Pause for reflection needed on parking
Dr Anna High's concerns about the loss of eight of the nine existing carparks outside the Port Chalmers Library and DCC Service Centre (ODT 11.1.24) are well founded.
The planned removal of all these accessible parks right outside this vital community hub will have a real impact on families with wee kids, senior citizens and those with limited mobility. It is particularly galling that this substantial reduction in accessible parking was approved without any public consultation.
I am happy to walk a block and cross a couple of roads to get out library books, deal with DCC matters or go to a public talk or a meeting at the Rolfe Room, but not everyone can.
For some, removing all those carparks will mean reduced access to library services, council services and a range of important community activities. That's not on.
Dunedin City Council and Port Otago need to take some time to talk to those who will be directly affected by this bad decision.
Duncan Eddy
Purakaunui
[Mr Eddy is a member of the West Harbour Community Board].
Concrete example
With regard to Metiria Turei's opinion piece in the ODT (12.1.24), she states "It is a hui for unity in light of the racism expressed during the election campaign" and asks "Will his prime minister-ship be dogged by Brash-like disharmony and racism?"
For Metiria to have any credibility with these utterings she needs to give examples of the alleged racism.
And this would have to be actual racism, not just criticism of Māori which has bruised a fragile mind.
Gordon Hayes
Gore
Destroying completely
Your correspondent James Irwin (ODT 30.12.23) may be surprised to learn that the most recent Hamas charter (2017) reportedly contains no statement about the organisation wanting to "destroy (Israel) completely".
This allegation is a good example of hasbara — the political propaganda employed by Israeli governments to justify their obsessive, decades-long cruelty towards the Palestinian people, whose land Israelis have occupied since 1948.
Of course, the Palestinian resistance could never "destroy" Israel, whereas the so-called Israeli Defence Forces have been systematically destroying Gaza and thousands of its inhabitants every night and day for the last three months. Such is irony.
Fortunately, the government of South Africa has had the moral and political rectitude to invoke the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice. Its 84-page Application Instituting Proceedings makes for grim and shocking reading. .
N Yates
Mihiwaka
Rodeo ban backed
Having read Passing notes by Civis (ODT 6.124) on "animal suffering", I must admit I do not follow some items published in the ODT, but in this matter I am fully supportive of the subject.
For some considerable time I have been very vocal in voicing my disgust at what is happening to these animals, especially recognising that there is so much that must be occurring that does not reach the public attention.
The conclusion of official banning [of rodeos] is correct, and I earnestly request that the legal authorities take the appropriate course of action in future.
John Simon
Dunedin
Too silly for even Simeon Brown to consider
Tony Vink says (ODT 11.1.24) "bicyclists should pay road user charges and cycleway tolls, bike parking must be user pays, with bicycle licensing and testing, including rider proficiency requirements."
There is nowhere I can find that charges separate road user fees or cycleway tolls for urban commuter cyclists. The same goes for bicycle licensing or registration, which has been tried in a few places but abandoned as administration costs outweigh any benefits.
Only Japan has nationwide registration scheme for bikes, but this is related to returning stolen bikes. User pays for bike parking does in fact apply in some locations in Japan, usually near busy train stations because of the huge number of cyclists.
While cyclist numbers in Dunedin are increasing as cycling infrastructure has improved and more people are beginning to appreciate the freedom and convenience that cycling offers, I expect that user pays bike parking is some way off yet.
While suggestions like those made by Mr Vink often arise in social media, Transport Minister Simeon Brown himself has not made them, because even he will know how silly and unworkable they are.
Duncan Davidson
Dunedin
Fireworks and fools
I can see only two courses of action available. 1: Ban human stupidity, or 2: Ban all private sales of fireworks. I don't see Option 1 working.
Pete Jenkins
Galloway
Full confession
Thank you ODT for the recent series of articles entitled "Confessions of . . ." It is so refreshing to read about people in their chosen professions/fields who are so valuable to society.
Elizabeth Herrick
Alexandra
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
