Buildings are fine but people more important
The article about the closure of the Arrowtown Medical Centre (ODT 22.3.25) recalls the only occasion when I agreed with the then health minister (in the 1990s) Simon Upton, who commented that it wasn't the bricks and mortar that were important but the services they contained.
Centralisation of health services has long been justified on the grounds of inadequate buildings and costs despite a 1980s Canterbury Area Health Board study of their rural facilities which revealed that it was over 60% cheaper to provide health services from local bases than by centralising them. But still centralisation is the name of the political/bureaucratic game.
The comment by the QMC chief executive that people should have an "exceptional patient experience", presumably in the Frankton centre, will not impress those who simply want to be able to see a doctor in their own community.
Dunedin hospital woes
This major project that stands to benefit practically the entire lower South Island has been dragging on long enough. We have had a gutsful from this government, with its empty promises and backtracking and all the while incurring cost after cost after more cost. Much longer and we'll be lucky to be able to afford a tin shed.
It has been six months since the masses marched up George St protesting the unfairness of the situation and where has it got us? Nowhere.
Maybe a large banner-waving delegation to Parliament would wake up the decision makers and let them know that there exists a number of voters down here, that their government's performance is being closely monitored and that their chances of remaining in their hot little seats eagerly planning a second bridge over the Waitemata could be limited.
Forget the nice-to-haves. We are desperately in need of a hospital to serve our people in the lower South Island: people in need of urgent surgery, accident victims, sick people, children with needs. What could possibly be more important in democratic country than that?
Everyone’s a winner
Interesting that Barry Salter (Letters ODT 20.3.25) assumes I’m a Trump supporter. I was merely stating that he has the full mandate to preside over the US, including the Senate. Trump is only the second Republican in the last 30 years to win the popular vote — his tally of 31 states with 312 electoral votes is the most impressive of any Republican candidate since Bush Senior in 1988. He also made historic gains among certain demographics last year. He won the highest share of black voters (16%) of any recent Republican candidate which I would consider a landslide — perhaps not the right word but that is merely semantics.
Mr Salter states a variety of percentages but the one with the highest is still the winner — be it good or bad. I was merely commenting that those who live in a country generally have opinions that may differ from those that don’t live there and they can be at extreme opposites so who are we to comment with such confidence as to how much we think we know and how one’s country should be run.
The Crusher
Nicola Willis should be the new owner of the title "Crusher”. Crush people on wages — make sure they are paid less.
Every dog having its day is not for everyone
Oh great, dogs on buses. Not everyone likes having dogs around or can tolerate them. There are actually some members of the community who are very nervous around dogs — even the small little pooches.
My adult son is on the autism spectrum and has a visual impairment. He will never drive so relies on buses but also likes to keep fit walking. Despite interventions he remains scared of dogs.
As far as he is concerned the places he can feel safe in the community are becoming fewer and fewer due to a general obsession with our need to have fur babies in town, shops, off leash in parks and now buses. I would hope our drive to include pet dogs is not at the exclusion of members of our community afraid of dogs.
Parking questioned
The couple that parked their car on an angle between the white lines at Woolworths central car park (ODT 12.3.25) had made it harder for the owners of the white car next to theirs from getting into their car due to how close both cars were, so no, it was not OK.
Show delivered
Perhaps Marian Poole (review of Fringe show Overqualified, ODT 21.3.25) did not notice a member of the audience drawing a topic out of the suggestion box near the start of the performance.
As it was my suggestion that was selected, I can confirm that Joelle Peters and Hana Cadzow did finish with a five-minute lecture.
They delivered what they promised — a funny and personal reflection on both adulting and teaching.
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