<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[alexaforbes.blog]]></title><description><![CDATA[Writer & Public Voice on People, Place and Possibility | Ko kotahitaka taku kaupapa]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:56:56 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Taxing task: Labour vs capital   ]]></title><description><![CDATA[The 40 year policy gap Our politicians have spent forty years kicking the fair taxation can down the road while the wealth gap gets bigger. The wealthy and connected have been happy to have labour (wages and salaries) taxed highly and unavoidably, while capital largely escapes any equivalent liability. Those who work pay their full taxes; those whose money earns for them either aren't taxed on it, or can easily avoid the tax. A nice earner for those who hold capital, or its proxy, property. A...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/taxing-capital-the-impossible-task</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a41deef7353421c5451bf72</guid><pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:20:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_bbf84f27bec34a4db71aa505cd9057e1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_988,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Flogging the estate that pulls above its weight]]></title><description><![CDATA[I've just lodged my submission on the Conservation Amendment Bill 2026 with the Environment Select Committee. For those who want the full version, I've attached it above. And those keen peeps who want to read the bill for themselves - you'll find it here. What I want to do with this post is put the bill into its wider context: That of an overworked, overdelivering, underfunded Department and a country with disastrously undervalued natural capital. Against this background, our Conservation...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/flogging-the-estate-that-pulls-above-its-weight</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a38ee343898cb134f7c4adc</guid><pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:44:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_907e499a4239479d90f5f9330050edd7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bye for now - Mā te wā]]></title><description><![CDATA[As you may or may not have noticed in your voiting papers, I am not standing in this election. But I'm not seeing this as the end of my journey in local government, just a pause. I’ll see you all again on the campaign trail in three years time, all going to plan. This blog today covers three main things. First a thank you for support, second a reflection on some key moments in my ORC years, with a focus on some of the good things that have happened, and third, my thoughts on the current...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/bye-for-now-m%C4%81-te-w%C4%81</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68c28ba064d60f6dab0b86b1</guid><pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 04:16:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_9720e1a78c194706811254621396c7cb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_946,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[ORC comes to Queenstown]]></title><description><![CDATA[There's a chunky agenda at this week's ORC meeting in Tahuna Queenstown]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/orc-comes-to-queenstown</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67d7a1acec9bfae22bfee729</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:58:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_a0ce0dd0b3b74e208c94d02d394dc645~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_480,h_640,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Call me woke]]></title><description><![CDATA[Another day, another facebook post sharing reckons and simplistic outrage. I usually ignore them but in the world we're in and after...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/call-me-woke</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67804b2fd37d60514a1a45a0</guid><pubDate>Sun, 12 Jan 2025 20:06:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_d51d8d49ac6a48649540996589287091~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_733,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rates shock]]></title><description><![CDATA[As someone who had a part in setting ORC rates, and as a recipient of several complaints about the percentage rise in this year’s rates...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/rates-shock</link><guid isPermaLink="false">670479ed163adbb0bfdd9cf3</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:58:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_7ca2c700b4d64a74bc2794e6e4741264~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_668,h_398,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A week in the life...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Pic: Luma Queenstown installation - June 2024 Last week’s council meetings were memorable because we signed off a fraught and difficult...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/a-week-in-the-life</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6680ba1a0bd39cbdc7d2418f</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Jun 2024 03:15:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_aa6b0534efa04a7889d393756c10e8e4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_640,h_294,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LTP hearings, decisions, a virtual chocolate fish, a speech and a reading list... ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Fig 1: Stategic Directions, 2024 - 2034 LTP This blog is long, so I've broken it into several parts hoping you'll scroll to the areas...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/ltp-hearings-decisions-a-virtual-chocolate-fish-a-speech-and-a-reading-list</link><guid isPermaLink="false">664efad04b0d12c3f8f73710</guid><pubDate>Thu, 30 May 2024 02:16:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_c5b846f43e8945e592f9801129bf3a00~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_593,h_573,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Long term plan and what I've learned]]></title><description><![CDATA[An unscientific summary of what I've heard during the consultation sessions online, in Alexandra, Wānaka and Queenstown, and womanning a...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/long-term-plan-and-what-i-ve-learned</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6626b7622655cf0530481747</guid><pubDate>Sat, 11 May 2024 05:24:41 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rates, that perennial favourite]]></title><description><![CDATA[Here’s some of the team that have worked to restore Tucker Beach reserve - a ‘waste land’ behind the closed dump just a few kilometres...