Open mouth and insert other foot Mr Mayor
Bernice Armstrong's stance (ODT 20.12.23) on the recent outcome of an independent investigator’s findings into whether our mayor and a councillor had transgressed is a bit perplexing, preferring to lay the blame on the person who laid an official, and as it turns out very warranted, complaint.
A number of times our mayor has "opened his mouth to change feet". Originally amusing, it appears he has learned little from these slipups.
His leaking of information on radio led to the person that was subject to racist abuse being named and then having to leave Middlemarch.
The laws of behaviour and standards governing local politicians are there for a reason and the due process was followed and in both cases the transgressors were proven to be in the wrong.
As for Ms Armstrong's assertion that it could have been sorted out "behind closed doors": rubbish. That scenario only emboldens those who have offended because there is no accountability
Failing Math101
It does not matter how a person voted, regardless the failure of housing policy is closely linked to migration. To be blunt this is math101.
And successive governments in New Zealand fail this test.
The test is simple: the sum total of houses and bedrooms should equal only 65% the total number of migrants allowed into the country.
Why? The answer is simple.
As migration increases the pressure on the housing market increases, and this in turn impacts on the supply demand balance.
This seems to be the seventh parliament I have noted that does not appear to understand this, and how it impacts on Kiwis.
Again, it appears Kiwis will face a government that fails the basic social contract, people must have access to affordable housing.
The cost and change to society is too great, and solutions too simple.
But, if you are making money from it why rock the boat? That is the true test of moral government.
Look at your child, think this, is housing going to be affordable for them when they are having a family?
An insulting myth
Paul Smith (ODT 16.12.23) repeats a common myth about Pākehā New Zealanders. He suggests they are in a privileged position in society and have superior access to resources, education and wealth that benefits many of them in ways they don't see.
No-one in New Zealand has superior access to those things as our laws do not allow that. Society can only provide equality of opportunity and, to the best of our ability, we provide that to all people.
There are many people, particularly the young, who, for reasons often beyond their control, do not take advantage of those opportunities. Those reasons range from inadequate parents, gang affiliation, drugs and lack of good role models. They come from across society.
Some of these youngsters have also been convinced by others, from a very young age, that they are disadvantaged because of ethnicity. Their disadvantage has nothing whatever to do with ethnicity, lack of spoken Māori, the tragedies of the colonial era or the success of others. To suggest otherwise is demeaning to my Māori whānau, insulting to my Pākehā whānau and patronising.
Yeo hits home
The cartoon of Santa (ODT 18.12.23) in tears brought to the surface all that is so sad and horrific in the lives of innocent children in a war zone. Having to endure hardship and death caused by people on both sides of the conflict who have no humanity or conscience is beyond the belief of most of us.
Please Mr Postman
Having exerted great effort to reach the longstanding postal box in the Exchange on Monday, and arriving in the veritable nick of time (just prior to the equally longstanding, well-marked, collection time of 6pm), as ever I remained till the post office van arrived, just to ensure my efforts were not in vain and my many specially-prepared overseas' missives could be away ASAP on their long journey.
Ultimately I stayed for an unprecedented (almost) hour and a-quarter, finally giving up. Incidentally previous (even somewhat late) arrivals there (over the decades) had never to my recollection been in vain. Despite fruitless efforts to contact the main Strathallan St collection site the next day, eventually a contact centre representative informed me that yes, indeed, that postal box had been cleared — at "15.21", i.e 3.21pm.
It might seem immaterial to those responsible for pick-up what time collection occurs, but I can assure them it isn't to this particular punter (and for folk still accessing what remains of a seriously expensive/compromised service).
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
