If it ain’t broke, it don’t need fixing
Please, tell me it ain’t so.
No doubt the [Dunedin] Botanic Garden and the cafe could be gussied up, but it would be wonderful though amazing if city councillors and council staff asked themselves, "Is it broken, does it need fixing?" and answered "No, not after we put the people of Dunedin through the inconvenience and expense of George St and a rates rise that sends cold shivers down electricity-skimping winter spines."
Cr Barker says of the cafe, "it’s one of the key reasons people go to the botanic gardens and so there’s the opportunity to build something new".
Happy repeat customers is a very good reason not to build something new, and certainly not with rates dollars. Familiarity and reliability are not our enemies: look at the Best Cafe.
Predetermination
According to Dr Reti in his recent announcement (ODT 24.6.24), "Of the 13 cancer treatments listed in 2023, up to seven will be included in the package announced today, and the others will be replaced by alternatives just as good or better."
How has such a predetermined outcome been achieved without government interference in Pharmac’s processes? Ordinarily, as I understand it, the role of the government is to fund Pharmac and the role of Pharmac is to decide, independently, which and to what extent drugs and related products can be funded within its budget.
All things cancer have a unique emotive resonance in public discussion. It is depressing to find cancer specialists insistently advocating for more funding of drugs when they presumably know that, were that to occur without an increase in Pharmac’s budget, it would entail less funding of life-saving or life-altering drugs in other specialties. Interference can take subtle forms.
Belated conscience
I would like to think this coalition’s capitulation on funding cancer drugs was a case of developing a belated conscience. I suspect however it was the backlash from all Kiwis over a broken promise. I acknowledge the fact they have fronted up. It had to happen in an area where there are no second chances and every day without these drugs or treatment disproportionately imperilled peoples lives.
Having "done the right thing" I believe we can now expect there to be drastic cuts in all areas this government has already targeted. I wonder, had they not pushed through tax cuts and tax relief for some and tax relief for landlords to the tune of $14 billion maybe this decision could have been made as per election promise, a lot earlier thereby relieving a lot of stress on many families.
Accepting invitations
New Zealand is at the US run-RIMPAC. Along with Israel, an international pariah. It will have sought that invitation. Mixing with nations that "support" the "international rules-based order" makes Israel look acceptable internationally.
But Israel is a rogue theocracy intent on genocide and annexing all Palestinian land. Encouraging vast sums to be paid to countless US politicians has bought it unquestioning US support. Hence the RIMPAC invitation, and the chance to look acceptable company.
Russia invaded and annexed Ukrainian territory. Attacks on civilians and their infrastructure remain routine. All war crimes. Like many RIMPAC invitees, we too condemned Russia and branded Putin a war criminal. Were the US to invite the Russians to RIMPAC we could surely expect our government to say, "if they come, we won’t."
We need to look further afield for plane advice
In these days of multiple infrastructure failures there have been several that really stick out for simplicity regarding the cause.
Removing the hold-down nuts from a electricity pylon is one. Surely finding out why a ferry loses steering capability after a period of maintenance on that issue shouldn’t be too hard either, but the ongoing failures of the pair of Boeing 757s belonging to the RNZAF is baffling.
According to the latest statistics I can find, Boeing made over a thousand of these planes. At the time, they filled a hole in the market, being narrow-body but capable of reasonably long range so were able to fly into airports unable to handle wide-body jets. As of February 2024, 235 are still in active service with close on 90% of them being operated by Delta, United, Icelandair and Condor.
Most of these aircraft are operating on scheduled daily flights, with Delta operating one 757 which is 35 years old. Significantly, Delta are planning to continue to operate at least 50 of their 757 aircraft through to 2027 and others through to 2035.
So what is it with the RNZAF pair of 757s? While a company like Delta can continue to rely on their aircraft to be ready and capable of reliable flight, we can’t. Is it lack of skills, or availability of spares?
If the RNZAF’s prime reason for operating these aircraft is for rapid deployment of military personnel with the odd duty of transporting a few politicians around some places the country would like to do business with, I would have thought that the RNZAF should have some long-term plans and some medium-term fixes. Maybe we need to ask Delta or Icelandair to come over and advise us?
Ambitious and expensive but it might work
I have lived in St Kilda for some 30 years and so I have some concern over the protection of Ocean Beach.
I read your article (ODT 22.6.24) and have sympathy for the residents mentioned. I agree with all they say regarding the lack of any attempt at a permanent solution to the problem, except for endless talk and reports.
The dunes protect billions of dollars worth of homes and infrastructure, as well as the lives and wellbeing of the thousands of us who live here. That is the real cost of not protecting the dunes properly.
Prof [Mike] Hilton hints at a possible solution when he mentions Caroline Bay in Timaru. Caroline Bay only exists in its present form due to one thing, and that is the south mole extension breakwater.
Many moons ago the old Timaruvians got so sick of moored ships being smashed against the cliffs and being sunk that they decided to build an artificial harbour. They built a railway from a quarry on the outskirts, all the way down to and around the foreshore, to carry huge granite boulders to build the mole out into the sea.
They then built the harbour on the leeward side. Both Caroline Bay and the harbour have developed dramatically over the years as a result of this massive undertaking.
I would suggest a seawall built of the same type of heavy rock as the Timaru breakwater, running the full height of the dunes, all the way from the St Clair seawall to Marlow Park.
It would be expensive but not as expensive as losing what is behind it. Millions have been wasted already; do it properly. The old Timaruvians did.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
