It may be a joke but they are not laughing
I am absolutely livid about the idea of selling the Dunedin Hospital outpatients building to a private owner, and leasing it back.
We don't want our tax dollars to be siphoned off to a private landlord: we want a properly funded, fit-for-purpose public hospital for the southern region, as promised.
Forget the Waikato medical school, it makes economic sense to invest in the medical schools we already have. The government can prioritise the funding for the hospital, and they won't get re-elected if they fail us.
Philippa Jamieson
Opoho
As an area we deserve a hospital. Why doesn’t the government just build it instead of coming up with reasons not to which cost time and money? Sell then lease, what a joke.
Denise Head
Dunedin
What hospitals do
May I through your columns thank the surgical team of the cardiology department for a job well executed when they replaced the valve of my heart. I was in theatre at 10am and immediately action started. There were no words spoken, everyone knew what they had to do. My body was monitored right through the procedure.
It took no time and I was lying on the table with a surgeon on either side pushing their instruments up my arteries toward my heart, a not very comfortable feeling. The words spoken by the surgeon "the valve is set’’ were a relief. The return manoeuvre was just as well executed and I was back in the ward by lunchtime, none the worse for wear.
We in the South are very fortunate to have people of their ability and expertise looking after our health and we ought to push hard to provide the best facilities for them to work in.
Franz Kammerer
Dunedin
Hum this tune
To the wise folks humming around the Beehive, who have continuously and unashamedly thrown our hard-earned money down several large holes, build the damned hospital. It should be a legacy to all of us.
Dave Inder
South Otago
A long song
I just heard a punk song by Infinite Justice, who recently played at the Crown. The singer yelled lyrics which hurled obscenities at the PM, Christopher Luxon, and the Act New Zealand leader, David Seymour.
This is unacceptable. They should have included: Willis, Bishop, Chhour, Jones, McKee, Peters, Brown, Van Velden, and the rest of the coalition. Yes, it would have been a very long song. But accurate.
Ewan McDougall
Broad Bay
Backward thinking
Surely knocking down anything with a proven record before it's had a chance to get fully back on track is a backward step in anyone's thinking.
Oh, here we go again, I thought when I read the comments from the Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board chairman Andrew Simms (ODT 15.11.24), obviously pipped about the return of Dunedin Railways to the Taieri Gorge. Yes, we have heard his view before that the lines should be ripped up and the corridor opened for cyclists.
So, what if the return of the train has come at a cost? Where would come any revenue from cyclists?
Have ratepayers not spent enough in our city as it is, providing lanes from one end of town to the other exclusively for those on two wheels? When travelling north and south on the one-way system, usually bumper to bumper, with not a cyclist in sight, I can't help ask myself: ‘‘What for?’’
Lois Galer
Dunedin
Ref respected by TV in tight, competitive match
So the All Blacks lost to the better team but what do we hear from the Sky commentary team? Nothing but whinging about the referee and how his decisions impacted on the ABs’ performance. It really does become tiresome when the entire second half was full of disparaging remarks about the referee at every stoppage in play.
Contrast this with another match I watched over the weekend, Ireland v Argentina, where the Irish commentators accepted that not every decision goes the way of your team and were quick to praise the performance of the (Kiwi) referee.
Bob Scott
Cromwell
Where’s Ethan?
I am confused regarding the continued non-selection of Ethan De Groot throughout the All Blacks’ northern tour. He has been regularly recognised as our best loosehead prop until now.
"Disciplinary" action taken early in this tour, for an unclear reason and remains unselected.
The latest rather mumbled Robertson excuse is "all are working hard at training – including Ethan", so selection is based on this and current form. How then does Ethan not even warrant selection off the bench for any tests to date – surely his hard work should be equally recognised ?
If the disciplinary breach so was for one game that would be understandable. But four games?
Tamaiti Williams struggled against Japan and England but was retained with Robertson’s thoughts that he had been "unfortunate" with the officiating in the English test. He received an opportunity to find form not afforded to De Groot. Perhaps the red and black jersey resonates in this case?
Ian McGregor
Wanaka
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