Juxtaposed views set one’s mind to thinking
The letters section on 13.9.25 offered an interesting juxtaposition.
One letter regretted the murder of Charlie Kirk, while the next defended statements made online by Dr Mike Joy of Victoria University, that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged.
The second letter’s defence of Dr Joy’s behaviour was based upon the claim that his "tongue-in-cheek comments on X" were made by "a longstanding and non-violent environmental activist with no history of violence."
Many very similar suggestions were made online by similarly respectable and peaceful people about equivalent nasty things that might be done to Mr Kirk. Of course, these peaceful establishment figures would now be predictably "absolutely horrified".
Or at least they might say that they were. "Cancel culture" is an old idea, with a long history of socio-political application.
It has an equally long track record for turning lethal towards the end of its periodic outbreaks.
Historically, such folk have been happy to act as judge and jury via suggestion, but they prefer to leave the subsequent wet-work to someone else.
[Abridged. Dr Hamlin is a Dunedin City Council councillor candidate.]
Events funding
Great, the government is going to create a fund to attract international events to New Zealand. Not great the coverage on TVNZ that focused on the Auckland and yet-to-be-built Christchurch stadium. No mention of Dunedin, which has the only covered stadium in the country.
There is more to New Zealand than just Auckland.
We need to apply to this fund and start reminding the government now that we have a fantastic stadium and an urgent need to get some big events here.
[Carmen Houlahan is a Dunedin City Council mayoral and council candidate.]
Cyclic policy
It seems that in Ōtepoti removing carparks to improve safety for motor vehicles and increase easy traffic flow is OK, but to remove them for the safety of active transport users such as cyclists and pedestrians creates controversy and is discounted.
[Heike Cebulla-Elder is Dunedin City Council councillor candidate and member of Spokes.]
Celebrate Dunedin
Saturday night’s magnificent Dunedin Symphony Orchestra concert provided a masterclass of when a group of great talents and minds works harmoniously towards a common goal.
Why is Auckland hosting the 2026 Edinburgh Tattoo and not Dunedin? Dare we dream big and host a multicultural week-long festival in the stadium? Town and Gown could promote technology, science, arts and crafts, sports and innovation.
There could be international competitions for the best eco-friendly and climate-resilient houses.
We could aim to organise the Festival "Dunedin 180" for the 180th anniversary of the first settler ships. We stand on broad shoulders.
[Abridged. Hugh O’Neill is a Dunedin City Council councillor candidate.]
Make your mark on our collective imaginations
As far as Western Southland goes, it feels like creative progress is stifled by unseen forces.
Otago has it a little better but mostly from better political power and equity.
Wherever you are, if you want to make a creative statement that will enrich your community it looks like you have to go to the very edge of sanity to break through the jaded humdrum of day-to-day survival.
I was interested in what was going on in the town of Lawrence, which in many respects feels like a remote part of Dunedin. Some of the locals are feeling that if a place has a special history it should be celebrated and preserved not to attract money but because it is healthy for the community.
Lawrence might have a motherlode of history but every place should feel some encouragement to make a mark in our collective imagination.
Creative Heritage is as much part of our collective health as medical services housing and education and in a better world all these things would not be funded by crumbs off the nation’s table but part of its very fabric.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: letters@odt.co.nz
