Who on earth thought that was a good idea?
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and minister Louise Upston’s smirk-ridden announcement of the new tourism slogan leaves me almost speechless, but not quite. What highly paid advertising agency thought that the catchphrase "Everyone must go" was a good idea?
On the one hand, it sounds like an evacuation order — which evacuation, or for why, I dare not presume — other than Kiwis are having once again to leave for greener pastures.
On the other hand, it puts me in mind of the Immigration Department’s savage treatment in serving a deportation order on a Kiwi-born teenager Daman Kumar. "You Must Go."
As I only have two hands I am prevented from naming a third reason.
If I was an octopus, I could name another six right off the arms. I would have thought that, even at the most basic level, the slogan would be better as "Everyone must come".
But unfortunately I am not a highly remunerated advertising agency which has the government’s ear.
Think of the children
Thank you Julie Asher, for letting us know of the $250,000 the Central Otago District Council has in its tourism reserve account.
Thanks also to the councillors and staff who decided the spending of this money should be publicly consulted.
In September 2019, Central Otago councillors joined many councils nationally, unanimously declaring a climate crisis. The climate crisis resulted in council actions attached to all reports to council or community boards having implications for the environment, sustainability and climate change.
Will our children and grandchildren inherit a liveable place here in Central Otago?
Interesting numbers
RE hospital maintenance of $3.5 million per year (ODT 12.2.25). What the article failed to acknowledge is the cost of interest payments on building of a new hospital. The government is paying about $9 billion in interest per year on a debt of about $170b. 42% of GDP. If a new hospital is built at a cost of $2b the interest on this money that would have to be a loan at a rate of 5% would be about $100m per year.
The cost of maintenance of the existing hospital is therefore peanuts compared to interest on debt.
The previous government borrowed $60b for the Covid response. At 5% a year on this loan would be $3b. This would completely cover the cost of a new Dunedin hospital.
Out of the box
It is interesting that the whole world is falling over itself to condemn Trump and his plan to remove the Palestinians from Gaza. Perhaps, this situation requires some out-of-the box thinking. What do people expect will happen if Gaza is rebuilt, the Palestinians stay, and Hamas stays in control? It will just remain the terrorist enclave it has been the last 20 years. And if anyone thinks that a Palestinian state is going to bring peace to the Middle East, they are dreaming. It would just become a terrorist state. There will only be peace when the Palestinians accept the existence of Israel as a sovereign state.
Tucker time
Shark attacks on seals will become more common as the seal population increases, making for increasing shark tucker. Probably more black-suited surfers will be attacked too. It’s all biological and a good reason to reintroduce shark nets at St Clair.
Private share target jeopardises bus trips
The government’s proposed private share targets have put regional councils under a lot of pressure to either cut services or hike fares, making public transport unaffordable for many struggling to manage the cost of living.
Meanwhile, bus patronage in Dunedin has soared to a six-year high, with a 21% increase in ridership between 2023-24 alone.
The flat $2 fare structure has no doubt played a large role in this sustained increase, but if Christchurch is any indication, we could see this quadruple to $8.
Polling shows that a majority of Kiwi voters across party lines are in favour of free fares for total mobility card holders, community services card holders, under-25s and tertiary students.
Most Kiwis understand that the benefits of making public transport accessible and affordable for people who cannot or do not wish to drive go beyond individual users. It’s a pity that the government seems wilfully blind to that fact.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
