, either through my personal site’s feedback form, or here in the comments, on topics we need to address. We’ve kicked off with a few, and we’ll announce this site with a bit more hoop-la toward the end of 2009.

Aotearoa · arts · Business · commerce · culture · ethics · Family · growth · immigration · Jack Yan · New Zealand · opinion · Politics · prosperity · safety · Security · sports · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

Wellington City Council has voted to convert Manners Mall into a bus route, despite a petition signed by 1,000 signatories and businesses along the strip preferring the status quo. The vote was 11 to 4, with councillors Jo Coughlan, Leonie Gill, Bryan Pepperell and Hayley Wain voting to maintain the Mall. What are Wellingtonians’ views?

Manners Mall · Manners Street · public space · public transport