Blonde ‘lawyer’ takes over DVML —expect no change

Where do they get them.
Dumb enough to accept the blurb given.

DVML and DCC needed an expert psychologist. Not a token.
But if it makes the Smiths happy.

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### ODT Online Sat, 28 Feb 2015
Auckland lawyer takes chair at DVML
By Chris Morris
Dunedin Venues Management Ltd’s new chairwoman says she is up for the challenge of Forsyth Barr Stadium. Ashburton-born lawyer Raewyn Lovett (54), now living in Auckland, yesterday took over from outgoing chairman Sir John Hansen, who was farewelled last night after five years in the role. Ms Lovett told the Otago Daily Times she was taking over an organisation that appeared to be turning a corner, helped by the recent stadium review and the company’s “very energetic” chief executive, Terry Davies.
Read more

Raewyn Lovett. In addition to my legal career I enjoy spending time in governance roles. I was Chair of Netball New Zealand for seven years and on the board of TTNL Limited (responsible for the establishment of the ANZ Championship). I am a chartered member of the Institute of Directors. Full profile here.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Raewyn Lovett with fringe! (tweaked by whatifdunedin)

█ For more, enter the terms *dvml*, *directors*, *davies*, *stadium*, *stadium review*, *misses*, *cull*, *orfu*, *highlanders*, *rugby*, *suite 29*, *tvs* or *hansen* in the search box at right.

Campbell Live | TXT POLL: Does NZ need a new flag?

The flag of New Zealand is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars represent the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross. More at Wikipedia.

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Tweets 27.2.15 @CampbellLiveNZ [screenshot]:

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### ODT Online Fri, 27 Feb 2015
Chin hoping for ‘huge interest’ in flag debate
By Chris Morris
Mr Chin (73), Dunedin mayor from 2004-10, was yesterday named with 11 others – including prominent New Zealand businessmen, academics, sportsmen and military figures – to sit on the Flag Consideration Panel. Mr Chin (73), Dunedin mayor from 2004-10, was yesterday named with 11 others – including prominent New Zealand businessmen, academics, sportsmen and military figures – to sit on the Flag Consideration Panel. Mr Chin told the Otago Daily Times he was looking forward to the role and hoped public interest in the debate would be “huge”.
Read more

● Binding referendum for NZ flag design.
● No binding referendum for sending NZ troops to Iraq.

Surprise. John Key PM has a super-inflated ego.

█ See Russell Garbutt’s comment & following discussion at Peter Chin positive.

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The Last Of The Rockstars Published on Jan 19, 2014
U2 – Get On Your Boots (Grammys 2009) – HD

Here’s the video screen sans audio:

U2 Spain Uploaded on Mar 3, 2009
U2 – GET ON YOUR BOOTS (Screen 360 Tour)
(No Line on the Horizon)
Alternate video

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC and the day(s) of Madness

Diamond or paste [operatoday.com]

Comment received from Mick
Submitted on 2015/02/25 at 2:45 pm | In reply to Peter.

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@Peter
February 25, 2015 at 1:57 pm
‘I think this ridiculously childish bun fight is symptomatic when a council is breaking down, where the members, both administrative and political, spend more time undermining and attacking each other as things continue to go wrong.’

They have reduced the council to a farce. I think that Lorenzo da Ponte could have written a fine libretto using Dunedin instead of Seville. Sadly, we would struggle to find a Mozart to provide the music.
But ‘a day of madness’ it certainly is here in Dunners.

Le Nozze di Figaro : The Marriage of Figaro or “A day of Madness”
Opera buffa: Comic opera in four acts
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte (1749 – 1838)

He could have found a cast as follows:
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ:

COUNT ALMAVIVA baritone – David Cull
COUNTESS ALMAVIVA – soprano – Kate Wilson
SUSANNA – soprano, the COUNTESS’ chambermaid. Jinty MacTavish
FIGARO – bass, the COUNT’s manservant. Lee Vandervis
CHERUBINO – mezzo-soprano, in love with everyone. Richard Thomson
MARCELLINA – mezzo-soprano, in love with FIGARO. Hilary Calvert
DON BARTOLO – bass, previously Rosina’s guardian. David Benson-Pope
DON BASILIO – tenor, previously music teacher. Chris Staynes, now the COUNT’s middleman for his various romantic affairs.
DON CURZIO – tenor, a judge. Prof Stuart Anderson
BARBARINA – soprano, ANTONIO’s daughter in love with CHERUBINO. Aaron Hawkins
ANTONIO – bass, gardener in the COUNT’s gardens, Barbarina’s father, Susanna’s uncle. Neville Peat
Chorus of Peasants. The remaining councillors.

Plot: Three years previously, in the events of The Barber of Seville, Figaro (Lee V) helped the younger Count Almaviva (Dave C) win Rosina (Kate W) away from her cunning old guardian Bartolo, (David BP) and was hired as the Count’s manservant in gratitude. Now tired of his wife, the Count has for some time been looking elsewhere for female company, and his gratitude to Figaro has soured: not least because his eyes have lighted on Figaro’s fiancée, the Countess’ chambermaid, Susanna. Being a young man of the (age of Climate Change), the Count has recently revoked the use of his traditional Mayoral Limo, and is rather regretting it. Bartolo, meanwhile, nurses a grudge against Figaro for his trickery in depriving Bartolo of his ward (and the dowry he hoped to keep by marrying her himself), while his former housekeeper, Marcellina (Hilary C), has her own designs on Figaro….
….we will have to wait until Don Curzio (Prof Stuart Anderson) gets up to speed to untangle this unseemly web of intrigue. What will Kate Wilson do next to divert David Cull from his desires for the fragrant Jinty. How will Chris Staynes teach Kate to sing a different tune and how will he persuade Aaron to change his infatuation.

Lorenzo da Ponte should have chosen Dunedin 2015 for his setting.

‘Twilight’ — Page’s Song, in Marriage of Figaro. Mozart.
[library.duke.edu]

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### ODT Online Wed, 25 Feb 2015
Threat to boycott hearing on conduct
By Chris Morris
Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis has threatened to boycott a conduct committee hearing called to hear complaints about his behaviour. […] Cr Vandervis labelled the decision “a farce” and later responded by forwarding to the What If? Dunedin website for publication an email he sent to Mr Cull, councillors and Dunedin City Council staff on Sunday.
Read more

Related Post and Comments:
23.2.15 Lee Vandervis on DCC Code of Conduct process #emails #naturaljustice

█ For more, enter the terms *vandervis* or *cull* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

South Link Health, hmm that name….

South Link / Southlink

A little more city council-contrived MESS !!

