My father [never a follower of the FedUp Farmers, as he deemed them; always the campaigner for removal of farm subsidies, to enhance production and market competition] had ‘stock’ phrases with which to judge the faces of female adversaries, those with little brain or spine in politics, pretenders. One adept phrase that sticks in my mind is “like a horse eating thistles” —so I look on the following with my tinted lens, and laugh, rurally (ruefully). No one target.
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On 19 May @StuFleming tweeted: “Spend $200k, revenue projections of $2.4M to others, 10% margin yields say $240k net”
[minus ODT news photo of face]
As ratepayer not involved in tourism or hospo, I’m wondering what to spend my windfall from Trenz on. Travel? Balclutha or Hampden? https://t.co/kau4b3aDSB
— T. Optional (@TomBoyOptional) May 20, 2017
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Rather bleak. pic.twitter.com/dI41cnqk0u
— Chris (@opetheater) May 20, 2017
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[DUD ‘money hype’ typically depends on false multipliers, anechoic silences, and arrogant self-belief —this (yes) bleak statement applies across a broad range of proposed deals and associated marketing detritus in the city, especially to events, conferences, sport, hospitality and accommodation, and even the re-use (Not conservation) of truly rare and precious instances of historic heritage] Here’s to all the fricking horses out there, including hypocritical colleagues and friends with blinkers like demo balls prepared to squeeze the last dollar and pass us to Hell. Anyway, back to “the business”…. cargo cult tourism. The wider effects of tourism are like those of dairying. Too many eggs in one basket and everybody (I mean, everybody) ends up doing it badly —killing Our Place for generations. Greed, like endorphins, like a running addiction, binds them up. They think they’re bright, they think they’re enablers (read risk takers/investors centred on their own gains only), they think they’re entrepreneurs, better than others (but because I for one will tell you things you don’t want to hear, you’ll say “I’ll ring you tomorrow”, that silence again) but they’re just funneled, tunneled sheepybaas – doing it wrong. Like cows, deer, Chinese gooseberries (Kiwifruit!), wines, stadiums….. or ‘getting a room’ behind the poorly remembered, heavily made-up, Disney’d facade of our city and nationhood. The worst kind didn’t, or didn’t bother to, ‘grow up’ here. They get desperate, create mess, import other yes men. Ring you like nothing happened, their exploits —not to ask deeply madly who and how you really are.
### ODT Online Sat, 20 May 2017
Trenz prompts high aspirations
By David Loughrey
Next year’s Trenz conference in Dunedin is set to cost ratepayers $200,000, but the long-term pay-off should run well into the millions.
The Dunedin City Council will next week be given an idea of the costs to the city of hosting the conference from May 7 to 10, and also the estimated benefits. The city learned last week it would host the tourism industry event next year, bringing up to 1200 international travel and tourism buyers, media and New Zealand tourism operators to Dunedin. It will be the first time the event, run by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), has come to Dunedin and the first time it has been hosted outside Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch or Queenstown since it began in the 1960s. Trenz is an opportunity for New Zealand tourism operators to sell their product to buyers, effectively overseas travel agents who put together itineraries for overseas tourists. Attracting more than 350 buyers to experience the tourism products on offer here is considered a huge coup. On average, each buyer sends 4000 visitors a year to New Zealand, totalling 1.5 million. It comes as figures show New Zealand’s tourism market is expected to continue to grow strongly, topping $15 billion by 2023. Tourism contributes more than $690 million to Dunedin’s economy every year.
Read more
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Meanwhile, although we (‘our stock’ NZ) and the UK farm gate look pretty much the same……
‘Herdwick Shepherd’ aka James Rebanks (@herdyshepherd1) farms Herdwick sheep in the English Lake District. Author of bestselling memoir, The Shepherd’s Life:
### ODT Online Saturday, 20 May 2017
OE to Britain set to get tougher
Prime Minister Bill English says the Conservative Party’s new plans to clamp down on immigration will sting New Zealanders wanting to live in the United Kingdom, including on the traditional OE, but there is little he can do until Brexit is completed. The British party’s election manifesto includes plans to drastically cut net migration from 273,000 to less than 100,000 by targeting students and those on working visas. It proposes cutting the number of skilled migrants to get visas, higher levies on employers who take on migrant workers and tripling the National Health Service immigration health surcharge from £200 to £600 ($NZ380 to $NZ1130) a year for those in the UK on visas of more than six months and 450 for international students. That surcharge increase will also affect those on the traditional OE, although there is no mention of scrapping the two-year youth mobility visa which allows young New Zealanders to get a two-year visa to work and travel in the United Kingdom. Mr English said the changes would affect those on their OE but they would have to grin and bear it until Brexit was completed. NZME.
