Updated post Sun, 10 May 2015 at 10:50 p.m.
WATCH
█ Sunday TVNZ http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news 10 May
Sunday TVNZ investigator: Libby Middlebrook
Producer: Jane Skinner
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Sunday TVNZ 30-second promos started from 8pm Thursday….
Separate online promo on Sunday TVNZ Facebook page and Sunday webpage:
http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/dunedin-student-hovel-do-you-live-like-video-6309030 [the student flat in Castle Street that we filmed inside]
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Related Posts and Comments:
12.5.15 View Street, seen from Moray Place
11.5.15 Don’t for Chrissakes play down effects of liquor barons #DUD
11.5.15 Aftermath of Sunday TVNZ on ‘Party Central’
2.4.15 University rolls down, Harlene not the only problem….
28.3.15 University of Otago landscaping
22.3.15 University of Otago: More national and global publicity #HydeStreet
18.2.15 University of Otago: Toga Party 2015 #video
16.2.15 University of Otago can’t beat broadcast news and social media #image
8.5.14 Student Proof Carpet – New Zealand #video
15.2.14 University of Otago: Starter questions for Harlene
█ For more, enter the terms *university*, *harlene*, *alcohol*, *publicity*, *hyde*, *party*, *octagon mud*, *student*, or *blaikie* in the search box at right.
—
Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
*Images – screenshots and text from Sunday TVNZ / ONE News
What if? Dunedin... 
Follow up to the Sunday TVNZ programme screening 10 May will be provided at Breakfast on TV ONE the next morning – Monday, 11 May.
Details to come.
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news
Live Stream: Breakfast (0:00)
Live stream of Breakfast – weekdays from 6-9am.
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/live-stream-video-5701593
Related Posts and Comments:
2.4.15 University rolls down, Harlene not the only problem….
28.3.15 University of Otago landscaping
22.3.15 University of Otago: More national and global publicity #HydeStreet
10.3.15 *Surprise!* Farry’s f.u.b.a.r. Stadium not attracting first year Efts
18.2.15 University of Otago: Toga Party 2015 #video
16.2.15 University of Otago can’t beat broadcast news & social media #image
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
9.1.14 Facadism: … University of Otago warps Castle Street
19.8.13 Cull on senility (firing up graduates)
24.7.13 University: Leith flood protection scheme and landscaping
31.5.13 University of Otago development plans
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
Comments received:
Thu, 7 May 2015 at 7:19 p.m.
Thu, 7 May 2015 at 7:36 p.m.
For decades the Otago University has been the power house of the Dunedin economy but now I am not so sure.
Both its national and international reputation must surely be dented by the repeated media attention on slum accommodation, riots and a culture of excessive drinking that both city leaders and the university academics have failed to address. Those leaders must have known that it was that culture that historically attracted many students to Dunedin. Of course they’ll never admit it now because as stated – the frog is cooked.
As other Uni’s get the jump, Dunedin is left with all those drunken and rioting students that pay fees and who the Otago Uni cannot afford to lose as their roll spirals down.
Think about it – while the drunk and disorderly behaviour of young students maybe unacceptable and damaging to the reputation of the University, in the eyes of the law, their actions are far less serious than the Citifleet investigation of which Mayor Cull and the DCC have quickly laid to rest and continue to withhold from public scrutiny. Students are wired to expose such hypocrisy.
Unfortunately Alex, you are incorrect. The law has NOT fully investigated the Citifleet thefts. The law may see it as more important, but the upholders of the law are like the froth on a cappucino.
The fourth estate however see the Otago student behaviour as more important than the theft of public monies. That is the tragedy. Theft is OK, but drinking is not.
I have never claimed that Citifleet was properly investigated, to the contrary, it was not properly investigated. Detective Preece does not bother interviewing other DCC Staff on grounds they are unlikely to incriminate themselves. Is he lazy, incompetent or under clear instruction from above??
