They told you so, but will anyone listen?
In 2020 Mayor Hawkins and councillors decided to forge ahead with a ridiculous "Totally Gorgeous" concept for George St. A petition opposing this project gathered 6500 signatures and there were objections from business people, ratepayers, residents and numerous ODT letter writers.
It was obvious that the project would ruin the CBD, some retailers and ultimately surrounding areas of our unique city.
Most wise councillors soon realised that this project was indeed hurting, retailers and ruining the CBD. Motorists became enemies and it soon became difficult to find a park in the CBD, Urgent Doctors, the hospital or even in the university area. Buses, taxis and emergency vehicles dodged cones and often had to take detours which created queues and frustration. Fewer and fewer people came to do their shopping.
At the beginning of 2023 the councillors had an opportunity (and I would say duty) to vote to reverse this concept if it was proved to be unsuccessful in the future. Mayor Radich and half of the more knowledgable councillors won this vote but unfortunately just by one vote. This appeared to be a lucky escape but then two unelected council members were permitted to vote and both voted for this unwise and money-wasting project to go ahead.
Now we have this "Pandemonium of Dunedin road works" (Letters, ODT 31.10.23). Some of our councillors should hangs their heads in shame but the present mayor and half the present councillors did indeed vote for the reversal of this project. They can say "I told you so" but will others listen?
Bernice Armstrong
North East Valley
[Abridged]
That game
For my money the All Blacks won in every aspect of the Rugby World Cup final except what appeared on the scoreboard. Not to take anything away from the South African team either; going back many years, matches between these two countries have always been slug-fests, but this one was not enhanced in any way by pedantic refereeing.
To play for 50 minutes with a key player red-carded on the sideline, due to a ruling from upstairs - which I still find "dodgy" - would just about seal the fate of any team.
Oh for Angus Gardener or someone less given to pedantic nit-picking, and the same goes for the occupant "upstairs". If this shambles is the direction rugby takes in the future, we can only blame ourselves for the fact that more and more youngsters will, likely, prefer to take up other sports.
Ian Smith
Waverley
Card games
I played rugby some 60 years ago. I also played a number of card games; euchre, poker and red dog. It seems that technology and pedantic refereeing have introduced a new team participation card game that I could not recognise involving plain red and yellow cards.
Ken Steel
Roslyn
Right or wrong, it is an opinion and it’s mine
It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who cannot accept an opposing opinion to their own without resorting to name calling or likewise derogatory remark.
No, I am not a conspiracy theorist, nor wear a tin hat and certainly haven’t fallen down the proverbial rabbit hole that those who follow a differing narrative would have you believe.
I just have my own opinion which may differ. I make my own opinion based on my own experience so nothing you say is going to alter that unless proven otherwise.
I’ve had many statistics thrown at me in relation to Covid death rates but it pales in insignificance to heart-related deaths worldwide. Why aren’t their efforts directed at these facts instead of focusing (still) on Covid? Is it because of the fear that was instigated by our government at the time (and that was due to Covid being an unknown virus)?
It has since been scientifically proven that recovery is high for those who are not elderly and have no comorbidities. Same can’t be said about heart-related incidents. How do we know that the vaccine hasn’t interfered with the body’s natural immune system? How do we know heart-related problems being seen now haven’t been caused as well?
For example, known vaccine-related incidents we know of are myocarditis and pericarditis and even then, aren’t generally publicised much. The fact is, we don’t know.
All I do know is is that I survived my one and only bout of Covid along with my husband who is not only elderly but has had serious health issues. So, who’s to say you wouldn’t have survived without the vaccine anyway? That’s the big question and the answer will forever be unanswered.
I love that the ODT allows us to have our opinions heard - be it considered right or wrong it is but an opinion.
Joyce Yee-Murdoch
Cromwell
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