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### ODT Online Wed, 25 Feb 2015
Church sold car park land forless (sic) for sake of public good
By Shawn McAvinue
A land deal between the Dunedin City Council and St Margaret’s Church in Green Island built on “good faith” was about $100,000 shy of another offer tabled but was accepted by the parish because it would create a community asset, former city councillor Colin Weatherall said. Mr Weatherall […] said that as a councillor, he was involved in negotiations when the church sold land about six years ago. The church agreed on a price with the council because the land would be used for a public car park. That price was about $100,000 less than an offer by a property developer wanting to build flats on the land.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Wed, 25 Feb 2015
Support conditional on parking: Moyle
By Shawn McAvinue
A declaration of support for a proposed Green Island medical centre to be built on a public car park comes with conditions, businessman John Moyle said. Mr Moyle, the Green Island Business Association president and Saddle Hill Community Board member, said a Dunedin City Council letter declaring the association and board supported the sale of a public car park in Green Island to South Link Health Services Ltd was only half the story. The association and board supported the medical centre being built on the condition the car parks lost were found elsewhere, he said.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Thu, 12 Feb 2015
Parking fears with new health centre
By Shawn McAvinue
The likely sale of a busy car park to make way for a new health centre in Green Island will leave motorists searching for parking, a former city councillor and a businessman say. Concerns were also raised that the Dunedin City Council would profit from a land deal brokered on community goodwill.
Read more

● South Link Health Services: Green Island Medical Centre
● South Link Group
● South Link Health Services Limited (3162309) Registered

DCC Webmap – Green Island [click to enlarge]

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PREVIOUSLY

### ODT Online Thu, 20 Mar 2014
Settlement offer made by SDHB
By Eileen Goodwin
The Southern District Health Board tried to settle its dispute with South Link Health by offering to halve the more than $7 million interest bill, correspondence about the row shows. […] The offer is disclosed in former health board chief executive Brian Rousseau’s correspondence. Previously, Mr Rousseau has taken issue with public statements from other parties indicating the board never raised a red flag about the possibility of fraud in the dispute.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Sat, 19 May 2012
Quiet agent of change
By Dene Mackenzie
From a top-floor corner office looking straight up Dunedin’s George St, Murray Tilyard is overseeing a medical group that is quietly changing the way health services are delivered to thousands of New Zealanders. That number is set to grow exponentially. […] The Helensburgh general practitioner is also the Dunedin School of Medicine Professor of General Practice and now the chief executive, or executive director, of a group of health entities revolutionising the delivery of some health services.
Read more

—

Related Comments at What if?
18.5.14 Anonymous #comment-49610 [explicit connections]
1.3.14 Elizabeth #comment-46131
19.2.14 Elizabeth #comment-45597

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Town Belt Traverse 2015 —Sunday, 29 March

Link received from Paul Pope, Dunedin Amenities Society
Tue, 24 Feb 2015 at 2:53 p.m.

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Town Belt Traverse 2015

Walkers in the sun

It’s time to get your walking shoes on again and explore one of Dunedin’s great natural and historical landscapes.

The Town Belt Traverse is an 8.2 kilometre walk from the Southern Cemetery to Woodhaugh Gardens taking in the heart of the Dunedin Town Belt on Sunday, 29 March. The great thing about it is it’s absolutely free!

The route is a pram friendly event for people of all ages, stopping off at five points along the way. The Participants will receive a map and ticket at the car-park inside the Southern Cemetery.

The traverse starts between 10:00am – 10.30am and all participants must complete the traverse by 1:30pm. Collect a stamp at all five marshal points and you can be eligible for some great local prizes. The route is marked and there will be marshals at road crossing points along the way.

█ More information at the DAS website.

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Today the Town Belt is an important recreational and ecological asset for the city and provides invaluable habitat for kereru, bellbird, tomtit, tui, rifleman, morepork, and shining cuckoo. The vegetation is an eclectic mix of exotics that dominates the southern area of the ‘belt to the more kanuka and fuchsia dominated ridges and gullies of the northern areas. At Woodhaugh an old stand of kahikatea remains as a reminder of a significant wetland forest that once stood there.

For the Dunedin Amenities Society the protection and enhancement of the Town Belt was the beginning of its foundation in 1888. The Society was founded through the energy of Thomas Brown and Alexander Bathgate to protect, enhance and promote Dunedin’s landscape and biodiversity. The Town Belt Traverse is your opportunity to explore through a self-guided walk one of New Zealand’s great reserve sites.

The Dunedin Amenities Society established in 1888 is New Zealand’s oldest environmental society.

Visit their website http://www.dunedin-amenities-society.org.nz
Follow the Society on Twitter
Visit the Society on Facebook

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Dunedin Amenities Society – Town Belt Traverse

Wall Street Mall drops glazing panel to George Street

Late afternoon those of us refuelling at a local café in George St heard a sudden crash of glass across the road – broken glass littered the footpath, parking spaces and north-bound lane outside Wall Street Mall.

The mall’s street facade had suddenly dropped a glazing panel, a section of pretend parapet – from the very top of the (graphic) ‘old-building’ screen.
Luckily, no-one was hurt.

Missing glazing panel.

Panels in situ.

Camera phone not coping too well with the late sun angle but you get the idea.

A well-known woman sitting along from me said she’d never liked that glass design anyway.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Lee Vandervis on DCC Code of Conduct process #emails #naturaljustice

Two emails this evening.

I

Received from Lee Vandervis
Mon, 23 Feb 2015 at 6:15 p.m.

█ Message: I am forwarding this email to you so that my view of the on-going Code of Conduct process can be made clear, something I can not hope for from the ODT.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 11:36:37 +1300
To: Mayor Cull, Stuart Anderson [University of Otago], Andrew Noone, Andrew Whiley, Chris Staynes, Doug Hall, Hilary Calvert, John Bezett, Jinty MacTavish, Kate Wilson, Lee Vandervis, Mayor Cull, Mike Lord, Neville Peat, Richard Thomson, David Benson-Pope, Aaron Hawkins
Cc: Sue Bidrose, Sandy Graham, Pam Jordan
Conversation: Complaint to Mayor Cull and potential Code of Conduct Committee members
Subject: Complaint to Mayor Cull and potential Code of Conduct Committee members

Dear Mayor Cull,

By failing to respond to your required justifications under standing orders J1 Accountability [accountable for their actions] and Openness [be prepared to justify their actions] as well as the overarching principle of Natural Justice, you are prejudicing this Code of Conduct process.
If you will not justify your decisions to accept certain code of Conduct complaints with reasons, and your deputy will not justify or give his reasons for rejecting my initial conforming Code of Conduct complaint against you, my legal advice is that it leaves open the question that you can not justify your Code of Conduct decisions and that consequently there are no reasons available for an investigation on which to mount a defence.

The facts are that you have falsely claimed the authority to chose the membership of a Code of Conduct Committee against me, [and that you are again attempting the same under another guise] and you have decided to accept a Code of Conduct complaint that is agreed did not conform, and you now accept another non-conforming similar complaint ex Cr. Wilson and you refuse to give the required reasons for accepting specific claimed complaints.
All this contributes to a process so prejudiced by you that any consequential decision can not be valid.
Cr. Wilson’s second Code of Conduct complaint against me does again not conform under J4.1 for exactly the same reason you have recognised in the first Staynes/Thomson attempt – that it is devoid of any evidence, record, or taking down of words used as required under Standing Orders for a conforming complaint. As with the Staynes/Thomson complaint, it merely offers a damning tone judgement without providing any evidence. The documentary ‘evidence’ presented in only part of the Staynes/Thomson revisited complaint has been tampered with and the untampered evidence actually confirms my objected-to claim.

It is not clear as you claim that I was at any time happy for you to chose members of the Conduct Committee. The complete opposite should be clear to you especially when I wrote as below;
“at what date did you discover that you are not in fact empowered to appoint the Code of Conduct Committee, as detailed in Standing Orders and in the Structures and Delegations manual?
Having discovered this over-reach of your authority, what steps did you then take to remedy imposing your choice of members for the Code of Conduct Committee?”

I still await your answers to these process questions.

On the subject of Committee membership, I can not agree to be any part of any Code of Conduct process that includes Cr Benson-Pope as a Code of Conduct Committee member. Any conduct decision from Cr Benson-Pope would be tainted by his extraordinary long and public history of personal conduct issues [some of which I can list if required]. Any other Councillor of long experience would be preferable, and in Cr Benson-Pope’s case necessary. Never mind his personal antipathy toward me that almost rivals yours.