Now we have the DCC refusing to disclose the Deloitte report to Lee Vandervis which in itself is a concern but surely the Deceased’s family and the Coroner would also want to see all of the investigation reports in light of the public statements by the DCC and the Police.
Had this case gone to court I predict any defence lawyer would have quickly painted this as a narrow minded investigation with a predetermined outcome but of course this will never be tested because the suspect is dead.
“Detective Preece does not bother interviewing other DCC Staff on grounds they are unlikely to incriminate themselves.”
I’ve often wondered about the moaning that Maori are imprisoned at much higher rates than Pakeha. “Shouldn’t do so much crime” is the obvious response to this liberal breast-beating.
But then something like the above quote leaps out. A group of low-wage working Maori, there’s some theft happens at the factory where they work – can I seriously imagine staff other than the one obvious (and impossible to interrogate on account of being dead) accused>>guilty one not being questioned thoroughly because they wouldn’t rush to incriminate themselves?
Come to think of it, can I imagine other low-rank nobodies – cleaners, shelf stackers in a supermarket / warehouse for instance – not being firmly invited to engage in a full and frank conversation with members of our incorruptible upholders of law and order?
As a child I was highly imaginative. Today those 2 similar, hardly exotic scenarios are beyond me, I can no longer roam the rich fantasy world of the untethered mind. It’s sad the way we change with age.
Returning to the previous argument, I think any hardworking senior law student or even the (average) law professor at Otago would know there’s something seriously awry with the Citifleet case and its curtailment between the DCC and the Police at Dunedin; which leaves the Deloitte partner in charge of the “fraud reports” up in the air and extremely dissatisfied.
If the University of Otago wants to redeem some of its reputation, fire up the staff and students at Law who (for the avoidance of party animal behaviour) have the full complement of brain cells left to expose fraud and corruption at the centre of town!
Then too.
Given the scale of account $$$ that Deloitte enjoys with DCC – they’re not particularly independent (understatement) despite discomfort of feathers ruffled over the outcomes of their Citifleet reports and recommendations.
Conveniently, Deloitte received more hours to advise on fraud prevention across the city council.
Always gold at the end of Dunedin rainbows for the well connected.
Theory and practice. The staple of professional degreeing. Bingo.
My imagination deserves to die. This is Otago……
Looks like Cr Vandervis unlocked a ‘Pandora’s box’ on the ‘Citifleet’ fraud case. Ever since, it has been the DCC and the NZ Police establishment’s task to obfuscate, lie, deliberately mislead and do everything but crawl over broken glass to defuse the mystery of the “truth”. Why? One can only speculate, but the one certainty is that all has not been revealed nor has justice been seen to be done in the best interests of the citizens. This is perhaps the greatest travesty of all. The breakdown of trust between the citizens and their elected representatives, and indeed between those representatives themselves. A very pronounced spotlight upon the tawdry leadership of this city.
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{Moderated. Actionable. -Eds}
There is clearly an absolute determination by both the DCC and the Police not to progress any wider inquiry into the Citifleet fraud. Lee Vandervis has managed to make that clear through his well-documented requests and communications with both bodies. The actual truth of the matter, or at least the best possible lead into the truth is the Deloitte report, and it is by no means unreasonable to assume that this report contains information that would be really damaging to both the DCC and the Police. It is therefore essential that this report is released through whatsoever means possible. Unless this is achieved and the whole mess exposed then the result in my view will be the DCC saying “nothing to see here, move right along”, and the Police saying “it is impossible to prosecute a dead man”. The whole issue will then be consigned to the nearest round filing cabinet while all avenues such as the OIA are shut off at the pass. So, it is up to a person with a very good legal background and high determination to get this Deloitte report released. Who is up to it?
Who is our Snowden.
russandbev, as there has been some senior people within the DCC who have already fallen on their swords in this ongoing ‘Citifleet’ fraud case, plus an earnest attempt at closing down Cr Vandervis’ probing of the reports, one is left wondering if there is not some bigger fish out there desperately trying to shut this down. Purely speculation of course, but until there is total disclosure then this will continue. Suspicion is a capricious beast that eats away at conspiracies to conceal.
