Come on, move to a welcoming Port
It is astonishing that at a time when so many people in Dunedin are desperate to get into decent housing that the government should apparently "pause" the building of planned state housing in Port Chalmers (ODT, 10.9.24).
We have so much to offer new tenants in our little township: schools, a swimming pool, playgrounds, good bus service, library, supermarket, cafes, and a health centre all within walking distance. We are a great community.
The skyrocketing cost of rental accommodation is unaffordable for many and now they must linger on longer waiting lists for social housing. My heart goes out to these people.
Lana Oranje
Port Chalmers
Common sense
At last some common sense with speed limits. We have some schools with stated times that limits apply and others where one can get a ticket at 10pm, with neither traffic or pedestrians in the area, for exceeding 30kmh. Yesterday I tailed a police car in North East Valley outside school hours and noted that they, along with most other drivers, drove at a much more sensible 40. Added to this the insanity of compelling all harbourside communities to drive at under 30kmh. This was done with no consultation and no justification.
Jan Parker
Ravensbourne
A degree of realism
There have been numerous comments about the government’s transport policy, mainly criticising it. It seems to me there is another side to the story, and the policy makes a lot of sense.
Few towns or cities in New Zealand are ever likely to have a comprehensive and effective public transport system as is found in many European countries. We have neither the population or funding to support the like.
Then we have the unrealistic musings of those wanting us all to walk or cycle. The reality is that most will walk when it is convenient, and they are fit enough to do so, and a few choose to cycle. But most do not choose to, or are unable to cycle. Added to this is the fact that most cycleways are under used and shared pathways are made unsafe by inconsiderate cyclists.
Cars and trucks are becoming more efficient (electric or hydrogen) but will still need roads (and parking). So, well done government, you are thinking with a degree of realism.
David Tordoff
Dunedin
Standing corrected
May I correct some of the assertions from M.W. Cowan and Tony Vink (Letters ODT 30.8.24 and 10.9.24). The former cannot distinguish between having a common ancestor with other primates, and being descended from one, finding that I do not identify "that missing link". This well-worn term refers to transitional forms between modern humans and a common ancestor with other primates. Instead of one single "missing link" we have a complete chain of fossil evidence derived from more than 6000 individuals spanning the last few million years, giving us detailed information about how humans have evolved. As for possible future evolutionary pathways, at our current rate of habitat destruction I doubt if it will be long enough for much to change.
Tony Vink questioned the validity of radiocarbon dating. We regularly date radiocarbon samples that are later than 1950, for example in forensic cases, faked paintings by old masters and bottles of allegedly old whisky. Radiocarbon dating is irrelevant to the earlier stages of human evolution because its upper limit is only about 54,000 years. However, it is employed for later stages, that include the extinction of our Neanderthal cousins. Natural variations in past radioactive intensity have been identified and accounted for in obtaining radiocarbon determinations.
Charles Higham
Dunedin
Flagging unwanted behaviour by Greens
There is clearly a policy amongst Green Party members or those associated with the Greens, that being provocative on certain issues is acceptable.
ODT columnist, ex-Green Party co-leader Metiria Stanton Turei labels her regular column "Provocatively Reasonable" and so it is with ex-Dunedin mayor Aaron Hawkins, who thought it was acceptable to enter into a busy Dunedin supermarket with a Palestinian flag. Whether it was furled or unfurled may be in dispute, but clearly Mr Hawkins wants to make a story out of his party’s beliefs.
In Parliament we have regularly seen Green Party MPs wearing Palestinian scarves. There is a pattern of behaviour there for all to see.
There are a few issues in this behaviour that should be of concern. It is entirely up to the Greens and supporters to believe in the annihilation of the state of Israel and to further believe in terrorist organisations like Hamas. That is part of democracy.
But it is not OK for these people to attempt to coerce or intimidate people who either have no views or opposing views. Is there a difference between waving the flag of a people on the other side of the world who rely on terrorism or going into a supermarket wearing gang patches or displaying a Nazi flag? Does the Green Party believe that they can achieve anything other than resentment by potentially intimidating people in a Dunedin supermarket?
It is more than time for those that wish to intimidate or force their minority views on those that don’t agree with them that democracy is something to be valued.
Russell Garbutt
Clyde
[Abridged — length. Editor.]
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