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Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Pies, advice, chances for all
This year's student builders talk futures with the Mayor and tutors at the Big River Jobbortunities pie-shout, recently. PHOTO: SUPPLIED The annual morning smoko pie-shout at the Big River Homes Jobbortunities building site was a bright and inspiring gathering recently, bringing together future tradies and key community figures. Site owner Mark Van Asperen hosted Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan along with Eden Wilson and Keelyn Higgins from the Jobbortunities Organisation, for a catch-up with student builders working on the latest project. For this year's first build the team is constructing a Māori whare-inspired building for South Otago High School, offering the student builders a hands-on experience rich in culture as well as craft. With winter arriving, the build is progressing well, with the final framework nearly ready for roofing. Each Friday during term time, students aged 16-18, some travelling all the way from Dunedin, join the site to gain real-world construction skills. Their involvement is much bigger than a school project; it is a gateway to future careers. Last year, several students secured apprenticeships, including one who is now working at Big River Homes.
Otago Daily Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Frustration vented at ‘southern water' meeting
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan. Photo: Richard Davison Residents and officials alike voiced their frustration with the "untenable" financial pressures expected to arise from the government's Local Water Done Well programme, at a public meeting in Balclutha last night. The Clutha District Council is holding three meetings across the district this week as part of public consultation on the National government's replacement for Three Waters. The meetings - in Milton on Monday, Balclutha yesterday and tonight in Tapanui - are taking place against the backdrop of Clutha's proposal to join Central Otago, Gore and Waitaki in a new "Southern Water Done Well" group. Consultation documents show the four councils collectively accruing $598 million of water infrastructure debt by 2034, as they spend $760 million on providing improved water services in line with more stringent government regulations. Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said the proposal to join forces with neighbouring councils was the "least bad" solution, that could lead to modest efficiencies and savings for ratepayers. "Going alone consigns communities to further financial hardship. The almost decade-long chops and changes to these reforms have only weakened councils and cost ratepayers. It's imperative that this matter is brought to a head," he said. Audience members questioned both whether the level of anticipated debt was necessary or possibly underestimated. Mr Cadogan said the projected debt had been reduced recently, due to government changes to wastewater requirements, but remained necessary as it spread the rates burden for residents. Some expressed doubt whether joining forces with other councils would in fact reduce rates, citing the Auckland "supercity" amalgamation, which they said had failed to do so. Council staff said the proposal was expected to lead to reductions in bureaucracy, and existing debt would be ring-fenced within any new entity. These measures should lead to cost savings, and no unanticipated debt increase. The group's preferred option is to form a jointly-owned council controlled organisation (CCO). Other options include a stand-alone CCO, or an in-house business unit. Mr Cadogan warned these options could consign Clutha to insolvency during the next decade, due to mounting infrastructure debt. Submissions close on June 6, followed by hearings in Balclutha on June 18. The government will assess the council's resulting Water Services Delivery Plan and provide feedback from December. If approved, a jointly-owned CCO would begin operation in July, 2027. A final public meeting takes place at the West Otago Community Centre, Tapanui, at 6.30pm today.
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Views heard at ‘southern water' meeting
Bryan Cadogan. Photo: Richard Davison Residents and officials alike voiced their frustration with the "untenable" financial pressures expected to arise from the government's Local Water Done Well programme, at a public meeting in Balclutha last night. The Clutha District Council is holding three meetings across the district this week as part of public consultation on the National government's replacement for Three Waters. The meetings — in Milton on Monday, Balclutha yesterday and tonight in Tapanui — are taking place against the backdrop of Clutha's proposal to join Central Otago, Gore and Waitaki in a new "Southern Water Done Well" group. Consultation documents show the four councils collectively accruing $598 million of water infrastructure debt by 2034, as they spend $760 million on providing improved water services in line with more stringent government regulations. Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said the proposal to join forces with neighbouring councils was the "least bad" solution, that could lead to modest efficiencies and savings for ratepayers. "Going alone consigns communities to further financial hardship. The almost decade-long chops and changes to these reforms have only weakened councils and cost ratepayers. It's imperative that this matter is brought to a head," he said. Audience members questioned both whether the level of anticipated debt was necessary or possibly underestimated. Mr Cadogan said the projected debt had been reduced recently, due to government changes to wastewater requirements, but remained necessary as it spread the rates burden for residents. Some expressed doubt whether joining forces with other councils would in fact reduce rates, citing the Auckland "supercity" amalgamation, which they said had failed to do so. Council staff said the proposal was expected to lead to reductions in bureaucracy, and existing debt would be ring-fenced within any new entity. These measures should lead to cost savings, and no unanticipated debt increase. The group's preferred option is to form a jointly-owned council controlled organisation (CCO). Other options include a stand-alone CCO, or an in-house business unit. Mr Cadogan warned these options could consign Clutha to insolvency during the next decade, due to mounting infrastructure debt. Submissions close on June 6, followed by hearings in Balclutha on June 18. The government will assess the council's resulting Water Services Delivery Plan and provide feedback from December. If approved, a jointly-owned CCO would begin operation in July, 2027. A final public meeting takes place at the West Otago Community Centre, Tapanui, at 6.30pm today.