My guess is more of a did they fall or were they pushed sort of question – I suspect that some may have been encouraged to leave with the understanding that that would be the end of the issue – which means no embarrassing questions for those who were supposed to be making sure that this sort of thing wasn’t supposed to happen.
If this is true then Lee’s questions are embarrassing not only because they potentially expose those who have done wrong, but now also those who have participated in what is essentially a conspiracy to hide a crime. I can understand why there’s a lot of push back from the people involved, there’s potentially much more at stake here than just some heated words and a bit of the usual character assassination.
Mike, if what you imply, which concurs with other opinions, and if Cr Vandervis doesn’t get the information sought, out in the open for full scrutiny then this more or less confirms that there is a conspiracy to conceal here. And that is a crime. What is at stake here is not just the integrity of the DCC top management, but also the concealment of possible wrong doing by present and former senior staff members. Then of course there is the matter of duty of care to protect and enhance the citizens’ treasure. At present this is not seen to be paramount over the desire for personal protection. This will never go away until it is sorted. No-one can dismiss the loss of some 150 council vehicles plus other known indiscretions, blame it on one dead man, take a false insurance payout, and say that is the end of it. That is just too too cute.
I agree we have to keep their feet to the fire here not make sure it’s still an active issue when the next election comes.
However it just dawned on me that they are using the coroner’s ban as a smoke screen to hide behind. Perhaps a direct plea to the coroner to lift his or her ban in just this one case might result in some light – better yet make sure the coroner knows of the document and can subpoena it
Some of the bigger fish Calvin were involved in theft of water from the city without paying for it. Some got caught and got slapped with a wet bus ticket. Others kept their head down, and for a few crates of beer and mums the word, got away with it.
Citifleet fraud and stadium fraud. There are parallels of not dealing with it. The information is there through reports and official information requests. Key DCC people are aware of it, yet no action. Their inaction is documented. For later. Time is fast running out for redemption.
Bede Mann-O’Malley Published on Mar 22, 2015
Hyde Street 2015
[Song: go to Youtube for Links. -Eds]
Music: “The Way We See the World (Tomorrowland Anthem Afrojack Vocal Edit)” by Various Artists (eMusic)
█ Clips from the following video used by TVNZ in the Sunday item:
TooSurreal NZ Published on Mar 22, 2015
HYDE | 2015 | UNOFFICIAL
Annual Hyde St keg party, Dunedin, NEW ZEALAND!
I have no intention of making money off of this video, the audio use is strictly for entertainment purposes and links can be found in the description
[Songs: go to Youtube for Links. -Eds]
Music: “The Illest” by Far East Movement (Google Play • iTunes)
Sunday TVNZ – in which VC Harlene Hayne looks dawk STOOPID.
Daaave should marry her.
Gutless wonders. WEAK. Not prepared to serve or protect their well-behaved and honest constituents.
100% SUCCESSFUL MISSION TVNZ. Congratulations!!!
Roll on Breakfast at TV ONE tomorrow morning.
PARTY AT HARLENE’S PLACE THURSDAY NIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT, WEEK IN WEEK OUT FOREVER AND EVER AMEN
Is there a problem, Harlene?
Saturday 9 May (early hours)….
Student assaulted in Dunedin
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/341674/student-assaulted-dunedin
Congrats to Jeff Dickie and the lovely lady who were prepared to front on this serious issue. Maybe they should consider running for Mayor because Cull was pathetic.
As a City leader he offered no solutions, just emotional crap about how bad he thinks it is. He is also seriously compromised by the fact that he and his Council have used Ratepayers resources to support such events.
That was graphic designer Carol Devine.
Carol is the real deal. Five years of hell and able to talk so genuinely and succinctly.
Carol was so brave to go public with her story of trying to live in a gorgeous historic house – her experience is the reality for many residents trying to live in Dunedin’s unique heritage houses across City Rise.
