Famous Fat Bros’ Aurora/Delta news trickles in…. but can the sisters divorce

### channel39.co.nz Wed, 29 Mar 2017
Delta and Aurora Energy to separate
About 95 Delta employees are expected to transfer to Aurora Energy by mid-year as the two companies separate. The business divorce is one of the recommendations from an independent review by Dunedin City Holdings Limited. Delta and Aurora Energy Chair Steve Thompson says they expect no redundancies from either business. Delta will employ just over 500 staff following the transition. Aurora Energy will be a network company with network renewal as its priority, while Delta will provide electricity distribution, green-space and solid waste services.
Ch39 Link

█ Review of Aurora Energy Limited / Delta Utility Services Limited – Network Safety Concerns (December 2016). Deloitte.

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### radionz.co.nz 9:22 pm on 29 March 2017
Dunedin’s Aurora Energy to take on Delta workers
Almost 100 employees from Dunedin power lines company Delta will transfer to its sister company Aurora Energy as the two firms separate.
The split of the council-owned companies was sparked by the discovery that thousands of power poles in Otago were rotting.
A whistleblower last year revealed thousands of power poles managed by Delta and Aurora were failing.
The Dunedin City Council released a report in December that recommended splitting the council-owned companies into separate entities, after three official inquiries.
A report by Deloitte recommended separate board management structures.
In a statement today, Delta said 95 employees would transfer to Aurora by mid-year, and there were no expected redundancies.
RNZ Link

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DCHL/DCC farming of the conjoined twins deserves a break….

█ The devilish ongoing loss of one billion dollars of Otago line user and ratepayer funds. And Steve Thompson can’t be contacted. Oh brother.

Yes we really believe the two council-owned companies have great governance and superb management!? We also totally believe DCHL is a solid grounded entity!? Pity about the number of executive and staff resignations from Delta to date, and the resulting inability to fill job vacancies. Would you touch these blighted babies. Oink.

At Facebook:

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### ODT Online Thu, 30 Mar 2017
Restructure proceeds
By Vaughan Elder
Dunedin City Council-owned companies Delta and Aurora are a step closer to becoming separate entities. Aurora and Delta announced in a joint press release yesterday about 95 Delta staff were expected to transfer to Aurora Energy by mid-year as part of the companies’ transition to standalone entities. The transition comes after a Deloitte report into accusations Aurora dangerously mismanaged its power network and failed to replace compromised poles recommended the two companies be split. According to Aurora’s annual report, it employs no staff and the management of the company is carried out by Delta, which is also contracted to carry out network maintenance. The Deloitte report said the closely linked arrangement was “fraught” with challenges, but acknowledged Aurora had been working on a restructuring programme which would have split the two companies in any case. Delta and Aurora chairman Steve Thompson, who was not available to answer questions about the press release, said significant progress had been made in the reorganisation of both businesses.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
11.3.17 How Safe Are We/Our Businesses with the Corporate Disaster that’s Aurora, owned by DCC ? #reliability
16.12.16 Tim Hunter, NBR —Aurora/Delta, DCC and ComCom
12.11.16 Delta/Aurora : Current strategy to “fix on failure” [extreme neglect]
22.10.16 DCC struggles with Governance…. Delta/Aurora/DCHL in slipslidy mode
● 9.6.16 Aurora Energy Ltd warned by regulator

█ For more, enter the terms *aurora*, *delta*, *grady*, *poles*, *asset management plan*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *epicpolefail* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: monsters international via blogspot.com – Siamese Twin Pigs by Alicia B Lim, ink on watercolour paper (US), tweaked by whatifdunedin

Who needs cheap-brained tourists —ugh #Dunedin

I tried taking the usual bad ‘visitor’ happysnaps

but seriously (no tourists were shoved aside to take these)

Destination Dunedin managing the trade-offs between risk and innovation….

*Enterprise Dunedin, hope you’ve got a section or three about that in your destination plan

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On Monday I was quickly(!) photographing post-iD architectural details inside Dunedin Railway Station – it was absolutely no more than 3 minutes by smartphone – when an Asian tourist abruptly told me to get out of the way so her male partner could get a shot. Moi ? I was there first, just walking and clicking – there was no crowd – the visitor arrogance was slightly disgusting.

It could happen anywhere. People sheeple.

The following at ODT, however, is much much worse.
Quite frankly the residents of Baldwin St should seek police and legal action.
It’s YOUR homes, YOUR property, YOUR privacy that’s being abused.
The council can help. The ED can help.

[A steep street of No Trespass notices and snarling bullmastiffs has its own photographic charm.]

Good on Sharon Hyndman for speaking out.
I wouldn’t be in her shoes, for all ‘the world’.

At Facebook:

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### ODT Online Wed, 29 Mar 2017
Privacy breaches upset resident
By David Loughrey
A sharp rise in visitor numbers to the world’s steepest street has resulted in one Dunedin resident speaking out about tourists she says are walking on to her property and peering in the windows. Baldwin St resident of 17 years Sharon Hyndman took her cause to a Dunedin City Council public forum yesterday. She said some tourists had “issues with the concept of privacy and private property”. That meant she had people walking down her drive, on to her deck, and peering in her windows, once or twice a week …. Others parked in her driveway, and did “not always co-operate” when asked to leave. One man had even entered her property and stood on an outdoor table to take a photograph.
Read more

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Related Post:
6.1.17 OPINIONS : Otago Southland regional tourism

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: pinimg.com – bullmastiff tweaked by whatifdunedin

New Zealand child abuse

At Twitter:

James endured four years of life — until he was stomped to death. All preventable, writes Jarrod Gilbert https://t.co/8lMQ2UBuz3

— nzherald (@nzherald) March 27, 2017

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New Zealanders are more likely to be homicide victims in their first tender years than at any other time in their lives.

### NZ Herald 5:00 AM Tue, 28 Mar 2017
Jarrod Gilbert: We really must stop this cycle of child abuse
By Dr Jarrod Gilbert
Often when I’m doing research I dance a silly jig when I gleefully unearth a gem of information hitherto unknown or long forgotten. In studying the violent deaths of kids that doesn’t happen. There was no dance of joy when I discovered New Zealanders are more likely to be homicide victims in their first tender years than at any other time in their lives. But nothing numbs you like the photographs of dead children. Little bodies lying there limp with little hands and little fingers, covered in scratches and an array of bruises some dark black and some fading, looking as vulnerable dead as they were when they were alive. James Whakaruru’s misery ended when he was killed in 1999. He had endured four years of life and that was all he could take. He was hit with a small hammer, a jug cord and a vacuum cleaner hose. During one beating his mind was so confused he stared blankly ahead. His tormentor responded by poking him in the eyes. It was a stomping that eventually switched out his little light. It was a case that even the Mongrel Mob condemned, calling the cruelty “amongst the lowest of any act”.
Read more

• Dr Jarrod Gilbert is a sociologist at the University of Canterbury and the lead researcher at Independent Research Solutions. He is the author of Patched: The history of gangs in New Zealand and is currently writing a book on murder.

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Related Post and Comments:
20.12.15 NZ Police family violence campaign #WalkAway
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Tremain, thin comfort #pixels

Updated post – cartoon tweaked by whatifdunedin
Tue, 29 Mar 2017 at 6:40 p.m.

Garrick Tremain – 28 March 2017

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### ODT Online Sat, 25 Mar 2017
Defamation case against Little going ahead
Defamation proceedings against Labour Party leader Andrew Little by National Party donors and hoteliers Earl and Lani Hagaman will proceed. Mr Little publicly apologised yesterday after the Auditor-general found no link between a donation made by the couple and a hotel management contract.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

artistic license is: entirely at the artist’s discretion; intended to be tolerated by the viewer (cf “willing suspension of disbelief”); useful for filling in gaps, whether they be factual, compositional, historical or other gaps; used consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally or in tandem #

political satire is a significant part of satire that specialises in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly forbidden. political satire is usually distinguished from political protest or political dissent, as it does not necessarily carry an agenda nor seek to influence the political process. while occasionally it may, it more commonly aims simply to provide entertainment. by its very nature, it rarely offers a constructive view in itself; when it is used as part of protest or dissent, it tends to simply establish the error of matters rather than provide solutions. #

Brain Injury #Concussion

Flyers available from the main foyer display at Dunedin Hospital:

[click to enlarge]

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### ODT Online Sat, 25 Mar 2017
Editorial: Using your head over concussion
OPINION It is the headache that will not go away. Concussion in sport is again in the headlines and has, sadly, shown the vast difference in how two high-impact codes, rugby and league, handle the issue and the welfare of their players. […] It has taken a long time for sports bodies to accept the full impact of concussion. In years gone by it was considered “a knock to the head” and players were encouraged to get back on their feet and into the game. Last year, The New Zealand Herald wrote a compelling series about the long-term effect of head knocks in sport. It discovered five cases of dementia among the successful Taranaki rugby side of 1964, which their families attributed to concussion during their playing days. […] The NZRU this year launched a blue card initiative, which is aimed at getting concussed players off the field. The blue card can be issued when a referee suspects a player has suffered a concussion. The player must immediately stand down for at least three weeks, and obtain medical clearance to return to play.
Read more

[2016 concussion series at nzherald.co.nz]
█ The Longest Goodbye: Rugby and the Dementia Dilemma

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### NZ Herald 5:00 AM Sun, 26 Mar 2017
New study finds stronger necks mean fewer concussions
By Kirsty Wynn – Herald on Sunday
Rugby coaches are being urged to concentrate on improving players’ neck strength in a bid to avoid debilitating concussions. A ground-breaking New Zealand study has found players with weaker and uneven neck strength are more vulnerable to severe impacts that may cause concussion. The experiment by Otago University’s Dr Hamish Osborne and Research Fellow Dr Danielle Salmon used bluetooth sensors behind the ears of 23 players in the Otago Mitre 10 Cup rugby team to measure acceleration, or g forces, during impacts in five games. The neck strength of each player was also measured using especially designed equipment. Salmon said the weaker the neck the more severe the damaging “whip-lash” type movement. A higher acceleration force was also recorded.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Strong Opinion #lost(rugby)balls

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 16:35, March 27 2017
Rugby Heaven
Marc Hinton: With apologies to ballroom dancing, Aussie rugby decline hits new low
OPINION: Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for Australian rugby, along comes this. Fellow Kiwis, please keep your sniggering to acceptable levels.

