Vital for local voice to be heard in Parliament
The comments made by Jules Radich (ODT 18.10.23) show his inability to understand political reality. Dunedin no longer has a member of Parliament from the governing party, and as someone who has worked in Parliament, the importance of this is not lost on me. Local MPs report on issues, opportunities and risks from their electorates at weekly caucus meetings, which the prime minister and other senior ministers hear directly. This can lead to the government taking a proactive role in the region in response to feedback from local MPs. Without that local voice, the council and opposition MPs will be left to fight the good fight and ensure that our voice is heard in Wellington. I fear the mayor is not up for that fight given his recent downplaying of racist comments by an elected member, and his early concessions when faced with the possibility of a rescaled hospital rebuild budget.
Ryan Jones
Roseneath
Keep it up team
I applaud this newspaper for its unbiased inclusion of many informative and experienced reporters, journalists and contributors to a variety of subjects of interest. Today’s edition (ODT, 18.10.23) was no exception. Keep up the good work and wide lens on all matters, local and universal. An appreciative reader and subscriber.
Pamela Ritchie
Caversham
What about the flats?
I note (ODT, 16.10.23) that Victoria University of Wellington — Te Herenga Waka is selling off a number of student flats in order to reduce debt. I and a number of others a few years ago suggested to the then vice-chancellor Professor Harlene Haynes that the University of Otago should be just doing that. The university's role is to educate not act as a landlord. It is basic accounting 101 that if you haven't got sufficient cash flow no matter what the value of your assets are you are technically insolvent. Why the university here is not following Victoria University’s lead escapes me. It seems more interested in accumulating further assets.
Perry Adank
Dunedin
Take a moment to think
It seems to be the opinion of many that Labour as a government spent too much money. I am asking how many of those people took advantage of the wage subsidy paid to workers and businesses — free vaccines and other money that was given out during covid? Did they or any of their family take advantage of fees-free polytech or university courses?
How many of them turned down the winter energy payment?
When the disaster hit Hawke’s Bay and Auckland, would they have preferred them to leave those people to fend for themselves? All those extra happenings cost money and it did not come from the tooth fairy, it came from the government. Celebrations for change may be short-lived. Job cuts, minimum wage cuts and benefit bashing may sound great. The downside is less money will be spent in the businesses big and small that are lauding this change. Farmers, too, may in a few years have cause to think again.
Doing things different may be hard, but our markets overseas are looking for a better product. Our clean, green image is already being downgraded in some countries and if we carry on the way we are the value of our export goods will diminish greatly.
Mary Laurenson
Balclutha
Efficiency laudable, congestion not so much
If progress includes increased efficiency, why increase traffic congestion? "The highway [Dunedin-Waitati] was closed from 11am but was reopened later yesterday" (ODT, 14.10.23). Thankfully, I travelled to Waitati at 9.45am and returned at 4pm. Two days earlier there were three separate 30kmh interruptions on this short section of SH1. The recent obsession to reduce speed limits on highways and other roads will also increase congestion. While children need protecting outside schools only at 9am and 3pm five days a week, the recently installed, jarring pedestrian crossing bump outside Maori Hill School congests traffic all day every day. Where is the sense in these blunt traffic management tools? Although understandable in the central city (e.g. Carroll St ODT, 14.10.23), suburban housing intensification (e.g. adjacent to Kenmure Rd roundabout. ODT, 13.10.23) will predictably congest these roads. A variety of agencies need to up their game to keep our small city great.
Ron Adams
Wakari
Bike police
David Tordoff’s piece (ODT, 14.10.23) is not the first nor the last complaint about ignorant cyclists . The majority of cyclists will obey the signs, be courteous, use their bells — if fitted, and some MTB owners may even have reduced the width of the straight handlebars by several centimetres each side. Its common knowledge that the police tend to site traffic camera vans in known high-rate speeding locations, so would it be asking too much to see e-bike-mounted uniformed police officers patrolling the ignorants’ favourite cycleways? Give them the required powers to deal to these few, and perhaps the odd vehicle driver that likes to encroach.
Steve Hinchliffe
Alexandra
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