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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to Editor: inquiry, 1080, airport
Today's letters to the Editor include discussion about the inquiry into the government response to the Covid-19 pandemic, 1080 drops by DOC, and an airport in Central Otago. It is reported that former ministers have refused to attend a Royal Commission of Inquiry hearing. (ODT 14.8.25) That is probably well advised, as we have seen the venom expressed by a few members of our society who sometimes have anonymously created a web of hatred and misleading theory over the actions of the Labour government trying to protect us from the effects of this new and unknown pandemic. Yes there were mistakes made, and some suffered the emotional loss of not being with their dearest as they died. Some found the mandates offensive, and some were concerned about loss of personal freedom. The hearing will give some more insight into the causes and effects of a worldwide pandemic such as this. The steps taken were, I believe, in good faith and given that this pandemic was a new and unknown viral variation, the government under advice, took the only steps it could. It is worthwhile reading the article "Analysing past pandemics to inform future responses" (ODT 13.8.25). This outlined just how quickly the Spanish Flu of 1918 spread; and remember, no commercial airlines. It was estimated that worldwide 50 million people died. New Zealand lost 9000 in six weeks. That is equivalent to 40,000 today. Preparedness and survival during the next pandemic will depend on readiness and mandates such as vaccines and movement control, so we should be grateful for the work that our epidemiologists are doing. You may be alive and angry, but please consider those who survived because of strong mitigation by our leaders who tried to do the right thing. David Blair Port Chalmers [Abridged — length. Editor.] Take care I have observed that for some time there has been a crashed car down the bank on one of the corners of Three Mile Hill. There is a temporary speed limit of 30kmh on a section of the corners which has now become semi-permanent, with the recommended speed signs being replaced by circular 30 signs. The question arises as to why the crashed car has not been removed? On the subject of the temporary speed restriction, I have endeavoured to reduce my normal speed and stick to the limit. This has inevitably caused some impatient motorists to tailgate and on one occasion, the person passed me on a blind corner with another car coming the other way. My message is to drive with care over Three Mile Hill, especially in winter. John Batt Wakari Surcharge woes This government is not spending wisely, as they claim. Telling thousands of retailers that they are not allowed to add a surcharge for credit and contactless etc payments will result in employing lots of people to administer/prosecute those that don't comply which is wasteful. By telling banks that they can't charge retailers extra for that service when there are very few of them to check up on is much better. Banks make huge profits: they can carry that extra cost. Retailers that are struggling won't have to increase their costs to cover what the banks are charging for that service, thus not increasing the pressure on the cost of living. What is the government afraid of? Robert Morey Dunedin Centenary North Otago Rural Women New Zealand will be celebrating the centenary of the founding of the organisation with a luncheon at the Brydone Hotel on August 29. Guest speaker will be ODT business and rural editor Sally Rae. Registration of interest from current and former members: Judy Kingan jaydeekgn@ The reason why use of 'super toxin' opposed RE the ODT article "Doc claims predators bigger threat than 1080" (9.8.25). Having monitored several 1080 poison drops, one in particular defies all the robust science I have read and what I have witnessed. In 2002 Ecological Networks carried out, at the request of Doc, a study on the effects of 1080 poison on tomtits in the Waianakarua Scenic Reserve. Three days after the drop I and a few others had a casual walk through the poisoned area and picked up 16 dead tomtits along with dead brown creeper, a grey warbler and blackbirds. More decomposed bird carcasses were found in later months. The only dead predators found were half a dozen possums: no rats, cats, mice, ferrets, stoats, hedgehogs or weasels but plenty of dead deer and birds. All tomtits were offered to the Doc for autopsy: they declined saying 'we only have funding for one autopsy a year'. Sometime later I was invited along with other interested parties to a Maf biosecurity meeting in Christchurch to discuss a pest management strategy in Christchurch at which Doc didn't turn up. I took to the meeting a map of all the grid-referenced dead birds