http://www.stopthestadium.org.nz
Image: Democracy is for the weak!
UPDATED. ODT takes up the story in Friday’s newspaper.
Monthly Archives: April 2009
StS Gallery: BAD art STOPS fundraising
StS: 'Not the end'…
### D Scene 29-4-09 (page 4)
Stadium opponents watching closely
By Michelle Sutton
Stadium opponents are issuing a warning to Dunedin City Council, despite losing its High Court battle. Stop the Stadium’s High Court bid to block the Otago stadium was turned down by Justice Lester Chisholm who said it didn’t get “past first base”.
{story continues}
Register to read D Scene online at http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/
### D Scene 29-4-09 (page 4)
Stop the Stadium’s shy backers
Anonymous donations from publicity shy businessmen are helping fund Stop the Stadium’s legal fight with Dunedin City Council.
{story continues}
Other stories in D Scene:
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‘Long-lasting legacy’ – McCully (page 4)
Re-tender for locals – Farry (page 5)
Redundant Keith’s a huge stadium fan (page 5)
Sukhi’s call to arms (page 10)
Word of the week: underwrite (page 11)
Letter: Don’t spoil oil – Jeff Dickie (page 11)
D Scene: 'Jobs, jobs, jobs'
### D Scene 29-4-09 (page 3)
By Ryan Keen
For the government, it really became a no-brainer to grant $15 million towards the construction of the city’s ambitious and highly controversial roofed stadium project.
{continues}
Register to read D Scene online at http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/
### D Scene 29-4-09 (page 5)
Roofed wonder: Construction companies hail project as saviour
Stadium to spur big jobs boom
By Michelle Sutton
Dunedin’s $200 million stadium is being heralded as a saviour by the city’s flailing construction industry. Building bosses say jobs were going to be shed from Dunedin’s construction sector unless the project was given the green light.
{story continues}
StS press release
Received yesterday – here in full. Does this mean StS is winding up…
Tuesday 28th April 2009
STOP THE STADIUM PRESS RELEASE
Dunedin Ratepayers Abandoned
Considering the history of the stadium project, Friday’s court outcome can be no real surprise. From the very beginning this project has been an affront to all standards of democratic fair dealing, in which the people of Dunedin have been sidelined while ever-increasing amounts of their money have been appropriated to build a folly that will weigh upon us for generations.
Dunedin people, who overwhelmingly reject this stadium, have been abandoned by every stratum of government supposedly in existence to safeguard their rights and interests. The DCC and ORC, rather than protecting their ratepayers, have frog-marched them into disaster. Our local Members of Parliament, with the honourable exception of Green MP Metiria Turei, have been noteworthy only on account of their complicit silence, while the National Government has aided and abetted the abuse of due process and the swindling of our ratepayers. Rodney Hide, after specifically promising to investigate the stadium’s finances, made an ignominious retreat.
And now we have a judge who considers that there is no significant difference between the project as it now exists and what was originally presented to the public – no difference, in other words, between public and private funding. A judge, moreover, who is willing to make a hasty and far-reaching decision while claiming that he is unable to follow the argument put before him. The final arbiter between right and wrong has proven a broken reed.
All we can do now is commit ourselves to remembering the identities of those who have driven our city into this debacle. Remember them well – all of those Councillors who, in capitulating at every stage in this shabby process, have shown themselves unfit to govern. And let us communally ensure, before very long, that these people are removed and their period of ill-governance is put to an end.
Bev Butler
President
Stop The Stadium Inc
Ph (03) 477 6861
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### ODT Online Wed, 29 Apr 2009
Butler mute on future actions
By David Loughrey
Stop the Stadium president Bev Butler last night refused to be drawn on what actions the group might take in future, despite a press release yesterday that appeared to concede little could be done to achieve its goals.
Read more
If you ever needed any more proof the StS hurt Dunedin…
So I am wandering downstairs in my new office to the cafe at the bottom of the building, and what do I hear bellowing over a full cafe, a supposedly intelligent person (well he does work as a scientist at the University) holding forth about a ‘miniature tin-pot stadium with a glass roof and grass that won’t grow’. He knows of no other stadium in the world with a glass roof where the grass grows – and he was (as per usual with the exceedingly uninformed but incredibly opinionated Anti crowd) lecturing this to his colleagues.