I also object to item 24 being Confidential and in the non-public part of the agenda. There is nothing in the report apart perhaps from the unnecessary naming of the position of Chair of Audit and Risk Committee that can warrant going against the default spelled out in J4.1 of Standing Orders that “Council will consider the [Code of Conduct] report in open meeting of the Council…” . Additionally, making it Confidential and non-public gives the false impression that as I am the publicly advertised target of the complaints I have something to hide.

In short, for item 24 proposed for Monday’s Council meeting to proceed;
1 – you should redact the unnecessary naming of the position of Chair of Audit and Risk and must move the report into the public part of the meeting.
2 – your recommendation of Cr. Benson-Pope for Code of Conduct Committee membership needs to change to a viable Council member. Preferably you should sit back from making any recommendations yourself.
3 – you need to give reasons for your acceptance of both Code of Conduct complaints for forwarding to the Code of Conduct Committee, and you need to recognise your past failures in appropriately assessing complaints.
4 – written ‘eye-witness account evidence’ that you infer as existing must accompany the original Code of Conduct complaints [as mine does in my complaint of you] and not come later in order for you to even consider it for forwarding for an investigation.

Until these appropriate process requirements are met, I can not recognise the item 24 process you propose for Monday’s non public agenda.

My legal advice is that if these matters are not rectified the purported hearing becomes a nonsense and any subsequent decision will certainly not be enforceable.

Currently my advice is also that if these matters are not rectified I should not attend any Code of Conduct hearing and I should ignore any consequential purported decisions.

Regards,
Cr. Lee Vandervis

On 18/02/15 11:01 PM, “Dave Cull” wrote:

Hi Lee,
I am running the process of Code of Conduct complaints as per Standing Orders but taking no other role. It appears that I initially mistated how the Conduct Committee would be appointed. The Council will now do that. However it is clear from your email below that you were happy for me to choose the members of the Conduct Committee.
I will not be responding further to your pseudo legal questions so as not to prejudice the process.

Dave

From: Lee Vandervis
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 10:09 PM
To: Dave Cull; Andrew Noone; Andrew Whiley; Chris Staynes; Doug Hall; Hilary Calvert; John Bezett; Jinty MacTavish; Kate Wilson; Lee Vandervis; Mayor Cull; Mike Lord; Neville Peat; Richard Thomson; David Benson-Pope; Aaron Hawkins; Sue Bidrose
Cc: Pam Jordan
Subject: Re: Code of Conduct complaints

Dear Mayor Cull,

Thank you for advising me that you are satisfied “that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a provision of the Code has been breached” as below.
My advice is that you are required to detail what these ‘reasonable grounds’ are under Standing Orders J1 Accountability [accountable for their actions] and Openness [be prepared to justify their actions] as well as the overarching principle of Natural Justice.
I am particularly interested in your reasons, given that you were also satisfied with the initial Staynes/Thomson complaint which is now accepted as being deficient and non-conforming under Standing Orders.

Regarding you verbal claim to me that you are personally authorised to choose the membership of the Code of Conduct Committee against me, and your written claim as below;

“From: Dave Cull
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 03:54:35 +0000
To: Lee Vandervis
Cc: Sandy Graham
Subject: Code of conduct panel

Dear Cr Vandervis,

Following our correspondence re the appointment of a panel to hear the Code of Conduct complaint against you, I have appointed three people as per Standing Orders requirements.”

at what date did you discover that you are not in fact empowered to appoint the Code of Conduct Committee, as detailed in Standing Orders and in the Structures and Delegations manual?

Having discovered this over-reach of your authority, what steps did you then take to remedy imposing your choice of members for the Code of Conduct Committee?

Looking forward to your open clarifying responses.
Cr. Lee Vandervis

On 11/02/15 12:28 PM, “Dave Cull” wrote:

Dear Cr Vandervis,
I understand you have been informed that two Code of Conduct Complaints have been made against you by Crs Staynes and Thomson and Cr Wilson respectively. In both cases I am satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a provision of the Code has been breached. Accordingly I will refer both matters to the Conduct Committee for investigation. I will report the matter to the next ordinary meeting of Council on 23rd February and ask Council to appoint the Conduct Committee members.

Dave

Dave Cull
Mayor of Dunedin

—— End of Forwarded Message

[ends]

II

Received from Lee Vandervis
Mon, 23 Feb 2015 at 6:17 p.m.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2015 18:00:05 +1300
To: Chris Morris [ODT]
Conversation: Mayoral statement – Conduct Committee
Subject: Re: Mayoral statement – Conduct Committee

Hi Chris,

Today Mayor Cull’s second attempt to stack a Code of Conduct Committee against me was successful after his first attempt was shown loudly to be an overreaching abuse of his authority. The acceptance of non-conforming complaints against me without reasons given by Mayor Cull on the back of the refusal, again without his reasons given, of the Deputy Mayor to accept my initial conforming complaint against the Mayor makes the current process a farce. The Mayor may want to try and justify his actions to you but has refused to give the required reasons to me.

Cheers,
Lee

On 23/02/15 5:16 PM, “Chris Morris” [ODT] wrote:

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Mayoral statement – Conduct Committee
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:05:04 +0000
From: Andrea Jones [DCC]
To: undisclosed-recipients:;

Hi everyone

Mayoral statement attached.

Regards

Andrea Jones
Communications Team Leader, Council Communications and Marketing
Dunedin City Council

—— End of Forwarded Message

[ends]

█ For more, enter the terms *vandervis*, *cull*, *bidrose*, *citifleet* or *deloitte* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Hot particulate air from Greenie Daaave #mayoralrace

Updated post Mon 23.2.15 at 1:40 p.m.

—

█ Re: Sustainability Audit Subcommittee

BS ALERT
Mr Cull, who is on the subcommittee, said the targets were partly about following direction from central government and also about being responsible in the face of climate change.

### ODT Online Mon, 23 Feb 2015
DCC aims to reduce emissions
By Vaughan Elder
A target to reduce Dunedin City Council’s emissions 5% by 2018-19 is partly about setting a good example, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says. The council’s draft emissions management and reduction plan was presented to members of the sustainability audit subcommittee last week at its first meeting.
Read more

DCC emissions (via ODT)
• The council emits 30,696 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (tCO2e) per year, roughly equivalent to the yearly emissions from 6500 passenger vehicles.
• That equates to 248 kgCO2e per resident and 560 kgCO2e per rateable property.
• Of the council’s emissions 23,039 tCO2e, or 75%, is from landfilled waste.
• The council’s draft emission target aims for an overall reduction of 5% by 2018 19 and a 20% reduction in non landfill emissions.

—

The Sustainability Audit Subcommittee comprises:
Janet Stephenson (Chairperson), Mayor Dave Cull, Councillors David Benson-Pope and Jinty MacTavish, Gael Ferguson and Brett Tomkins —see previous post and comments Link

Reports to SA subcommittee meeting held 12 February:

Report – SAS – 12/02/20115 (PDF, 69.9 KB)
Members’ Interest Register

Report – SAS – 12/02/2015 (PDF, 68.4 KB)
Delegation to Sustainability Audit Subcommittee

Report – SAS – 12/02/2015 (PDF, 211.4 KB)
Sustainability Background Paper and “Interim” Stocktake

Report – SAS – 12/02/2015 (PDF, 390.4 KB)
Emissions Management and Reduction Plan (CEMARS)

—

Related Posts and Comments:
13.2.15 Daaave Cull keeps SPENDING on #impulse
25.12.14 Daaave stole Christmas from #DUD
[re: Citifleet insurance scam/coverup, losing +152 vehicles and untold cash is REALLY sustainable]

█ For more, enter the term *sustainability* in the search box at right.