I too was most concerned at the Mayor’s response to this programme. He looked indecisive and weak in his response. It begs the question what has happened to the DCC’s draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) that many of us submitted on in good faith last November? Because we have appeared as a City to have lost control of the situation in North Dunedin over student binge drinking;(not to mention that stupid situation in View St) then irreparable damage may have been done to our University first year recruitment levels.
Lyndon, we have strong evidence that the problem exists throughout the City Rise, this year we have collectively logged numerous Noise complaints with DCC, and Police complaints, and sought City Planning help (ineffectually) to try and curb student tenant / landlord problems that pose issues with District Plan compliance (to be made worse in the 2GP of which we see drafts). We are submitting as individuals to the Draft LTP hearings. We have a number of other strategies in place and evolving.
Watch this space.
Due to correspondence privately received tonight following the show we know that LIQUOR BANS and POLICE ENFORCEMENT have been and are successful in stopping delinquent behaviour and the excesses of alcohol use in Auckland beach suburbs. Don’t believe Cull, he is saying to us we can’t – shouldn’t – deter students/businesses from the image University of Otago and Dunedin City Council put out about Party Central at #DUD.
News for Cull…..
Like all good self serving NZ Politicians, Cull will be under the influence of the NZ liquor industry!!
Wine tastings are part of the ethos.
WHO OWNS 2 VIEW STREET
18 studio rooms
party party party (joke – one party this year said the faceless tenant when interviewed by Sunday)
From the DCC Rates Book:
Ratepayer name(s): Ross Maxwell Pty Limited
[oh look, that infamous firm] Postal address for this assessment
C/O Edinburgh Realty Limited PO Box 5772 Moray Place Dunedin 9058
NZ Companies Register:
ROSS MAXWELL PTY LIMITED (5447574) Registered
http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/5447574
Showing 1 of 1 directors:
Ross MAXWELL
55 Abbott Street, Wallsend NSW, 2287 , Australia
Total Number of Shares: 1
Extensive Shareholding: No
Shareholders in Allocation:
Allocation 1:
1 shares (100.00%)
Ross MAXWELL
55 Abbott Street, Wallsend NSW, 2287 , Australia
Why didn’t Cull offer to mediate between View St residents and the Owner of 2 View Street – it’s not like Cull and DCC staff haven’t received letters of concern and complaint…..
Strong view numbers since Sunday TVNZ screening.
Gutless Cull and the Council know full well that this scenario is happening all around town – it’s why students are attracted to Dunedin. Meanwhile the DCC parking wardens vigilantly patrol View Street day and night looking for revenue. What a sick little city !!!
Alex Brown, “– it’s why students are attracted to Dunedin.” Up to the tipping point. Jeff Dickie – admittedly he’s observed the crappiness of “Dunedin Student Culture” in exhaustive detail – says he’s not keen on his own kids going to OU.
School leavers who want to study, get their degrees with as good marks as possible all the way through, and not end up with more debt than they absolutely have to, will be looking at the down-side of this “culture” – noise, risk of ending up with friends who post-hall of residence turn into flatmates who party to destruction, expense because if they want to have a social life there’s too few options: in Dunedin’s student culture “social life” means drinking more than their bodies, brains and budgets can handle.
How many parents are going to subsidise their young, if they insist on coming to Otago University despite the ugly reputation it has for the last several years been enthusiastically promoting?
When groups like the Salvation Army rock up to the DCC with a plan to cure the student drinking culture but that plan will cost DCC $225 million over the next 20 years, the DCC’s response will be – sorry we are flat broke, we are indebted for all that time because of a rugby stadium that promised an increase in university enrolment numbers but sadly all we got is the lawless drunks that other universities don’t need or want !!
