Crystal ball gazing and the future of George St
Councillor Steve Walker and central city planner Glen Hazelton seem to me to be into the realms of crystal ball gazing when it comes to the potential outcomes of a partial section of George St.
This section of road is now developed into a one-way street, subject at times to closure, complete with a playground.
No doubt this new playground facility will be used by children of all ages, and sometimes unruly tertiary students. Possibly at times also for able but tired geriatrics trying to relive their childhood years.
This also happened over 50 years ago. The DCC of the time, in its infinite wisdom, voted to remove the many buildings housing both small shops and some professional businesses in what was then called the Broadway Arcade, to form a direct road between Manse St and the Maclaggan and Rattray St intersection.
This stretch of street is now known as Broadway.
Once demolition was known the Broadway Arcade businesses had no option but to close completely, or move. Many shifted to George St.
Over time larger businesses in the Exchange area also moved or closed, e.g. Patterson & Barr, Calder McKay, John Edmonds, banks, restaurants, Dunedin Post Office, etc.
What was once a very vibrant and bustling area of Dunedin is much different to what is seen today. The Exchange location has never fully recovered from the demolition of the Broadway Arcade.
Looking into my crystal ball I can see some businesses now in George St either closing, or relocating to South Dunedin. The soon to be opened Kmart may just be the right catalyst for this to happen. But to really succeed there must be plenty of light-vehicle parking.
Here to help
I was pleased to read (ODT 8.5.24) that the Waihemo Community Board is "irked" by the state of signage at the entrance to Palmerston and Hampden.
The "pink" signs are in other places too, and long past replacement. My husband, the late Jim Hinkley, was commissioned by the Waitaki District Council at least 20 years ago to produce signage for all the townships on SH1 and in the Waitaki Valley. The ones in the valley were redesigned by someone else and this was not an enhancement.
However, the signs for Palmerston, Hampden, Moeraki, Herbert/Waianakarua, and Kakanui all had a distinct look. I don't know where the ones for Palmerston, Moeraki, and Herbert/Waianakarua are now, but the Kakanui sign is displayed at the primary school and the Hampden sign is on the outside wall of the Hampden Bowling Club. Even when the building was painted, the club reinstated it. I think this was because Hampden was blessed not to receive a pink sign.
I'm sure Jim would design signs differently now but I still have the electronic images of the originals to produce a new set if the Waitaki District Council is interested. Could be quite a cost-saver too.
Adult expectations
Take a moment to imagine what would have happened had, on October 8, 2023, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to condemn Hamas for their war crimes?
Had demanded the immediate return of all the hostages? Imagine how many people in both Gaza and Israel would be alive today, had that occurred.
Now ask yourself — why didn’t that happen?
It is time to treat the Palestinians like adults — get rid of the soft bigotry of low expectations and hold them fully accountable for their actions. Only then will peace be found.
Aurora Energy and deferred line charges
A common question being asked by Dunedin ratepayers is should Aurora be sold or retained? I wish to add some information that may help some in making that decision.
The following quotation is from a 31.3.21 Commerce Commission publication. It allowed Aurora Energy Limited to spend $563 million over five years on upgrading its network using a CPP mechanism. (Customised Price Quality Path)
Associate commissioner John Crawford said “the impact on electricity bills will be significant. To help mitigate the impact of increased bills we have capped Aurora’s annual revenue increase at a level of approximately 10% per year. Revenue that is deferred as a result of this cap will need to be recovered in the next regulatory period from 2026 onwards”.
Aurora has flagged that it will be requesting another five-year CPP to follow on from 2026. Aurora information disclosure for year ending March 31, 2023 (schedule 3) lists a regulatory profit of $55.89m.
Since 2021 a full recovery of the required revenue from line costs charges has not been paid by power users. This deferred income will have to be paid by consumers after 2026, additional to line charge increases by the Commerce Commission authorising the 2026 CPP.
Some questions: why is Aurora listing a profit when it has deferred income owing and that is incurring finance interest?; who will the recipient of the profit be?; has Aurora Energy been transparent publicising these increasing costs to Dunedin ratepayers, a condition of the CPP?; can the DCC, DCH and Aurora Board members and management be trusted by not disclosing these facts prior to a sell or retain submission period?; what will line charges escalate to in the future?
Is the Commerce Commission looking after the public they are supposed to protect? Sell or retain, is your choice.
Former CODC accountant baffled by plan
The Central Otago District Council annual plan has rate rises in the 20%+ range, and projected to be the same in the next two years as well. For some households and non-profit organisations, this increase is in the 35-37% range.
As ratepayers we are entitled to have clear, understandable explanations as to why rate increases at this level is suddenly considered acceptable to politicians. Do they consider the position of an elderly pensioner when taking a further $800+ from their pension, and to contemplate this again in each of the following two years, remembering that the percentage increase will have a compounding effect?
And if that savage rate increase was not enough, ratepayers see the council spending $42 million for a replacement for Cromwell Memorial Hall.
At a personal level, when times are tough, we don’t go out and spend profligately on nice to have expensive treats. We tighten our belts and restrict our spending. The least we should expect from our councillors is to apply the same constraint.
Shortly, Central Otago will only be affordable to the rich and famous, as the ordinary citizens will be all trying to leave because they can no longer afford to pay the rates.
I went along to the drop-in session in Alexandra on May 6 expecting to at least hear from councillors what was really driving the cost increases that we are expected to pay. There was little to be gained from this as there was no organisation, no council supporting staff there, and the councillors I spoke to had little real understanding of what they were defending.
Drilling into the annual plan to find out what was driving the increase in governance and corporate services, even I, as one time accountant for the council, was unable to unpick it. So how does this pass as consultation?
Unless there is some moderation of the planned increase(s), current councillors can expect to face a strong rebuke at the ballot box.
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