I mean what the bloody hell is one to do with this except get a little juvenile and start saying, “we won we won”.
Holly Crap, I mean really, it’s not a bloody glass roof, it’s not a small tin-pot building and (this is the irony) the scientific studies carried out show that the grass will grow.
I’m lost for words.
The StS, hang your head low, your campaign of disinformation is seemingly timeless. Would have been nice to have been a complete twat then and there, whip out my iPhone, record his comments and in a couple of years time when it’s done and dusted and the grass is still growing under the ‘glass roof’, just to play it back to him and say, really, were you sure of what you were saying?
Latest on contract + Second injunction
How are you measuring support Mr Chin…
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### ODT Online Tue, 28 Apr 2009
Council signs stadium contract
By David Loughrey
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin, deputy mayor Syd Brown and Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry yesterday signed a contract with Hawkins Construction to begin building Dunedin’s stadium.
Read more
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### ODT Online Tue, 28 Apr 2009
City people urged to ‘Love Dunedin’
By Dene Mackenzie
Dunedin residents will be urged later this year to start supporting the city and its many attractions as part of a campaign being driven by Tourism Dunedin and local tourism operators.
Read more
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Image Change?
Hmmm, yes/no.
I’ve been dying for ages to change the header, but while it was still a fight till the death it somehow seemed appropriate to have the somewhat generic stadium (albeit beautiful) image of the Beijing Water Cube.
Now that it’s a done deal and the first sod of soil will be turned over soon, it’s time to start looking forward past What if? to ‘let’s make sure it’s done bloody correctly’ (as Elizabeth will remind us over and over).
Filed under Architecture, Design, Fun, Inspiration, Stadiums
Carisbrook: Last test at the ground…
### ODT Online Mon, 27 Apr 2009
Rugby: 10,000 test tickets snapped up
More than 10,000 tickets have been sold for the June 13 test between the All Blacks and France at Carisbrook.
Read more
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### ODT Apr 25, 2009 (page 37)
Sports Comment: Stadium no panacea for Otago’s rugby ills
By Brent Edwards
It would be foolish to believe the new stadium will be the panacea for Otago’s rugby ills. So much has been made of how rugby in Wellington was rejuvenated by the new stadium that many believe its mere presence will provide a lifeline for the game in Otago. It would be nice to think so, but that won’t necessarily be the case. There was no question Wellington needed a new stadium. Athletic Park was in a state of disrepair.
{story continues}
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### ODT Online Fri, 24 Apr 2009
NZRU tries to allay Cup fears
By Steve Hepburn
A looming deadline for a decision on the future of Super rugby could help the New Zealand Rugby Union to resolve issues with disaffected provincial unions, NZRU chief executive Steve Tew believes.
Read more
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Unsubtle irony: Waipori Fund
It’s a long-term investment…
### ODT Online Mon, 27 Apr 2009
Waipori Fund takes another beating
By Dene Mackenzie
Investments in the Dunedin City Council’s Waipori Fund took another hammering in the three months ended March, although indications are that it was a better result than recorded in December.
Read more
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Finance and Strategy Committee Meeting
Monday 27 April 2009, Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers, 2.00 PM
Agenda – FSC – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 11.5 kb, new window)
Report – FSC – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 33.3 kb, new window)
Submission on the Otago Regional Council Draft Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-2019
Report – FSC – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 81.4 kb, new window)
Resignation of Sinking Fund Commissioners
Report – FSC – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 38.6 kb, new window)
“Have Your Say” Expo 2009
Report – FSC – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 197.5 kb, new window)
Financial Result – 9 Months to 31 March 2009
Report – FSC – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 19.5 kb, new window)
Waipori Fund – Report For Quarter Ending March 2009
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Support and concern for stadium
Depends on how you’re measuring this…
### ODT Online Mon, 27 Apr 2009
Stadium support emerges over weekend
By David Loughrey
Support for Dunedin’s new stadium seems to be emerging, as the Dunedin City Council prepares to sign a contract today with Hawkins Construction to begin the building phase.