****

### investors.com 02/10/2015 06:43 PM ET
U.N. Official Reveals Real Reason Behind Warming Scare
Economic Systems: The alarmists keep telling us their concern about global warming is all about man’s stewardship of the environment. But we know that’s not true. A United Nations official has now confirmed this. At a news conference last week in Brussels, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of U.N.’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, admitted that the goal of environmental activists is not to save the world from ecological calamity but to destroy capitalism. Read More [564 Comments]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Associated Press (AP) – Christiana Figueres during an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2014.

Tragic names: Torch at Dubai, on fire

Updated post Sat, 7 Mar 2015 at 2:11 p.m.

█ Wikipedia currently lists the tallest residential buildings in the world.

### NZ Herald Online 1:28 PM Saturday Feb 21, 2015
Dubai skyscraper fire: Blaze rips through Torch residential building in marina district
A fire has ripped through the Torch in Dubai – one of the tallest residential buildings in the world. The skyscraper, which is 336.1m (1,105ft) tall, is in the marina district of the city. The fire is believed to have started on the 50th floor and is spreading quickly, in part due to high-winds. One witness said it looked like “the Titanic going down”, Gulfnews.com reports. Terrified residents were forced to flee and emergency crews rushed to the scene to tackle the blaze which burned across several floors of the enormous structure. There were no reported injuries, officials told NBC News, but it was unclear whether all the residents had been accounted for.
Read more

● BBC News: Fire rips through Dubai skyscraper (video, with commentary by Kathryn Dickie 13th floor resident)

The Marina Torch, also known as Dubai Torch or just The Torch, is a supertall residential skyscraper at the Dubai Marina, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 79-storey Torch opened in 2011.

—

Wikipedia (update) —2015 fire
A fire broke out in the building on 21 February 2015 2:00 a.m. local time. Eyewitnesses stated that the fire started with a grill located on one of the building’s balconies. Although it appeared no fatalities occurred, seven people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Video footage shows structural debris falling from the burning storeys to the ground. The fire appeared to have started in the middle of the building and spread rapidly due to high winds, causing the flames to flare up, resulting in “massive problems” for the fire department and the backing up of traffic on the nearby highway for several miles. External cladding was charred from the 50th floor to the top of the tower. Eyewitnesses reported the fire starting in the middle of the tower, and falling debris setting lower levels on fire. Link

Jaime Müller Published on Feb 20, 2015
The Torch Tower On Fire . Dubai Marina . Dubai #1
[ENG] The Torch Tower is burning up in Dubai Marina!
[PTB] O Torch Tower – meu prédio vizinho – está pegando fogo!

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Dubai Marina – cap of Torch showing, upper centre right [elitetowerdubai.com]

Dubai Marina, view from Torch 76th floor Sept 2009 [imredubai.blogspot.co.nz]

The Torch Skyscraper [via BBC] was the world’s tallest residential building at its opening, but has since been surpassed by six others; it’s now thought to be the 32nd tallest building in the world, according to the Skyscraper Centre. It has 676 apartments. A two-bedroom flat starts at more than $500,000 (£325,000). Residents have access to an eight-storey garage and a swimming pool overlooking Dubai’s waterfront.

The World’s tallest apartment tower chronologically (Dec1/2011 status) – hosted at flickr [click to enlarge]

*Note the graphic by R Braddish (above) claims The Torch has “86 floors” whereas multiple sources state it has “79 storeys”.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

ODT editorial pretty bang on, but News: MOVED ON ?

In the run up to the Northland by-election, today’s Otago Daily Times editorial claims: “Much was made at the time by Opposition MPs of when and how much Mr Key knew about the motives behind Mr Sabin’s departure but, by and large, the public has moved on.”

We, moved on?
Surely not, NOT with our readings and (mis?)understandings of Prime Minister John Key as they evolve. His Auckland-based polish and shininess, Kiwi/Maui-BBQ-golfing style, plastered over with Merrill Lynch effects of a pronounced nose — in corners it shouldn’t be — are, well, terribly hard to keep bolstering up or gaily smiling about.
[Add New Zealand’s lack of controls on foreign investment, circus chum Minister Nick Smith on RMA reforms, housing need, and his no-traffic with dodgy imported concrete…. Paula Bennett as new minister for the unholy mess of Local Government….]
We will be moving on, differently if not DEFENSIVELY. If, assertively.

—

### ODT Online Sat, 21 Feb 2015
Editorial: Winston Peters – the waiting game
OPINION Prime Minister John Key will face an early litmus test of how his Government is tracking when the Northland by-election is held on March 28. The by-election is being held to find a new MP for the electorate after the sudden departure from Parliament of Mike Sabin, the former chairman of the law and order select committee. […] On paper, the by-election should be an easy win for National. The wildcard, however, is New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

Mr Peters is the one MP who has any hope at all of getting enough media attention to pose a threat. His comments, for instance on SkyCity Casino, sending armed forces personnel to Iraq and drought support to farmers, generate newspaper headlines and lead news bulletins.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: stuff.co.nz – John Key PM by Murray Webb; skykiwi.com – Winston Peters (interviewed by Jessica Mutch)

Taieri Aquatic Centre: Second try for SECRET meeting —hosted by Mayor

Remember this?
█ 10.2.15 Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel

—

How that SECRET meeting was abandoned after being exposed by What if? Dunedin…
█ 13.2.15 ‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’, email from M. Stedman via B. Feather

The email of 13 February indicated the next meeting would include the public: “The benefits of council and the community talking to each over major initiatives can’t be over stated.”

—

The latest email (below) suggests a change of tactics.

This is evidence of a ‘new’ SECRET meeting, at the instigation of Mayor Cull !!
(What if? received two copies of the email, leaks….)

A public-excluded workshop for a +$17 million pool complex, a facility designed to line the pockets of private developers (responsible for unfettered housing sprawl on the Taieri) and the good old boys’ whose businesses line the Mosgiel mainstreet —with lashings of Otago Rugby training time and hydrotherapy sessions. To be at Ratepayers’ expense, entirely.

Why is Mayor Cull involved in organising this workshop at 6pm. Will Council staff be paid overtime for their attendance. Why is Mayor Cull involved in this at all when it appears there’s no Council funding in the Long Term Plan (LTP) for new pools at Mosgiel. What’s going on.

We all know how public private partnerships (PPP) fail at the expense of ratepayers and taxpayers. This is well documented nationally and internationally. Be warned. The sleazy Mosgiel/Dunedin crew are hardly honest venture philanthropists; and Dunedin City Council is a lie a minute in the care and presentation of its annual reports.

—

Email received.
Fri, 20 Feb 2015 at 8:36 p.m.

From: Monique Elleboode [DCC]
Sent: Friday, 20 February 2015 12:56 p.m.
To: Community Board – Mosgiel Taieri 2013-2016
Subject: Taieri Community Facilities Trust – workshop – Tuesday 3 March, at 6pm, Plaza Conference Room

Dear All

The Mayor, together with the Chair of the Taieri Community Facilities Trust, invite you to a workshop with members of the Taieri Community Facilities Trust to discuss the decision making frame work (sic) around the proposed Mosgiel Aquatic Facility.

