Analysis: uni’s debt spiralling while costs rising
Where are University of Otago’s finances heading?
Southern Issues
Vice-chancellor defends plan to end year with bigger deficit
Vice-chancellor defends plan to end year with bigger deficit
The acting vice-chancellor of the University of Otago has defended its plan to end this year with an even bigger deficit and is comfortable with the risk of deepening debt.
Homelessness’ perfect storm
Homelessness’ perfect storm
Soaring population growth and cost-of-living hikes have created a perfect storm for Dunedin’s homelessness crisis, requiring leadership and social housing, say community leaders.
Oval death ‘inevitable’; warning more to come
Oval death ‘inevitable’; warning more to come
The death of a homeless man in a makeshift encampment at Dunedin’s Kensington Oval is an "inevitable" consequence of a lack of social housing and more deaths are likely, charity campaigners warn.
Teenager homeless again despite leaders’ concern
Teenager homeless again despite leaders’ concern
Harry, the homeless teenager whose plight was flagged by the Otago Daily Times, is still without a roof despite city leaders voicing their concerns.
Homeless led to most unhomely lodgings
Homeless led to most unhomely lodgings
A government guide pointing Dunedin’s homeless people to some of the city’s worst boarding houses has been exposed, branded "disgraceful" by city leaders and its contents ripped up.
$1.3m wetland ‘greenwashing’
$1.3m wetland ‘greenwashing’
A wetland bankrolled by the government in a dairy farming area of the contentious Manuherikia catchment has been slammed as expensive greenwashing.
A call for dairying bans to save rivers
A call for dairying bans to save rivers
Drastic action, including banning dairy farming expansion in some areas, is needed to clean up some of Otago’s polluted rivers, an Otago Regional Council report says.
Dairying bans 'needed' to save rivers
Dairying bans 'needed' to save rivers
Drastic action, including banning dairy farming expansion in some areas, is needed to clean up some of Otago’s polluted rivers, an Otago Regional Council report says.
Looming uni debt plight ‘considerable’
Looming uni debt plight ‘considerable’
The University of Otago is heading into deep debt, for the first time in modern history, and its balance sheets are facing greater scrutiny by the university financial watchdog.