Read more
Extraordinary Council Meeting
Monday 27 April 2009, Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers, 3.00 PM
(or at conclusion of the Finance and Strategy Committee, whichever is later)
Agenda – Council – 27/04/2009 (PDF, 13.0 kb)
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Where to for What if?
First of all I would like to thank every single person who has contributed to this blog/forum on the debate surrounding the development of a new multi-purpose stadium in our town. From those whose opinions I don’t agree with, I thank you for voicing your concerns. For those who have contributed actual expert knowledge, and those who just wanted to put their two cents worth in, again thank you very much, this is your forum. More latterly we must all thank the StS for imploding (several times) and allowing us to have Elizabeth Kerr on board as the resident dissenting voice. I think you will all agree that this site is much richer for the range of material now presented on the topic, and that is in no small part down to the hard work of Elizabeth.
When I first started this blog (and some with their heads up their neither regions won’t remember this), the original intention was to start a discussion around the design and function of the building. I was critical of the form (and thus function) of the thing, and while it is not our Sydney Opera House or even Water Cube, the subsequent refining of the concept has resulted in a much greater product (although still far from my wishes – but then I don’t have half a billion to give to the project). The site was exclusively about the design, I wanted to keep the politics out of it altogether, as I had seen the exceedingly unpleasant fights that take place on the NZ political blog scene. But this didn’t really interest anyone, or perhaps the debate wasn’t hot enough back then, and the site kept turning over with 5-20 interested souls a day visiting the site (bless them). However as soon as I took the bait from Peter Entwisle one day (thanks Peter) and the site took on a political feel, things went a little crazy. I remember looking at the stats one day, thinking 85 people looked at this today – madness. This may also surprise many, but it wasn’t until I was pigeon holed as ‘the pro-stadium guy’ that I actually took on the role, I was for the idea but still wasn’t convinced of the merits of it.
Well that is long in the past, and while the discussions have come and gone, there has been thrust and parry, jibes and compliments, on the whole this site has been one of the main stopping points for reasoned argument on the merits and concerns of the stadium development. Once public opinion really got heated up by the frenzied campaign of the StS, the stats went through the roof, and journalists, experts and politicians also referenced and visited this site, contributing from time to time (thanks Richard).
I guess what I have been most proud of, has been the fact that this site has become a forum for ideas, to be debated, applauded, shot down, chewed through, rejected, acclaimed, and it’s all been about Dunedin. I can’t remember another site like this, about Dunedin exclusively, and many of you may well know that there is another venture on the way. This has enabled Dunedin folk (or concerned and informed citizens of NZ) to contribute a voice, whether I like it or not. Unlike the StS site which has engaged in banning and censoring those whom it doesn’t agree with, this site, despite its obvious Pro Stadium stance, has been a place where free and frank discussions can take place, about the place we love to live in.
This isn’t the end of What if?. It is however me finally having the time to thank everyone for their contribution to this argument, whatever side of the fence you sit on. Below is a chart of the stats for this site. If you are involved in any of the big weblogs in NZ, these are laughable, but to me and for such a single issue site, I think this is pretty bloody impressive. I could hardly see Kiwiblog surviving for over 2 years and actually increasing the numbers on a SINGLE ISSUE only.
Thanks very much everyone, it’s been a blast, I hope you have all taken something from this site, be it that South Dunedin isn’t going to float away (I can honestly assure you all of that), through to the still tight economics of the development.
This graph shows the cumulative monthly ‘unique’ visitors to this site. Going from 155 average visitors in the very first month March 2007, through to an average of 6,500 April 2009. There have been 308 Posts, which were commented on 1,409 times over 21 Categories, using 1,006 Tags.
And what does this all show us, that you want to talk about the town you all live in, that is a great thing, cheers all.
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Posted by Paul Le Comte
Filed under Architecture, Design, Economics, Hot air, Inspiration, Media, Other, Politics, Stadiums, STS, Town planning
Toroa Radio archive: Bev Butler and Lee Vandervis
An audio gem, lest we forget…
Accept the stadium for our own good because Mr Farry, the Mayor and Councillors say so? Happy listening…
### Toroa Radio February 10, 2009
Community or Chaos – 2009-02-10 – Bev Butler and Lee Vandervis
Marvin Hubbard interviews President of Stop the Stadium Bev Butler and former Dunedin City councillor Lee Vandervis the day after the Dunedin City Council voted the stadium project through. (51 mins)
Listen
Toroa Radio 1575 kHz AM is Otago’s community access radio station, putting real people on air.