Latest research from Australia shows that rugby union now ranks alongside ballroom dancing in terms of participation levels.

Can the news get any more dire for a code in a spiral of decline across the ditch?
In fact this latest body blow might now make it official: Australian rugby is in the toilet. No one flush the dunny. Australian teams have played a collective 24 matches in 2017. They have won just six of them. On top of the continuation of the abject performances by Australian Super Rugby teams, whose record against Kiwi opposition this season now reads played seven, lost seven, and the recognition they now lack the resources to field five teams in the southern hemisphere’s pre-eminent franchise competition, the playing numbers debacle might represent the knockout blow.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: clipartall.com – football 3209_1969

Mosgiel Pool site options, survey twists

At Facebook:

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### ODT Online Mon, 27 Mar 2017
Delay in approving pool site irks trust
By John Lewis
The Taieri Community Facilities Trust has made a decision on the preferred site for the new Mosgiel pool, but will have to wait another two weeks before it is considered by the Dunedin City Council …. [Trust chairwoman Irene Mosley] said the trust voted about 10 days ago to ask the DCC to go with an amended Site A, which was near the existing pool. “The trust had 447 responses; 52% were for Site B (Memorial Gardens), and 40% were for Site A …. However, once the comments were taken into consideration, along with the actual votes, the trust discovered that many of those in favour of Site B were in favour because of concerns about the existing pool being closed during the new pool build, potential parking issues and road safety concerns at the proposed entrance off Gordon Rd. The trust believes by locating the new pool further into the existing caravan park, and moving the park towards the Reid Ave side of the fields, these concerns can be mitigated.”
Read more

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Old footage / older survey:

Channel 39 Published on Aug 13, 2015
Proposed Mosgiel pool site submissions being analysed
More than three hundred public submissions on the proposed Mosgiel pool site are being analysed. The city council’s earmarked four possible locations for a new swimming complex. And a clash with existing assets is upsetting some residents.

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Related Post and Comments:
14.12.16 Mosgiel pool site options —muddy water from mainstreet businesses

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

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Site Notice #DunedinHospital

This afternoon David Benson-Pope requested an unreserved apology from the website owner following publication of an image and various comments at a now deleted post concerning the Save Our Hospital campaign that was highlighted in a newspaper story published on 25 March 2017.

The website owner unreservedly apologises to Mr Benson-Pope for the publication of this material and any resulting discomfort or distress it may have caused.

An apology will be emailed to Mr Benson-Pope shortly, copy Sandy Graham, DCC.

Elizabeth Kerr
Site Owner

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Reference:

### ODT Online Sat, 25 Mar 2017
Woodhouse blasts DCC
By Eileen Goodwin
National list MP Michael Woodhouse has lashed out at the Dunedin City Council over its hospital rebuild campaign, implying it is a front for the Labour Party. And Mr Woodhouse said the council’s stance was “confusing” — on the one hand it wants a central city rebuild, but it granted the Accident Compensation Corporation the right to consider buying the Frederick St car park. ACC has a 12-month timeframe to look at development options for the site. […] Mr Woodhouse is also ACC Minister, and he made it clear he was speaking as a local MP.
Read more

[ends]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Stargate —and Aurora Australis

StargateVEVO Published on Mar 16, 2017
Stargate – Waterfall ft. P!nk, Sia
Waterfall is the debut solo single by Norwegian production duo Stargate, featuring vocals by American singer Pink and Australian singer Sia. The song was released on 10 March 2017, by RCA Records. The song was written by Stargate, alongside Diplo, Sia and Jr. Blender.

Baby, you’re my oxygen
When I cannot find my way on Earth
You know I can be when I hold on
Even when the rapid’s strong

### rcarecords.com (New York — March 17, 2017)
Stargate Releases Music Video For “Waterfall” Feat. P!nk And Sia
Norwegian producer/songwriter team Stargate, comprised of Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Eriksen, today releases the music video to their debut single as a recording artist Waterfall feat. P!nk and Sia. Shot at iFly in Ontario, California and directed by Malia James (Alessia Cara, Troye Sivan, Halsey), the innovative and futuristic video features world champion air dancers Inka Henriikka Tiitto and Amalie Hegland Lauritzen. The air dancing pair showcase their incredible skills by gracefully dancing in a wind tunnel with bursts of color, bringing Waterfall to life. Waterfall feat. P!nk and Sia has received outstanding critical response across the board including coverage in Fader, Pitchfork, and Entertainment Weekly. As lifelong fans of American popular culture, Stargate has created their own sound drawing equal inspiration from hip hop, electronic music and classic Scandinavian songwriting, and have become a mainstay of today’s worldwide musical landscape. LA-based Stargate will surprise, excite and inspire both existing and new fans through their own new forthcoming music, which will feature new, up and coming artists, as well as some of today’s biggest superstars. Read more

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WOAH breakaway bits of #Aurora about to be over head of South Island. Expect Picket Fence #Aurora soon. pic.twitter.com/7FM2ZW9qoX

— Dunedin Aurora Alert (@DunAuroraAlerts) March 23, 2017

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Aurora are caused by charged particles in the magnetosphere being blown by solar winds into the upper atmosphere. The resulting energy loss causes ionization, which emits light. Sometimes referred to as polar lights, aurora are predominantly seen in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions.

More than 130 photographers and enthusiasts left Dunedin Airport at 9pm on Thursday night (23 March), travelling south to the Antarctic circle and the southern auroral zone to see the natural lights phenomenon up close. The special Aurora Australis mission was the bold idea of Otago Museum director Dr Ian Griffin, but caught the imagination of aurora photographers with the flight selling out in less than a week. Tickets for the inaugural flight cost $4000 for economy class and $8000 for business class, and sold out in just five days. The official hashtag #flighttothelights has started trending on social media.

█ Stuff: Spectacular views of Southern Lights on world’s first aurora flight
[Great coverage + Videos]

The eight-hour flight included roughly five hours’ viewing of Aurora Australis.
Organisers are hoping to schedule another charter flight next year, although with Air NZ’s 767 planes going out of service, there are concerns the 2018 flight may have to depart from Christchurch or another main centre.

Flight path for inaugural trip from Dunedin [via stuff.co.nz]

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At Twitter:

Takeoff of @FlyAirNZ #NZ1980 from @DunedinAirport bound for 66°S to #Aurora Australis on #FlightToTheLights by @iangriffin @Lovedunedin pic.twitter.com/FHI1NU1aUs

— Paul Le Comte (@five15design) March 23, 2017

Haha not many planes fly this track out of #dunedinisgreat but #flighttothelights was heading south! pic.twitter.com/XXor8JWULn

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 23, 2017

More cool things from last night’s #flighttothelights include the flight plan pic.twitter.com/5M09TYP9hD

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 24, 2017

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This is the photo Stephen Voss was hoping to get from his seat on the @FlyAirNZ #FlightToTheLights. We can say Stephen NAILED IT! #Aurora pic.twitter.com/TKGEcc4V5I

— Paul Le Comte (@five15design) March 23, 2017

Stephen V Published on Mar 23, 2017
Aurora Australis From Flight NZ1980 23-24 March 2017
The first ever chartered flight to the Antarctic Circle from Dunedin New Zealand to intercept the auroral oval on the night of 23 March 2017. The 8 hour flight was a great success.

Mission accomplished #flighttothelights pic.twitter.com/pkUdOyjzkK

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 23, 2017

Another view:

Beautiful #Aurora below the #ISS. #Space #NASA ✨ pic.twitter.com/5k9J34ugz8

— eHardin ♱ (@eHardinda) March 22, 2017

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

iD Dunedin Fashion runway events

Otago Polytechnic Published on Mar 23, 2017
2017 iD International Emerging Designer Awards
Otago Polytechnic is proud to be a sponsor of the iD Dunedin Fashion Week. One of our favourite events is, of course, the iD International Emerging Designer Awards. In this coveted competition, students from Otago Polytechnic compete against others from around the world – this year there are 33 finalists. It’s Australasia’s largest emerging fashion design competition, and this year it’s at Dunedin’s historic railway station. For more info about studying fashion at Otago Polytechnic, rated in the world’s top 50 fashion schools, check out http://www.op.ac.nz/fashion

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At Twitter:

iD Dunedin Emerging Design Award Winner 2017 https://t.co/9YGWQAXTJp

— What if Dunedin (@whatifdunedin) March 24, 2017

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ID Dunedin Fashion
March 23, 2017

Australian Finalist takes out 13th iD International Emerging Designers Awards
A stand-out Australian emerging designer collection that reinvents archetypal garments including the biker jacket and blazer has won tonight’s 13th annual iD International Emerging Designer Awards held at the Dunedin Railway Station in New Zealand. Australian-based Nehma Vitols from Sydney’s University of Technology tonight took out the H&J Smith $6,000 First Place prize with her collection, ‘XXX’ – described by judges as “inspired”, merging new fabric technology with handcraft while deconstructing familiar silhouettes in an entirely unique way. Paper, silk and cotton merge to form hybrid materials that oscillate between two and three dimensions and between garment and sculpture. During Vitol’s fashion education, the former student from the University of Technology, Sydney, was selected to participate in the Woolmark Global Studio Program in China and the Textile Print Global Studio in Pukshar, India. Alongside her Bachelor of Design, she completed a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.
The judging panel made up of Tania Carlson, NOM*d’s Margi Robertson, Marc Moore from Stolen Girlfriends Club, Australian fashion editor Georgina Safe, and iD’s international guest for 2017 Paulo Melim Andersson say the standard of finalists at this year’s event was very high. An overriding focus of the designers was on the ocean with aquatic inspired collections and a renewed focus on sustainability. Says Andersson: “All of the collections are a result of research and a commitment to new ideas. There was little evidence of international referencing and instead each finalist created their own vision in a collection that was fresh, unique and original.”
Hosted by ZM’s PJ Harding and Jase Hawkins, 29 international emerging designer collections showed at [last] night’s 13th annual event, supported by Otago Polytechnic.

