Novel, creative ways to fund a new hospital
Our three major banks (ANZ, BNZ, Westpac) together made a profit in NZ of $4.66 billion in the 2023-24 financial year.
We can presume that at least some of that profit came from Otago and Southland. In 2023 our region contributed $25b to the national GDP of $425b, which is 5.9%. That proportion of the three banks’ annual profit comes to $275 million.
Here’s an idea: how about the banks contributing half that amount for two years to the costs of the Dunedin hospital rebuild?
Why would they do that? Here are three reasons.
Firstly, to invest in the health of their Otago and Southland customers, for without good health care we will not provide the banks with ongoing profits. This investment is an excellent financial deal: the new hospital will have a life of at least 25 years, so the return on the outlay is significant.
Secondly, because wealth brings with it a responsibility to help those who have needs they cannot meet themselves. This is a fundamental tenet of the capitalist system in which they operate, one often forgotten but nonetheless vital to capitalism’s survival, and theirs too.
Thirdly, because doing this gives them the opportunity to challenge their current image of takers rather than givers. Indeed, they would be regarded as saviours, the ones who gave us the hospital we need and were promised.
In return for their generosity, I’m sure the hospital could give them naming rights to a floor each in the new inpatients’ building.
John Drummond
Dunedin
Golden ticket
The Sydney Opera House was largely funded by a state lottery. Perhaps we could have one for the Dunedin hospital?
John Kennedy
Balaclava
Dog stance explained
Woodside Glen is a picturesque and peaceful picnic area. Our farm borders it so any happenings there can affect us, hence our great concern that the Dunedin City Council wants to turn the area into an unfenced unofficial dog park.
I have no problem with Murray Neilson or any other member of the local community using the Glen as they wish, as they are beneficiaries under the terms of the will of the benefactor, Herbert Marquis Carr, who left his Woodside Glen lands of 34 acres in trust to the inhabitants of Woodside for their recreation and benefit for all time. Murray is one of the responsible dog owners and if all followed his example there would be no dog issues.
However, there are 15,000+ dog owners in Dunedin and the DCC proposal is to allow them all to come to Woodside Glen, as well as the 25+ dog walking businesses. To make the situation worse, all other ‘‘off leash’’ areas on the Taieri will be removed, leaving only the dog park at Mosgiel or Woodside Glen for dogs to run free.
The conditions of the trust must be honoured and the DCC should find another venue for dogs.
Ray Beardsmore
Woodside
A civic treasure
Last weekend a horticultural careers symposium, organised in conjunction with International Plant Propagators, was held at the Dunedin Botanic Garden, with speakers from around the country. Everybody was extremely impressed with the Botanic Garden and its facilities, as well as the enthusiasm and professionalism of its staff. I am sure the Botanic Garden and Dunedin will benefit from the effort made as people head off around the world talking about this garden, which holds the status of a 6 Star Garden of International Significance.This city asset should be protected at all costs.
Mark Brown
Waitati
The public’s trust and how it is earned
Public trust in the media has fallen to 33%: the question is why this is?
This trust is a relationship between the public and the news media and how much the public believes the news media is independent, accurate and unbiased.
The Otago Daily Times, according to Auckland University (AUT) research, is New Zealand's most trusted news brand. It is independent, mostly accurate but not entirely unbiased. No one media outlet is.
Where the "not entirely unbiased" piece comes in, stemmed from the Public Interest Journalism Fund, and all public media took advantage of the money on offer. Certain rules were in place to receive funding, and this in itself took away independence for many in the media.
Accuracy should be first and foremost in journalism and when it is reported by say RNZ that Waka Kotahi is to do something, instead of saying NZ Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi is to do something lacks the accuracy that is required.
TV1 claims to have the nation's leading team of journalists and New Zealand's most trusted and watched news.
According to AUT research, TVNZ isn’t what they claim, but in third place, as the most trusted alongside with Newsroom, NBR and other radio stations. News content for television is old news and content is more and more overseas news and not of interest to many of us.
To the credit of the ODT, its independence gives it coverage of what is going on in Dunedin, Otago, North and Central Otago and Southland with the journalism of high quality. The ODT’s No1 rating as the most trusted news brand in New Zealand is therefore well deserved.
Ross Davidson
Wakari
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
