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Otago Daily Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
What a drag: annual racing event left in limbo by resealing plans
A popular event at the Oamaru Airport has been postponed by the Waitaki District Council without formal explanation, leaving the organisers "disappointed and confused". Waitaki District Council allows hot rod club Whitestone Rodders to use the airport runway twice a year for the Oamaru Drags, where spectators enjoy V8s, imports and motorbikes taking turns speeding down the airport runway during four rounds of quarter-mile action. Now in its 13th year, it attracted up to 150 competitors and 1500 spectators each year and also kept "boy racers" off the street, Whitestone Rodders president Geoff Omnett said. Mr Omnett said it was "unusual the club had not been given any real justification in the decision to halt the big community event". "It's odd, and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he and the councillors weren't aware of any such decision being made." Mr Omnett said the council had previously advised them that tarmac resealing, organised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), was to be done and for that reason they were not permitted to run the drags this year. Funds from the event — held in March and November — go towards the club, but also help other organisations that assist the club in running the event, including Air Training Corps and Hato Hone St John, he said. The club was also told the CAA required the council to carry out an aeronautical study to inform decisions about the future of the airport and the use of the runways. Club member and race organiser Kevin Boler said last year the previous council property manager Tania Goldingham informed him there would be no more drag racing at the Oamaru Airport for the "foreseeable future", although he believed the "door was still open". Mr Kircher said he was unaware of any discussion between the hot rod club and the council regarding the tarmac. "There was talk around the impact that drag racing has on the runway, but it hasn't been a decision by the governance team to cease that event," Mr Kircher said. The council's plans to reseal the airport tarmac had been "put off" as they considered "cheaper options", including the possibility of using a new SteelGuard surface similar to the recent resurfacing of Alexandra Airport's runway, which came in at $470,000 — about half the cost of earlier estimates. Club committee member Murray Mackenzie said an email from the council property manager last month that asked the club to remove their event signs at the airport and all of their belongings in a storage shed had been upsetting. "We are disappointed — we spent $1500 of the club's money to repair all the rotten weatherboards at the council's request, and then six weeks later they tell us we can't race here any more. We're like 'what's going on?'," Mr Mackenzie said. Mr Omnett said they were aware the airport was busier with New Zealand Airline Academy flights "but their planes don't land on the tarmac, they land on the grass". Mr Kircher said if the impact of the drags on the tarmac was an issue, they could look to other solutions such as "moving the race start area to a different part of the runway". Waitaki District Council director of strategy, performance and design Joanne O'Neill said a meeting was set for August 11 with club members, council property managers and new airport manager Matt Sisson. "We look forward to having a constructive conversation about the future of drag racing in Waitaki, given the increasing use of the Oamaru Airport," she said. Originally organised by the North Otago Car Club in the early 1970s as a single-car timed run down the flattest section of Seven Mile Rd, drag-racing in the area had a long history and had evolved over time, Mr Boler said.
Otago Daily Times
31-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Major rates increase forecast for district
It was a case of more bad news for Waitaki ratepayers this week, with suggestions big rates rises could be coming sooner and more often than first thought, as the district tries to fund a financially sustainable in-house water services unit. There was also bad news for those who might be elected to Waitaki District Council in the October elections. As part of the government's Local Water Done Well reforms, councils throughout New Zealand must submit a Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP) to the Department of Internal Affairs by September 3. The Waitaki District Council last month voted that would be done through an in-house business unit, rejecting three other options including a joint council-controlled organisation (CCO) with the Central Otago, Clutha and Gore district councils. On Tuesday, it held a second weekly workshop to refine a draft plan to be put to Internal Affairs for initial feedback this week. Following the first workshop, councillors heard a rates rise of 25.61% in the 2028 LTP year would be needed to fund the in-house plan (it might also rise to about 30% if depreciation of water assets was included in the WSDP). This week, the council's chief financial officer Amanda Nicholls told the meeting if depreciation was included the 2028 rates rise would need to be 42.55%, with another "significant" increase needed in 2035. However, Mayor Gary Kircher suggested including the depreciation earlier than 2028. Doing so would ease the needed rates rise but bring it forward, Ms Nicholls said. Mr Kircher said he did not think there was a choice. It would mean a 25% rates increase for next year, followed by a 30% hike the following year. He recognised that also meant leaving it to the new council (following the local body elections in October) to redo the long-term plan and try to reduce the rates rise by cutting capital projects. "There's a lot of stuff that council has to do between now and agreeing on that annual plan to cut costs elsewhere," Mr Kircher said. The existing long-term plan was put together under the understanding that the council would adopt a joint CCO water services model, as it had previously said that was its preferred choice of model.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Council pulls out of proposed water CCO