This year’s winners are:
● The H&J Smith First Prize ($6000) Nehma Vitols, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
● Laffare Second Place ($4000): Lila John, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria
● Gallery De Novo 3rd Place ($2000): Paul Castro, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
● The Fabric Store Award for Excellence in Design worth $3000 (includes $2000 fabric): Tess Norquay, Massey University, Wellington, NZ
● Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall Most Commercial Collection Prize ($1000): Talia Jimenez University of Technology Sydney, Australia
● The NZME and Viva Editorial Prize (awarded to best NZ collection): Megan Stewart, Massey University, Wellington, NZ.
● The Emilia Wickstead Internship: Emily Cameron, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia.

Backstage, Dr Margo Barton from the Otago Polytechnic School of Design and a team of students was in charge of managing the Awards, while Dunedin-based salon Klone Hair, led by Danelle and Karl Radel, took charge of the runway hair creations. Makeup looks for the models, supplied by Aart Model Management and 10 international models from the University of Shanghai Engineering Science, were created by the Revlon sponsored makeup team, led by Christal Allpress.
iD Dunedin Fashion Week is supported by the Dunedin City Council. iD Link

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At Facebook:

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Talented Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson is the International Guest Judge for this month’s iD Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards on 23 March. Andersson has designed for top European fashion houses Chloé, Marni Margiela and Zadig & Voltaire during his fashion career and he will show a retrospective collection at the iD Dunedin Fashion Shows at the Dunedin Railway Station on 24 & 25 March. Read more

Paulo Melim Andersson – Chloé 2007 [via fashionnz.co.nz]

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C U R R E N T ● E X H I B I T I O N

17-30 March – MUSE at Gallery De Novo, Stuart St, Dunedin
Dunedin artist Suzy Platt’s fashion illustrations are on show at Gallery De Novo in her new exhibition ‘Muse’. Suzy’s paintings recently caught the attention of renowned British photographer Nick Knight who asked her to illustrate the Haute Couture collections at Paris Fashion Week. The illustrations can also be viewed in London at the SHOWstudio Gallery.

At Facebook:

Related Post and Comments:
5.3.17 iD Dunedin Fashion Week 2017 [includes videos]

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Posted by Elizbeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

***Pssst #Delta CEO Grady replaced

An INTERNAL appointment has been made for the position of Chief Executive Officer at Delta Utility Services Ltd.

Which likely means few external executives with relevant experience wanted to apply for lead position in the ‘degraded’ council-owned company —but then, not many executives were left internally. What does that say…….

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Related Post and Comments:
5.3.17 Seeking the New Grady #Delta

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC Proposed Reserves and Beaches Bylaw : Real-deal submission

[click to enlarge]

Dunedin City Council
Current consultations: Proposed Reserves and Beaches Bylaw 2017

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Received from JimmyJones
Sat, 17 Mar 2017 at 10:03 p.m.

Subject: RE: Reserves and beaches consultation failure

Message: Find attached an outstanding submission on the horse-hating bylaw. I am sure there were many good subs, but I noticed this one from an 11-year-old who has a horse called Tonka. She makes a very good case for freedom. Like many of the other submitters, she bypassed the professionally organised DCC misinformation and understood that the DCC are threatening a total ban on horses on beaches.

I think other people should see it, I have removed her name from the submission in case she wasn’t expecting widespread publicity.

The submitters tell us that no other Council has a ban on horse riding on beaches in New Zealand.

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Related Post and Comments:
8.2.17 Hands Off Enjoyment of OUR Beaches #DCC

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

JimmyJones deflates *mad utterings* of Prof Emer Jim Flynn

Received from JimmyJones
2017/03/17 at 7:43 pm

Prof Flynn, Emeritus Professor in Politics, deserves much criticism for his use of fake facts to support his presentation to the DCC councillors on Monday. He is said to have a good understanding of scientific methodology and so he should have known better than to use spindoctored, hyper-exaggerated data. Perhaps it was deliberate. Remember that he is a red-to-the-core Lefty, having been an initiating member of the New Labour Party and the Alliance Party. He was an Alliance electoral candidate for a few elections and was #4 on the Alliance list near the end. Here is what he got wrong:

● the sea level at Dunedin isn’t the ludicrous 10mm/year, it’s not the fake 3.5mm/yr, it’s only 1.3mm/yr (source- Statistics NZ). That means that 25cm of sea level rise will take 192 years not the 17 years that the panicky professor said.

● the 25cm danger level seems to be his own creation – the ORC LIDAR data shows that South Dunedin is mostly over 1.0 metre above sea level and only a handful of properties are below 500mm. Probably there are no houses within 25cm of sea level; he says there are 1932. For the sea level to increase by 1.0 metre will take 769 years. Put it on your calendar.

● fear-monger Flynn tells us about the “huge erosion of polar ice” that started in 2014 – unfortunately he didn’t check the sea-level data which shows us that nothing unusual has happened to the sea level since 2014.

● Prof Flynn tried to scare us by saying that insurance companies are unlikely to cover sea-level rise in their policies in future (ODT- Flynn’s sea level figures disputed), but it turns out that even now, none of us are insured for sea-level rise. There has never been cover for gradual damage. He’s talking crap.

● The Otago Regional Council has had groundwater sensors at South Dunedin for several years and they tell us that there is no detectable increase in groundwater level (no increasing trend).
In fact, there is no reason for a rising sea to cause rising groundwater. There is no connection, except for some places which are close to the shoreline. Also, the South Dunedin groundwater level is about 600mm above sea level and so it is mostly not affected by the sea, since water doesn’t flow uphill. Have a look for yourself: the ORC has recently given us (almost) live groundwater sensor graphs for South Dunedin and other places – thanks ORC. There are four South Dunedin groundwater sites:

█ http://water.orc.govt.nz/WaterInfo/Catchment.aspx?r=Dunedin

Of the four groundwater sensors only the one closest to the shoreline shows a tidal influence. Other places similarly close to the sea are likely to have some tidal influence on their groundwater level. Further inland there is no effect.

[ends]

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At Facebook:

whatifdunedin says: Here is DCC and ORC’s outlandish and mythical project, designed to put Ratepayer Funds into the hands of private sector consultants for no good reason, and on it goes. Your elected representatives agreed to this rort:

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Related Post and Comments:
14.3.17 Brightness panicked [#effect]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

WE have the information, unreasonable delay providing it #LGOIMA

Contrary to DCC Bylaw 23 no camping restriction applied over summer

DCC’s delay in providing official information on freedom camping numbers (Which Is Available) appears to equate with what happened over LGOIMA requests lodged after the South Dunedin Flood of June 2015. Delay, derferment, and obfuscation occurred then as now. There is no reason to believe anything has changed internally, magnified by today’s ‘official response’.

[redacted screenshot – click to enlarge]

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DCC now has a laborious text response as first acknowledgement of the LGOIMA requests it receives. An associate has been working on improvements to the below on suggestion back to the system. The short information request is highlighted by whatifdunedin:

From: officialinformation @dcc.govt.nz
Sent: Monday, 13 March 2017 7:55 a.m.
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: Confirmation of receipt of LGOIMA request – 577864

Dear Elizabeth

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your official information request dated 13 Mar 2017 7:55am

We support public access to official information. Our obligation under the Local Government Official Information Act 1987 (the Act) is to provide you the information requested as soon as reasonably practicable unless there is a good reason for withholding it.

We will process information requests as below:

1. We will let you know as soon as we can (and in any case within 20 working days) whether your request will be granted or declined, and if the request is declined why we have declined it.

1. In some cases it may be necessary for our decision to be made after 20 working days. When this occurs we will advise you the anticipated delivery date together with the reason why it is necessary to extend that time within the 20 working days.

1. If your request is complex or requires a large amount of collation and research, we may contact you with a view to either refining your request or discussing the possibility of charging for aspects of your request in line with the DCC charging policy.

1. If we decide to release the information, we aim to provide it at the same time as we give our decision. If this is not possible we will provide the information as soon as reasonably practicable.

If you need to contact us about your request, please email officialinformation@dcc.govt.nz or call 03 477 4000. Please quote reference number: 577864

The timeliness of our decisions and the reasons for them are reviewable by the Office of the Ombudsman. You can view the Ombudsman’s guidelines for the processing of information requests at http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by calling freephone: 0800 802 602.

Yours sincerely,

Official Information Request Service

Below are the details of the request

Your request:

New information request – Warrington Domain

I have been informed that DCC recently ran a survey of the freedom campers at Warrington Domain, asking (in no particular order here):

1. where they were from
2. their age
3. how much they were spending
4. what activities they were doing in Dunedin, and
5. what type of vehicle they were in.

I’m told the survey ran for two weeks; and that it was conducted by Ashley Reid.

I request a full copy of the survey results (with names of campers redacted for privacy), to be received by email at earliest convenience.

I note hearings for the Proposed Reserves and Beaches Bylaw will be held this week. Prompt receipt of the survey information would be enabling. Thanks.

