Stadium great but needs more support
I was reading in the ODT about Dunedin's stadium and the upcoming Christchurch stadium (23.1.24).
As a huge supporter of the fantastic Forsyth Barr Stadium and having attended many events there, it is very concerning to see we currently only have Pink scheduled as one major act. Having read this story I can understand why.
Most people know how promoters operate and that this is a hugely competitive industry, often all about money. Recently I have read stories about cities paying big dollars to bring big acts to their city due to the huge money this brings in along with the positive vibe and wellbeing impact on their locals. Coldplay is a great example of this in Perth and Auckland. I read that the DCC has an annual unbelievably low budget of $400K as an annual major events budget. For the record that's less than $3 per person per year for Dunedin's population, or $1.70 per year per person based on Otago's population. This must be a huge frustration for those who negotiate on behalf of the city with the promoters.
I ask the DCC will this pocket money truly attract promoters to bring great entertainers to our great city? I am sure the DCC do not want the stadium to sit empty not generating revenue for our city and businesses after its significant build cost.
Big events have in the past brought great pride to our city (think Ed Sheeran, for example). We hope the Christchurch build does not impact us too much but with soon to be five major concert event locations in New Zealand.
Sheer humbug
John Drummond (ODT 20.1.24) questions Lee Vandervis’ secular approach to the demands of tangata whenua but fails to appreciate that cultural spirituality for some may well be mumbo jumbo for others. From the beginnings of time nations and people have attempted to force their religious spiritualities on others with disastrous outcomes; to force others to acknowledge your cultural and religious beliefs is sheer humbug and has no place in today’s world.
Laufiso applauded
I applaud Cr Laufiso for challenging Cr Vandervis. I thank her for saying what needed to be said. I notice letters to the editor on the subject recently which have attacked her personally because she sticks by her principles. Well I am delighted that she represents me so ably on council.
Strutting its stuff
It is about time, but very good, that Dunedin Railways are, once again, meeting cruise ship passengers straight off the boat, right there on the wharf.
But the rail trip only goes as far as middle-of-nowhere Hindon, only about halfway along the line, and according to the Dunedin Railways website, departing and arriving back in Dunedin at 10am and 1.30pm, a 3-1/2 hour trip. This misses out Middlemarch, and some spectacular engineering and scenery en route.
Cruise ships arrive between 7 and 9, and depart between 5 and 6: that’s an up to 11-hour window. OK, there’s some logistics at either end of the day, but if organisers were up to the mark, could not a train pick up passengers at, say half an hour after arrival, and deliver them back half an hour before departure?
An 8 or 9-hour timeframe, if they rattled their dags, well enough to get to Middlemarch and back, and have half an hour or so there to potter around? For those wishing to stop off in Dunedin, a carriage or two at the end of the train, and a brief stop to uncouple these; and hook up again on the way back. Let the train strut its stuff.
Just how real is reality TV when going off-piste
Please allow me a little space to commiserate with your correspondent Neil Dickson of Kurow (ODT 23.1.24) regarding misuse of the term "reality TV".
A few months ago I read a comprehensive study of this all pervasive phenomenon, conducted overseas with great thoroughness, which had concluded that the majority of such programmes contain not as much as a shred of genuine reality in their makeup; they are either totally contrived or set up in such a way as to feature conflict between competitors.
The saddest cases, it seems, are those programmes which had started out based upon a measure of integrity, but which had gone "off-piste" when the ratings had begun to flag. The latest ploy, it seems, is to pit gaggles of "celebrities’', none of whom you have ever heard of, against each other in situations contrived to bring out either their latent nastiness, or contrived warm fuzzies, in pursuit of perfectly predictable and likely scripted outcomes. Programmes which feature worthwhile reality do not usually proclaim themselves to be such, but allow the viewers to make their own judgements.
Those who are uncritical and gullible enough take the rest of this stuff seriously deserve what they get.
For a dose of "reality", might I strongly suggest Al Jazeera.
It is money
The Houthi have said that their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea would stop if the attacks on Gaza stop. The West's reply has been to attack the Houthi because "trade is interrupted". Aotearoa has a saying that the most valuable thing is people: "He tangata, he tangata, he tangata". Are we to alter this in line with USA and UK — "It is money, it is money, it is money"?
Trees make a contribution to common good
In response to Jim Moffat's observations of urban vegetation and protected significant trees (ODT 19.1.24), I concur with Mr Moffit that [all] trees are significant regarding their amenity value. Significant trees can pose an issue concerning their maintenance, which may be an argument for a private tree owner to try to dispose of it.
Since these trees make such an essential contribution to the common good, the local authority that administers a protected tree should indeed have funds available to assist the tree owner, but only with preservation.
It is an anomaly to make any money available for its removal. The local authority should help with 50% of the maintenance costs for preservation programs on the prerequisite that certified professional arborists execute this work.
Remain unresolved
It is depressing that there appears to be no possible resolution to the latest outbreak of hostility between Israel and Palestinian nationalists.
Seventy-six years ago the state of Israel was formed in part of what was then Palestine. Since then there have been successive conflicts. The most recent is the ongoing war in Gaza — and it is difficult to see a resolution.
Most of the world recognises that the only possibility is a "Two State Solution"; but the Netanayahu government is implacably opposed. It is difficult to anticipate a future Israeli government that will contemplate a Two State Solution.
I am well aware that there are many other conflicts currently active around the world, some involving armed forces, but, however brutal, I don't believe any others remain unresolved after 76 years.
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