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Competing Otago Port proposals 'frustrating', says Associate Regional Development Minister
The Associate Regional Development Minister says local leaders should have created a coordinated regional plan. Photo: 123RF Clutha's mayor says newly announced funding for an inland port proposal came out of the blue, despite his efforts to be transparent about a similar project just down the road. Calder Stewart debuted plans to develop a privately-funded inland port in Milburn just days before the government announced a multi-million dollar loan to develop a rail connection between Port Chalmers and a proposed Southern Link Logistics Park in Mosgiel last week. The Associate Regional Development Minister said local leaders should have created a coordinated regional plan instead of having two nearby competing inland port proposals - Mosgiel and Milburn are less than 50 kilometres away from each other. Dunedin mayor Jules Radich said he had repeatedly discussed the Mosgiel plan when Clutha's mayor was present. But Clutha district mayor Bryan Cadogan said he was caught off guard by Friday's Port Otago funding announcement, which was frustrating as his district had been upfront and transparent about the Milburn proposal. Photo: Supplied by Calder Stewart The Calder Stewart proposal was the district's "once in a lifetime project" and had been in the pipeline for at least a decade. Local leaders including Dunedin's mayor had discussed the project last year, he said. The Regional Development Minister hadn't been briefed about the Milburn proposal which could have impacted the government's funding decision as it didn't have the whole picture for the region, he said. Cadogan didn't have any issue with the Port Otago project and didn't believe Calder Stewart intended to seek government funding, instead he was concerned that those local leaders didn't disclose a competing proposal despite his efforts to keep them informed. He wanted the South to start working in unison. "If there is a conflict like this, just be transparent. If I put my cards on the table, could you put cards on the table the same way," Cadogan said Dunedin mayor Jules Radich agreed that it was important for regions to work together, but said he had talked about the Port Otago-Mosgiel plan repeatedly in the Clutha mayor's presence including at the Otago mayoral forum in Queenstown last year. "I asked for government support of a heavy traffic bypass for Mosgiel to complement the project," Radich said. "I also think the Mosgiel logistics hub would be a great asset to the meatworks in Balclutha and Ōamaru." The up to $8.2 million loan for the Port Otago rail connection was earmarked from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, which is run by the government's Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, Kānoa. Associate Regional Development Minister and local List MP Mark Patterson said only one project was formally proposed to the government in the end. It was frustrating there were two competing proposals when they could have worked together to create a cohesive proposal, he said. He described collaboration in the regions as "absolutely critical", and said the government was expecting that regions would coalesce around an agreed set of projects and priorities. The Port Otago option also had backing from Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms and KiwiRail so they were confident in their processes and in making the investment, he said. He believed they could be complementary projects, and said last week's funding announcement wouldn't prevent Calder Stewart from making a funding application in the future if it chose to. The Regional Development Minister has been contacted for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Competing Otago Port proposals 'frustrating', Minister says
The Associate Regional Development Minister says local leaders should have created a coordinated regional plan. Photo: 123RF Clutha's mayor says newly announced funding for an inland port proposal came out of the blue, despite his efforts to be transparent about a similar project just down the road. Calder Stewart debuted plans to develop a privately-funded inland port in Milburn just days before the government announced a multi-million dollar loan to develop a rail connection between Port Chalmers and a proposed Southern Link Logistics Park in Mosgiel last week. The Associate Regional Development Minister said local leaders should have created a coordinated regional plan instead of having two nearby competing inland port proposals - Mosgiel and Milburn are less than 50 kilometres away from each other. Dunedin mayor Jules Radich said he had repeatedly discussed the Mosgiel plan when Clutha's mayor was present. But Clutha district mayor Bryan Cadogan said he was caught off guard by Friday's Port Otago funding announcement, which was frustrating as his district had been upfront and transparent about the Milburn proposal. Photo: Supplied by Calder Stewart The Calder Stewart proposal was the district's "once in a lifetime project" and had been in the pipeline for at least a decade. Local leaders including Dunedin's mayor had discussed the project last year, he said. The Regional Development Minister hadn't been briefed about the Milburn proposal which could have impacted the government's funding decision as it didn't have the whole picture for the region, he said. Cadogan didn't have any issue with the Port Otago project and didn't believe Calder Stewart intended to seek government funding, instead he was concerned that those local leaders didn't disclose a competing proposal despite his efforts to keep them informed. He wanted the South to start working in unison. "If there is a conflict like this, just be transparent. If I put my cards on the table, could you put cards on the table the same way," Cadogan said Dunedin mayor Jules Radich agreed that it was important for regions to work together, but said he had talked about the Port Otago-Mosgiel plan repeatedly in the Clutha mayor's presence including at the Otago mayoral forum in Queenstown last year. "I asked for government support of a heavy traffic bypass for Mosgiel to complement the project," Radich said. "I also think the Mosgiel logistics hub would be a great asset to the meatworks in Balclutha and Ōamaru." The up to $8.2 million loan for the Port Otago rail connection was earmarked from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, which is run by the government's Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, Kānoa. Associate Regional Development Minister and local List MP Mark Patterson said only one project was formally proposed to the government in the end. It was frustrating there were two competing proposals when they could have worked together to create a cohesive proposal, he said. He described collaboration in the regions as "absolutely critical", and said the government was expecting that regions would coalesce around an agreed set of projects and priorities. The Port Otago option also had backing from Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms and KiwiRail so they were confident in their processes and in making the investment, he said. He believed they could be complementary projects, and said last week's funding announcement wouldn't prevent Calder Stewart from making a funding application in the future if it chose to. The Regional Development Minister has been contacted for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