File attachment
No file uploaded

[ends]

*****

Points:

1. The Reserves and Beaches Bylaw review that had hearings this week did not include a review of freedom camping; freedom camping is specifically excluded from this bylaw review. The freedom camping bylaw review is heralded to take place in about a month’s time.

2. The point numbering error in the response of 13 March above is the DCC’s.

3. The running foot, or footer, italicised in red (“Dance like no one is watching; Email like it may one day be read aloud in a deposition.”) in the redacted screenshot above, has been raised with senior staff this afternoon and has since been sorted.

4. The LGOIMA response received today must be seen in light of a response to another request I made for information about Warrington Domain lodged on 22.1.17 [ref no. 570874]:

[excerpt; my underlining]

14. How many freedom campers have been staying at Warrington Domain nightly from 1 July 2016 to 15 January 2017? (please state number of vehicles; and number of individuals if known)

15. What is the average length of stay per vehicle at the Domain?

DCC response (28.2.17):

14) We do not perform a count of freedom campers at each site daily. An estimate may be available as a result of a recent survey that was conducted across camping sites within the city. Please advise if you wish to refine your request to include an estimate of numbers.

15) See the answer to question (14) above.

****

whatifdunedin’s ‘amateur’ response and translation:

WE have the information —WE are going to control it. Let’s play cat and mouse, if it turns out the information is ‘maybe’ awkward or not in OUR political favour [before a Bylaw review]. Besides, WE need processing time to [‘line up ducks’] before the information, analysed…… hits the iPads of elected representatives. Micromanaging is GOOD. Vive la DCC Operatives !!

—

Related Posts and Comments:
● 15.2.17 Warrington : DCC dictates loss of community’s grassed recreation reserve to freeloaders
8.2.17 Hands Off Enjoyment of OUR Beaches #DCC
● 6.2.17 Uncontrolled freedom camping at Warrington Domain this weekend —DCC ‘hell model’ [no enforcement]
● 1.2.17 “Fake news” from DCC boffins & Community Board re freedom camping at Warrington Domain #TheBlight
10.2.16 Dunedin freedom camping #DCC #enforcement
16.12.14 DCC: Freedom Camping issues
7.12.09 Coastal protection zones

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: warrington domain, cropped detail of supplied colour photograph taken 14.2.17

Councillor don’t tell us, we know Dunedin industry and manufacturing is Tops

But Rachel Elder did need to inform Mr Mayor, since it’s he who opines that [singularly ???] “weightless” manufacturing will one day make Dunedin great.
A while back Mr Mayor lauded expansion at Speight’s, Emerson’s and Greggs ….but recently, dreadfully, when interviewed by John Campbell on RNZ Checkpoint, Mr Mayor had trouble remembering these and other multimillion-dollar manufacturing investments in the good people, raw products and knowhow of Dunedin City. As well, he slipped past the convenient fact that the deputy mayor is a director of Scott Technology Ltd, and his old flower Mr McLauchlan, advisor and confidant, is the company’s board chairman.

Notwithstanding, Ms Elder thought it necessary to set herself a free writing project, an op-ed to ‘tell’ Mr Mayor, as well as advertise her paid work skills. Yes, yes, we’re all for free speech and pumping political mileage; however, we are the converted and connected, we know just how great Dunedin manufacturing is and can be —if not for DCC.

It must be said, though, that Mr Mayor’s speech at the Cadbury protest in the Octagon last Saturday was a large complimentary step up from the fatal Checkpoint phone interview.

—

“Messaging that it is too expensive to export from Dunedin and that we are too far away from markets and that manufacturing is best not done here does not support the many families and individuals who work in this sector.”
–Rachel (take that Dave Cull) Elder

### ODT Online Wed, 15 Mar 2017
We have skilled workers and can make it all here
By Rachel Elder
OPINION As an employment consultant and someone who advocates for a wide range of jobs in Dunedin, I am keen for Dunedin to be advertised nationwide as a place that is great for manufacturing and production as this will supply jobs to our skilled workers. The fact is Cadbury is owned by a multinational that has caused its demise. Manufacturing can be done here well and efficiently.
Read more

Comment published at ODT Online:

ej kerr Wed, 15/03/2017 – 7:59pm #
As a city councillor Ms Elder should be overtly aware that the Dunedin City Council-owned power distribution company Aurora Energy Ltd does not and cannot offer a safe and secure electricity supply network for businesses, manufacturers and other large power users (this aside from the now obvious inability to offer safe supply to residential users). The mayor and councillors are not listening and not communicating clearly on the state of Aurora’s burnt asset. Thankfully, the Otago Daily Times has filled that void with strong news reporting. At a cost of one billion dollars to repair and upgrade the existing lines and facilities – not counting the cost of new development work required in Central Otago and Lakes District to meet growth and increasing infrastructural demand – there will shortly be a very heavy impost landing on all local businesses via rates increases. Such an unpopular debating topic at the head-in-the-sand Dunedin City Council.

****

Truly fine examples of the sort of thing your grandmother and mother will tell you about Dunedin that Mr Mayor can’t:
. . . .

McMeeking Manufacturing, 123 Maclaggan St

Jaytee Baking Cups have been a household name since the 1930s, when the company was founded by a printing engineer James Thomas Williamson, hence the name Jaytee. Since acquiring the company in 1979, McMeeking Manufacturing has been the largest supplier of Baking Cups in New Zealand with exports to Australia and the Pacific Islands. Due to the dramatic increase in bakeries, cafes etc, the range of products – all manufactured in the Dunedin factory – has grown to fulfil customers requirements and follow the latest trends. Read more at https://www.jaytee.co.nz/

. . . .

### ODT Online Wed, 15 Mar 2017
Machine tool smart, versatile
By Simon Hartley
Farra Engineering’s latest $1.3 million machining kit not only has the capacity to work 24/7, but can text its progress to operators day and night. The DMG Mori “multi-pallet (work bench) horizontal machining centre”, supplied by a German-Japanese merged company, has been running for about a fortnight, at Farra Engineering, Dunedin, chief executive John Whitaker said. The DMG Mori could work on castings weighing just a few grams, on pieces weighing up to three tonnes, and castings up to 1.4cu m in size. “Being so productive, we’re going to the marketplace to fill the spare capacity,” Mr Whitaker said.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: jaytee.co.nz – jaytee baking cups

Brightness panicked [#effect]

What we like to see is President Donald J. Trump and his colleagues having a good go to crash the academic anaerobic anthropogenic climate change creepsters. The “effect” lands at Dunedin suddenly, with ODT supporting a septic tank on its front page. Dear old Lacksense Fudgebrain.

—

At Facebook:

****

Received from Douglas Field
Tue, 14 Mar 2017 7:42 a.m.

Subject: Jim Flynn’s rant in ODT
Message: God – those headlines in today’s paper are incredible. This guy is nothing more than a political activist – scientist he is not. Cull even giving space and having this clown attempt to convince the people of Sth Dunedin and St Kilda are doomed is nothing short of alarmist criminality given the economic condition of those people at present.
Sheesh.

—

Later this morning . . .

“I’m sorry but I had to draw something on this bloody awful crap.”

“Well – intelligence does not necessarily equate with sense – Flynn seems to be proof of that. Reading the Wiki article he doesn’t seem to have had much of the latter – all over the place politically. But why on earth did Cull give this guy any oxygen. Yep I know!”

“….Richard S. Lindzen, Prof Emeritus of Atmospheric Sciences
The following was sent by Lindzen to Trump. As you know, Lindzen is a pretty well versed physicist dealing with earth sciences but in this letter he sets out succinctly all that is wrong with Flynn’s arguments in that presentation written up in the ODT.”

“It is ‘hotting up’ in the US now that Scott Pruitt is in charge of the EPA.
There is a heap of screaming going on – mainly from Democrat senators and congressmen – but also from the tenured folk who will loose funding.
The ‘swamp is being drained’.”

“Ha ha”

“It will have a ‘flow on effect’ here and I think you can already see evidence of that – for example, Flynn’s outburst – but there are others – wouldn’t be surprised if Alan Mark doesn’t add his tuppence worth soon.”

—

[screenshot]

█ https://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lindzen-personal-paoc-explanation-final.pdf

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Maggie Lawton, RIP

Received from Russell Garbutt
Tue, 14 Mar 2017 at 12:47 p.m.

Extremely sad to learn this morning that Maggie Lawton died yesterday at Wanaka following a diagnosis of cancer a short time ago.
Maggie was the top polling candidate in the Dunstan Ward for the Otago Regional Council in the last Local Body Elections and she brought to the role a huge passion for the quality of our region’s waterways and lakes. Extraordinarily well qualified and a vast experience in all things water, her death will mean a huge loss in the Central Otago/Lakes area as well as a strong voice for the wider region. Just a few days ago we were emailing each other and she had said that she was amazed how cancer is both so random and so rampant.
Sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

****

****

Otago Regional Council
ORC mourns Cr Lawton’s untimely passing
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead today noted with sorrow the passing of Dunstan constituency representative Maggie Lawton on Sunday after a brief but determined battle with cancer.
Mr Woodhead said Cr Lawton, who was elected to the council as the constituency’s top-polling candidate at last year’s local government elections, was passionate about environmental issues and the region she served, and particularly water quality.
As chairwoman of the council’s technical committee, her contribution, while brief, was an indication of the time and effort she intended to put into her role as an elected member during the remainder of the 2016-2019 triennium, he said.
“All of us at ORC mourn Maggie’s untimely passing, and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.”
ORC Link

—

At Facebook:

Tue, 14 Mar 2017
ODT: ORC pays tribute to late councillorThe Otago Regional Council is mourning and paying tribute to one of its own, following the death of Dunstan constituency representative Maggie Lawton. The Wanaka-based councillor was diagnosed with cancer about two months ago, after it was discovered during an operation, and died yesterday. She was 67 …. Cr Lawton told the Otago Daily Times last week she was determined to make sure the concerns of her constituents were still heard at the council and was receiving treatment at home, but still taking part in council business.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Murray Ball, ONZM

Murray Hone Ball ONZM (26 Jan 1939 – 12 Mar 2017) was a New Zealand cartoonist who became known for his Stanley the Palaeolithic Hero (the longest running cartoon in Punch magazine), Bruce the Barbarian, All the King’s Comrades (also in Punch) and the long-running Footrot Flats comic series. In 2002 Ball became an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his services as a cartoonist. More

gisborneherald Published on Mar 12, 2017
Murray Ball, Footrot Flats cartoonist, dies at 78
New Zealand has lost its most loved cartoonist, Gisborne’s Murray Ball.
Best known for the memorable characters in his cartoon strip Footrot Flats, the widely-respected artist died at home at 11.30am yesterday surrounded by family.