Council staff will give a presentation covering areas including the Spatial Plan, Council Strategic framework, New Zealand Aquatic facility development guidelines and implications for Mosgiel, options and financial implications.

This workshop takes place on Tuesday 3 March at 6pm, in the Plaza Conference Room, on the Ground Floor of the Civic Centre Building, the Octagon, Dunedin.

Please confirm your attendance back with Monique, 474 3855, or monique.elleboode @dcc.govt.nz
Thank you
Monique
Monique Elleboode
Personal Assistant to the Mayor of Dunedin
Dunedin City Council

—

Related Posts and Comments:
● 13.2.15 ‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’, email from M. Stedman via B. Feather
● 10.2.15 Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel
11.10.14 New Mosgiel Pool trust declared —(ready to r**t)
23.7.14 Mosgiel Pool: Taieri Times, ODT…. mmm #mates
16.7.14 Stadium: Exploiting CST model for new Mosgiel Pool #GOBs
● 4.2.14 DCC: Mosgiel Pool, closed-door parallels with stadium project…
30.1.14 DCC broke → More PPPs to line private pockets and stuff ratepayers
20.1.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 [see this comment & ff]
16.11.13 Community board (Mosgiel-Taieri) clandestine meetings
25.1.12 Waipori Fund – inane thinkings from a councillor
19.5.10 DScene – Public libraries, Hillside Workshops, stadium, pools
12.4.10 High-performance training pool at stadium?

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: kpbs.org – Men who swim

NZ First on “concrete cancer” @ NZ #dodgyimportedcement

Thursday, 19 February 2015, 4:21 pm
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

‘Concrete Cancer’ Fears Still Alive

New Zealand First wants Minister for Building and Housing Nick Smith to get independent analysis to prove that “concrete cancer” is not a concern in recently constructed buildings around the country as Minister Smith claims.

“We have been reliably informed that tonnes of imported cement are not up to industry standards and result in weak concrete that will end in structural problems,” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“New Zealand First warned the government about the dodgy cement last year but it is still being used.

“Now the Minister has the audacity to tell New Zealand First to provide technical reports. That is the job of the Minister who, up till now, has relied on concrete industry assurances that are both conflicted and not independent.

“Suspect cement is believed to have been used in the Manukau District Court and Fonterra’s upgrade of its UHT factory in Waitoa.

“Why haven’t independent core samples been take from these sites and others where there are concerns?”

ENDS

[via Scoop]

—

inthehouseNZ Published on Feb 18, 2015
19.02.15 – Question 7: Rt Hon Winston Peters to the Minister for Building and Housing
Does he think he is competently fulfilling his ministerial responsibilities; if not, why not?
Provided by http://www.inthehouse.co.nz
Produced by Tandem Studios

—

Whaleoil’s Cameron Slater says…

“The Government has been warned about the concrete cancer issue for near on six months now, and yesterday we saw a flustered looking Nick Smith start the ol’ political trick of shifting the blame to his officials.”

20.2.15 Concrete Cancer Coverup – Winston has Nick Smith over a barrel
5.2.15 Concrete Cancer Cover-up, Ctd – What’s all the fuss about?

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Audit NZ making up for previous huge inadequacies over DCC books ?

LONG PROVEN:
Audit NZ as CAVALIER, INCOMPETENT and CORRUPT as DCC with regards to stewardship and protection of Ratepayer Funds —in particular, Harland era to the present

—

### ODT Online Fri, 20 Feb 2015
DCC censured by Audit NZ
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council been criticised by Audit New Zealand after “significantly” underperforming in the delivery of last year’s annual report. The rebuke came in Audit NZ’s annual audit report, which said the council had missed deadlines to deliver last year’s annual report to Audit NZ by “a significant margin”. The quality of the council’s annual report was also “clearly below an appropriate standard”, and internal quality review processes appeared to be lacking, Audit NZ said.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Law Courts Hotel #sad

An institution. Great precinct and location for accommodation, what happened.
Enhance building performance, perfect for retrofitting and adaptive reuse.

### dunedintv.co.nz February 19, 2015 – 5:42pm
Law Courts Hotel in liquidation
The Law Courts Hotel in central Dunedin has been placed in liquidation. The hotel’s situated in lower Stuart Street, beside the Dunedin Courthouse. It’s been placed in the hands of liquidators by the High Court. Creditors owed money by the company have until the end of March to file claims. The sole director of the Law Courts Hotel is Mornington resident Leslie Scott. A financial report on the state of the business has yet to be made public. It was formally placed in liquidation last week.
Ch39 Link [no video available]

█ Wikipedia: Law Courts Hotel [edited]
‘One of the city’s most historic public houses and hostelries, the Law Courts Hotel, is located close to the Dunedin Law Courts (the courthouse) in Lower Stuart Street, in a large corner building with an Art Deco style facade (not the original frontage), directly opposite the Allied Press Building (the offices of the city’s main newspaper, the Otago Daily Times). Listed by Heritage New Zealand as a Category II historic place (List No: 2189). The prime location of this hotel near these two premises has greatly contributed to its history, as has its longevity (having originally been founded as the Auld Scotland Hotel in 1863).’ Link

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: wikimedia.org – ‘deco-tweaked’ by whatifdunedin

Gold not at the end of an EFTPOS rainbow, either

Stadium talk had at #DUD

This afternoon at ODT Online, Diane Yeldon wrote in asking about ‘Flatter rainbows in the deep south’.

Query attracted the perfect reply:

Explanation for flatter rainbows
Submitted by russandbev on Wed, 18/02/2015 – 3:31pm.

Caused by the weight of the City debt.

And another thing….

Try as I might to be organised and glued to my EFTPOS card at all times, it just doesn’t work, not when I’m thinking ahead.
I forget to take the damn thing out of the machines, why would I wait round for the “Remove Card” prompt in anticipation of a fresh coffee. Huh? The barista, bless him, never sees a problem, he’s busy making the coffee. I get that, I do. It’s a blame-me situation. I drink the coffee, then dash. Going for that last minute shop at New World before they shut, ah-ha, grab the Weekly Groceries. [here enters Chaos…] No Rainbow Help, No CARD. Most of the items in my trolley have a fast date with my freezer. But crap! They’ve been stood up. So am I. No card, no cash for taxi home from supermarket. The evening’s a total mess. Ring coffee place, they have card (phew), run to coffee place (goes against sports podiatrist instruction for short steps only), collect card, retrace to supermarket with two minutes to use cash machine before they shut. Call taxi, lengthy wait for pick-up, get home. Moral of evening panics?
>>> I bloody well prefer swiping my card (it stays in my hand~!!) to these infernal chip cards that I’m predestined to leave lying about. Dammit to hell. Incensed and doubly STARVING.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: (top) ebizdocs.com – rainbow scares; zcache.com – rainbow with a pot of gold cartoon shopping bag

University of Otago: Toga Party 2015 #video

OMG —fubar stadium (barely seen) has a use, plays second fiddle to Vice-chancellor Harlene Hayne dressed in hot pink, buffeted by excited teens. Watch.

