Letters to Editor: Taieri electorate, growth, homelessness
When she fires shots Taieri MP Ingrid Leary should first check the background for potential damage.
She labels "bizarre" the proposal to equitably relocate community mental staff (ODT 14.7.25) and unfortunately blows a hole in a big chunk of her electorate. Perhaps a shot in the foot? Advocating for continued disadvantage in Balclutha and surrounds, a significant part of her electorate, is not wise talk for the local MP.
Clutha District has about seven community mental health staff HNZ currently. An equity distribution would make that 25 staff. For Clutha's population there should be 18 extra staff, Clutha's share of the available staff who are currently funded, but now in the wrong place.
What Waitaki MP Miles Anderson proposes on her behalf is to the advantage of Clutha District. Why would Ms Leary seek to block 18 extra mental health staff in such an important chunk of her electorate?
Ms Leary needs to appreciate that achieving equity takes more than fiery words. Sometimes it's simple sums.
In Dunedin each staff member in this work group services a mere 443 people and in her Clutha District each staff member has to look after 2664 people. An outrageous maldistribution. (also in Waitaki it's one staff member for every 3000 people and in Central Otago Queenstown Lakes it's one staff to 2884 versus just one staff person to 443 in Dunedin).
Such numbers are the realities, using the 2022 census, and numbers which Health New Zealand recently declined to update.
The numbers will have moved a bit, but remain outrageous, and possibly are worse.
I am happy to update Ingrid Leary further, noting I am in Central Otago, not "Queenstown-Centric". It's important that we do not pit towns in Otago against each other.
Kerry Hand
Bannockburn
[Kerry Hand is a southern mental health services professional who operated the Miramare agency. Editor.] Clumsy but creditable
Mayor Radich's Gaza letter is a somewhat clumsy attempt to express impartiality and avoid conflict, and as such is to be lauded.
Seven councillors forced him into an impossible situation. International controversy is not the business of local governance and time/money spent in review or criticism of such topics is not part of the legitimate or moral concern in civic representation. This so-called "conscience" can be seen as antisemitism, Zionism, pacifism, humanism, xenophobia, bigotry, hypocrisy, fanaticism, ignorance or support for terrorism. Proximity to local elections suggests it is more likely to be lobbying or electioneering.
International affairs are not within the closely circumscribed boundaries of the issues that are presented to city councillors. Viewpoints of intense debates on parochial topics should be unequivocally private, individual,- and not within the scope of civic business .
Where there are strong feelings an approach to the PM, the Minister of Foreign Affairs or perhaps a local MP is much more likely to carry weight, provide relief and prevent neighbourly offence to those who do not support the same point of view.
V. H. Markham
Dunedin Community housing
Until I read today's column by Councillor Marie Laufiso (Opinion ODT 10.7.25) I was not aware that Dunedin City Council had paused the building of new community housing in its nine-year plan. I would like to know where prospective mayoral and council candidates stand on this issue and if they feel the building of community housing should continue?
G. Nicol
Mosgiel Going for growth may not equal glittering gold
Growth, Prime Minister Luxon is adamant, will replenish the government's coffers and ensure economic growth, with a special nod to 60 million tourists from China actively ready to visit.
They will be planning to visit Queenstown, which has had around 150,000 visitors already this year.
It was reported in the ODT that 400 Olympic-size swimming pools of waste water had been dispatched into Lake Wakatipu (down the Kawarau River and into Lake Dunstan) already this year. How many more Olympic-size swimming pools of crap will end up in Lake Dunstan with these tourists from China, plus other tourists from Australia and everywhere else, clogging up our infrastructure?
Will the infrastructure cope with water for showers, toilet flushes etc or will tourists have to bathe in Lake Wakatipu and toilet in the bush? Will ratepayers be expected to pay the necessary extra infrastructure costs for tourists ?
Tourists may bring dollars but what else will they bring that may clog up our hospitals and roads?
Kathleen Moore
Alexandra Understanding, not judgement
In response to Paul Goldsmith's remarks about homelessness being a lifestyle choice, I want to share my personal experiences with a homeless friend named Ian, whom I met while studying and living in Auckland.
Ian has spent much of his adult life living in tents in Auckland's Domain. Ian said that he did not like living within four walls and preferred the freedom of street living.
Besides receiving a benefit, Ian has survived by scavenging through bins for food, food parcels and the occasional odd jobs. He makes it a point to avoid begging, regarding it as shameful.
While he may regard this lifestyle as freedom, it has risks such as being exposed to the elements and criminals.
Personally, I feel saddened that someone so friendly and resourceful has chosen to live outside of society. Ian has dyslexia and is deaf in one ear. These disabilities made it hard for him to succeed in school.
His lack of formal education and difficult family circumstances were what drove him as a young man to live on the streets. He travelled through the country before settling down in Auckland.
Mr Goldsmith was half-right when he said homelessness was a choice. While some may indeed see homelessness as a choice, this is because their world has been limited .
Their choices are limited by a mixture of adverse circumstances and decisions. More understanding and less judgement is needed.
Andrew Lim
Shiel Hill
[Abridged — length. Editor.] Kitty petting
Lee Vandervis gets his re-election photo opportunity fondling grass on page 1, no less (ODT 12.7.25). What's next, incumbent councillors lining up to improve their chances by kissing babies and stroking kittens on camera?
I dearly hope that Dunedin ratepayers are not so easily beguiled and, that in the coming elections, we all line up to vote for an end to profligacy and a focus on the absolute necessities.
Pat Duffy
Opoho
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