I don’t know, but Dave Cull looked so ‘slumped shouldered and forlorn’, like a father at the end of his tether over delinquent children. He demonstrated quite succinctly that he is not up to the job of a city leader. Could anyone imagine Cliff Skeggs putting up with this situation? It would never have got to this level of course, he would have shut it down years ago. Ditto with the Vice Chancellor, would Robin Irvine or Fogelberg put up with the crap she does. As Jeff Dickie says, the solution is obvious, Council need to lay it on the line with the liquor industry and license control. The VC to summarily expel the worst offenders straight up. Those two moves would fix it in a trice. All it would take is some ‘ballsy guts’ on both parts. No sign of that being present of course. Makes you wonder what the enormous salaries are all about when you see these results.
Expel the worst offenders? Gasp, lawks’a’mighty Calvin, have you forgotten about the importance of Bums On Seats? Important even when drunken bums.
Someone with an investment-culture outlook might see it differently, calculating that the loss of a few bums would greatly assist the hundreds of other teens and early twenties to muster their brain cells and shape up, lest they too be shipped out. Fines paid courtesy of parents’ plastic or another loan don’t work with the uber-entitled types. Being exiled, back to the family nest and away from all their amazing incredible friends who know what fun means, not like old boring authority figures, is something all those friends will notice too and talk about, keeping the reminder of ghastly consequences alive in the collective mind.
WATCH
█ For Party Central #Dunedin video clips (10 May) and On Demand, go to http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news
I was struck by the lack of leadership from the mayor and the academic uni chancellor. They had nothing. No ideas.
1. Public drunkedness should be treated as a low level crime, and fines imposed. Get cops to enforce. You can’t walk down a street chugging on a stubble in oz, unless you want a $500 ticket.
2. Make uni staff live in the student quarter, as guardians. Don’t hide from it, make the uni man up and lead these kids.
3. Get uni to organise alternative venues and events (involving alcohol, dread) and get them drinking sensibly again.
There might be issues with some of these, but denying human nature not wise. The PC is a disease that prevents us helping our kids and grandkids, and will have us condemned in the unwritten histories.
“You can’t walk down a street chugging on a stubble in oz, unless you want a $500 ticket.” Similar in NZ, pb, in the olden days when I was young. I well remember being in Wellington with a friend, meeting in the street a friend of hers who was carrying a bottle of wine opened but in a paper bag. Decent chap that he was he offered us a drink from it but we declined. Moments later we were stopped by a policeman (you can tell this is an old-time story, the bobby was perambulating on his police-issue shoes, yes, actually walking) who demanded to see what was in the bottle-shaped bag. Parkyn showed him only to be told to re-cork it and leave it sealed. “I don’t have the cork now.”
“Well, you’ll have to tip it out.”
Glug glug into the gutter.
He probably mentioned the penalty for drinking in a public place but I can’t remember it now.
What are the little darlings up to in response?
Organizing a social media campaign directed against Carol.
Anonymously, of course.
Bastards.
Retaliation in the street last night immediately after the Sunday TVNZ programme aired. Police called.
This morning Cull on Breakfast sported a new pink tie and was seen to be in full whitewash mode.
And…
Cr Andrew Whiley thinks there is no problem at all….
██ https://www.facebook.com/SundayTVNZ/videos/1029038133773031/
Cr Andrew Whiley says:
Sorry SUNDAY you have sent a reporter to do a story with a clear agenda and an extremely bias. As a Dunedin City Councillor I have gone out and seen the issues for myself! I was at the Hyde Street party this year. It was a well run event and a great student activitiy. I attended “O Week” events and I have also been out with the Police and St Johns to get an understanding of the issues for residents, the university, alcohol and the community. We have come along way from the non organised events as the old Hyde Street party and Undie 500 that led to Castle St riots. I congratulate how Otago University handle the issues and also organisations such as OUSA. Dunedin is a great city and an awesome city for students from around the country and around the world to come and study at. I for one do not want to see the city be a bland mass that some residents would like!
Like · Reply · 194 · 15 hours ago
Replies:
Paul Matheson You Andrew is exactly why there is a major problem in Dunedin you are obviously a complete moron and or need to go to spec savers it’s a bloody disgrace and god knows how you got voted in I’m guessing student votes
Like · 1 · 15 hours ago · Edited
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Emma Hill I don’t want a bland city either. Just one where I can walk my 6year old to school without having to negotiate the glass, vomit, urine and mess that an aftermath of a student party brings to some streets on a regular basis.
