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Otago Daily Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to the Editor: parties on right, bulldog art, rugby
Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including parties on the right, opposition to bulldog art and rugby spoiled. Right hand and what the right hand is doing The old cliche that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand's doing, to describe incompetent management, needs a tweak with this coalition government. The right hand doesn't know what the other right hand is doing, or maybe the other. On the National hand we have Minister for Tourism, Louise Upston, touting growth targets of 5 million international visitors a year by 2034, with a majority of those visiting the Queenstown-Lakes District. On the NZ First hand we have Minister for Regional Economic Development, Shane Jones, touting growth targets that involve cratering the landscapes that those visitors come to see and actively enjoy. There is absolutely no sense that this government knows anything about cause and effect, conflicting values, limits to growth, and environmental risk assessment for the future of New Zealanders. Ms Upston and Mr Jones have 10 children between them and several mokopuna. Their future and those of mine depend, not on the bottom line of Australian mining companies or traffic-jamming and sewage drowning in Queenstown, but on caring for our priceless environment whose only bottom line is preservation. Philip Temple Dunedin Thanks, but You were gracious enough to publish my letter regarding this mining venture (18.7.25), where I rebutted two opinions I considered emotive and poorly considered. However, I object to your heading ''Mining is great'' which suggests I am an advocate for this activity at any cost. Mining is never great for any environment. My letter was an attempt to put another view in front of people who do not look at both sides of an argument before committing themselves to a cause. Gavin Dann Alexandra Responsible behaviour Comments by Damian Spring, Santana CEO (ODT 15.7.25), are telling. Mr Spring confirms that they have run an industrial processing plant in ''temporary buildings'' for four or so years without ever applying for consent. The works he now proposes will involve major earthworks, visual amenity impacts, and facilitate traffic volumes for his entire mining workforce of well over 250 people. The non-consented approval path he seeks is a choice to fly under the radar. Not answering the many questions we have posed and lack of any meaningful engagement with the community just confirms this further. It is worth reminding your readers that Santana is a tiny Australian company that has never built an open-cast hard rock mine, and almost entirely relies on external consultants in their development of this project. Questioning its plans and behaviour to date is not only justified, it would be irresponsible not to. Rob van der Mark Sustainable Tarras Community housing Thanks to G. Nicol (Letters ODT 17.7.25) for raising the issue. Those who supported the proposed new community housing build were: Walker, Laufiso, Garey, Benson-Pope, Mayhem and O'Malley. David Benson-Pope Dunedin Dogged opposition I am appalled by the decision to have a mural of a British bulldog. They are badly designed brachiocephalic dogs. They have trouble breathing during exercise because of enlarged uvula and small nostrils. They suffer from heat stress. Many need caesareans to give birth due to the puppies' big heads. Popularising this breed of dog is not in the interests of animal welfare. Sheenagh Tinkler Palmerston North The modern game day is a load of rubbish How to spoil a test match. Let the Sky showbiz frenzy team organise it. First, a man with a booming voice and a mic that can be heard all over Hamilton. A music device that drowns out the slightest sign of crowd spontaneity with explosions of music and instructions what to think. Smother the referee's instructions, spectator conversation and, in case attention is diverted from the razzmatazz, the game in play. Orchestrate, orchestrate, control, control. Abandon class. Aim for crass. Christopher Horan Lake Hawea Lights out I have noticed that the latest subdivision in Tomahawk, 45 sections of 'prime' real estate, has turned on the streetlights, of which there are 22. That is 22 new lights burning bright in a subdivision where 15 sections appear to have been sold but not a sod has turned a sod yet. For whom do these lights glow in the gloom of our night? Perhaps a solitary dog walker who otherwise may stumble off the sidewalk? For this subdivision is empty of life yet it is burning power, to what purpose I ask? Owen Kreft Dunedin No to plonkers on the council I have always been fascinated by the argument that politics have no place in local politics (John le Brun, Letters 15.7.25). Dunedin is unusual in having minimal participation by people who name their political affiliation. Personally I'm grateful to those who do - whether I support that affiliation or not. They are prepared to tell me straight up, simply by saying Green, Labour - and now Act New Zealand - the values they hold and will demonstrate around the council table. Some candidates I then easily dismiss from my potential list and others I will put to the top. That does leave a whole lot where I'm reading between the lines to find out more and hoping I don't either help elect a plonker by mistake or, worse, someone who is covertly aligned to a party whose values I don't support. Gio Angelo Belleknowes Well, yes, but In other times I might agree with V. H. Markham (Letters 17.7.25) that a city council should confine itself to local matters. Unfortunately, in this time - now - a genocide is happening. Thousands of unarmed civilians have been killed. Those remaining are at risk of detention and incarceration in a concentration camp. When very similar things happened in my parents' time, 80 years ago, the world eventually stood against it. Three common sayings come to mind: 'We didn't know'' and ''Never again.'' The third is the legal and philosophical adage ''Qui tacet consentire'' implying that ''He who is silent gives consent.'' I wish to speak out against the genocide of the Palestinian people. I am pleased that my city council has seen fit to speak out. I would dearly love my government to speak out - but they are silent. What will we say in five, 10, 80 years time? ''We didn't know''? Dorothy Browne North East Valley Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@
