Cycleway cost versus Taieri Gorge rail line
The 10km "shared pathway" from St Leonards to Port Chalmers cost $50 million (ODT 16.8.23). For roughly a quarter of that amount the Taieri Gorge railway line could be brought up to scratch, used by large numbers of local and international train enthusiasts and family day trippers, and saved for posterity. To convert it to yet another cycleway that could only be used by a limited population of fit and weather-resistant people would be ridiculous.
More St Leonards news
Regarding the recently published photograph of the St Leonards bus shelter (ODT 9.8.23).
Surely you jest. Can the powers that be not see that waiting passengers would get soaked during rain due to the pathetic roof design. Also the shelter poses a hazard to pedestrians, cyclists, the buses themselves, and all other road users at the location.
Is this the best that they can do?
Our national stadium
I notice Eden Park has given itself the title of New Zealand’s National Stadium. After hosting within a week both the Football Ferns match against the Swiss and the All Blacks test with Australia, surely we can start calling Dunedin’s stadium, New Zealand’s National Indoor (or Roofed) Stadium?
The wider picture
Those criticising Labour’s proposed removal of GST from fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables are not looking at the wider picture. Every little helps for those families doing it tough and the cumulative effects of Labour’s measures are considerable.
Consider for example the working class mother weighing up whether she can put more vegetables into her supermarket shopping trolley.
As well as GST free veggies, she now has $25 extra each week from working for families, plus $25 extra from free public transport for her son, plus the $100 in savings now she does not have to pay that ECE centre for those 20 hours child care for her two year old child. Her husband has also had a series of significant increases to his minimum wage.
Add to all this to the new GST saving and perhaps you may start to see why the criticisms of some (no doubt well-heeled) economists should have account of these cumulative increases to a family’s purchasing power.
The price of a cup of tea
While I feel sorry for the uber driver in Auckland reported to be barely making a living (TV1 16.8.23), I wonder at the sense and logic behind home delivery of single service goods and beverage portions, in this case an order of bubble tea. Really?
This is hardly easing New Zealand's fuel demand and spiralling fuel costs, reducing traffic flows, saving our planet, or offering people fulfilling employment.
As well, people who are struggling on the breadline, could feel let down by this level of extravagance.
Efforts of locals appreciated by city leader
Volunteers are the lifeblood of this city. Everywhere I look, I see thoughtful, committed citizens working selflessly to help others, to make events flow and to facilitate fun.
This was very evident on Thursday at a civic reception for King’s Honours recipients where a delightful group of lifetime community contributors enjoyed a small recognition from the city. Less evident but recent and absolutely essential were the large number of volunteers who contributed to the wonderful success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup games here in Dunedin. I expect that anyone who attended or watched the games would have noticed how splendid our stadium looked and how smoothly the event went. That all takes effort.
While there were plenty of working staff, there were also hundreds of unpaid helpers who gave their time to contribute. On behalf of the city and anyone who viewed a match, I thank them all, both volunteers and employees because as an attendee I truly felt that everyone was working hard to make it all flow and make everyone welcome.
The President of FIFA himself, Gianni Infantino, who was here for the first game, commented several times to me how impressed he was with our stadium and our hospitality.
So, well done Dunedin and thank you to all volunteers for this, any and every event. We need you, cherish you and appreciate you.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