Read more
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Super City mayor Phil Goff has a plan for getting money from tourists – it bears some similarity to that of the Mongrel Mob……
### NZ Herald Thu, 18 May 2017
Winston Aldworth: Seeking the smart money
OPINION What do Phil Goff and the Mongrel Mob have in common? As hundreds of travel industry figures from all around the world gathered in Auckland for last week’s Trenz conference, one of the many topics up for discussion was the Auckland mayor’s enthusiasm for a hotel bed tax on visitors to the city. Meanwhile, up north at Ahipara on Ninety Mile Beach, three German tourists were approached by two local Mongrel Mob members who told them that they were on Maori land, and had to pay koha. They also told the tourists they’d be taking a few of their cigarettes. A tobacco tax, if you will. Perhaps their plan for putting heavy taxes on visitors was inspired by the Super City mayor. Goff’s bed tax is about as blunt an instrument as the Mob’s shakedown. “Look there’s a foreigner! Let’s get a couple of bucks off them.” The airport tax introduced by John Key a year ago is equally clumsy. It’s a travesty that these tariffs are the best we can come up with for making money out of tourism. Yes, other countries put dull levies on visitor arrivals, but that’s no reason to follow suit. We New Zealanders pride ourselves on being innovators, so let’s find innovative ways to get more money out of the tourism sector. Both Goff and Key were ministers in governments that did everything they could to remove tariffs from the dairy trade. Today, the best and brightest marketing wallahs of Goff’s inner circle are putting forward a plan no more sophisticated than one devised by two Mongrel Mob members standing on a Northland beach. I’m not against making money out of tourists — quite the opposite, in fact. I think it’s terrific that our country can be boosted by an industry that encourages us to care for our environment, celebrate the things that make our culture unique and spreads revenue quickly and efficiently to the regions. But how about instead of putting a dumb tax on the visitors, we upsell them? Take their money at the gate for sure, but give them something special in return.
Read more
Enough randomising. More rain and ice falls.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
This post is offered in the public interest.
What if? Dunedin... 
Garrick Tremain – 20 May 2017
@ Three Mile Hill
We were sold a pup in WG! They said ‘Go to DUD, where you will be a Stud’.
We’re in DUD, but not wanted as Studs, Dud.
Who would want to be an insignificant thing on a man’s chest?
2CELLOS Published on May 19, 2017
2CELLOS – May It Be – The Lord of the Rings [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
From the new album ‘Score’. 2CELLOS Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser playing May It Be from The Lord of the Rings with London Symphony Orchestra. Video by Zdenko Basic.
Zdenko Bašić (born 1980, Zagreb) is a distinguished Croatian animator and illustrator of children’s books.
NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ –2CELLOS, music’s most electric and dynamic instrumental duo, go to the movies for their new Portrait/Sony Music Masterworks album Score, available March 17, 2017. Bringing 2CELLOS’ game-changing sound and style to the most popular melodies ever written for classic and contemporary movies and television, Score will be supported by a world tour, kicking off with its U.S. leg this summer. An international sensation since their unique video version of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” rocked YouTube with millions of hits in 2011, the Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser have created three high-energy albums for Sony Music Masterworks. Score finds them exploring a more traditional sound-world. Joining them here – to provide the ideal aural backdrop to their virtuosity – is the London Symphony Orchestra, with conductor/arranger Robin Smith at the helm. Sulic and Hauser also co-produced Score with Nick Patrick (Jackie Evancho, Il Divo, Placido Domingo). Read more
“May It Be” is a song by Irish recording artist Enya. It was composed by Enya and Roma Ryan for Peter Jackson’s 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The song entered the German Singles Chart at number one in 2002 and was performed by Enya at the 74th Academy Awards. “May It Be” was acclaimed from music critics and received nominations for Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, Academy Award for Best Original Song and Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media. Read more
http://www.2cellos.com/2cellos-new-album-score-out-march-17th/
At Facebook:
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Sat, 20 May 2017
Chill lingers as snow to ease
By John Gibb and Sally Rae
Police are warning motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions after a polar blast dumped snow on many parts of the South. Heavy snow warnings had been issued for Central Otago from the Crown Range southwards, including Southland. There were watches from Hawkes Bay to Canterbury. MetService meteorologist Josh Griffin said sleety showers would give way to “pretty strong” southwesterly gales for Dunedin, Balclutha and Stewart Island that could reach 120kmh in exposed places on Saturday. Later on Saturday, Metservice said significant snowfalls were “no longer expected”. In Dunedin, snow and ice affected some hilly areas from Saturday morning, including Mt Cargill Rd, while thick snow also blanketed Three Mile Hill Rd. […] Many parts of the South were likely to have woken to one of the coldest mornings this year, the MetService’s Josh Griffin said. “This is the first significant snow event of the year.” Dunedin residents reported snow falling on Mt Cargill from about 6pm yesterday and it was 3degC overnight, while Alexandra dropped to -2degC. Wanaka and Queenstown were bordering on freezing.