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/rates-that-perennial-favourite</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6618eb87f22fecd2dd7764d5</guid><category><![CDATA[Queenstown]]></category><category><![CDATA[Local Government]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:19:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_f6c10292c65e47b4af6318bec7854321~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bus fares - who pays?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Thanks to Jefferson for the beautifully captured base image, later doctored by me. A big issue for consideration at tomorrow’s (Weds...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/bus-fares-who-pays</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65f8ad73a6caac354a31c045</guid><pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:50:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_fd3b59bbcbd94dc98d97a662788d11c1~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[It's the least we can do]]></title><description><![CDATA[Today several Otago Regional Councillors will consider the stakeholder feedback and staff responses to the contentious Land and Water...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/it-s-the-least-we-can-do</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65f88bf26ad80769bac35647</guid><pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:22:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_5da68ad43f004fc2887addbe6dd2687a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_480,h_354,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Time travel, buzz words and fantasy]]></title><description><![CDATA[This post is a longer version of a 450 word article I wrote for Queenstown’s Lakes Weekly Bulletin.  I felt it needed more space to...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/time-travel-buzz-words-and-fantasy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65ee754c16ee21f4d002efe2</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Mar 2024 03:35:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_625451b09d784902aa6ad516fb4bc453~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_720,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Three months in, what's going on?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Listening to understand, being willing to modify a position  - Land and Water Plan.  Sounds trite, but is really important.  There are 12...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/three-months-in-what-s-going-on</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65935c535a2056237ea03dd8</guid><pubDate>Sat, 24 Feb 2024 05:39:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_87deda8e55bb4ef6999ab2f505e8fa7d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_640,h_480,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[COP - what's the point?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Does the Conference of the Parties (COP) have any relevance at all anymore in terms of addressing the impacts of climate change or...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/cop-what-s-the-point</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6567caa567da6f12030380e8</guid><pubDate>Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:15:23 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Short term gain, long term pain:  ]]></title><description><![CDATA[The damaging consequences of cutting funding for environmental regeneration Pioneering wilding pines on the march across iconic Central Otago landscape In Queenstown Lakes District and Central Otago, teams committed to the control and management of wilding conifers are yet again pruning budgets in the face of an alarming reduction in funding in government’s June budget round. Further up the Otago headwaters, a consortium with a vision of a Southern Lakes Sanctuary faces the same issue as...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/short-term-gain-long-term-pain</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64f55c8b40b280b460b41410</guid><pubDate>Mon, 04 Sep 2023 09:55:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_c29bd59583894964845b49ba7d1d6ac6~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Manuherekia report lands]]></title><description><![CDATA[The long awaited report about the hydrology and ecology of the Manuherekia waspresented to today's ORC Environment and Policy Committee...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/manuherekia-report-lands</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64e488024889163b1c6b4b57</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Aug 2023 10:09:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_bb6b692f21a64301806140daa7ca3389~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_400,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Buses, farm plans, water, climate adaption, and more...]]></title><description><![CDATA[There really is something for everyone in this week's committee agenda.  The Public and Active Transport Committee (PAT) checks out...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/buses-farm-plans-water-climate-adaption-and-more</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64d21af0d725e6ee905a9966</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2023 10:42:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_6eaaa182740a4a539e06e0f5e4948107~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_630,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[It's been a while...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Big workload, rapid progress Under Gretchen Robertson's leadership, now joined by newly appointed CE - Richard Saunders - it feels like...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/it-s-been-a-while</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64a3566d0036f061815f6160</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Jul 2023 01:21:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbf359_f20f56941df245c5b2c0153d934b9228~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>alexaforbes59</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[It's voting time, campaign and policies]]></title><description><![CDATA[By now you should have your voting papers and are charged with ticking boxes beside names you may or may not know, names that will spend...]]></description><link>https://alexaforbes59.wixsite.com/alexaforbes-blog/post/it-s-voting-time-campaign-and-policies</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6329253d1244a492b9059081</guid><pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2022 03:32:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKIvXSEDMVQ&amp;t=3s" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item></channel></rss>