Like · 15 hours ago
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Andrew Whiley I actually went and investigated the issue!
Like · 10 · 15 hours ago
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Brendon Walters sweet jesus paul matheson is a total troll. Whats your agenda, Paul Matheson ?
Like · 22 · 14 hours ago · Edited
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Kieran MacDonald Welcome to the media…. That’s what they do!
Like · 13 hours ago
Don’t vote for Whiley at the next local body election. He will sell your city down the creek.
Blind and incredibly obtuse. Shows no respect for City Rise business people and residents, judging from his comments at Sunday TVNZ Facebook page.
Did he grow up in a gang – or petty-crim environment? That’s the tone I hear – no I didn’t hear anything, no officer we were all here playing cards at the time of whatever you’re investigating. I went past there around the time but I didn’t see anyone. Yes that’s my jacket, I lost it last weekend………… and no, I wasn’t there and I didn’t see or hear anything, okay?
Or a golf ball hit at an unlikely angle to the cranium.
Cr Andrew Whiley must not live below the Town Belt or know ratepayers who live in City Rise and Dunedin North?
Correct. Cr Whiley lives in Spottiswoode Street, Dunedin. Well away from City Rise.
Read his DCC profile (and contacts) here: http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/councillors/cr-andrew-whiley
As my mother often said, self praise is no recommendation and if you believe in all of the above, you probably also believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus.
oh dear :[
Received with comment: “Facebook – Andrew Whiley owns a property in Castle St – wonder what kind of landlord he is”
Watch for news on Whiley’s political fortunes in coming days!
One of the striking differences between student accommodation in Dunedin and elsewhere is that it tends to be concentrated in and around the campus. So by containing the students in a small area, the problem of student partying is at one stroke tacitly encouraged. Coupled with landlords who live nowhere near places like Hyde Street and who build blocks of flats custom made for large numbers of bedrooms to maximise their returns, it is a recipe for disaster.
Any remedial action should take place on 2 or 3 fronts. Firstly any individual students who cause damage etc in public places should be expelled – and this does happen. But, like those couple of school kids in the Chch rowing team that contravened a number of airport safety laws whose parents quickly fronted up with 10’s of thousands to get an injunction to stop the school doing exactly what should have been done, many parents use all sorts of legal twists to plead that their dear little son or daughter’s life and career will be ruined by a little bit of harmless fun and that the University is acting too harshly. Remedy for this is more publishing of student expulsions. Also a much higher degree of acceptance of accountability by both students and parents. How this is achieved when our society doesn’t want accountability is hard to solve.
Secondly, the DCC must accept accountability for allowing this type of accommodation to be so highly concentrated. A much longer-term problem, but in the meantime liquor bans must be introduced.
Thirdly, I think that it is clear that when the tertiary institution owns the accommodation then there are no issues. Halls of Residence are never the scene of out of control parties. Maybe it is time for the University to own the accommodation units used by 2nd year upward students. I’m really sure that they would be a much firmer landlord than the type of person willing to sit somewhere in Oz raking in the rentals while a real estate agent acts as the property manager.
But what was clear was that there was no civic leadership demonstrated in this piece and party central will continue until there is.
Russell, one point – this is no longer confined to what we have traditionally viewed as the tertiary campus at Dunedin. The popup partying and student disorder/civil unrest is now spread right through the City Rise. So while the VC Hayne and Mayor Cull keep talking about Hyde St and the campus – they know full well via letters and complaints (also received by the Proctor) that the problem has spread and is fully out of control.