Access Internet Radio is an exciting collaboration amongst New Zealand’s Community Access Broadcasters to make their rich and diverse content available to the world.
Find out more at http://www.accessradio.org/
Community or Chaos: Marvin Hubbard presents an hour of informative discussion on various topics spanning from economics, politics and spirituality, to chats with local and touring musicians.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Another injunction?
### ODT Online Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Judicial review sought
By Elspeth McLean and Rebecca Fox
Former Queenstown property developer Basil Walker is attempting to file an application in the High Court at Dunedin for a judicial review related to the Otago Regional Council’s involvement with the Otago stadium project.
Read more
See Public Notice (April 16, 2009)
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
More on High Court decision + Farry glee
### ODT Online Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Stadium: ‘This is about the legality’
By David Loughrey
The last-minute shot from stadium opponents to legally challenge the Dunedin City Council on its support for the project has come up short, with Stop the Stadium’s lawyer failing to convince a High Court judge his arguments stood up to scrutiny.
Read more
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### ODT Online Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Farry dismissive of injunction bid
By Chris Morris
Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry has dismissed Stop the Stadium’s injunction efforts as without merit, as attention turns to planning for the $198 million Otago stadium’s launch.
Read more
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
The hive of industry…
### ODT Online Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Big plans for stadium opening
By Chris Morris
Workers will move on to the Awatea St, Dunedin, site within weeks to begin construction of the $198 million stadium, after a High Court judge yesterday dismissed Stop the Stadium’s last-minute attempt to derail the project.
Read more
### ODT Online Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Councillors swing in behind stadium
By Chris Morris
Dunedin city councillors staunchly opposed to the $198 million Otago stadium have thrown their support behind it, saying it is time for the city to “move on”.
Read more
Comment at ODT Online by MikeStk
Sat, 25/04/2009 – 10:17am
700?
Now we’re hiring 700, last month it was 600 – where will the money for this come from? Simple math implies the $198M will soon be $230M.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
TVNZ News: Feelings still run high
### TVNZ News Published: 10:48AM Friday April 24, 2009
Dunedin stadium clears last big hurdle
Source: NZPA
Justice Lester Chisholm dismissed the application for a judicial review brought by the Stop the Stadium group, with just seven words.
Read more + Video
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Channel 9: Winners and losers
### Channel 9 Online April 24, 2009 – 8:08pm
Controversial Stadium Looks Set To Go Ahead
Dunedin’s controversial stadium looks set to go ahead after a judge dismissed an application for a judicial review made by Stop the Stadium. Justice Lester Chisholm made his ruling at about 10 this morning, leaving some people bitterly disappointed and others feeling vindicated.
Video
In the video, StS’s instructing solicitor Hilary Calvert says she understands there is “somebody else currently intending to file some sort of proceedings…not StS, but a completely separate person…it’s more to do with the ORC and the money that they’re intending to provide for the stadium”.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Glory be: Employment = Rugby
### National Business Review Friday April 24 2009 – 03:55pm
Dunedin stadium will employ 500 for two years to be ready for RWC
By Robert Smith
If you can swing a hammer or operate heavy machinery you might be needed down south. With the last legal barrier kicked into touch, construction of Dunedin’s new $200 million stadium will begin in a matter of weeks, with more than 500 workers required for 2 years to get in done in time for the Rugby World Cup.
Read more
Farry’s PR number…
### scoop.co.nz Friday, 24 April 2009, 3:41 pm
We Are On Our Way: Stadium Can Now Be Built
Press Release: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Forsyth Barr Stadium At University Plaza
For Immediate Release 24 April 2009
Today’s High Court decision, denied an application for an injunction and clears the way for construction to begin on the Forsyth Barr Stadium at the University Plaza, says Stadium Trust Chairman Malcolm Farry.
“We are now, at last, on our way. Today’s decision clears the final hurdle for construction to start next month. Thanks to the positive vote by Dunedin City Councillor’s on Monday, the construction contract with Hawkins can now be confirmed”.