His wife Pam, three children and grandchildren were there, as well as Mr Ball’s brother Barry and close friends. Mr Ball had been out of the public eye due to Alzheimer’s, which he lived with for eight years. He was aged 78.
“It was a terribly sad and emotional day yesterday,” said Mr Ball’s wife Pam. “It was expected but it was terrible to see him go. It was lovely to have family and friends there but it was so, so hard the moment he went.” The family had received some wonderful tributes from around the world, she says.

Mayor Meng Foon described Mr Ball as a legend in our community. On behalf of the community, and the art in public places committee, he extended his heartfelt condolences to the Ball family. “Murray made us laugh, reflect and inspired us as proud New Zealanders. It was a great honour to present Murray’s key collection of cartoon books to the Beijing Olympic committee in 2008.” Mr Foon is pleased Wal and Dog will take pride of place at the entrance of the re-developed library. Murray, your legacy will take pride in Bright Street, a fitting place for such a bright shining star of our creative community.”

Gisborne artist and art teacher Norman Maclean remembers Mr Ball as a man of the soil who loved the country, animals and bird life. He also remembers him as a fine artist, although Mr Ball disagreed. “Murray used to say he was not an artist — which was ridiculous. His command of line was outstanding. For a time he broke into painting. His paintings were forceful, with a very strong line and a strong sense of immediacy.” The cartoonist’s sense of fun came to light while out riding with Mr Maclean. “The first time out he gave me a huge horse called Black. Murray knew what he would do at a certain point and that was to turn home. Black took off, my feet flew out of the stirrups and I heard hoots of laughter behind me.” Mr Ball was a complex figure though, says Mr Maclean. He was very serious-minded. “He thought deeply about political and social matters and had a great sense of justice and of a fair go for the average person.” Although he ascribed to no religion, he described himself as a Christian socialist and enjoyed many arguments with Mr Maclean about religion and philosophy.

In a tribute to Mr Ball, Prime Minister Bill English describes the Gisborne cartoonist as a thoughtful New Zealander “who took our unique sense of humour to the world”.

Cartoonist Tom Scott, who co-wrote the screenplay for Footrot Flats: The Dog’s Tale, told the New Zealand Herald Mr Ball was “funny and goofy and generous, and incredibly serious about inequality”. “He mourned the New Zealand he remembered being fair, and I guess if he had his life over again Murray would rather have been an editorial cartoonist.” Mr Scott also remembers Mr Ball as “an unbelievably strong, fit, handsome man all his life”.

New Zealand Herald cartoonist Rod Emmerson said Footrot Flats captured the essence of New Zealand farm life. “But farm life is virtually the same the world over, hence it quickly became a household icon both here and abroad. How lucky are we to have had the pleasure of Murray Ball’s home-grown genius to entertain us when we needed it most.”

The funeral service will be held at Bushmere Arms on Friday at 1pm.

****

thatdickgmail Published on Oct 4, 2012
Footrot Flats Rugby Scene

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

GMRedWing Published on Jun 18, 2015
Footrot Flats – Wal’s Date gone wrong
Footrot Flats: The Dog’s Tale

Dellers at Breitbart.com : ‘Same dreary losers are still in charge’ #Brexit

Link received from Douglas (Mick) Field
Sat, 11 Mar 2017 at 9:45 p.m.

### breitbart.com 10 Mar 2017
DELINGPOLE: We Won Brexit But the Same Dreary Losers Are Still In Charge
by James Delingpole
There is still much dispute as to precisely what it was that persuaded 17.4 million Britons to vote for Brexit last year. Some may have done it to regain Britain’s sovereignty, some to curb immigration, some because they realised correctly that everyone on the Remain side of the argument from one-hit-wonder gobshite Bob Geldof to that preening renter of overpriced desert islands Richard Branson was a weapons-grade, copper-bottomed tick.
But here’s one thing of which we can be pretty sure: nobody voted Brexit – the biggest public vote in favour of anything in UK history – in order to get more of the same old, same old.
Brexit was, perhaps more than anything, a cri de coeur from the silent majority who had been ignored for too long. It sprung from the same impulse that saw Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency – what political economist (and friend to the Donald) Ted Malloch has argued is a paradigm shift in global politics.
If you had to sum up that impulse in a phrase, it would go something like “Enough of this shit, already.”
Sure we might differ on our preferred solutions, but we’re all agreed what the general problem is. For too long a remote, democratically unaccountable, smug, corrupt, self-serving liberal elite has been making all the rules and all the running, while the rest of us just feel poorer, less fairly treated and more constrained by stupid, politically correct rules, regulations, and taxes in a failing system which wastes lots of our money yet gives us little in return.
The good news is that, against the odds, we won Brexit.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: theguardian.com – brexit

How Safe Are We/Our Businesses with the Corporate Disaster that’s Aurora, owned by DCC ? #reliability

Latest Aurora ‘safety’ ads at ODT Online this week [screenshots]

—

A N O T H E R ● L E A K —Aurora confirms it has breached standards over the average amount of time power has been cut per customer after its data was leaked to the Otago Daily Times.

### ODT Online Sat, 11 Mar 2017
Aurora fails reliability for third year
By Vaughan Elder
Aurora Energy could be fined or face court action after breaching a limit on power interruptions for the third year running. The Dunedin City Council-owned company said it took the breaches “seriously” and would probably ask the Commerce Commission to relax its reliability standards. If the Commerce Commission agreed, Aurora would be only the second lines company to operate under relaxed standards under a system called a customised price-quality path. The only other company to operate under such a system was Orion, after its infrastructure was damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes. Meeting the standards is important because the Commerce Commission takes into account liability when setting limits on how much lines companies can earn. …[Aurora] would not be drawn over whether a lack of investment had contributed to the breaches. […] A Commerce Commission spokesman said it was not aware of the reported breach as Aurora was not required to provide the information until June. However, if Aurora had breached standards its response could range from warning letters to administrative settlements and court proceedings. It could also penalise Aurora by cutting up to 1% of its revenue.
Read more

—

We hear poor Steve Thompson is not coping with all these leaks….

Related Posts and Comments:
16.12.16 Tim Hunter, NBR —Aurora/Delta, DCC and ComCom
12.11.16 Delta/Aurora : Current strategy to “fix on failure” [extreme neglect]
22.10.16 DCC struggles with Governance…. Delta/Aurora/DCHL in slipslidy mode
● 9.6.16 Aurora Energy Ltd warned by regulator

█ For more, enter the terms *aurora*, *delta*, *grady*, *poles*, *asset management plan*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *epicpolefail* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Downer EDI buys Hawkins businesses

At Facebook:

—

Downer EDI – Media Release
Downer acquires Hawkins businesses in New Zealand

08/03/2017
Downer EDI Limited (Downer) announced today that it had signed an agreement to acquire the construction, infrastructure and project management businesses of Hawkins, a New Zealand company, from the McConnell Family.
The Chief Executive of Downer, Grant Fenn, said Hawkins was an excellent strategic fit for Downer’s New Zealand business.
“Downer has a long and proud history in New Zealand that can be traced back more than a century,” Mr Fenn said. “Today we are a leading provider of services to our customers in a range of markets including transport, telecommunications and water.
“Hawkins is a New Zealand industry leader in construction and infrastructure and this acquisition will complement our existing Engineering, Construction and Maintenance capabilities while also providing a platform for growth. It is estimated that over NZ$50 billion will be invested in non-residential construction in New Zealand over the next five years.”
Mr Fenn said Hawkins would continue to operate under its current brand.
“Hawkins was founded in New Zealand 70 years ago and its highly skilled management team has built a strong reputation for delivering quality projects for its customers in both the public and private sectors,” he said.
Hawkins has a number of high profile projects across its portfolio including the SH16 Lincoln to Westgate upgrade, the construction of Auckland’s Park Hyatt Hotel, the Pier B Extension at Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport’s Rongotai Control Tower, Wellington City Council’s Arlington Housing Project, the Christchurch Town Hall, and the Avon River Precinct (Christchurch).
Mr Fenn said the acquisition would be funded through existing debt facilities and be earnings accretive in its first year.
The transaction is due to be completed on 31 March.

