Corner is closer for client commuters
Unbelievable. Steph Voight of MSD asserts that her clients will be better served by relocating the South Dunedin Work and Income office from Hillside Rd near Cargills Corner to Caversham (ODT 23.12.23). Surely MSD should be locating its premises in close proximity to other services actually used by its clients, particularly those who do not drive.
Close to Cargills Corner are banks, the post office, a large supermarket, MPs offices and the soon-to-be constructed new DCC library. There is also a a wide range of shops, restaurants and cafes; the red shed; TAB; pubs; Cargill Enterprises; and other health and community related services.
Furthermore Cargills Corner is on several bus routes, very convenient for the pensioners and beneficiaries who live in South Dunedin and beyond.
Ms Voight notes that the new MSD office at Caversham will be relocated to a "one-stop shop" next to the existing Te Kaika centre that has low-cost dental care, nursing, physiotherapy, addiction support and a free gym. That’s all well and good but clients of MSD from across South Dunedin will no longer be able to conveniently access the wide range of vital commercial and community services that exist close to the present MSD office near Cargills Corner.
For many clients two bus trips via the central city bus hub each way will be required to access the new "one-stop shop" at Caversham.
Has MSD consulted with its clients or the city council before opting for a Caversham location for the South Dunedin Work and Income office?
Vandervis backing
I can’t help feeling that Brussels sprouts are a bit like te reo Māori. The sprout is an official vegetable but only a very small proportion of consumers eat them on a regular basis.
Those that do would argue they are the king of veges and encourage us all to eat them in copious quantities espousing the nutritional goodness and unique character and deriding those that don't as unenlightened gastronomic barbarians.
Another group would happily eat them from time to time and particularly on big occasions such as Christmas and then only in small portions.
Others still will only eat them when cut into very small pieces or cunningly disguised in a stir fry with other ingredients or cooked quickly and combined with bacon and butter.
Then there are those who gag at the very mention of them, and
no amount of culinary magic will convince them that they have a necessary place on the table.
And that is why I support Cr Lee Vandervis' right to eat what he likes and leave the sprouts to those that choose to eat them.
In regards to Cr Vandervis and his approach to cultural compliance, if you do not work for a choir you should not be obliged to sing. If you are not a religious leader, you should not be obliged to pray.
Cr Laufiso's personal campaign against Cr Vandervis is frankly vexatious and a waste of council time.
I have known Cr Vandervis for a number of years, at first as one of my best students in the department of political studies at Otago University. He was dedicated to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, supporting and promoting rational discussions about real interests of tangata whenua.
He is a hard-working councillor. I appreciate that in his work the first priority is the satisfaction of the needs of the citizens of Dunedin.
It is demanding work, which requires full concentration and effort.
Similar letters were also received from I. Pillans, P.Foster, R. Laimbeer. — Editor.
User pays for cyclists
Reluctant driver Dennis Horne’s mildly condescending, off-point letter (ODT 6.1.24) from Howick ignores local issues, thoughtless to cost, payment or business losses.
Cycleways on public roads clearly don’t make cycling safe, however, varied and appropriate solutions minimise risk. Notably, Dunedin cycleways appear more dangerous near intersections and driveways. Cars need to be near destinations, ipso facto, existing planned and consented off carriageway nearby parking, built for vehicles.
Cycleways are majority funded by the National Land Transport Fund, that revenue is collected from fuel excise duty, road user charges, vehicle and driver registration, licensing and road tolls. Stripping away paid parking, owned by everyone, to create infrequently used cycleways for a non-paying minority, when there are already usable roads, is highway robbery.
Fairness dictates that bicyclists should pay road user charges and cycleway tolls, bike parking must be user pays, with bicycle licensing and testing, including rider proficiency requirements.
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