Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including new city councillor Andrew Simms and a plea for motorists to slow down.
An open mind but it’s slowly closing on Simms
I did not vote for Andrew Simms for mayor but I was - and still am - prepared to see how he performs as a councillor before passing judgement about him should he stand again.
Learning about how the council works from the inside, building productive relationships with fellow councillors and the mayor, and working for the city rather than himself are my criteria.
So far it's not looking good.
Ruth Chapman
Roslyn
If press reports are to be believed, a newly-minted Dunedin city councillor has shown an unseemly level of pettiness and discontent at not having been given the level of responsibility to which he feels entitled.
If he really had the good of Dunedin at heart he would knuckle down, accept his allocated role, humbly watch and learn so as he might be best able to apply what skills he might have.
He would do well to work towards nurturing the congeniality and supportive co-operation essential to a group of people working towards a common goal.
Not an impressive start Cr Simms.
B. J. Leigh
Wakari
‘‘I can fully assure the ratepayers of Dunedin that they'll get their value for money from me’’ - Cr Andrew Simms, ODT 11.11.25.
Two points. Firstly, it's not up to Cr Simms to make that judgement, but for ratepayers after he's been around for a bit.
Secondly, is he perhaps concerned that he is not getting value for his money?
Harry Love
North East Valley
Andrew Simms believes that his Triple A election result entitles him to a position second only to the mayor. As a sorted business CEO he clearly thinks that, like Christopher Luxon, this should translate to effective council leadership although, by now, the evidence is showing otherwise. And, as the members of his Future Dunedin team belatedly realised, Triple A translates to ‘‘All About Andrew.’’
Philip Temple
Dunedin
More inanity
More strength to Greg Glendining’s arm (Letters ODT 6.11.25) but I suspect his factual documentation of the immense contribution to our fledgling city by the then Jewish community may well be a wasted effort.
The pro-Palestine faction in our society are totally disinterested in past and present Jewish benefactors and this was reinforced at the swearing-in ceremony for the city councillors where a quartet of show ponies decided that grandstanding the occasion was the fashionable way to make a questionable point and downplay the importance of what was to be a noteworthy event - my opinion I grant you but also that of many others.
Pretty pathetic eh Mr Glendining? However, I suspect there’s more of this inanity to come.
L. McConnell
Mosgiel
Driver behaviour on the state highway appals
What is the hurry?
Walking along a main highway in the country is scary; the speed and volume of traffic is literally breath-taking.
Think milk-tankers, and the like, with trailers, and so many cars, utes, and motorbikes.
My walk lasted 70 minutes on a relatively quiet Sunday afternoon. The sheer number of vehicles tail-gating led me to count.
There were 150 vehicles in 70 minutes; some in close convoys, all far too close to the one in front.
Two offenders were motorcyclists, one with a pillion passenger!
Any speed is faster than walking. Five minutes later getting to the destination is preferable to spending time in eternity, surely?
I witnessed a wide-spread dangerous bad habit, not a heavy-footed individual or two travelling too close at 100kmh.
Are we all ignorant, complacent or stupid? On Sunday, 150 drivers were.
Take a walk along a highway and see what I mean.
P. Kerr
Roxburgh
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: letters@odt.co.nz
