[Cross-posted] The Fairfax Press has been talking about how Wellingtonians are expected to bail out some loss-makers, such as the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. And that the decision to do this has been made behind closed doors. The city’s debt is over $200 million—we were looking at very similar numbers at the time of the 2007 local body elections.
   I’m curious now that it is election year why most of my opponents have not talked about job creation. There has, instead, been some easy talk about pedestrianizing, which might give a short-term boost to contractors. That’s all well and good, but we need bigger change.
   It’s why I’ve talked about free wifi for some time. It’s not a whim. Open it up and creative and tech businesses will come here. There is plenty of evidence to show that if you can create industry clusters, you can find success. And what are Wellington’s most likely clusters that we can build quickly and create jobs with? Creative and tech.
   It doesn’t take a genius to work out that if we attract more new businesses here, we will collect more rates, which means the burden on ratepayers is spread more fairly.
   Clusters can be created easily if there’s a will—and Sir Peter Jackson and his work in the film industry have reminded us this much.
   As to funding our loss-makers, it incenses me that this was all done behind closed doors, in what the Fairfax Press calls secret meetings.
   No more. My term, if you elect me, will be about transparency. Decisions like this will be put, openly, on to a city blog—the prototype of which is Your Wellington. You can’t make a council meeting? No worries: you can comment online and have your say.
   By being transparent about everything, we’ll force the groups that want city aid to put up a heck of a business case, and convince us that they won’t repeat the same mistakes and come cap-in-hand to us again in a few years’ time.
   The 2010 mayoral election is not about the same old élites, but about understanding that Wellington is on the cusp of something great. The best person for the job is someone who represents us and realizes our potential—not someone who will land us in the same old funk again.

PS.: There are some more campaign graphics over at my personal blog which you can download.

creative sector · employment · finance · industry clusters · job creation · mayoralty · rates · technology · transparency · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

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 began wishing my closest Jewish friends and colleagues a happy Hanukkah a few weeks ago. Now, as the next holiday begins, I wish those celebrating Yuletide a very safe and blessed Christmas. We have a lot of work to do in the New Year, and I’ll reveal more of my policies—but for now, it’s important we all have some time with our whanau, families and friends. God Jul, Joyeux Noël, merry Christmas, 聖誕快樂.

2009

In the second week of November, I attended two functions for Global Entrepreneurship Week. The first was Wellington to the World 2009, where numerous local businesses, who had made it big worldwide, got a chance to talk about how they leveraged the internet. Solutions such as social media, virtual working and licensing were among the topics raised.
   This year, Richard McManus of ReadWriteWeb was the keynote speaker. I had heard of ReadWriteWeb before but—and this is terrible for someone who went through the same thing with Lucire—thought it was foreign. Admittedly, I tune in to ReadWriteWeb when there’s a news headline that intrigues me, and sometimes, those are from one of its overseas bureaux.
   It was a great wake-up call—that there are many world-class businesses right here in Wellington—and I enjoyed listening to Richard, who is going through many of the same phases as we had in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I remember the days when I had not met some of my team members in person, judging them by the quality of their work. It works quite well in the dot-com sphere. And for most of my 22 years in business, many people did not make the connection between our properties and New Zealand—including New Zealanders. (I still hear people think that my businesses have some foreign ownership or overseas partners, which is untrue.)
   We need to change the mindset of New Zealanders, myself included, toward thinking the best comes from this country. And if you look around the country, Wellington is the most creative city. We have as much capability of creating world-class businesses as anyone else. In fact, the Kiwi can-do mentality suggests we have a greater capability of doing this.
   This is one of the reasons behind the free wifi that I would like to see implemented if I am elected as mayor in October 2010. It is about job creation, and it is about civic pride. Weta, Sidhe and ReadWriteWeb have already shown that it is possible—and I would love to see more entrepreneurs get the right breaks to make Wellington even more vibrant.

