Is the new hospital in right place, or town?
Population figures are out, and Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes are rapidly gaining on Dunedin. My guess is that in another 30 years, or sooner, the figures will have evened out.
So why are we building a new “white elephant” hospital in Dunedin, even there it’s in the wrong location, with poor access, (we don’t all use bicycles), and where is the parking for an increasing number of out of towners? The capital cost seems to be out of control and that is only property purchase/demolition/piling.
It is no surprise that initiatives based in Wanaka are surfacing based on population growth: in 1960 the Wanaka population was 400. But I feel that Cromwell is the realistic geographical centre, or build on the excellent facility at Clyde.
One reason for the new build in Dunedin was that it is a teaching hospital and needs to be handy to the university. In my experience medical students seem to appear regularly in both Wanaka and Dunstan, in fact will there be a viable university in Dunedin in 30 years’ time? For the new hospital to make sense in Dunedin some major soul-searching has to be done.
Graham Taylor
Luggate
Don’t ignore bullying
I am responding to an article written in response to last week’s tragedy where a young man sadly lost his life. The article in question is where a Dunedin principal stated that disputes within schools are becoming both more violent and prolonged (ODT 27.5.24).
This absolutely disgusts me. Why if this principal knows they are prolonged , is he/she not stepping in as soon as trouble is seen? What is happening ? Because to me it sounds like this principal is watching this and tut-tutting and turning a blind eye.
Everybody within a school needs to feel safe , and if things like this are happening then it needs to be addressed straightaway .
I am speaking from experience, having worked within education for nearly 30 years. No bullying or disputes among individuals or groups should ever be ignored and put down to minor squabbles.
We need our children to feel safe, to learn what is an acceptable way to settle disputes, and not turn a blind eye to these things, with dire consequences .
Name withheld
Cruise control
Excellent article on the emissions impact of cruise ships and the other information contained in the "No more cruising" article (ODT The Weekend Mix 19.5.24).
A couple of years ago a piece in the ODT quoted Kevin Winders of Port Otago saying that "100 cruise ship visits was worth $60 million to the local economy."
It would be very interesting to know where $600,000 per visit is actually spent .
There is a perception that cruise ships are a golden goose, but all the businesses I have talked to that should benefit, don't seem to.
I'm sure many local ratepayers would be interested in the true economic benefit to the city just as we are in the true environmental impact of cruise ships.
Tony Limburg
Opoho
Putting people as well as freight on the rails
Yes, let’s get back our passenger rail service between Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill to serve all those among us unwilling to drive such distances by car and lack the time, money and patience when fog descends and planes are late, to fly.
Yes, it would be nice to spend time with friends and family in other centres without the hassle and patience needed to get there and back.
Like me, there are many no doubt, who remember the railcar service between centres, especially that which left Dunedin Railway Station at 5.30 on a Friday night and arrived in Christchurch in the late evening. It was perfect for the weekend get-away for workers.
By day, there was the Express. I remember as a youngster during the school holidays being more excited about the journey than the destination, and the anticipation of yummy ham sandwiches and iced buns when we stopped at Oamaru or Ashburton Station.
Of course fewer people had cars then, which makes it doubtful that more than one passenger train or railcar would be needed per day – or whatever demand called for.
But certainly if more people chose rail, fewer cars would be on the roads, causing congestion and pollution along the way and always the risk of getting lost , especially on reaching the likes of Christchurch. Surely it makes sense that if there is a rail line for freight, why not for people?
Lois Galer
Dunedin
Bring a leash
The proposed changes to dog bylaws (ODT 23.5.24) are all well and good but to have dogs running loose on Purakaunui Beach and Longbeach is unbelievable, as there can be seals and penguins around, so dogs should be on a lead.
Lyn Miller
Purakaunui