….Snow was affecting many roads throughout the lower South Island. Drivers were urged to take care and carry chains where necessary. Cont/
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█ Check road conditions on NZTA
Sunday, 21 May 2017
Roads still tricky after snow dump
Reporting by Herald on Sunday, ODT
Roads throughout the South remain icy and dangerous after a big snow dump, and motorists should drive with caution. State Highway 87 between Sutton and Outram reopened late on Sunday morning, the New Zealand Transport Agency advised. Heavy snow caused major disruptions in parts of the country on Saturday, delaying flights in Queenstown while snow had to be cleared off the tarmac, closing roads and making driving treacherous. The Crown Range is open and has been gritted, the Queenstown Lakes District Council said. Chains should be carried by all vehicles. The Kawarau Gorge is icy and has been gritted.
….MetService meteorologist Nicole Ranger said clear weather was on the way for most of the country as a ridge pushed on from the west, however the cold snap would continue into the week. […] The heavy dumping of snow has prompted NZTA to warn drivers to take extra care on several state highways in the South, telling motorists chains must be carried. Farmers were also urged to check on livestock. Cont/
At Twitter:
Garrick Tremain – 5 May 2017
Manners and consideration are important.
So is awareness that being offended isn’t a danger to health unless one develops an addiction to taking offence, in which case eventually someone will get fed up and poke you in the snoot.
At Facebook:
[Photo link issue at ODT, viewable at their page by clicking on the blank box. -Eds]
At Twitter:
ODT 2.6.17 (page 6)
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NZ Herald
1.6.17 Goff’s ‘bed tax’ for Auckland hotels approved
2.6.17 Birth of a baby helps Goff pass ‘bed tax’ [ridiculous]
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Wed, 31 May 2017
ODT: Moteliers ask for level playing field
By Chris Morris
The Otago Motel Association is lobbying the Dunedin City Council to crack down on the “booming” alternative accommodation available in the city. Association president Sue Rhodes made the call at yesterday’s Dunedin City Council public forum, saying the growing number of “unregulated” accommodation options in the city needed to be addressed. She had counted nearly 700 short-stay options available in Dunedin alone being promoted by Airbnb and other websites. Her concern was that some were “flying under the radar” by operating as commercial entities while paying residential rates and avoiding other costs and regulations the association’s moteliers had to comply with. She wanted a “level playing field” for all, which meant those flouting the rules should be identified and forced to pay their dues or face heavy penalties, she said. Other councils were already beginning to address the issue and the DCC should follow suit, she said. Cont/
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View Sue Rhodes’ excellent statement to mayor and councillors at the DCC public forum last Tuesday here (first speaker to the forum following the prayer):
Dunedin City Council Published on Jun 1, 2017
Dunedin City Council – Public Forum – 30 May 2017
Minutes, agendas and reports related to this meeting can be found at https://goo.gl/kchBD8
Ms Rhodes cites these glaring Dunedin examples of non rates and other compliance in the video:
● 526 George Street [former Hospice]
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/rates-information/rates?ratingID=350068
● 99 Musselburgh Rise
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/rates-information/rates?ratingID=325491
● 51 Shetland Street
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/rates-information/rates?ratingID=421885
The playing field could be made level by motels rebranding themselves as Airbnb.
Instead of Airbnb operators being subject to motel rules and regs, “places formerly known as motels” would be subject to Airbnb’s.
Simpler innit?
Why on earth would independent motels join a monopoly ? A monopoly with very little in the way of quality control and management, and a huge propensity to be milked by large corporate accommodation providers globally.
The bozos everywhere who are tax avoiders and evading paying rates (by non declaration) at the correct level required legally, deserve all that’s coming to them.
For generations householders have taken in boarders. For generations big events such as Race Day, Show Day, in small towns have been accompanied by calls for locals to billet visitors, no stipulation that they do so for free. It worked. Even in Dunedin it happened. No town can supply enough commercial accommodation for rare crowds, only to stand empty the rest of the year.
Airbnb as a monopoly may be something that can be successfully targeted for taxing and regulating. At that point I would expect accommodation to be offered and asked for outside Airbnb’s site, in newspaper and media Accommodation Wanted/Available notices.
It doesn’t look like something that will be taxed and regulated any time soon, not without costing all concerned including the rest of us taxpayers more that it achieves.
Don’t forget new legislation that covers boarding houses – grey areas with Tenancy Act now affecting “boarders” as we traditionally viewed them; there are legal ramifications.