Photographed by Jo Mangee, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangee//CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Aotearoa · creative sector · creativity · entrepreneurship · free wifi · Global Entrepreneurship Week · growth · ICT · Jack Yan · Lucire · New Zealand · opinion · ReadWriteWeb · Richard McManus · tech sector · technology · Unlimited Potential · W2W · Wellington · Wellington to the World · Whanganui-a-Tara · wifi

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

While I oppose the installation of water meters—let’s not give technocrats a chance to charge us for something that we should get for free, living on an island—I believe in transparency. Wellington already does well in putting government valuations online, so why not more?
   As I discussed transparency with some of my colleagues at the Medinge Group, it was suggested, especially by Ton Zijlstra, that we could, in Wellington, make data on air quality and water usage (where already available) publicly accessible online. We could also put information on water quality in our rivers online, for instance. This could allow communities and enterprises themselves to come up with solutions to make improvements, giving power to the people.
   It doesn’t mean the city would stop taking responsibility for these issues. However, I believe that being transparent and open can result in innovations we haven’t come across yet. As always, your thoughts are welcome.

air · creativity · information · innovation · internet · public utilities · transparency · water · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

Dear readers: the more I think about these ideas on this site and your feedback over the last few months, the more I believe I need to run for mayor in order to deliver them.
   What’s quite sad as I examine the candidates for the mayoral elections on October 9, 2010 is that these issues, which I consider no-brainers, aren’t apparent on their agenda.
   Don’t take this the wrong way. I have met many of these councillors and they are fine men and women. Some, I know first-hand, are honest, decent people. And yes, they listen, as I am prepared to listen.
   But there’s listening, and then there’s leading.
   If the issues that you and I have discussed on this site mattered to them, they would have come up long ago during their terms.
   As for some of the rumoured candidates who are seeking the mayoralty for the first time, let me say to at least one of you that Wellington is not prepared to be divided by the sort of time-wasting party politics that are in the national sphere.
   What we need is a fresh vision from someone who has consistently been ahead of the curve. Wellington is not a city for reactionaries, but visionaries. In fact, many of us who choose to live here have a vision of a multicultural, modern, vibrant city—not one muddied by same-again, reverse-looking, twentieth-century politics.
   I ask those who share the vision of a modern Wellington to put their hands up, either as potential councillors, or as willing voters, on October 9, 2010.
   We have a lot of work to do to make these ideas realities for Wellington. Please let me know your thoughts, whether here, on Twitter, or on my Facebook page. I love this city, and I want to unite us. And I want to build the Wellington you want.

2010 · 2010s · culture · election · Facebook · future · Jack Yan · local body elections · mayoralty · multicultural · Politics · Twitter · vision · Wellington · Wellington City Council · Whanganui-a-Tara · wifi

It has totally surprised me, when chatting to former mayor James Belich, that Wellington is not sister cities with San Francisco. In fact, we lost this connection in the 1980s. The benefits are obvious: not only are the two cities similar in terms of culture, politics and topography (let’s count the fault lines going through the city!), but the technological and special effects’ sectors are strong in both San Francisco and Wellington.
   This means we can each benefit from the other: Wellingtonians from access to the market, San Franciscans from access to the independent, innovative thinking than goes on down here. I accept there is a population difference, but I cannot see down sides with connecting the two cities with more exchanges, and letting companies reap the rewards. San Franciscans and Wellingtonians think alike in many ways, too, which says to me that there is room for alliances, JVs and remote working. We grow the sectors in both cities, and we cement Wellington’s reputation as the leading creative city in the nation.
   To this end, late last month I wrote to Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco to see if he would put this matter before his council. Some of you who have followed my writings and work over the years know that I have known the Mayoress, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, for some time, and I think it is worth using our connection to reach her husband. It is worth re-establishing this connection with a city that most Kiwis regard as the “most Wellington” in North America; equally, more than a few Americans regard Wellington as “the San Francisco of the south”. At the very, very least, we should establish a dialogue with the City.
   I am also surprised this very logical step has not been taken over the years by our Council. I realize there have been other priorities in line with the thinking of an older generation, and there have been other sister-city relationships that Wellington has, rightly, pursued. However, San Francisco is such a no-brainer, and the potential connections and benefits so obvious, that it should be done.

alliances · Aotearoa · Business · business exchanges · California · Gavin Newsom · high-tech · Jack Yan · Jennifer Siebel · joint ventures · New Zealand · Politics · San Francisco · sister cities · special effects · tech sector · technology · USA · Wellington · Wellington City Council · 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