Did I dream it, or was there not a programme on Sunday night TV about the moving disaster of student antics in the city? It was, I believe all over by 8pm or thereabouts but try as I might, the only reference to it that I could find in this morning’s ODT was on the Opinion page. A pre-written apology [insipid though it was] by Vice-Chancellor Haynes suggesting that the whole problem comes back to alcohol. Amazing insight expressed there! Well worthy of a $560k pa Vice-Chancellor. Everybody, including the miscreants themselves know that. The question is, what to do? Bugger all it seems, except spend a small [quite large actually] fortune on a bunch of people and flash ‘utes’ aimlessly wandering the streets in a sort of uniform saying ‘Campus Watch’. Since its inception the problem has been defused. Huh!!? Every year it gets worse until it is now seen by the pea brained kids as a tradition of the ‘great Otago experience’ and Dave Cull sits like a ‘possum in the headlights’. But look for any news comment about the TV programme in the ODT and you simply won’t find it. All staff tucked up in bed by 8pm I shouldn’t wonder.
—
{Will scan the VC’s letter and post this afternoon. -Eds}
The problem is not just about alcohol. Carol Devine was so brave to express her story. The problem described by Carol is right across City Rise. The backlash factor from students if complaints are made is unpleasant – and many residents feel there is no point making complaints anyway because the problem is out of control.
Last night 4 calls were made to NZ Police regarding intimidation in View Street. As many as 10 carloads of youth were seen driving past with photos being taken to mount the social media campaign against Carol.
Ask why the police took one and a half hours to show after call 1.
Politics at Dunedin Central.
Elizabeth – despite emailing DCC last night asking what has happened with the draft LAP and receiving an acknowledgement – no further response to date. Perhaps Andrew Whiley (who was on the Hearings Committee) can enlighten us? Otherwise that’s two things I will raise with Council when I front up next Wednesday for the LTP Hearings. You can guess the other!! Your revelations that the “campus drinking” has spread to other parts of the City is most enlightening and lending weight to the DCC to be a bit more pro-active with the LAP. Because despite the Vice Chancellor’s attempts to put our Dunedin problem back on Central Government, we all know that ain’t going to happen. Wellington’s response is giving us power to set up workable and enforcable LAPs. We now need a LAP that addresses the problems highlighted in Sunday’s TV One programme. Otherwise as I said before our future enrolments are in jeopardy. It is really up to Mayor Cull and his Council and time is not on our side as a City.
Lyndon, LAP matters have been reported as on hold. See last ODT entry on this thread: https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/dunedins-draft-local-alcohol-policy-lap-submissions-real-story-outs/#comment-61340
Can well imagine your other topic. I will look up your submission at DCC website. Good luck :)
Thankyou Elizabeth for your most helpful reply. I have looked at the draft LAP and analysed it in the light of the problems highlighted in last Sunday night’s TV ONE programme. Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be any policy that will address the issue of campus binge drinking as it spreads south to other suburbs. The word “liquor ban” is not even mentioned. Although Mayor Cull’s joint statement today in the ODT for 10 organisations addressing the “binge -drinking culture in other parts of the city” is a positive step; the “pressing action” required (in my view) is to take the opportunity with the delay in releasing the LAP and make sure the policy wording effectively addresses the current issue with students as well.
Tweets at TVNZ’s Breakfast (@BreakfastonOne):
https://twitter.com/breakfastonone
It doesn’t take much to ask other universities how they deal with similar behaviour. As an Aucklander whose son went to Ak uni fairly recently my impression is that Auckland does not have a major problem with drunkenness and unruliness amongst students. There is a general youth/young adult preoccupation with partying and the CBD has its times of being unpleasant. Youth attacking other youth can be a problem, but generally there seems to be prompt reaction from police. Friends’ kids who have been seen drinking in liquor ban areas have been jailed overnight. And yes, Dunedin is not unique in having concentrations of students in small areas – there is a massive concentration of young people living in Central Auckland – in rabbit hutch apartments and other dwellings; but generally well maintained. If you live in s–t you treat it like s–t.
My landlord in Dunedin came round every fortnight to collect the rent and keep an eye on his property.
