22-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to the Editor: electricity, Gaza and elections
Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including the high cost of electricity, moral leadership on Gaza, and do good intentions make a good candidate? Clean energy means yes to your backyard
There is a universal belief that us Kiwis are being exploited by the gentailers, including its part-owners, the government, by high electricity prices. A driver of this is constraint of supply.
Why then, when expansion of low-cost electricity is offered, it is opposed by the public?
I am referring to the Helios Energy solar farm proposal between Ranfurly and Naseby. Of 179 community submissions, opposition outnumbered supporters 6 to 1.
Objections included concerns about noise pollution, glint and glare from the panels but focused principally on fire safety and gas emissions if the panel ignited. Locals also lamented the noise and vibrations generated briefly while 10,000 metal stakes were installed.
These factors are vastly eclipsed by the alternative, business as usual, generating 20% of our electricity from burning fossil fuels, which globally are estimated to kill 3-6 million people annually by air pollution and heatwaves.
Photovoltaic electricity is very inexpensive and extremely safe, particularly when the biggest danger, falling off the roof during installation, doesn't apply in this instance.
Our need to decarbonise our electricity supply must not be stymied by Luddites, nimbys and pedants. Vale Jo Millar
A mighty totara has fallen with the death of Jo Millar. Jo was a tireless advocate for her community and particularly the elderly.
She fired up over issues and when she spoke she made sure people listened. Her life was a selfless one of service.
She had fire in her belly and a real need for fairness and better living conditions and lower costs for pensioners. RIP Jo. I will miss you. Beg to disagree
In the strongest possible terms I disagree with Lynne Newall's opinion "that it is not the Dunedin City Council's business to support a party in government backing sanctions against Israel" (Letters ODT 3.7.25)
Ever since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza I have been hoping that our city council would show some moral courage to voice their opinion on the atrocities Israel imposes on Gaza.
Now at last the council breaks their silence and shows some moral leadership. I applaud their decision, I salute them, and hope many more councils follow their example. Appeasement costs
The government was swift and decisive in sanctioning Russia over Ukraine and providing support to Kyiv, but has equivocated shamelessly with endless angry Winston weasel words over the Gaza and West Bank genocide and the illegal attack on Iran by Israel and the US.
Robert Patman ( ODT 14.7.25) is right. This revolting appeasement of Trump will come at a cost. Cowardly equivocation and silence makes our nation complicit in the crimes. Our foreign policy has plumbed new depths. How about a terrier?
Re: the proposed mural, ( ODT , 10.7.25) I very much admire art in all its forms and wish myself that I was gifted in the field. I love the subject proposed but the dog depicted is, I believe, of the wrong breed for Dunedin. With its very much Scottish heritage, I would love to propose tartan and the depiction of black and white Scottish, Westie, or Cairn terrier. Road to council is paved with good intentions
I read Steve Walker's letter ( ODT 18.7.25) with a certain amount of scepticism.
I have no doubt Steve, and indeed all councillors and candidates, are well intentioned fully believing in what they stand for: indeed Steve painted a wonderful campaign picture around it.
Good intentions are not the core issue however, all candidates have them. I believe independents have the freedom to draw from a cross-section of views and beliefs that aren't tied to a central ideology. Let's face it, all parties have something good to offer and an independent can choose from all options to specifically target what is best for our city overall.
Endorsed candidates are somewhat akin to chickens within a fenced run: they can wander a bit but aren't going past the boundaries. There's no free lunch and if candidates aren't toeing the party line the endorsement will inevitably end.
They are tied to party ideology and the bottom line is they stay under that party's umbrella.
The good thing about democracy though is that as voters we can decide which option we support and I encourage all voters to get out and do exactly that come election time.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@
