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Otago Daily Times
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to Editor: water, Al Jazeera, Ardern
Today's letters to the editor include discussions concerning the Waitaki District Council, Al Jazeera, and opinions on Dame Jacinda Ardern. Recent opposition to the Waitaki District Council's preferred Water Well Done proposal is probably a reflection of the general lack of trust in the council rather than misinformation. Take the Proposed District Plan. This now legally enforceable plan allows that certain people are allowed to access private properties to cut, dig and build without the landowner's permission within the new wahi tupuna overlays. Conversely the same landowners can be required to consult with and pay whatever fee iwi deem appropriate in addition to council's own consenting requirements. The consulting process was haphazard and ultimately ignored the concerns of affected landowners. To their credit, councillors John McCone, Guy Percival and Brent Cowles opposed the plan which to the detriment of the Waitaki District community was approved in December. One councillor even stated that people affected by the PDP can now "share the same feelings of loss and disempowerment and identity ... caused by the Kemp Purchase of 1848". Our community deserves much better representation than being held liable for what happened over 175 years ago. Mark Hay Oamaru In-house backed I am tired of reading Ben Bell's accusations that Waitaki's decision to nix a joint water company with Gore, Clutha and Central Otago is the "misinformed" decision of only 161 submitters in our public consultation. Out of 300 submitters in the consultation, 85% favoured another option instead of the tie-up with those three districts. Only 15% supported Southern Water Done Well. Sentiment throughout the district was strongly in favour of keeping water in-house. Faced with an election in three months, the Waitaki councillors suddenly realised that public sentiment was so strong that it had to be respected. That's why the vote was 9-2 for continued in-house operation. The Gore councillors are wrong to claim that government required them to approve Southern Water Done Well. There are 19 councils nationwide which have chosen in-house. Minister Simon Watts may be trying to bully councils, but this hasn't scared the stronger councils in the past, nor will it in the future. Mike Sweeney Oamaru No, it's dire Dire wolves, mammoths, moa ... .why? Any effort to bring these back from the dead, at this stage is ridiculous, what you get is nothing like the original. What you get is a Claytons version. As has been shown, the dire wolves are only that in name. They are nothing like the originals, simply a white wolf with a few shredded DNA strands that amount to nothing. If there was going to be money sunk into these sorts of folly projects I would much prefer it be spent on saving our current flora and fauna Graham Bulman Dunedin Higher huts Re the tragic death of Wednesday Davis on Mt Ruapehu (ODT 14.7.25). This is very sad indeed and the circumstances appear to be particularly distressing for the family, and they have my full sympathy. I note however that the Whangaehu has been repeatedly reported as the "highest alpine hut in New Zealand". This is not the case by a significant margin. Whangaehu hut is at an altitude of 2080m while Empress Hut (at the top of the Hooker Glacier at Aoraki/Mt Cook) is at an altitude of 2472m, Plateau Hut (also on Aoraki/Mt Cook) is at 2200m, Centennial Hut (on the Franz Josef Glacier) is at 2400m. Stating that Whangaehu is the highest hut in New Zealand puts an erroneous perspective on the story. Derek Chinn Queenstown Overwhelming news and the bare essentials I watch the Al Jazeera news channel. Their news coverage can be difficult to watch. Images can be overwhelming and leave you questioning why some events on this planet are allowed to continue. The only thing on television at the moment that can put a smile on your face is an advertisement. It shows a naked skier, beautiful snow views and the background music is Age of Innocence by Enigma. It is very peaceful and you have to smile. Lorraine Adams Oamaru Enduring legacy I was horrified to read Neville McLay's letter (ODT 14.7.25). Can it really be true that the stadium will only last another 35 years, especially when you think that most old villas were built between 1890 and 1910. Many will have been renovated in the past 35 years when the houses were already nearly 100 years old. So the stadium is only to last about a quarter as long as the average old villa? George Livingstone Roslyn Boo Sir Ian It is so very sad to see all the knives pointed in direction of Dame Jacinda Ardern, the latest poison from Sir Ian Taylor. The combined threats and personal attacks made on her mainly through the cowardly medium of social media disgusted me. Dame Jacinda succeeded in saving many lives when the country faced a relentless and deadly Covid virus. She was applauded and recognised upon the world stage. The mosque massacre and Christchurch earthquakes, she resolutely and bravely faced up to with utmost dignity sincerity and compassion. Clive McNeill North East Valley Bravo Sir Ian "Better late than never" as the saying goes. Recent comments ridiculing and criticising Sir Ian Taylor about his about-face opinion of Jacinda Ardern just goes to show that changing one's mind and an admission of being wrong, is frowned upon and not appreciated by many. I, however applaud his honesty and bravery in publicly admitting his previous error in judgement. Joyce Yee-Murdoch Cromwell Boo Sir Ian I was disappointed by Sir Ian Taylor's article on Jacinda. It read like a lovesick virgin teenager's lament on finding the object of their adoration had feet of plasticene and a far-from-saintly past. Most politicians who get the top job, with some exceptions, and Jacinda was no exception, do the best they can with the hand they are dealt. And with impeccable timing she quit when she realised she was no longer the solution but part of the problem. We don't need to look far in the contemporary world to find exceptions who did neither. So we should be grateful. I am absolutely delighted that Jacinda has found things to do and a means of earning a crust, after leaving us Kiwi ingrates for what she must see as greener and safer pastures. I suggest Sir Ian plants his sour grapes in our great Central soil where they can turn to fine wine, and saves his rocks for his own rockery rather than use them as ammunition. Morley Williams Cromwell
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
08-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Waitaki's water move might not comply, partners warn