The “legal ramifications” are as usual when there’s a kneejerk impulse to fix a complex multipartite (perceived) problem with a hammer and half a roll of duct tape.
Lawyers rejoice!
Next, what about knitters and home hair trimmers and rake handle replacers and ‘er indoors who does her tradie husband’s accounts, then takes on sending out his self-employed mate’s invoices? What about the woman who pays her mother to mind child after school and cook dinner?
What about the even more heinous case where handy Sandy takes up her friends’ hems and they give her a bottle of wine, and that’s not the last of her wickedness, she does oil changes when her husband’s away playing in his band which they hope one day will earn more money than it takes to get to the venue – though at least they get free beer! – and sometimes there’s a box of beer in it – oil changes, I mean – and sometimes it’s use of hedge trimmer. Harmless loan of machinery in return for work? No, garage lost money and so did the machinery hire company. Better hurry to get the law changed to protect their businesses and collect tax on all these activities.
Job creation, taking cooperation + income + local sustainability away from some to give to lawyers and politicians and parliamentary staff and inspectors and IRD staff and red tape manufacturers (made in China, it’s cheaper than local production).
DCC is paying $200,000 for the privilege of hosting a tourism trade show here. I don’t think ‘economic development ‘ is a proper business of local government, especially as it is so often economic speculation. As such there is no ‘trickle down’ to those ratepayers who are most hard pressed to pay. I don’t even think such speculation on what’s good for business being good for everyone complies with the new purpose of local government after the 2002 amendments. Economic speculation might possibly be okay if the council attended to its core business first. But it doesn’t. My view is do core business really well as a priority and Dunedin will be such a good and desirable place to live that the ‘money go round’ will take care of itself. I don’t think the DCC can point to ANY past expenditure on ‘economic development’ where it can conclusively prove the cost was worth the benefit. All they do is speculate.
Irony in blasting ‘sharing economy’ accommodation in the same meeting as locals are tearing their hair out over messy freedom campers. Home occupier ‘sharing economy’ accommodation providers can provide the low budget service the backpackers want on a really small scale with no adverse planning effects.
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{Moderated. An individual instance does not a case make. There are planning effects, tax issues, rating issues, and financial/commercial effects. -Eds}
As long as the use complies with the District Plan regarding density, I don’t think it matters what the label used for the accommodation type.
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{Please reference (transitionally) the operative Dunedin City District Plan and Dunedin City’s proposed second generation district plan (2GP) when making such claims. -Eds}
I mean as far as local government is concerned re planning, home occupation and rating. Of course, there are also central government regulations and obligations.
My understanding is that DCC’s District Plan doesn’t consider anything under five bedrooms commercial. Which seems to me to be fair enough to me as it’s the same or less than the scale of a family home or ordinary flat. I think a dwelling has to have six or more guest bedrooms to be considered a boarding house. Some of the large studio room developments I think are now being seen by DCC as being ‘boarding houses’.
And now you can have a ‘boarding house tenancy’ as well as a ‘standard tenancy’, the idea being to give the residents some legal protection against being kicked out. But the new rules will make some owners get out of the business because they won’t be able to quickly get rid of people who really are unmanageable (like people setting the place on fire!).
Regulation of boarding houses is a huge problem – nice ones can be like private hotels but still a more affordable option than renting a whole flat. Other boarding houses are slightly better than sleeping on the street but not much. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/63683828/boarding-houses-of-scandal-and-shame
The serious housing shortage and housing affordability problem gives knock-on effects and market pressure to all the commercial accommodation options.
As you say Diane, where is the point of using ratepayers’ funds in “Promoting” businesses to elevate their fortunes? The much hefted waffles regarding economic returns for the visit of every ‘sparrow’ is plain headache stuff. I have yet to see any sign of any money come to me through the letterbox, by way of universal rates reductions ever. And furthermore, I suspect that much has been spent on promotions, publicity etc and little things like group visits led by our mayor to China etc. It is all part of the bureaucratic “foggy bottom” syndrome. Mr John Christie’s appointment to head the new department called ‘Enterprise Dunedin’ is a whole new office designed to turn Dunedin into errr…. well… err.. Dunedin. It’s all part of the “I’m all right Jack, how about you?”. No other point that is discernible publicly, or financially, not even so much as a red face to be seen.
On reflection, I think it is marvelous that we have had returns of $690million on the tourism activities. Brilliant, there goes the $600million Consolidated Debt for a Burton. We are now debt free and in surplus. Is that a fact, or simply “Madness”? No doubt in my mind where it is, but these cretans find favour in reciting this “tripe”. Makes you wonder if they dress themselves in the morning or whether they still get Mum to do the honours. Still, if it keeps their jobs and they can keep spewing out this sort of “crap” then it must be OK. Believe Antony Mole or Ryan Craig? A no brainer if ever.