Informal online poll favours proposal

Submitters might be lining up to criticise Dunedin’s latest hotel bid, but voters in an Otago Daily Times poll have backed the project.

An informal poll on the ODT’s Facebook page yesterday, asking people to vote using the "love" or "angry" emoticons, showed overwhelming support for the hotel.

From about 1400 responses received by last night, about 1000 people clearly indicated their support for the project, while nearly 200 more hit the "like" button.

Only 129 responses were clearly against the hotel.

The poll, while informal, contrasted with the 271 official submissions received on the hotel proposal, of which 206 opposed the hotel, 58 supported it and seven were neutral.

Comments

Didn't know anything about this poll and that applies to many others-so its hardly legit. Its's a set up.

A poll like this has no statistical validity and planning is not a popularity contest. The issue being considered is not whether people like the hotel proposal or think it will be good for the city, maybe in terms of economic growth, but whether the proposal complies with the District Plan and, if it doesn't, whether any adverse effects can be sufficiently mitigated. I suppose accurate public opinion about significant buildings (resource consent hearings) is news but responsible journalism also involves properly informing readers about the background to issues. And not making news out of information which is basically meaningless.

 

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