Waitaki's former southern council partners have fired a warning after its decision to quit the group and go it alone on water services. Waitaki district councillors today voted to exit the Southern Water Done Well partnership, cutting the district loose from Clutha, Central Otago and Gore. In its place the district will instead pursue an in-house water services delivery unit. The decision comes after the Department of Internal Affairs said joining a four-way, multi-district water company was the "only viable option" for the district. The proposed partnership would have united the four councils' water services into a single regional organisation, with a shared cost of $13.8 million for establishment. Central Otago mayor Tamah Alley, Gore mayor Ben Bell and Clutha mayor Bryan Cadogan said in a statement after the vote the government had been clear about its expectations for council collaboration. 'When considering next steps, councils will need to be mindful of whether alternative options comply with Government regulations and expectations.' The trio acknowledged councils had to make decisions in the best interests of their communities but said a jointly-owned water company remained the best option. '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." Clutha and Central Otago district councils meet this Thursday to decide their water services delivery model, while Gore District Council's meeting is on Monday. Public consultation across the four councils drew in over 1000 submission with the in-house business unit model the preferred option in Waitaki (54%) and Clutha, while only 26.7% supported the joint entity, most popular in Gore and Central Otago. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher said after today's decision the council would focus on an in-house water business unit for the next two years at least, subject to the DIA reviewing and approving the plan. "I'd like to thank the community for sharing their opinion, the councillors for their consideration of this important topic, our officers for the hard work they've put in over the last 12 months, and our partner councils in the Southern Water Done Well group,' he said in a statement.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Waitaki quits southern water group
Gary Kircher. Photo: ODT Files Waitaki will go it alone on water services after councillors today voted to quit a partnership of southern councils. The decision comes after the Department of Internal Affairs said joining a four-way, multi-district water company was the "only viable option" for the district. Waitaki district councillors today instead voted for an in-house water services delivery unit. They also voted to exit the Southern Water Done Well partnership, cutting the district loose from Clutha, Central Otago and Gore. The proposed partnership would have united the four councils' water services into a single regional organisation, with a shared cost of $13.8 million for establishment. Public consultation across the four councils drew in over 1000 submission with the in-house business unit model the preferred option in Waitaki (54%) and Clutha, while only 26.7% supported the joint entity, most popular in Gore and Central Otago. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher said today's decision determines that the council's Water Services Delivery Plan would focus on an in-house business unit for the next two years at least, subject to the DIA reviewing and approving the plan. "I'd like to thank the community for sharing their opinion, the councillors for their consideration of this important topic, our officers for the hard work they've put in over the last 12 months, and our partner councils in the Southern Water Done Well group,' he said in a statement.
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Joining CCO ‘only viable option'
As unpopular as it is with the public, the Waitaki District Council joining a four-way, multi-district water company is the "only viable option" for the district, an initial assessment by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) says. The Waitaki District Council is on the verge of a major decision that will shape how water services are delivered and paid for across the region, as it prepares to vote next week on whether to join a four-council joint water entity, Southern Water Done Well (SWDW). The proposed partnership would unite the water services of the Waitaki, Clutha, Central Otago and Gore districts into a single regional organisation, with a shared cost of $13.8 million for establishment. The DIA's report, made public yesterday, firmly recommends the four councils adopt this model in order to meet the government's Local Water Done Well reforms and sustainability requirements. Speaking ahead of Tuesday's formal vote, Waitaki District Council chief executive Alex Parmley acknowledged the public resistance but emphasised the urgency and necessity of the decision. "DIA has done an initial assessment of the options we were looking at. So they're going to mark our homework at the end of this when we submit our water services delivery plan and their assessment, which is going to be contained in the report, is that the joint CCO is the only financially sustainable option for the four councils," The assessment, included in the agenda for next Tuesday's meeting, states "the establishment of a Southern Water Done Well water CCO comprising of the four councils' water services is likely the only viable option for delivering a water services delivery plan that meets the legislated financial sustainability requirements for both water services and councils while managing the affordability impact of required water services charges on household budgets". 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. In the Waitaki district, the stand-alone CCO option was favoured by 21% of submitters, while the council's preferred joint CCO (SWDW) option was favoured by just 15% of submitters. However, Mr Parmley said the recommendation was about long-term viability, not short-term popularity. "A regional water CCO will result in lower charges for communities than council in-house delivery," the DIA assessment stated. Waitaki ratepayers can expect a 51% increase in water charges under the joint CCO, less than the projected 62% rise under an in-house model. Regardless of the model chosen, households will face higher water costs, and a key change across all options will be the separation of water charges from general rates. "A lot of the detail around what does this look like and what will bills look like. That's the stuff that still needs to be developed, but we need to get a decision first. "Whatever route we go down, we're going to need to separate out the water bill from the rates bill. The government said that needs to be clearly shown differently now and be produced as a separate bill." If approved, the SWDW constitution would guarantee that each district's water charges reflected its own costs — with no cross-subsidisation. "Waitaki is not paying for Central Otago's water and vice versa," Mr Parmley said. Governance of the CCO would be via a shareholder group where each council got one vote, regardless of asset size. Although Waitaki has more assets and would hold a larger shareholding, it would still hold only one vote in decision-making. Directors would be appointed jointly by the councils. The new company's constitution and shareholder agreement are still under development, including details around voting thresholds for future changes. Mr Parmley said the councils did not want to tie the company up so it could not decide anything, but for the most important things, all shareholders would need to agree. "That's about establishing that link between ownership, so it's clearly shown that we still own those assets and, if the company was to be wound up for whatever reason, those assets would come back." The joint-CCO's initial $13.8m establishment cost would be loan-funded, with each council responsible for repayment. Waitaki's portion would be loaned to the CCO and repaid over time, without being directly passed on to ratepayers via water bills.
