It costs what it costs, be honest about that
In recent months, I have been involved with an issue that relates to present and future demands on Dunedin’s infrastructure.
At the same time, we are coming up to local body elections and I am seeing would-be and present members of council touting their wares, sometimes in impressive full-page advertisements.
It looks as though some candidates are trying to ‘‘blow each other out of the water’’ with copious lashings of money, but the message I see implies huge confidence - accompanied by poverty of real understanding of what it takes to run a city with creaking infrastructure and a lack of money to meet present and future needs.
My vote would go to any candidate who openly says that rates will need to increase because past councillors have tried to keep rates down to the detriment of necessary infrastructure work.
A candidate who says that it’s time to face reality and stop blathering about efficiency gains and making the dollar go further.
The ‘‘bottom line’’, for the benefit of those candidates who are silly enough or duplicitous enough to imply that a local body can be run like a business, is that it costs what it costs and cost cutting, over many years, has left Dunedin’s infrastructure unfit for purpose.
Glen Morgan
Halfway Bush
Fear and loathing
My thanks for Steve Braunias’ weekend column which alerted me to Sir Ian Taylor’s open letter (which I had missed when published).
Freedom of speech is essential to democracy, no matter how much one may disagree with the opinion expressed. Well done the ODT for publishing what has proven to be a contentious opinion - judging by today’s letters.
I sympathise with Sir Ian’s chagrin at the betrayal of his hopes in PM Ardern, but therein lies the danger of pinning one’s hopes on a leader.
Having emigrated from the UK because of the duplicity, barefaced lies and amorality of PM, Tony Blair - I was very concerned when we first heard that Ms Ardern had worked for Blair. Like Ardern, Blair came to power on a tidal wave of hope and dreams which in due course he turned to dross.
Though internationally acclaimed, Blair is loathed by the average Brit.
Mark Twain: ‘‘History may not repeat, but it sure does rhyme’’.
Hugh O’Neill
Dunedin
Short term’ism
Re Sir Ian Taylor’s letter. We seem to have short memories around Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Ardern’s Labour government had, out the blue, an impossible scenario presented of a pandemic of such proportions that had not been seen since the Spanish Flu in 1918-19 which in a world population at the time of 1.8 billion killed an estimated 20 to 60 million people.
Equate that in 2020 with a population of 8.2 billion: you do the maths.
The very hard decision to go to restrictions of immigration and then lockdowns could not have been easy. To say that Ms Ardern had some kind of ulterior motive is plainly untrue.
Sweden did not use lockdowns and as a consequence with of population or 10 million people had 23,800 deaths. New Zealand, with 5 million people, 3000 deaths. How many New Zealanders are alive today because of Ardern’s government response?
Let's stop the Jacinda witch hunt please.
Ian Davie
Careys Bay
Pithy observation
An open letter to Sir Ian Taylor (ODT 9.7.25).
Dear Sir Ian. Let it go.
Max Reid
Mornington
First responders in our small towns praised
Our small community was shocked at the loss of the Roxburgh Town Hall and Entertainment Centre earlier this year. It was a massive job for the firefighters and others involved.
Now, in the space of four weeks, there have been four vehicle accidents around Roxburgh, with three of them being fatalities. We want to extend our sympathies to the families involved. This has been very sad and we presume very hard emotionally on the personnel who attended these incidents.
Thank you to Hato Hone St John, firefighters from Roxburgh and Millers Flat, police, traffic management, and others who assisted at the scenes.
We are so grateful for the rapid response from the volunteers that make up the Roxburgh and Millers Flat brigades. When the siren wails, it’s only a matter of a few minutes before the truck is on its way.
Our community has taken a hit, but it is pleasing to know of the rebuilding plans for the Town Hall. However, three lives have been lost in accidents, and they can never be replaced. Think about that next time you are driving.
Ruth and David Clarke
Roxburgh
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