A new militant resident group (noooo, not everyone in the group wears twinset and pearls, Harris tweeds, or schmoozes the mayor) – it’s OK, lots of different voices and politics are uniting to work hard for the city’s residential areas ‘under’ the Town Belt – in the face of WHITEWASH and LETHARGY (read: council politics – “we’re too busy to deal to residential heritage [weeps]”, university politics and ODT politics) which pretend there is NO problem with spread of the Campus ghetto and its antisocial deleterious effects throughout the City Rise !!! Nor, the mayor says, are RESIDENTS a stakeholder group. Piss Off Cull, you don’t know who and what you’re dealing with, prepare for a bumpy ride.
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### ODT Online Tue, 1 Sep 2015
Group out to protect City Rise
By Damian George
One of Dunedin’s biggest heritage areas is under threat from increasing development of high density student flats, a new lobby group says.
About 60 people from around the area have banded together to form City Rise Up, a group tasked with ”maintaining the character” of central Dunedin and stunting what it says is a major demographic shift.
Read more
We live in City Rise. We once had a group next door who would get inconsiderately noisy at times late at night. A former neighbour, a working man who had to get up at 5am to go to work, got fed up with this. He marched over and told them if they didn’t fucking cut it out he’d come over on his way to work and bang on their windows and doors and wake THEM up! They got the point.
I seem to remember Jon Leng of Chapel Apartments taking direct action over that proposed party next door. I hope the situation there has now calmed down.
Pussy footing never works with difficult people who also happen to be pricks.
A fine sentiment Peter. Indeed, Jon Leng is particularly not of the pussy footing variety – I admire his efforts to date in confronting the so-called authorities.
How honorable of you Mr Cull to be encouraging the formation of ‘City Rise Up’, which wouldn’t need to exist, but for the ridiculous consents and intolerable leniency granted by the very organisation you represent!
Well done making all the right publicity noises, when in reality dismissing City residents as ‘not having enough meaningful influence’ to be regarded as ‘Stakeholders’ in their own damned city!
The fact ‘City Rise Up’ has gained momentum so rapidly in only a few weeks, stems from your abysmal performance on the Sunday programme (Party Central 10/5/15) and the Council’s prioritising of big business interests, over the alarming level of disrespect Dunedin residents are now expected to tolerate.
City residents are a glaring omission in the North Dunedin Agreement, set up to deal with student related disruption, which took you months! That Statement was notably published the morning after the Sunday programme (ODT 11/05/15). Have you even bothered to meet since?
Does the fact that you are now ‘hearing’ these people mean Mr Cull you finally acknowledge the problems are a lot wider than just North Dunedin?
I am sick and tired of the blatantly misleading and frankly single minded propaganda we have to put up with from our “nanny” government…The idiotic and totally outrageous claims that these so called experts make about how much is too much…balking at the average adult consuming (oh no ! wait for it..) THREE glasses of wine a night! for goodness sakes ! The government pays these patsy’s to go on TV and sound horrified at the prospect of a normal citizen Joe having a few beers and having a laugh. Well I’ve news for you, NZ govt…you aren’t fooling anyone, just pissing people off and making yourselves even less credible, if that’s possible. One of the key drivers of alcohol consumption, or indeed, a whole smorgasboard of mind altering substances is in part related to the state of the economy, obviously..when people have it tough, they will turn to these things, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of..after all humans have been doing this for 10’s of thousand of years! I’ll be damned if I would ever listen to the nanny state trying to brainwash me with its “solutions”….And as for the students in Dunedin…what do you expect?! young people NEED that outlet, it’s near the last real sense of freedom that they are ever going to have…with careers, hideous student loans, mortgages and all the stresses of everyday life. Each city has this issue, to one degree or another, and what do our blinkered one eyed councils do? “Alcohol free zones”…well…in future maybe we should have alcohol only zones! it’s common sense! segregate the hoons from the old fogies and keep the mom and dad camped up next to the quieter, professional career types…it might sound crazy but there is a lot of sense in that idea, and it solves a whole slew of problems.