"I was surprised at how one-sided it was," Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher told the ODT after a surprise U-turn by the Waitaki District Council, which has voted to withdraw from a proposed joint water services company with three neighbouring Otago councils, opting instead to manage its water services independently — at least for the next two years. The decision, made at a council meeting in Oamaru yesterday, overturns the council's previous unanimous support for establishing a shared council-controlled organisation (CCO) with the Clutha, Central Otago and Gore District Councils under the "Southern Water Done Well" initiative. Only Mr Kircher and Cr Jim Hopkins, Waitaki's longest-serving councillor, voted in favour of pursuing the joint CCO model. Mr Kircher was shocked by the turn of events. "We've shared a lot of information on the various aspects of it. We were further advanced with the southern group of councils than with the South Canterbury one, and that was really due to just being far more motivated in the South, but councillors have given their reasons for their particular decisions and that's democracy. "Now the focus is on delivering a water services delivery plan to DIA [Department of Internal Affairs] in September and we will see what they do with that." Public consultation across the four councils drew in over 1000 submissions, 57.5% favouring the in-house business unit model, the preferred option in Waitaki (54%) and Clutha, while only 26.7% supported the joint CCO, most popular in Gore and Central Otago. A series of statements from Waitaki councillors at the meeting pointed to the opposition to the Southern Water Done Well concept, making it difficult listening for the mayors of the other councils involved, who sat grim-faced as one councillor after another shot down the idea of a joint CCO. Cr Tim Blackler's summary did not pull any punches. "Southern Water Done Well was the last cab off the rank, no-one wants a ride on it and if we believe the consultation to be some sort of litmus test for community feelings, which I do, then the feedback was clear ... There was a resounding call to keep it local ..." A joint statement from Central Otago District Mayor Tamah Alley, Gore District Mayor Ben Bell and Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan was issued after the meeting. "While acknowledging that councils must make decisions they feel are in the best interests of their communities, we believe a jointly owned council-controlled organisation remains the best option for water services delivery in the future. "The government has been quite clear about its expectations for councils to work together to deliver Local Water Done Well legislation. "Southern Water Done Well meets those expectations and sets a strategic long-term direction for delivering financially sustainable, efficient water services while retaining local control. "When considering next steps, councils will need to be mindful of whether alternative options comply with government regulations and expectations." The Clutha and Central Otago District Councils meet tomorrow to decide their water services delivery model, while the Gore District Council's meeting is on Monday.
Otago Daily Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
No go on Oamaru-Dunedin bus link
Hopes of Oamaru getting a direct bus service to Dunedin have been dashed for now, after the Otago Regional Council last week discarded proposals to establish a link. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher had lobbied strongly for the regional council to provide a bus service to Oamaru during its recent annual plan submissions but said he recognised the challenges of funding it. "There's a lot of calls from other areas wanting to expand their services. For us, obviously, it's about starting a service and it's really difficult if the co-funder, (Waka Kotahi) NZTA, doesn't have the money there. "Fundamentally, that's the issue and it's something that the government has to address because it's causing issues not just with public transport, but with projects everywhere. "It would just be too expensive if ORC paid for the whole thing themselves without the co-funding. It would just be too costly on our ratepayers." Mr Kircher had also submitted to the regional council about providing a connecter service between central Oamaru and the North End. He told the Oamaru Mail that was a service that would need to be funded by ORC, not the district council. "Again, it would come at a cost and public transport doesn't cover its costs, unfortunately. So, there has to be some other money coming from somewhere and with all of the pressure on rates, that'd be a difficult thing for the [district] council to be able to underwrite. It is a regional council responsibility." Mr Kircher said he was meeting with regional council representatives and would be talking about what other opportunities there might be to "make something happen". ORC chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said the council remained committed to connecting Oamaru. "Some regional upgrades will not happen due to co-funding gaps but we're committed to finding ways to improve connectivity options for Ōamaru, Balclutha and Central Otago." "The transport planning team will be investigating the cost and viability of connecting Oamaru to the existing Dunedin services, which currently terminate at Palmerston," she