[ends] Downer EDI Link

****

Hawkins – Media Release
Hawkins Ownership to Change

8th March 2017

Hawkins is pleased to announce that Downer is acquiring Hawkins’ construction, infrastructure and project management businesses from the McConnell Family. This offers a new era of opportunity for both organisations. Hawkins Construction will retain its brand and continue as an ongoing business. Hawkins Infrastructure, which complements Downer, will be integrated into its existing Infrastructure business. Together we look forward to continuing our proud New Zealand heritage of building better communities, with passionate people and great projects. Link

[Hawkins full announcement]

DOW / Announcements
Downer acquires Hawkins business in New Zealand
8:39am, 8 Mar 2017 | ASSET

8 March 2017
DOWNER ACQUIRES HAWKINS BUSINESSES IN NEW ZEALAND
Downer EDI Limited (Downer) announced today that it had signed an agreement to acquire the construction, infrastructure and project management businesses of Hawkins, a New Zealand company, from the McConnell Family.
The Chief Executive of Downer, Grant Fenn, said Hawkins was an excellent strategic fit for Downer’s New Zealand business.
“Downer has a long and proud history in New Zealand that can be traced back more than a century,” Mr Fenn said. “Today we are a leading provider of services to our customers in a range of markets including transport, telecommunications and water.
“Hawkins is a New Zealand industry leader in construction and infrastructure and this acquisition will complement our existing Engineering, Construction and Maintenance capabilities while also providing a platform for growth. It is estimated that over NZ$50 billion will be invested in non-residential construction in New Zealand over the next five years.”
Mr Fenn said Hawkins would continue to operate under its current brand.
“Hawkins was founded in New Zealand 70 years ago and its highly skilled management team has built a strong reputation for delivering quality projects for its customers in both the public and private sectors,” he said.
Hawkins has a number of high profile projects across its portfolio including the SH16 Lincoln to Westgate upgrade, the construction of Auckland’s Park Hyatt Hotel, the Pier B Extension at Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport’s Rongotai Control Tower, Wellington City Council’s Arlington Housing Project, the Christchurch Town Hall, and the Avon River Precinct (Christchurch).
Mr Fenn said the acquisition would be funded through existing debt facilities and be earnings accretive in its first year.
The transaction is due to be completed on 31 March.

For further information please contact:
Michael Sharp, Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations +61 439 470 145

About Downer
Downer EDI Limited (Downer) is a leading provider of services to customers in markets including: Transport Services; Rail; Mining; Utilities Services; Technology and Communications Services; and Engineering, Construction & Maintenance. We build strong relationships of trust with our customers, truly understanding and predicting their needs and bringing them world leading insights and solutions. Downer employs about 19,000 people across more than 200 sites and projects, mostly in Australia and New Zealand, but also in the Asia-Pacific region, South America and Southern Africa. For more on Downer, visit: http://www.downergroup.com.

About Hawkins
Hawkins was established in Hamilton in 1946 by Fred Hawkins and has steadily grown over seven decades to become a leader in New Zealand’s infrastructure and project delivery. Hawkins employs about 700 people and specialises in the design and construction delivery of buildings and infrastructure that create stronger communities across New Zealand and also the Asia Pacific. For more information on Hawkins, visit http://www.hawkins.co.nz

Attachments
Downer acquires Hawkins business in New Zealand (PDF)

[ends] Hawkins Link

Ancestral landscape, natural heritage, dark skies & the district plan #respect

[penguin.au.com]

Peninsula: Exploring the Otago Peninsula | Paul Sorrell
Rich in recreational opportunities and with a strong sense of culture and community, the peninsula is a place like no other. Author Paul Sorrell and photographer Graham Warman discover the sweeping landscapes, unique mix of wildlife and engaging local personalities found on this special slice of New Zealand’s southern coast…. Penguin promotion

### ODT Online Sat, 7 Sep 2013
People and place portrayed
By Helen Speirs – ODT books editor
PENINSULA: Exploring the Otago Peninsula by Paul Sorrell and Graham Warman (Penguin)
From its volcanic formation, to early Maori settlement and the first European visitors, the book traces the influences of humans on the land, examining fishing and farming practices and architectural landmarks including the Mason and Wales “White House”, Larnach Castle, Fletcher House, Otakou marae, Portobello Aquarium and Marine Studies Centre, and the Armstrong Disappearing Gun. […] The rich diversity of the “wildlife capital of New Zealand” is a highlight, with information about the area’s jewelled gecko, its multitude of birdlife – including Taiaroa Head’s northern royal albatross, New Zealand sea lions and yellow-eyed penguins. […] The book’s design and layout is simple and reader-friendly, the writing informative and accessible, and the photography stunning – the sweeping vistas of the peninsula land and seascapes, with the light playing on the water and shadows in the folds of the land are particularly evocative.
Read more

[teara.govt.nz]

Otago Peninsula by Colin McCahon [tepapa.govt.nz]

****

P A P A N U I ● I N L E T ● W A K A ● F I N D

### ODT Online Tue, 14 Oct 2014
Historic waka find excites as peninsula gives up secret
By Hamish McNeilly
The discovery of a historic waka unearthed from Papanui Inlet is a “significant find”, a local kaumatua says. A waka – believed to be a fishing waka (waka hi ika) – measuring 6.17m was excavated from the edge of the inlet over the weekend, and is now in storage. Otakou runanga kaumatua Edward Ellison said the “exciting” discovery “sheds new light [on] the historical use and occupation of the Papanui Inlet and surrounds”. It was likely the vessel dated from the Ngati Mamoe occupation of that part of the Otago Peninsula, before “Ngai Tahu came down and pushed some of them further south”.
Read more

### ODT Online Thu, 16 Oct 2014
‘I knew it was something significant’
By John Lewis
If it were not for changing tidal flows, the fishing waka unearthed from Papanui Inlet on Otago Peninsula at the weekend might never have been discovered, Department of Conservation historic technical adviser Shar Briden said. The 6.17m waka was under 1.6m of sand and was discovered by chance in August by Ms Briden. She said the channel flow had changed, with the estuary water now cutting over the top of the waka. […] The waka was excavated and refloated using whale pontoons at the weekend, and moved across the estuary at high tide to where it could be retrieved. The waka is believed to be the only one found in Otago, and has archaeologists around the country buzzing.
Read more

### ODT Online Sun, 28 Dec 2014
Waka remnants give glimpse into past
By Shawn McAvinue
A waka submerged in a locked wooden tank at the Otakou marae in Dunedin continues to reveal the past to archaeologists. Te Runanga o Otakou manager Rachel Wesley said the fishing waka, unearthed from Papanui inlet on Otago Peninsula in October, was on the marae and submerged in fresh water in a locked wooden tank. […] The waka was moved to the marae in early December […] Samples of the waka had been sent to Auckland and Dunedin to determine its age. The waka conservation work would take more than two years […] Department of Conservation historic technical adviser Shar Briden said other wooden artefacts were found before the waka was discovered and they revealed some more about it.
Read more

### ODT Online Fri, 6 Feb 2015
Waka believed from the 1500s
By Hamish McNeilly
The historic waka unearthed from Papanui Inlet was used in the 1500s, it has been revealed. Dilys John, of Auckland University’s anthropology department, has dated the worked waka and the prepared fibres from inside the hull at being between 440 and 463 years old. Otakou runanga elder Edward Ellison said the waka remained in water at the marae, and the salt would slowly be removed out of the timber over the next two years. The waka would be preserved and then possibly be put on display […] It was believed the waka was used by Waitaha – the first occupants of the site – or Ngati Mamoe […] “The mere thought that the hands that made and used the hand-woven fibres belonged to ancestors who lived at Papanui Inlet at least 20 generations ago is quite breathtaking.” Dating the waka helped with comparisons with other sites around New Zealand and confirmed “the specialness of the Papanui Inlet”.
Read more

█ Anyone who found an object should leave the item in situ and report the find to the Department of Conservation. (ODT)

****

D A R K ● S K I E S ● O T A G O ● P E N I N S U L A

### ODT Online Wed, 15 Apr 2015
Seeking dark sky city status
By Vaughan Elder
The Dunedin City Council is to investigate ways of limiting light pollution, after councillors were told Dunedin could become the world’s largest “dark sky city”. Otago Museum director Ian Griffin spoke about the issue of light pollution at yesterday’s planning and regulatory committee meeting when he discussed the museum’s planetarium development, which is to open later this year. “We see the planetarium as not just a brilliant educational tool [but also] potentially an anchor for a new strand of tourism in this city.” There was a massive potential for growth in night sky tourism in the city and the council could support that by acting to limit light pollution in areas such as Otago Peninsula, where viewing conditions were best, Dr Griffin said.
Read more

fight to save dark sky for #Dunedin is on. A 3 day hearing decides if houses can be built at dark sky beauty spot pic.twitter.com/rswPMWOTk0

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 5, 2017

How many Dunedin councillors are speaking out to save views like this? The silence. The silence….. #speakupfordarksky pic.twitter.com/bxSj19uH5X

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 5, 2017

So. 13 hours until the start of the fight to protect one of the finest views of the heavens I've ever seen #savethebackbaysindunedin pic.twitter.com/FmhDm9Gzo3

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 6, 2017

Picture #1 in the case for the defence of Papanui Inlet. Can you see any lights? You will if the planned houses go ahead #savethebackbays pic.twitter.com/WpmnHPIsDn

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 6, 2017

Pic #2 in defence of Papanui. See this #auroraaustralis? You won't when light pollution stops your pupils dilating pic.twitter.com/cvxwf0Mnvo

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 6, 2017

A video timelapse I shot at Papanui Inlet in 2015. Enjoy it as someone plans to build houses right in this shot! https://t.co/1l6NkzJBve

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 6, 2017

Want to enjoy the sheer majesty of Hoopers Inlet? Voila https://t.co/zgO2k29r0c this is why I love it & want to protect it #savethebackbays

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 6, 2017

Right. Evidence submitted to the Back Bays housing hearing. Respect to @lozzjoy for providing legal advice to try and save views like this! pic.twitter.com/yMLUp8glEV

— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) March 8, 2017

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Downloads:
● Evidence from Dr Ian Griffin 1.3.17
● Evidence from Dr Ian Griffin Graphic supplement
● Dr Ian Griffin Submitter Legal Counsel’s tabled submission 8.3.17

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P R O B L E M ● C H I L D R E N