found in the Waianakarua Scenic Reserve to show a senior Landcare scientist in attendance and asked him to extrapolate the total bird deaths in the 4000ha reserve. He said he had heard of that operation; he came up with a figure that astounded me — 10,000. Is it any wonder I and many others continually oppose the use of this poison known as a super toxin? Lewis Hore Oamaru Plot loss It seems Dunedin City Council has more interest in creating playgrounds in George St than in creating essential parking or drop-off areas for hospital staff. Have we not lost the plot here? Graham Kitchin Oamaru Common sense hoped for in airport debate There has been quite a lot of plotting to build a new international airport somewhere in Central Otago. Christchurch City Holdings seem hell-bent on a new airport at Tarras. But when you land there you would require a bus to Queenstown which would take 90 minutes or more. Not acceptable. It is my contention that these plans are seriously flawed. Firstly the government, I'm sure, would possibly like fewer airports in the South Island not more. I doubt if it would support this pie-in-the-sky plan. Secondly it would seem to me to be far more practical to expand the Dunedin airport, particularly internationally, and then arrange domestic flights to Wanaka, Queenstown or anywhere. If you fly into San Francisco and want to go inland this is achieved with a domestic service rather than building a new international airport inland. I hope common sense prevails. Andrew Burton Lowburn Letters changes The Otago Daily Times welcomes letters. They are a vital part of the newspaper, and an important forum for readers to express their views. To make it easier for us to receive your letters we have created a new email address — letters@ — for you to write to us at. The old system, whereby letters were sent to an "editor" address, meant that letters were being missed due to the sheer volume of emails received. Letters will receive an automatic reply to say that the ODT has received your submission and that it is under consideration. Letters longer than 250 words may require abridgement; in some cases they will be rejected because they are too long. Our letters rules are at the bottom of the page. Rest assured, all letters sent to the ODT are read. However, we will seldom enter into discussion about selection or editing. We look forward to receiving your letters at letters@ — Editor
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to the Editor: new hospital, special place, a good moan
Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including hospital cuts, a special place to sit and having a good moan. Cold feet and wanting to be half pregnant I read with dismay that the proposed new Dunedin hospital is to have yet more cuts in the number of beds. The decision was made way back that a new hospital would be built, rather than refurbishing the existing one. To me, the existing hospital does not appear to be that old, but it has been stated that there are flaws with the design and construction, that could not be overcome. Since the decision to build the new hospital, it appears that the powers that be have got cold feet about the costs and have used every opportunity to delay and cut back, cumulating in the latest press release. As I see it, the new hospital should have been an opportunity to build a modern teaching hospital to enhance the Otago Medical School. We have had six years of Labour government, followed by a year and a-half of National government, yet we have not had a single sticking plaster delivered. In the meantime, we still need to pay for the upkeep of the existing hospital. Does the government need to stop dithering and get away from the concept of wanting to be ''half pregnant''? John Batt Wakari Not a cent more In the last five years Central Otago District Council has reported an annual surplus between $8.7 million (2024) and $28m (2022). Its net external debt as a percentage of total assets is a minuscule 2%. Debt as a percentage of revenue is a measly 29% when there is capacity for 175%. Yet the CODC's long-term plan (LTP) identifies an average 13% rates rise across the district next financial year. Why? Yes, there needs to be some spending on water infrastructure but neither the details nor the cost of this is identified in the LTP. There is also a real possibility that the cost of water services will be removed from the CODC balance sheet within two years as the new council-controlled organisation for water is established, probably in conjunction with Clutha, Gore and Waitaki councils. Other hints in the LTP suggest the CODC wants today's ratepayers to pay for tomorrow's activities. For example the council proposes to fund a $200,000 grant for a new artificial turf at Maniototo Area School through a one-off charge to all ratepayers of $13.48. If the money