told the Oamaru Mail. "There are a range of ways to do this — through traditional public transport, or community-based transport services. "The investigative work the team will undertake will look at a range of options, including ones based on co-funding and ones not reliant on co-funding. Any decisions on funding additional services will be subject to future decisions through annual plans or long-term plans." Transport Minister Chris Bishop said public transport was funded from both public and private revenue sources, noting government funding for public transport in Otago has increased from $90 million to $125m. "Private share refers to the proportion of funding that comes from private sources, including fares paid by passengers, advertising on buses, bus stops, trains, train stations, as well as other commercial opportunities like renting or leasing commercial space," he said. "The Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 (GPS 2024) sets the expectation that there will be increases in private share revenue to support the growing operational costs for public transport, as well as to reduce the burden on ratepayers and taxpayers. "Under the previous government the private share revenue dropped as low as 10%, meaning far more of the costs had to be covered by taxpayers and ratepayers. "To reach agreement on targets, NZTA asked PTAs (public transport authorities) to show they had considered methods appropriate to each region that did not drive adverse outcomes such as patronage decline. Actions considered include reviews of fare policy, regular fare increases and third-party revenue sources. As a result, targets for the next three years have now been agreed. "NZTA is committed to working with Public Transport Authorities to ensure a reliable and resilient public transport system for everyone. Increasing the private share of public transport expenditure can help contribute to this goal and I expect PTAs to continue working collaboratively with NZTA." ORC rates to increase 5.5% overall With the adoption of the annual plan, ORC rates will increase 5.5% overall in the year ahead. For most in the Waitaki district, it means regional rates will rise 1.72% to $263.93 a year. However, for Waitaki residents in the Palmerston area, the rate rise is more, up 6.18% to $381.33 a year. This is because Palmerston residents have an ORC-funded bus service to Dunedin. However, they will also have to pay increased fares for that bus. From late September, adult fares will rise from $2 to $2.50 (with a Bee card). Children will also have to pay, following another decision ORC councillors made last week, to reintroduce a $1.50 fare for 5 to 18-year-olds.
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Council discards proposal for direct Dunedin to Oamaru bus service
Hopes of Oamaru getting a direct bus service to Dunedin have been dashed for now, after the Otago Regional Council last week discarded proposals to establish a link. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher had lobbied strongly for the regional council to provide a bus service to Oamaru during its recent annual plan submissions but said he recognised the challenges of funding it. "There's a lot of calls from other areas wanting to expand their services. For us, obviously, it's about starting a service and it's really difficult if the co-funder, [NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi] NZTA, doesn't have the money there. "Fundamentally, that's the issue and it's something that the government has to address because it's causing issues not just with public transport, but with projects everywhere. "It would just be too expensive if ORC paid for the whole thing themselves without the co-funding. It would just be too costly on our ratepayers." Mr Kircher had also submitted to the regional council about providing a connecter service between central Oamaru and the North End. He said the service would need to be funded by ORC, not the district council. "Again, it would come at a cost and public transport doesn't cover its costs, unfortunately. So, there has to be some other money coming from somewhere and with all of the pressure on rates, that'd be a difficult thing for the [district] council to be able to underwrite. It is a regional council responsibility." Mr Kircher said he was meeting with regional council representatives and would be talking about what other opportunities there might be to "make something happen". ORC chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said the council remained committed to connecting Oamaru. "Some regional upgrades will not happen due to co-funding gaps, but we're committed to finding ways to improve connectivity options for Ōamaru, Balclutha and Central Otago," she said. Transport Minister Chris Bishop said public transport was funded from both public and private revenue sources, noting government funding for public transport in Otago has increased from $90 million to $125m. "Private share refers to the proportion of funding that comes from private sources, including fares paid by passengers, advertising on buses, bus stops, trains, train stations, as well as other commercial opportunities like renting or leasing commercial space," he said. "The Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 [GPS 2024] sets the expectation that there will be increases in private share revenue to support the growing operational costs for public transport, as well as to reduce the burden on ratepayers and taxpayers. "Under the previous government the private share revenue dropped as low as 10%, meaning far more of the costs had to be covered by taxpayers and ratepayers. "To reach agreement on targets, NZTA asked PTAs [public transport authorities] to show they had considered methods appropriate to each region that did not drive adverse outcomes such as patronage decline."