### ODT Online Fri, 10 Apr 2015
Quarry operator faces hearing over breach
By Chris Morris
An Otago Peninsula quarry operator found to be digging beyond his boundary faces a public hearing to determine the future shape of the operation. The Papanui Inlet quarry operation, headed by Peninsula resident Steve Clearwater, was found to be in breach of its existing consent following an inspection by council staff early last year.
Read more

### ODT Online Fri, 31 Jul 2015
May need new consent, quarry hearing told
By John Gibb
A “catch-22” legal problem involving a quarry on Otago Peninsula means all parties, including the applicant and many submitters, may have been wasting their time attending a consent hearing. […] The hearing involves a quarry, which had operated as a smaller farm quarry before a consent allowed it to expand in 2007. Steve Clearwater Contracting, headed by peninsula resident Steve Clearwater, has been accused by council staff of not complying with rules designed to restrict his quarry’s operation. […] Council officials say the quarry was found to be operating beyond its boundary early last year, by extracting rock from further up Geary’s Hill than was permitted. The applicant, Peninsula Holdings Trust, is seeking a variation on its existing consent, to legalise what has been done, but it is also seeking to expand its footprint for future operations. The application has prompted 40 submissions, including 32 from neighbours, many opposing it.
Read more

### ODT Online Sat, 1 Aug 2015
Quarry hearing adjourned
By John Gibb
Independant commissioner Andrew Henderson has adjourned a Dunedin consent hearing to consider legal issues linked to a quarry overlooking Papanui Inlet in a “treasured ancestral landscape”. Mr Henderson, of Christchurch, said yesterday he would consider legal issues over how to proceed with an application, on behalf of the quarry operator, to vary conditions in an earlier 2007 consent, involving the quarry on Otago Peninsula.
Read more

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Neighbours are fighting plans to expand a quarry overlooking Papanui Inlet, after it was found to be in breach of 10 resource consent conditions. (ODT)

### ODT Online Fri, 28 Aug 2015
Fears for Otago Peninsula hill
By Chris Morris
A quarry operator accused of flouting rules on Otago Peninsula could seek to remove a hill overlooking Papanui Inlet, neighbours fear. Steve Clearwater Contracting, headed by peninsula resident Steve Clearwater, has been accused by Dunedin City Council staff of showing “contempt” for rules designed to restrict his quarry’s operation. […] “Geary’s Hill, at the head of Papanui Inlet, is an integral part of a wider wahi tupuna [ancestral landscape]” […] The Otakou runanga was concerned about the “incremental carving away at the basic elements of this ancestral landscape leading to greater and irreversible changes”.
Read more

### ODT Online Wed, 23 Sep 2015
Quarry expansion plans scuttled
By Craig Borley
Controversial expansion plans for an Otago Peninsula quarry have been declined by an independent commissioner, but quarrying will continue on the site. The Geary’s Hill quarry, overlooking Papanui Inlet, was last year found to have breached many of its 2007 resource consent conditions. It had extended further up and across Geary’s Hill than consented, while a paddock consented to receive fill to a depth of 1m had since received considerably more than that. Dunedin City Council staff concluded it was in breach of at least 10 consent conditions, while compliance with another five was questionable. Quarry operator Steve Clearwater Contracting, headed by peninsula resident Steve Clearwater, had been forced to seek a variation on its existing consent to legalise what it had done, while also seeking to expand its footprint for future operations. Neighbours feared the variation, if accepted, could eventually lead to the complete removal of the hill. But that variation was declined last week and was now subject to a 15-working-day appeal period. […] The council had accepted it had been deficient in monitoring the 2007 consent.
Read more

### ODT Online Mon, 6 Feb 2017
Subdivision bid opposed
By David Loughrey
A plan to subdivide 260ha of rural Otago Peninsula land in an outstanding natural landscape area has run into serious opposition, as a resource consent bid heads for a March hearing. Groups from Forest and Bird to Save the Otago Peninsula (Stop), and individuals from peninsula tourism and accommodation businesses, as well as astronomers and archaeologists, have lined up to oppose the project. Land owner Steven Clearwater described opposition from property owners in the area as “nimbyism”. He said the farm on which the subdivision was planned had been dotted with farmhouses a century ago, and he wanted to protect his right to build there again. The project is the work of the Peninsula Holdings Trust, made up of property owners Steven and Jacqueline Clearwater and Brian Hailes. The trust has applied to the Dunedin City Council to subdivide the rural zoned land at 78 Cape Saunders Rd. The land has a capital value of almost $1.9million.
Read more

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“Allowing property owners to subdivide small parcels for residential use scattered around a large farm property is not in accordance with the expectations of either the district plan or proposed plan.” –Lianne Darby

### ODT Online Mon, 13 Feb 2017
City planner opposes subdivision
By Margot Taylor
An application to subdivide 260ha of Otago Peninsula land in an outstanding natural landscape has hit another hurdle with a planner’s report recommending the application be declined. Dunedin City Council planner Lianne Darby recommended the council decline the bid to subdivide a property at 78 Cape Saunders Rd, citing negative effects on the environment and the potential  “undesirable” precedents it could set for rural zoning if approved. […] If such a proposal  were approved, there could be a “major change” to the appearance and character of the land, she found. The subdivision, on an isthmus of land between Hoopers Inlet and Papanui Inlet and the northern slopes of Mt Charles, was also inconsistent with aspects of the district plan relating to sustainability, land fragmentation, rural productive worth, roading and landscape, the report found. She did not believe the proposal, which would create 10 new sites, on which consent was sought for residential activity on eight, was a sustainable use of the city’s physical and natural resources. The proposed sites would be between 2ha and 194ha.
Read more

Downloads:
● DCC Planner’s Report Pages 1-44
● DCC Planner’s Report Pages 45-88

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### ODT Online Wed, 8 Mar 2017
Papanui developer reduces sites plan
By David Loughrey
The developer of a subdivision on an Otago Peninsula isthmus has halved the number of houses planned for the site, surprising opponents ready to argue against the plan. Peninsula Holdings Trust came to a resource consent hearing in Dunedin yesterday with a proposal that reduced the number of houses in the outstanding natural landscape area from eight to four. Landowner Steven Clearwater told the hearing he had recently signed a conditional sale agreement for some of the land involved to nearby farmer. Plans for a covenanted area of wetland and a public walking track were withdrawn, after the buyer of the land made it “very clear” they were not to be offered. The change led hearing commissioner Colin Weatherall to adjourn the meeting after the trust made its submissions, allowing opponents time overnight to modify theirs.
Read more

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S U B D I V I S I O N ● A P P L I C A T I O N

Dunedin City Council
Non complying activity – 78 Cape Saunders Road – SUB-2016-58 & LUC-2016-336

Closed: 09/12/2016

Notification of Application for a Resource Consent – Under Section 93(2) of the Resource Management Act 1991.
The Dunedin City Council has received and notified the following application for Resource Consent:

Application description
Council has received an application to subdivide the above nine titles of 78 Cape Saunders Road into eleven lots and a balance parcel. The subdivision will create ten new sites of 2.0ha to 194ha. Eight of the new sites will be smaller than 15.0ha and are therefore considered to be undersized.
Land use consent is sought for new residential activity within proposed Landscape Building Platforms on Lots 1 to 2, 4 to 6, and 8 to 10. Lot 3 (38ha) has an existing quarry operation with an established dwelling. The amalgamated site of Lot 7 and 12 (194ha) will be a farming block with no dwelling, and will be subject to a covenant restricting all residential development of this site. The balance land of Part Lot 54 Papanui Maori Reserve Blk (residue CFR OT205/103) will be amalgamated with Lot 10.
The quarry operation will need to be reauthorised as it will be contained within a smaller site. It will be a discretionary (unrestricted) activity pursuant to Rule 6.5.6(v).
The subject sites are zoned Rural in the Dunedin City District Plan, and are within the Peninsula Coast Outstanding Landscape Area (Visually Recessive and Visually Prominent Areas). The general area is identified as being subject to land stability risks, and parts of the subject sites are potentially at risk to liquefaction.
Subdivision of a Rural-zoned site into lots smaller than 15.0ha is a non-complying activity pursuant to Rule 18.5.2 of the Dunedin City District Plan. The construction of buildings (dwellings) within a Landscape Building Platform is considered to be a controlled activity pursuant to Rule 14.6.1(a)(i). The proposed residential activity on those lots smaller than 15.0ha is also considered to be a non-complying activity pursuant to Rule 6.5.7(i).
The Proposed Second Generation District Plan (“the Proposed Plan”) was notified on 26 September 2016. Rules 16.7.4 (minimum site size for rural zones) and 16.9.5.5 (assessment of subdivision performance standard contraventions – minimum site size) were given immediate legal effect pursuant to section 86D of the Resource Management Act 1991 at the time of notification. Accordingly, the Proposed Plan rules also need to be considered alongside the Dunedin City District Plan rules.
The subject sites are zoned Rural – Peninsula Coast in the Proposed Second Generation Plan, and are within the Peninsula Coast Outstanding Natural Landscape. There are land stability risks identified for this site. Parts of the subject sites are shown as Hazard 2 – Land Instability, and Hazard 3 – Coastal. The coastal edges of the property are shown as Coastal Environment and Archaeological Alert Layer. There is a Wahi Tupuna Site 36 – Poatiri (Mt Charles) on-site.
Rule 16.7.4 specifies a minimum site size of 40.0ha for lots created by subdivision in the Rural – Peninsula Coast zone. The proposed subdivision is therefore a non-complying activity pursuant to Rule 16.7.4.3. The land use rules for the Rural zones are not yet in effect or operative.
The application is accompanied by Ecology, Landscape, Heritage, and Geotechnical Reports.

The submission period for this application has closed, and a hearing/decision is pending.