is borrowed it will cost each ratepayer $1.35 a year for 10 years - tomorrow's ratepayers paying for tomorrow's fun. The CODC's reluctance to borrow and spread the infrastructure cost across future generations is unfair to today's ratepayers. The council financial statements suggest rates increases should be at the rate of inflation, and not a cent more. Peter Williams Cromwell Bumps and speed In the article 'Boy racers' spark fear of accident (ODT 17.5.25) the complainant suggests that only council speed bumps will cause the culprits to slow down, even though new anti-street racing legislation is looming. Adding speed bumps, to deter a few individuals, is unreasonable, it negatively affects all traffic and moves the problem elsewhere. The police are well equipped, and empowered, to deal to street racers. It is frustrating that permanent speed bumps are used to control a ''driver'' issue, penalising every road user. Uncomfortable at all times, they remove the joy of driving, they frustrate many drivers at redundant times, as do falsely set school speed limit displays. Dunedin is inundated with speed bumps - Shore St has three, Tahuna Rd has four and Clyde St has five. Tony Vink Andersons Bay Touching, beautiful tribute to memorial seats Opening the Otago Daily Times ''A special place to rest, and one full of memories'' by Don Ramsay (Opinion 20.5.25) brought happy tears to my eyes. It was a truly heartwarming read. Bayfield Inlet holds a very special place in our family's hearts. We have always appreciated the value of having seating along the walkway. As Don highlighted, people walk there for so many reasons - whether for physical rehabilitation, walking their dogs, taking the family for a stroll, or simply watching the wildlife on the water on one side and the sports being played on the other. My mother was an animal lover, especially dogs. She found the walkway easily accessible and deeply enjoyable. Living with MS and other physical limitations, she loved nothing more than being able to walk her dogs along a flat, peaceful path, and having a place to sit and rest along the way made all the difference to her. Before 2015, there were already a couple of memorial seats along the first part of the path, which she would often stop at. So, when Mum passed away, it felt only right to install another seat, further down the path, closer to Marne St, in memory of my mother, Da'Vella Young, and her beloved dogs. What made reading this article all the more special for me was the timing. The very day the article was published was also the day I welcomed a new puppy into our family. It felt like a small but meaningful sign from above - a gentle nudge from Mum, acknowledging and blessing our new fur baby. The synchronicity brought me comfort, joy, and a profound sense of connection. I know Mum would be thrilled to know that others are enjoying the memorial seats just as much as she once did. Each one is special, with its own unique story to tell. Liz Young Dunedin A good moan about people having a moan Maybe it's just a symptom of ageing, but it does seem when one watches the news or reads the ODT in recent times, that every man and his dog is complaining about something. Students are complaining about their flats; Maori are complaining the Budget ''lacked Maori-targeted funding''; prisoners bemoaning they cannot vote, and office workers feel undervalued - 61% according to the ODT (a 20% pay increase would miraculously cure this, it is alleged). Also, the new hospital is less than what was previously planned in some respects. No counter to this avalanche of complaints is ever examined: the media just report what information they are given. Some questions. like ''why not move if you don't like your flat'' or ''change your office job?'' are never asked. OK, prisoners cannot move, but someone could suggest they stop offending and regain their right to vote, and then perhaps give a thought to the rights of their victims? Dunedin is lucky to be getting a new hospital at a cost of several billions. Sinking billions into bricks and mortar is of far less importance than gaining and training the very best clinicians. How many people in Otago have suffered not because of the state of the premises but the lack of trained staff? K. J. Lawson Oamaru Democratic principles Metiria Stanton Turei (Opinion ODT 16.5.25) bemoans the undermining of democratic principles by the coalition government. This is from a woman who wants Maori unelected representation in all facets of local government, a separate Maori health system, Maori control of waterways, and supports an unelected tribunal who see themselves as an upper house of the New Zealand Parliament. It is laughable that Metiria Stanton Turei shows support for democracy, as she has shown in all her opinion pieces that she has no idea what it means. Dave Tackney Fairfield