Otago Daily Times Published on Feb 17, 2015
Toga Party 2015
First year University of Otago students head to the annual Toga Party at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

****

### ODT Online Wed, 18 Feb 2015
Hundreds gather at Toga Party
Otago University Students’ Association communications manager Tess Trotter said about 2200 people attended the 2015 Toga Party at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night. The event acted as a “test run” for the other events coming up this week and “everything has gone really smoothly”, she said.
Read more + Slideshow

### ODT Online Wed, 18 Feb 2015
Comedy gig stands out from social haze
As part of O Week’s celebrations, a live filming of the TV show 7 Days will be recorded tonight at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

University of Otago can’t beat broadcast news and social media #image

[click screenshot to enlarge]

This is how New Zealand Herald, via the National news section (it’s an ODT story and photograph by Hamish McNeilly), markets the University of Otago Campus Area to parents and intending students, nationals and internationals. Read the full article at NZ Herald.

Better advertising to reduce Otago’s student rolls we couldn’t hope to find.

Glad Vice-chancellor Harlene Hayne has everything under control.
Perhaps the VC could visit and apologise to the distressed student from George Street, hard at work today serving customers at the Octagon, who told me she and her flatmates ventured out on Sunday morning to find their driveway grossly awash with vomit.

—

Related Posts and Comments:
18.12.14 University of Otago —um Harlene, what you sellin’ now, girl?
12.8.14 Cameras in North Dunedin
1.8.14 University Partyville, North Dunedin: Put the cameras in ~!!
16.7.14 Stadium: Out of the mouths of uni babes…. #DVML
30.4.14 Octagon mud
22.3.14 Dunedin North care less filthy slum
19.3.14 Dunedin North drunks
15.2.14 University of Otago: Starter questions for Harlene
10.2.14 University of Otago major sponsor for Highlanders
19.8.13 Cull on senility (firing up graduates)
25.3.13 UoO: NEGATIVE PRESS: Weekly disorder in Dunedin campus area
20.2.12 University of Otago student orientation
17.2.12 Salvation Army: The Growing Divide
17.12.11 Stadium + Cull love = University of Otago + OUSA party
23.11.11 Judge Oke Blaikie finally said it
9.11.11 DCC has PR problem

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC reality check —‘CEO Bidrose confirms no Vandervis complaint with a hug’

Received from Lee Vandervis
Sun, 15 Feb 2015 at 7:08 p.m.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2015 19:07:29 +1300
To: Chris Morris [ODT], Debbie Porteous [ODT], EditorODT, Nick Smith [ODT]
Conversation: CEO Bidrose confirms no Vandervis complaint with a hug.
Subject: CEO Bidrose confirms no Vandervis complaint with a hug.

Dear Chris and Co,

CEO Bidrose has this weekend confirmed in public, with a hug, that she has not made any complaint of me, that she was out of town when she received my latest email alerting her to a legal issue in the non-public section of the Council meeting underway when we spoke in the hallway, and that her secretary had not read through the email to the legal issue and alerted her prior to the meeting in which Mayor Cull attempted to push the issue through.
The legal issue related to Mayor Cull’s false claim that he was personally empowered to select the membership of the Code of Conduct Committee [against me], when this power is clearly that of the whole Council as detailed in Standing Orders J4.1 and in the Committee Structure and Delegations Manual.
This came on top of Mayor Cull’s falsely claiming statements supposedly made by me at the 3/11/14 Council meeting, and his then immediately demanding that I withdraw these statements which I did not make. Mayor Cull then used my refusal to withdraw the statements as a pretext to eject me from the meeting, all of which the video proves. This was the essence of my Code of Conduct Complaint against Mayor Cull of 10/12/14. Two subsequent Code of Conduct Complaints against me by Greater Dunedin Chairpersons do not mention any swearing or expletives and seem to be personal ‘tone’ attacks to deflect from on-going Mayoral abuses of his position and the Mayor’s attempts to silence my concerns.

Kind regards,
Cr. Lee Vandervis

PS Chris – You are back to recorded medium only comment from me. You have again invented news rather than honestly reporting it.
—— End of Forwarded Message

Related Posts and Comments:
6.2.15 Cr Lee Vandervis apology
5.1.15 DCC: Chairman denies true and correct Council record

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC neglects sycamores in reserves —passes control and eradication cost to city residents

Acer pseudoplatanus, the sycamore or sycamore maple, is considered to be invasive in New Zealand and is also considered to be an environmental weed in some parts of Australia.

Acer pseudoplatanus is a species of maple native to Central Europe and Southwestern Asia, from France eastwards to Ukraine, and south in mountains to northern Spain, northern Turkey and the Caucasus, but cultivated and naturalised elsewhere.

—

### ODT Online Sun, 15 Feb 2015
DCC prepares for sycamore war
By Dan Hutchinson – The Star
The Dunedin City Council has sycamore trees firmly in its sights as the invasive plant threatens to choke the life out of the town belt. Parks manager Lisa Wheeler said the town belt was becoming “inundated” with fast-growing trees. […] “The town belt is getting inundated again with it. Leith Valley, through the university … over the next few years you are going to see an increase in seedlings coming through.” She said the council had done a small mapping exercise in the West Harbour where there was a big problem with the trees and would now look to work with community groups and residents throughout the city.
Read more

—

“A ghastly mass of stumps and branches, rampant ivy, aluminium weed, blackberry and sycamore saplings” had been left behind.
–Pat Petersen, concerned resident

### ODT Online Sun, 15 Feb 2015
Bush clearing work upsets resident
By John Gibb
Recent tree cutting and pruning operations on tracks near Jubilee Park have destroyed “magical bush walks” there, Dunedin resident Pat Petersen says. Mrs Petersen (79), who has lived near the Belleknowes park for the past 48 years and is a regular walker of nearby tracks in the Town Belt, said she was “very upset” by the continuing work. […] She said “swathes” of broad-leafed coprosma, rangiora and, to a lesser extent, five-finger and karamu had recently been “cut and slashed” beside the bush walks.
Read more

****

Earlier….

### ODT Online Tue, 14 May 2013
Sycamores in the firing line
By Debbie Porteous
Sycamore trees are in the crosshairs of Dunedin city councillors, who have asked council staff to identify the implications of registering them as a noxious plant. Councillors also supported, in principle, initiatives to control and eradicate the trees on all public land, including roadsides and rail corridors. The decision was taken by councillors considering the 2013-14 annual plan.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: delphinium.co.nz – Kereru (New Zealand native wood pigeon) resting in sycamore tree

‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’, email from M. Stedman via B. Feather

Received Fri, 13 Feb 2015 at 5:43 p.m.
BLACK FRIDAY with screwy light

—

From: Bill Feather [Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board]
Sent: Friday, 13 February 2015 1:19 p.m.
To: Blackie Catlow; Martin Dillon; Sarah Nitis; Grace Ockwell [DCC]; Maurice Prendergast; Mick Reece [DCC]; Mark Willis; Kate Wilson [Councillor];
Subject: FW: Invitation to discuss the Spatial Plan meeting date to be rescheduled

—– Forwarded Message
From: Michael Stedman
Sent: Friday, 13 February 2015 10:15 a.m.
To: Bill Feather
Subject: Fwd: Invitation to discuss the Spatial Plan

The meeting with the Taieri Community Facilities Trust to discus (sic) the Spatial Plan ands it’s (sic) potential impact of the proposed Aquatic Centre on the (sic) Tuesday the 17th is to be rescheduled and broadened.

After extremely useful discussions with Mayor Dave Cull we have agreed to reschedule and expend (sic) the scope of the meeting.

Dave, and I agree, felt a wider and fuller discussion about the proposal would assist everyone. To that end Dave will ask Staff to prepare a presentation on all the areas that need to be discussed and considered.