Consent number: Non complying activity – 78 Cape Saunders Road – SUB-2016-58 & LUC-2016-336
Name of applicant: The Peninsula Holding Trust
Location of site: 78 Cape Saunders Road, being that land held in Computer Freehold Registers 207075 (43.3047ha), 95918 (34.0552ha), 95919 (2004m2), OT15C/195 (20.5432ha), OT45/181 (5741m2), OT254/294 (18.2058ha), OT254/295 (20.8768ha), OT205/103 (102.9627ha), and OT11B/1033 (16.9917ha)
Address for service: The Peninsula Holding Trust, C/O Cubitt Consulting Ltd, 11 Bedford Street, Dunedin 9012

RELATED DOCUMENTS AT DCC WEBSITE:
● Evidence tabled at the hearing
● Submitter Pre-Hearing Evidence
● Applicant’s Pre-Hearing Evidence
● Agenda
● Application documents
● Submissions
Go to http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/council-online/notified-resource-consents/notified-applications-pending/sub-2016-58-and-luc-2016-336

● Download: Applicant’s Photographs

[screenshots – click to enlarge] *see Clearwater’s quarry at Lot 3

Site plans

Applicant’s tabled site plan which includes covenants

Applicant’s tabled revised plan for Lot 4

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Cadbury public protest in the Octagon —Saturday, 11 March 11 a.m.

At Facebook:

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Tue, 7 Mar 2017
ODT: Cadbury protest planned
Dunedin residents against the proposed closure of the Cadbury factory will have a chance to express their opposition at a protest on Saturday morning from 11 o’clock. Last month Mondelez International, the owner of Cadbury, said the factory would close next year, leaving about 400 people without jobs.
Save Cadbury Community Action Group chairman Don Pryde said the protest in the Octagon would show Mondelez “we are not letting go without a fight”. “To date the Dunedin community has not been able to express its anger and dismay over the plans by Mondelez to shut this factory down. This is a chance for people to have their voices heard.”

Related Post and Comments:
16.2.17 Cadbury, wtf ?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: cadbury.co.nz – chocolate crumb | ytimg.com – cadbury, tweaked by whatifdunedin [removals]

Bill English PM : Super changes

“New Zealanders are healthier and living longer so adjusting the long-term settings of NZ Super while there is time for people to adapt is the right thing to do.” –Bill English PM

### NZ Herald Mon, 6 Mar 2017 3:19 PM
PM Bill English announces Super changes [+ Videos]
The eligibility age for superannuation will rise to 67 years old by 2040, Prime Minister Bill English revealed this afternoon. In a major political development, English promised to begin progressively lifting the threshold from 65 to 67 years old in 2037. That means the changes will not affect anyone born on or before 30 June, 1972. The Government will not act on the promise until after the general election in September.

English said the major change would be legislated for next year. The Government will also limit superannuation eligibility to people who have lived in New Zealand for 20 years, rather than 10 years. That is lower than the commissioner’s recommendation of 25 years. English said the new residency requirement would apply to people who arrived in the country after the law was passed – likely to be next year if the National-led Government remains in power.

Other settings such as linking NZ Super to the average wage and universal Super without means-testing would remain unchanged. The age at which people could access Kiwisaver would remain at 65.

In justifying the change, English noted that even someone who retired at age 67 was likely to receive NZ Super for longer than someone who retired at age 64 today. “That is because average life expectancy is increasing by about 1.3 years each decade.”

The changes to the age of eligibility and residency requirements would save the Government at estimated 0.6 per cent of GDP or $4 billion once fully phased in.

Finance Minister Steven Joyce said New Zealanders’ life expectancy had risen by 12 years over the past 60 years. “When the age was set at 65 in 2001, a retiree could expect to spend about a fifth of their life receiving NZ Super. That has since increased to about a quarter. Following this change, those eligible for NZ Super at 67 in 2040 can still expect to receive it for a quarter of their life on average.”

Experts have said the Government will have to do more than raise the age of eligibility to keep the Super scheme affordable. The cost of the scheme is expected to triple in the next 20 years from $11 billion to $36b as more people reach the over-65 age-group and live for longer.

….English said raising the retirement age in 2037 would more fairly spread the costs and benefits of NZ Super between generations, ensure it remained affordable, and would give people time to adjust. It would also bring New Zealand into line with other countries like Australia, the UK, Denmark, Germany and the United States. English said he did not think his proposals would damage National’s chance of winning a fourth term. “I think they will enhance it,” he said.
Read more

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At Facebook:

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: stuff.co.nz – John Key (54) and Bill English (54) in August 2015. Photo by David White/Fairfax, tweaked by whatifdunedin

iD Dunedin Fashion Week 2017

Received.

From: iD Dunedin Fashion
Sent: Sunday, 5 March 2017 10:42 a.m.
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: Just two weeks to go until iD Fashion Week 2017! 💋❤👠💅😍

[excerpts]

TWO WEEKS UNTIL iD DUNEDIN FASHION WEEK 2017!
With a full calendar of events designed to send you into fashion heaven, iD Dunedin Fashion Week 2017 kicks off on Saturday March 18, 2017! Featuring exhibitions, designer talks, runway shows, open design studios in the iD Hub at Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall, and more, Dunedin is set to come alive with an amazing fashion week.

Tickets are still available from Ticketmaster for iD’s premier shows – the iD International Emerging Designer Awards and the iD Fashion Show at the Dunedin Railway Station.

Secure your seats today!

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iD INTERNATIONAL EMERGING AWARDS TO MOVE TO DUNEDIN RAILWAY STATION

This year’s iD International Emerging Designer Awards will be moved from the Dunedin Town Hall to the Dunedin Railway Station giving emerging finalists from around the world an opportunity to be part of the unique Railway platform runway experience associated with iD’s premier Fashion Show.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for these young designers to be more integrated with the overall events of iD Fashion Week,” says iD Committee Chair Cherry Lucas.

“Experiencing the magic of iD’s iconic runway show at the Railway Station as a new designer is exciting and unique. And for iD audiences, this is a fabulous opportunity to see the platform runway reinvented through the iD Awards, with all its distinctive, edgy and experimental qualities that people love to see.”

The venue will also enhance the audience’s experience, giving fashion lovers a closer look at the designs, say organisers.

“I’m so excited for the audience,” says Otago Polytechnic Professor of Fashion Dr Margo Barton.

“I get to see these creations up close every year but I never cease to be amazed by the creative talent out there. For the first time the audience will have that up-close experience too.”
Ms Lucas says the move to the Railway has also helped reduce set up time.

“This is the first year that we have had a large cruise ship visit on the day of our Railway Show. A growing number of logistical challenges were developing and it was decided that by bringing the set-up forward a day, many of the logistical challenges we were facing could be avoided or reduced.”

Ticketmaster and the iD team are working together to ensure all the current ticket holders receive similar seating to what has been purchased for the new venue. Current ticket holders will be contacted by Ticketmaster.

The iD International Emerging Designer Awards is supported by the principal partner for the event, the Otago Polytechnic.

iDFW insider Published on Mar 2, 2017
Meet 2017 iD Awards finalist Zhuxuan He
Meet University of Technology Sydney fashion graduate Zhuxuan He as she prepares for the 2017 iD International Emerging Designer Awards to be held in Dunedin, New Zealand in March.

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CHECK OUT THE iD HUB AT DUNEDIN’S GOLDEN CENTRE MALL
As iD’s major sponsor, Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall becomes the iD Hub every year, holding meet and greet experiences with international guests and awards winners, alongside catwalk shows, VIP events and shopping experiences. Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall is the city’s most fashionable retail space, with shops such as Hype, I Love Paris, Storm, Ziera, and Platypus offering shoppers fabulous clothing and shoes from New Zealand and abroad. The Golden Centre has been a major partner with iD for the past seven years.

This year’s Hub offerings include an open studio from the Otago Polytechnic’s School of Design, meet-and-greets with iD awards winners on Friday March 24, and many more events that you’ll find at www.idfashion.co.nz.

[ends]

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O T H E R ● V I D E O S

iDFW insider Published on Feb 15, 2017
iD Fashion week 2017 – Teaser
The 13th annual iD International Emerging Designer Awards will take place during iD Fashion Week (Dunedin, NZ) 18 – 26 March 2017. One of this year’s 35 international finalists Cecily Reed (a graduate of the Otago Polytechnic) shares some of her designs for the Awards.

iDFW insider Published on Oct 18, 2016
iD Fashion Show 2016
Set along one of the world’s longest catwalks on the platform of Dunedin’s historic Railway Station, the iD Fashion Show 2016 featured UK-based designer Emilia Wickstead, alongside top Kiwi designers including Kate Sylvester, Zambesi, NOM*d, Carlson, Company of Strangers, Mild-Red and Charmaine Reveley.

OtagoDailyTimes Published on Mar 17, 2016
Dunedin iD International Emerging Designer Awards
iD International Emerging Designer Awards is New Zealand’s largest fashion design competition and a highlight of the iD Dunedin Fashion Week. Thirty finalists have been selected from a field of over 90 applications from some of the world’s most prestigious design schools. All finalists will be in Dunedin to present their collection and vie for the cash prizes, internships and other benefits provided to the winning designers.

Channel 39 Published on May 1, 2016
Dunedin International Emerging Designers Awards 2016
Highlights of the 2016 iD Dunedin fashion week show. Featuring live performances from the ‘Dunedin Sound’ Musicians, zealander 2, Carter, Morley and Yeats….

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█ Criticism. Frankly, iD Fashion organisers, get over yourselves – let’s hope there’s better music for this year’s runway shows! The dismal so-called ‘Dunedin Sound’ was an abject failure, on and off made the audience grossly uncomfortable. Must’ve been bloody hard for the runway models – JFC, bad enough watching the videos!

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.