Back Benches 24 July 2013
THIS WEEK ON PRIME TV’s “BACK BENCHES”—AUCKLAND CENTRAL SPECIAL: Watch Wallace Chapman, Damian Christie, the Back Benches Panel and special guests discuss the week’s hottest topics!
THE FUTURE OF AUCKLAND: Over the next 30 years, our largest city is set to become even larger, will another million people moving to Auckland. What to do with all of them? Auckland needs to grow and change, but how? What will the future of Auckland look like? What should it look like? The decisions made will have ramifications on the rest of New Zealand. What kind of lessons can we learn from other fast growing large cities around the world? And why Auckland—should we be encouraging people to move to other New Zealand cities instead?
A PLACE TO CALL HOME: Is the supercity set to become the high-rise capitol of NZ? Is the dream of a house on a quarter acre disappear for most Aucklanders? Instead, will the increased intensification mean more and more of us are living in high-rises? And will these tall buildings be popping up next to your little villa? Is it time to take a page from New Yorkers—getting used to living in smaller places in closer quarters? Affordability is an issue right now—so, what can we do to make it easier to get into the housing market? Who will be able to afford to live in Auckland? Will people have to move further and further out? Will young people every be able to afford a house? More houses are needed? But how do we build affordable housing? Labour says they have a solution—but will it work?
GETTING AROUND: More people means more cars & passengers. The Inner City Rail, the loop, roads, harbour crossing, tunnels, busses—the ways to get around Auckland are numerous but not necessarily convenient or quick. So, how to fix it? The Government has pledged several billion dollars to improve some of Auckland’s transportation woes, but is it just a drop in the bucket? Where should we be placing most of our transportation dollars—roads or rails? Or is it really roads AND rails? Who should be paying for the majority of upgrades to Auckland’s transport system? Aucklanders? Government? Or should all of us be chipping in? What’s the best way to pay? Gas tax? Congestion tax? Toll booths?
There are two ways to get in on the political pub action:
First, you can join the live audience from the Britomart Country Club (31 Galway Street, Auckland) on Wednesday, 24th of July at 6pm. Filming begins around 6:15pm.Or watch us that night on PRIME TV at 10:30pm!
http://www.primetv.co.nz/Plus, Follow us on Facebook (BackBenchesTV) or on Twitter @BackBenchesTV.
Our Panel: Labour Leader & MP for Mt Albert David Shearer, National MP for Botany & Party Whip Jami-Lee Ross, and Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman.
Plus—we are joined by several fantastic guests in the audience, including Auckland Mayor Len Brown!http://www.primetv.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=352
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