Strapped for cash or misplacing priorities
Here I was thinking the University of Otago was financially "strapped for cash" and a teaching hospital has been put on the back burner.
I was wrong — somehow funding has been found to use consultants to scope a rebranding, this appears to now have the go-ahead. The implementation will cost an additional $1.3 million.
Many staff face redundancy and the Otago public are left struggling to get a hospital out of the ground.
We already have a well-identified and known brand so this decision simply does not make financial nor common sense. Priorities yet again appear to be totally misplaced.
Vision thing
The confirmation of changes to its logo, in concert with its Vision 2040 document, shows that the university is now firmly committed to its future position as a regional South Pacific institution guided principally by political and social priorities.
The steady diminution of humanities courses, including such internationally attractive courses as science communications, confirms the university’s intention to distance itself from the traditions, philosophies and creative cultures beyond the Pacific which the majority of New Zealand’s peoples are heir to.
We are told that most of the university’s community are in favour of this vision, but this may well be simply a reflection of the management of the discussion within the current silo of political thinking.
Proud of progress
The University of Otago has recently adopted the new name Ōtākau Whakaihu Waka, and a new tohu (symbol) to acknowledge the university’s shared heritage and whakapapa. This move should be applauded, however, an array of negative messaging has emerged condemning the change.
Change is always going to be challenging for people, it’s part of our psychology to respond positively to the familiar. However, in this case the familiar is the perpetuation of colonial power structures that systematically exclude and discriminate against tangata whenua.
The change occuring here is not going to fix that, but represents a shift towards being led by the principles laid out in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A shift to make university not just a place where Pākehā feel they belong, but an institution which opens its doors to all people in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Ka Mau te Wehi Ōtākau Whakaihu Waka, I’m proud to be a graduate.
Pull the reins hard
The latest revelation from Otago University that they are proceeding with this new rebranding logo at a cost of millions whilst in deficit of $60 million is nothing less than an abomination. This climate of financial uncertainty and where restraints on all spending is absolutely essential.
Yet this very same university are going to the government for funding is just beggars beliefs. Adding fuel to the fire is the absurd and offensive comments by former mayor Aaron Hawkins that all those objecting to the new logo are "white supremacists".
The obsessional culture that pervades society now whereupon everything must reflect te reo Māori has gone beyond all good reason, and borders on the ridiculous. The reins need to be pulled hard, as all harmony is being eroded with divisions in society increasing.
A timely consideration of our place in the world
"Is New Zealand joining the club" (ODT, 11.7.2023) was very timely.
We have totally unnecessary consultation on culture war trivia issues like bilingual road signs and astonishingly, whether or not wild cat eradication should be included in Pest Free 2050 (blindingly obvious), yet none on the steady inexorable creep of the Hipkins government (with the full blessing of National and Act New Zealand and the apparent and ominous public silence of the Greens and Te Pāti Māori … and no debate in our media) towards joining America’s proxy wars on China and Russia via the Nato "partnership" and AUKUS co-operation.
Are these consultations on road signs and cats a sideshow?
Viva farmers
Regardless of a person’s political leanings there are some uncomfortable facts when it comes to farming in New Zealand. The world has more mouths to feed, each year as the global population grows. More farmers are growing trees, not food. Every farmer that does not grow food, reduces global supply. Not ideal.
It’s all garbage
The Te Whatu Ora Southern reply to your correspondent (7.7.23) simply reflects the reason why health services efficiency has gone down the drain. "Developing a programme of work to modernise our response; A policy to guide decision making to eligibility criteria". It's all garbage, simply a Yes Minister response. What's wrong with Te Whatu Ora Southern swallowing its pride? Return health travel assistance application forms to the patient’s gatekeeper to the health system — primary health care.
John Foley
Waimate
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