I am delighted at the prospect of a wider discussion. The benefits of Council and the Community talking to each over major initiatives can’t be overstated and continues the immensely valuable relationship the Trust has established with both Councillors and Staff.

The proposed date will be sometime in early March.

Regards
Michael Stedman
Chair [Taieri Community Facilities Trust]
—— End of Forwarded Message

*Italics and brackets added by whatifdunedin

—

Related Posts and Comments:
● 10.2.15 Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel
11.10.14 New Mosgiel Pool trust declared —(ready to r**t)
23.7.14 Mosgiel Pool: Taieri Times, ODT…. mmm #mates
16.7.14 Stadium: Exploiting CST model for new Mosgiel Pool #GOBs
● 4.2.14 DCC: Mosgiel Pool, closed-door parallels with stadium project…
30.1.14 DCC broke → More PPPs to line private pockets and stuff ratepayers
20.1.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 [see this comment & ff]
16.11.13 Community board (Mosgiel-Taieri) clandestine meetings
25.1.12 Waipori Fund – inane thinkings from a councillor
19.5.10 DScene – Public libraries, Hillside Workshops, stadium, pools
12.4.10 High-performance training pool at stadium?

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Associate Minister of Local Government: Return democracy to Kaipara

From our friends at MRRA, the Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association (Inc.) —a plea for public support for their online petition.

Associate Minister of Local Government: Return democracy to Kaipara

Moves are afoot to have the term of the appointed Commissioners extended beyond the set date of October 2015. This appears to be an effort to create a platform towards amalgamation of the whole of Northland into a single Local Authority. Given the parlous state of Kaipara’s finances and the stubborn refusal of Commissioners to listen to ratepayers and residents, amalgamation can only be detrimental to Kaipara’s best interests and would likely result in those who created this mess escaping scot free. We want the minister to:
(a) Ignore requests for extension of term of the Commissioners
(b) Be open on discussions regarding reorganisation of local government in Northland
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Associate_Minister_of_Local_Government_Return_democracy_to_Kaipara/?tbVJcjb

Please forward the link to your friends and colleagues.
Click to share this petition on Facebook

—

█ Read more about the petition at Kaipara Concerns, a community newsletter that clearly outlines the issues affecting the people of Kaipara district. http://www.kaiparaconcerns.co.nz/

[screenshot – click to enlarge]
Kaipara Concerns 13.2.15 Read on….

—

█ MP for Maungakiekie, Peseta Sam Lotu-liga is the Associate Minister of Local Government.

█ Hon Paula Bennett is the Minister of Local Government.
Ms Bennett’s portfolio includes roles as Minister for Social Development and Associate Minister of Housing. She replaces the outgoing Minister of Local Government, the Hon Chris Tremain, who is retiring at the next election.

—

Related Posts and Comments:
2.2.15 LGNZ run by Mad Rooster Yule, end of story
27.11.14 Auditor-general Lyn Provost #Resign
31.10.14 Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC
9.9.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara: Latest news + Winston Peter’s speech
19.7.14 Whaleoil / Cameron Slater on ratepayers’ lament
29.5.14 Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Assn wins at High Court
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ ● OAG…
29.1.14 Mangawhai, Kaipara —we hear ya!
3.12.13 LGNZ: OAG report on Kaipara
12.11.13 Northland council amalgamation
29.6.13 Audit NZ and OAG clean bill of health —Suspicious!
21.4.13 Councils “in stchook” —finance & policy analyst Larry.N.Mitchell
19.3.12 Local government reform
21.2.12 Kaipara this time

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Disclaimer: This post, ‘Stadium: Online petition to pressure $1M donation’, does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation of any kind by Elizabeth Kerr and the parties to What if? Dunedin.

Daaave Cull keeps SPENDING on #impulse

…. “impulse” is the polite word for CRAP

The Laughing Stock With The Ermine, Clanking Gold Chains And Camel Shackles looks more and more RIDICULOUS as the Mayor of Dunedin.

There are screeds and screeds of cartoons to draw for —
Daaave’s definition of SUSTAINABILITY : Read STADIUM.

Try your very hardest not to laugh at the soft-arsed plonker – do you know what ANOTHER subcommittee costs to run, in terms of councillor, staff and politically appointed rank outsider* time and pay. It’s an outrage – and, for WHAT.

Daaave IS the “lunatic fringe”.
NEWS: He has a date with public stocks in the Octagon. Or we do it cleanly, and VOTE HIM OUT next election. Though how many of us can’t wait and would want to drive a bus erratically.

—

### dunedintv.co.nz February 11, 2015 – 7:20pm
Nightly interview: Dave Cull
A new subcommittee of the Dunedin City Council has been established, and will meet for the first time this week. The Sustainability Audit Subcommittee involves several councillors as well as Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull. And he joins us to talk about its purpose.
Video

Sustainability Audit Subcommittee Meeting
When: 12 Feb 2015 3:00pm (been and gone)
Where: Otaru Room, Civic Centre

█ Agenda – SAS – 12/02/2015 (PDF, 27.9 KB)

[Rort] Sustainability Audit Subcommittee Membership:
Janet Stephenson* (Chairperson), Mayor Dave Cull, Councillors David Benson-Pope and Jinty MacTavish, Gael Ferguson* and Brett Tomkins*

—

Related Post:
25.12.14 Daaave stole Christmas from #DUD
[re: Citifleet insurance scam/coverup, losing +152 vehicles and untold cash is REALLY sustainable]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin Cycleways: Pet project staff, ‘entitlement’? #irony

“However, I can certainly confirm that it is not the practice of staff to pre-empt any decision-making by the council.” –Ruth Stokes, General Manager Infrastructure and Networks

### ODT Online Wed, 11 Feb 2015
Apology over council staff gaffe
By Vaughan Elder
A Dunedin City Council senior manager has apologised to councillors over a staff member appearing to pre-empt a council decision on cycleway funding. Concern over the actions of staff came up at yesterday’s infrastructure services committee, where councillors voted on the allocation of $570,000 in new Government money to spend on the South Dunedin cycle network. […] In the council press release, senior transportation planner Kylie Huard said the Government funding “will be used” to enhance and expand the South Dunedin cycle network, including providing a link between Shore St and Victoria Rd, via Tainui and Cavell Sts.
Read more

DCC Media Release (30 Jan 2015):
New Government Funding for Dunedin Cycleways

****

And another thing….

ODT (11.2.15) Board to pay for road closures
In the article Mick Reece is described as the “council parks, recreation and aquatic services group manager”. Group Manager.

█ Isn’t it time the Dunedin public received an up-to-date Dunedin City Council organisation chart showing reporting lines. To know exactly where those 40+ managers / team leaders (of a total council staff of about 700) are situated, at considerable cost to the ratepayers.

Message to DCC chief executive Sue Bidrose: “Time for fine detail.” And, “Due diligence to Democratic principles, to be learned by Staff.”

[Subtext: it wasn’t simply a typo]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel

Updated post Thu, 12 Feb 2015 at 6:40 p.m.

█ TaieriAquaticCentre-CapabilityStudy 6 Nov 2014 (PDF, 7 MB)

—

Received from Night Rider
Submitted on 2015/02/10 at 12:55 pm

Look what I found in the rubbish in Bath St, at 2am this morning.
Notice to all Councillors of a SPECIAL SECRET MEETING.
The Taieri Community Facilities Trust would like to invite Councillors to a discussion on the Spatial Plan with the Trust and members of the Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board.
It appears that the proposed Aquatic development may not sit within the Spatial Plan’s intent.
█ Downes Room, Mosgiel Public Library at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 17 February.