“This is fantastic news for the region, as more than 600 jobs can be created over the next two years in building the Forsyth Barr Stadium at the University Plaza,” said Mr Farry.
We have reached this point after years of careful planning and focus effort, the Stadium Trust acknowledges the commitment of Dunedin City Council, Otago Regional Council, Government, Forsyth Barr, Community Trust of Otago, University of Otago and the people of Dunedin and of Otago in making the vision of a new, multipurpose, fully roofed campus stadium a reality.
As chairman, I would like to particularly acknowledge the support and dedication of my fellow Trustees and the Trust Executives in what has been a long and challenging process.
We expect Hawkins to be on site next month to start demolition.
The Stadium remains on track to be completed by end of July 2011, creating an iconic expression of Otago beliefs in itself for a bright and growing future.
[ends]
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Highlanders: What the?
### ODT Online Fri, 24 Apr 2009
Rugby: Highlanders farewell semis chance
The Highlanders farewelled their supporters with an 18-11 loss to the Stormers in Dunedin tonight and kissed goodbye to their Super 14 rugby semifinal hopes in the process.
Read more
### stuff.co.nz Last updated 22:04 24/04/2009
Highlanders semi-final hopes gone
Stormers blow through Dunedin
By Marc Hinton – Rugby Heaven
The final rites were applied to the Highlanders’ Super 14 season by the Stormers, the South Africans too big and too strong for the game but ultimately outmatched southerners.
Read more
DCC VICTORY – sts who?
“Justice Chisholm said he was unable to make a decision based on those figures as there was no analysis with them and he had a limited time frame.”
StS has had weeks and months to get ANALYSIS to its figures, notwithstanding the impromptu application for an injunction.
Obviously, Justice Chisholm is no fool. I await his written determination with great interest.
Why didn’t StS keep aside (and build) the fighting fund started when ‘the brains trust’ was still on committee and use that to buy its legal team some meaningful information analysis.
Oh no, StS spent all its funds on the successful public meeting (successful insofar as gaining public and media attention). But where was the mandate from the membership to void the three linked bank accounts set up?
If StS tries anything else to stop the stadium it risks a public backlash of bruising proportion, because it’s all FAR TOO LATE.
The mere idea (hot air, I hope) of taking individual councillors to court via interpretation of the Local Government Act is a losers’ path for twerps.
We get a stadium for ruggerheads plus or minus an innovative venues management company – that’s the great unknown. As is public support. We actually do know the maths.
Sod it.
StS Court Action Dismissed
Hit the ODT for more news coming.
Monday morning let the diggers begin!
Updating….
### ODT Online Fri, 24 Apr 2009
Stop the Stadium’s injunction dismissed
By David Loughrey
The Dunedin City Council will sign off on a contract to build the city’s new stadium on Monday, after a high court injunction bid by Stop the Stadium to halt the project was thrown out this morning.
Read more
Christchurch Court News April 24, 2009
Bid to block Dunedin stadium dismissed
Link
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### Newstalk ZB 24/04/2009 11:46:36
Stadium will revitalise Otago – Mains
Otago rugby icon Laurie Mains is overjoyed the controversial Dunedin stadium project is going ahead. A High Court judge in Christchurch has not granted an injunction to stop the $200 million dollar project. It means the Dunedin City Council is now free to sign the construction contract.
Link
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### LATEST ODT Online Fri, 24 Apr 2009
Stop the Stadium’s injunction dismissed
By David Loughrey and NZPA
After the hearing, Stop the Stadium president Bev Butler said she was extremely disappointed but would not give up the fight. She expected the community to keep helping with costs, which were reserved.
Read more
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### Newstalk ZB 24/04/2009 12:56:37
Anti-stadium group disappointed
There is disappointment from the group that tried to prevent Dunedin’s new stadium from going being built.
Link
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### TVNZ News Published: 10:48AM Friday April 24, 2009
Dunedin stadium given go ahead
Source: ONE News
Video
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Decision due 10am – www.odt.co.nz
### ODT Online Fri, 24 Apr 2009
Stadium decision due 10am
By David Loughrey
Stop the Stadium’s injunction in the High Court at Christchurch yesterday covered well-worn arguments over costs, capital, revenue and bridging loans.
Read more
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
What if? Dunedin... 