West Australian
29-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Shelley Payne ends term as WA Labor MLC
My time as a member of the Legislative Council came to an end on May 21. It's been an honour to serve you as a member for the Agricultural Region during the last four years. It's been a busy job, but one I've thoroughly enjoyed. It was with great pride that I was able to establish the first WA Labor electorate office in Esperance in more than 30 years when former Premier Mark McGowan officially opened my office in 2021. I'm grateful to have met so many wonderful and hardworking people across our electorate during this time, listening to your concerns, and advocating for the needs of the many communities across the region. I am thankful to the many volunteers I've met that keep our communities safe and keep all our community groups running. Without you all, our communities wouldn't be what they are. As one of the few women to have had the pleasure of representing this region, it has been an absolute privilege to advocate for women, seniors, our First Nations people and those doing it tough. Our grant funding has supported many local sports clubs including new night lights at Esperance and Ports football clubs, Beach Volleyball Club and Esperance Kart Club. I'm excited to see there is new funding on the way for artificial turf at the hockey club. Our State-run Lotterywest has been a great help with funding for infrastructure upgrades at Esperance Goldfields Surf Lifesaving Club, funding to help Esperance Civic Centre bring more shows to town, and funding to help Esperance Care Services, Esperance Crisis Accommodation, Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Esperance Mechanical Restoration Group and many more. We've seen some wonderful new bike paths constructed across town, in partnership with the Shire of Esperance, thanks to the WA Bicycle Network Grants Program. Other local infrastructure projects that I was happy to see completed were the new Tafe building and the new jetty at Bandy Creek. I'm looking forward to the completion of the new Taylor Street jetty. It's been great to see the benefits of our Regional Economic Development grants awarded to local businesses to help with our booming tourism industry, such as Lucky Bay Brewery, Esperance Distillery and Bread Local. We've also helped local businesses such as Esperance Smash Repairs, Bedford Harbour Engineering, and Drake-Brockman Building and Construction. Our animal welfare grants have helped Lori-Ann and Colin to set up the new Esperance Wildlife Hospital, and Lynn at Roo Haven. It has been fantastic to see the implementation our nation-leading Plan for Plastics aimed at removing single-use plastics. We've also seen the implementation of our Containers for Change program which has saved more than three billion containers from landfill, with more than $12 million donated to schools, charities and community groups. I've done lots of driving across Esperance, the Great Southern and the Wheatbelt during the past four years, and had many trips to Perth for parliamentary sittings. Being on the road a lot, I am so thankful we've been able to invest more than $1 billion into regional road safety upgrades, with more than 10,000km completed already. This investment has been crucial to making our regional roads safer. We've seen the installation of four new electric vehicle chargers in town thanks to our State Government-run entity Horizon Power, and the completion of our EV Network, Australia's longest EV network. I've been delighted to see local residents experience the benefits of the introduction of the Regional Airfares Cap helping to connect those in the regions to Perth. We've also delivered a new Esperance bus service and reduced the prices of TransWA bus fares. Please use the local bus service so we can keep it operating. It is free for seniors with a seniors card. Attending medical appointments in the city is costly and it has been so good to see more Patient Assisted Travel Scheme funding, with increases to the overnight accommodation rate and per kilometre travel rebate. We've helped out seniors with the $400 Seniors' Safety and Security Rebate and we've announced our second increase to the Regional Pensioner Travel card — to $775 on July 1. I was pleased to be able to distribute an Esperance Seniors Directory to every senior in Esperance. We've delivered $2100 in electricity rebates to every household. I know this has made a big difference to help with the cost of living. We all know how expensive it is to keep up with school expenses, so I'm happy to see that we are delivering the second round of the Student Assistance Payment, giving another $150 to every kindy or pre-primary school student and $250 to primary and secondary school students. Along with the Country Week Assistance payment of $500 for Esperance students, this extra funding should really help. I look forward to the work that will soon get under way for planning of the new Esperance Senior High School. Further supporting those in need, we've delivered the rent relief program, slashed stamp duty for first-homebuyers, and expanded the school breakfast program to five days a week, in partnership with Foodbank. We've also invested significantly in support for mental health and domestic violence prevention. Our Government has achieved a lot this past term, making the biggest investment into regional WA than any other government in history. We've achieved a lot in Parliament, too, passing more than 140 pieces of legislation during the term, including making important legislative changes to modernise our abortion laws. With WA Labor elected for a third term, we are able to continue some of our great work supporting communities across WA. Particularly, I am pleased we can continue our investment into regional road safety upgrades, and continue the regional airfares cap, helping to connect regional people to the city. I wish everyone and their families all the best and look forward to seeing you around town.