I now cordially invite the public to this secret meeting if you are interested in who this group thinks they are representing. I am sure that the Councillors would be interested in what the actual inhabitants of Mosgiel think rather than those who work in the shadows of darkness, under the cloak of secrecy, representing none other than developers and interested main street business people, who see a great financial gain if this project [‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’] goes ahead at the selected site.

—

My reply: Night Rider, how many Councillors would think it prudent to show up to such a clandestine self-interested sort of meeting !!? This is what housing sprawl lobbyists do isn’t it. Wonder what kickbacks are proposed to buy the Council’s vote.

—

Received from Night Rider
Submitted on 2015/02/10 at 2:27 pm

Another titbit that fell out of the Bath St rubbish this morning was a summary of a Community Board Workshop held recently. Board members in attendance actually suggested that they have a closed Facebook page – to share ideas. More Secrecy. Elected to represent their communities, but want to have a secret Facebook page for themselves. Not good, sounds a bit like the old East European style.
An interesting contribution from the Mosgiel Mob at the combined community boards meeting. They were crowing that the success story has been community consultation and engagement. Maybe someone from out Mosgiel way would like to comment on that one. Night Rider hasn’t been out that way recently, must get out there and check my traps.

—

█ Taieri Community Facilities Trust (aka ‘Pooling Together’) — Who we are

[click to enlarge]
These scanned images (supplied) were presented in a project report from the Taieri Community Facilities Trust to the Council during pre-draft Long Term Plan 2015/16 meetings in January. Extra copies were provided for the public gallery. [site plan and renders: Baker Garden Architects]

█ The private trust expects DCC to be the major funder for the (note: under-calculated) +$17 million pool project, which is only achievable if the Council increases its borrowing.

—

Related Posts and Comments:
11.10.14 New Mosgiel Pool trust declared —(ready to r**t)
23.7.14 Mosgiel Pool: Taieri Times, ODT…. mmm #mates
16.7.14 Stadium: Exploiting CST model for new Mosgiel Pool #GOBs
● 4.2.14 DCC: Mosgiel Pool, closed-door parallels with stadium project…
30.1.14 DCC broke → More PPPs to line private pockets and stuff ratepayers
20.1.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 [see this comment & ff]
16.11.13 Community board (Mosgiel-Taieri) clandestine meetings
25.1.12 Waipori Fund – inane thinkings from a councillor
19.5.10 DScene – Public libraries, Hillside Workshops, stadium, pools
12.4.10 High-performance training pool at stadium?

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Harold Marshall, acoustic architect, engineer and physicist

Philharmonie de Paris

### radionz.co.nz Sunday 8 February 2015
RNZ National – Sunday Morning with Wallace Chapman
10:40 Sir Harold Marshall – Acoustical Science (Link)
Sir Harold Marshall is an award-winning and ground breaking acoustic architect who loves Bach. Knighted for services to acoustical science, the stunning new ultra-modern concert hall the Philharmonie de Paris [designed by Jean Nouvel] is the latest in a long line of prestigious projects he’s been involved with. Sir Harold explains why it is in fact the “great grandchild” of Christchurch’s Town Hall.
Audio | Downloads: Ogg MP3 ( 22′ 22″ )

Professor Harold Marshall, with an independent chair in Acoustics, taught the principles of acoustic design to many of us at the University of Auckland School of Architecture. The Acoustics Centre NZ is now hosted by the School of Architecture within the University of Auckland’s National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries.

Currently, Marshall Day has 16 international offices.

█ Marshall Day – Acoustic consultants & noise control engineers http://marshallday.com/regionpage/marshall-day-acoustics-new-zealand

—

Philharmonie de Paris Published on Jan 20, 2015

Philharmonie de Paris – Opening – January 2015
[English subtitles]
http://www.philharmoniedeparis.fr/en

### the guardian.com Thursday 15 January 2015 12.51 GMT
La Philharmonie de Paris: is this a new musical and social future for Paris?
By Tom Service
The controversial concert hall might not have been quite finished and its architect might have elected to stay away from the opening concert, but it still sounded amazing. The first sound heard in the new Philharmonie de Paris at its opening night gala on 14 January was applause: a sustained and spontaneous ovation for François Hollande and his retinue as they took their seats in the balcony of Jean Nouvel’s surreally imaginative interior, an asymmetric assemblage of gigantic floating panels, clouds and boomerangs, of crazily diverse surfaces, colours, and acoustically adjustable geometries and movable seating and stage configurations, all nested within an outer shell whose chaotic lines and curves are covered in 340,000 geometrically tessellating metallic and concrete birds. Mind you, where I was sitting, there was also exposed MDF, chipboard, half-painted flooring, and chair numbers written on Post-it notes. Nouvel – the architect who didn’t attend the opening of his own €390m project – was right: the Philharmonie simply wasn’t fully ready by the time this inaugural audience took their seats.
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See also: ‘François Hollande opens Philharmonie concert hall – but without architect’ (The Guardian 15.1.15)

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Bouygues Construction Published on Dec 18, 2014

Paris Philharmonic Hall by Bouygues Construction
[English subtitles]
Designed by Jean Nouvel, this new venue features a modular 2,400-seat auditorium, numerous rehearsal rooms and secondary performance spaces and a teaching centre. It will host concerts by leading symphony orchestras along with a wide range of cultural events. With electricity consumption below 50 kWh/m2/year, the hall meets the highest standards both for its acoustics and for the environment. http://blog.bouygues-construction.com/en-direct-des-chantiers/loiseau-fait-nid-philharmonie-paris/

Philharmonie de Paris Published on Oct 30, 2014

Le chantier de la Philharmonie de Paris : les « oiseaux »
Reportage sur le chantier de la Philharmonie. Pour tout savoir sur la fabrication et l’installation des oiseaux en fonte d’aluminium qui constituent la couverture du bâtiment et le pavage du parvis.
http://www.philharmoniedeparis.fr

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parisBbg Published on Jan 16, 2015

Philharmonie de Paris – Inauguration – Concert de gala et standing ovation pour François Hollande
Premier concert donné à la Philharmonie de Paris, en présence du Président de la République – 14 Janvier 2015
Architecte Jean Nouvel

00:00 Extérieur
00:39 Intérieur
07:38 François Hollande avec Manuel Valls (premier ministre), Anne Hidalgo (maire de Paris) et d’autres personnalités
08:04 Le Requiem de Fauré, extrait de «In paradisum»
10:08 Extérieur

Bande-son: début de Daphnis et Chloé de Ravel (Suite n°2) interprétée lors du concert d’inauguration.
Orchestre et Chœur de Paris
Dir : Paavo Järvi

█ More on Philharmonie de Paris at Google Images

█ Architect: Jean Nouvel http://www.jeannouvel.com/

See Jean Nouvel’s editorial in “Le Monde”: the reasons why I will not attend the opening of the Philharmonie de Paris (14.1.15) via his website.
[Smartphone access to that desktop link may be denied, instead go to:
http://www.jeannouvel.com/ (English) > News > Select item for 14/1/2015]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: Philharmonie de Paris – (from top) amazonaws.com; archi5.fr | aasarchitecture.com; artscape.fr; philharmoniedeparis.com; philharmoniedeparis.fr; philharmoniedeparis.fr; f1g.fr; theatlantic.com; panoramio.com | pgoh.com; wallpaper.com | metalocuses.com