Stadiums, in particular the FB Aurora Delta Stadium at Dunedin

Olympiastadion München, opened 26 May 1972

Received from Gurglars
Thu, 8 Jun 2017 at 2:11 p.m.

Bayern Munich bought out TSV 1860 Munich, their 50% joint venture partners, for €11 million. The stadium cost €360 million and originally seated 80,000 pax.

This is despite the Stadium being used weekly for matches for Bayern and TS Munchen, and six World Cup games being played at the stadium.

█ Wikipedia: Olympiastadion (Munich)

What this tells us is that stadiums are worthless once built – are not assets, but liabilities.

If they are fully owned (no debt) and receipts go to the stadium owners then they can be profitable, but only if the owner is also the user. Thus the only hope is for the Highlanders/Otago to own the stadium.

The DCC have demonstrated that all they can rack up is more debt, more bills and more losses.

[ends]

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Fat chance of Otago Rugby taking over the stadium while it continues to be subsidised by DVML – the true cost of which is not made public. ORFU is now making profits but declines to pay back the ratepayers for the ‘simple things’, like black tie dinners held at the stadium in recent times. God knows what we’re paying for while Mr Davies sits atop his rugby goal post roost, clucking inanely, looking down at the pretty (untouchable) grass.

The prima donna approach is a False Economy, but not for dullards and professional rugby thugs.

Rip up the grass, put in articial turf, and let the Otago stadium be used by more codes / more sports people.

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“It is a little naive to think because it is raining outside and there is water on the facilities, you can just come inside.” –Terry Davies

### ODT Online Thu, 8 Jun 2017
Unrealistic to have club sport at stadium – Davies
By Adrian Seconi
The chances of playing club sport under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium without an advanced booking are virtually nil, Dunedin Venues chief executive Terry Davies says. The issue came up in mid-April when the Dunedin City Council closed all its grounds due to poor weather. The Dunedin Rugby Metropolitan Council was reluctant to cancel round five of premier rugby and had hoped to play on the sand-based surfaces at Hancock Park and Kettle Park and possibly under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium. However, the stadium was ruled out because of scheduled maintenance. The issue came up again last month when grotty weather forced more cancellations, although premier rugby went ahead as planned. Davies said the idea club sport could be played at Forsyth Barr Stadium because of poor weather was naive. […] “The stadium was fundamentally built to deliver a real economic impact for the city. We have a number of major contracts in place with the professional rugby bodies … and there are other major events that we need to look after. On that basis we run quite a detailed maintenance schedule right through to the year it ensure we can deliver. The last thing we want to do is have a facility that is [not looking its best].”
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

SCANDAL : Aurora Energy Ltd set to burden Otago ratepayers and residents with massive rates increases

At Facebook:

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“Overall, the planning period will be characterised by the delivery of the largest work programme in Aurora Energy’s history.” –Steve Thompson

Read: The Otago power network is THAT DEGRADED – caused by various rugby supporting and clip-ticket gentlemen, whose names we all know so well. Described by civil words (not cuss words) that start with F and C.

The “laundry” was well and truly harsh, leaving the network in threadbare tatters…. while private pockets were filled. That’s One Billion Dollars worth of power asset the Otago ratepayers have had to pay for TWICE. Talk about ‘power’ and corruption, Bryce Edwards (?) – Dunedin in the last 30 years was built on it, solidly at source.

The “gents” might like to explain where all the money went, and how the hell they think they can make us pay for their near limitless mismanagement and fully reckless endangerment (to workers, citizens and the regional economy) over three decades …..without shoving them in deep at the NZ Court system —for processing.

█ Today an Aurora/Delta executive had the audacity (after spinning out their LGOIMA response to the 20th working day, following my request made 26 April) to want to charge me for official information at the vindictive “maximum charge” (their words) of $190.00. Shove that, boys. Other council owned companies have provided the information free of charge and very promptly and courteously.

Tuck it back in your pants Aurora/Delta, or be sliced.

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At Facebook:

● Aurora will spend $347 million on asset renewal, including a total of 14,000 poles…..

### ODT Online Wed, 24 May 2017
Aurora plans $720m upgrade of network
By Vaughan Elder
Aurora Energy has unveiled a $720 million plan to upgrade its ageing electricity network over the next decade. The plan is a more than $300 million increase on the 10-year plan the Dunedin City Council owned company released last year. […] In a press release this afternoon, Aurora Energy said the plan would have an extensive impact on the region’s economy through job creation and spill-over benefits to other businesses. […] Other major projects included a new substation at Carisbrook, which would replace the 60-year-old Neville St substation by 2019 and a new Wanaka substation on Riverbank Rd, Wanaka. […] Aurora Energy chairman Steve Thompson said an additional $81 million would be spent on growth and security of supply projects to support the region. […] The remaining expenditure was tagged to maintenance and operating expenditure ($192 million), and capital expenditure primarily related to new consumer connections and safety and reliability ($101 million).
Read more

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The vertiginous mountain of HEALTH AND SAFETY DANGERS due to Aurora mismanagement and neglect of the power asset across Otago.

And the WorkSafe option could be “…..an infringement notice”, possibly not PROSECUTION.

Hmm, have the good old boys been dealing in the way they usually deal ??? Is WorkSafe a soft touch. To date it certainly hasn’t been Acute. Or at all worried about the danger to electrical workers or the general public. What a damnably prolonged and sordid farce this is.

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### ODT Online Wed, 24 May 2017
No decision to prosecute Aurora
By Vaughan Elder
Worksafe is yet to decide whether it will prosecute Aurora Energy over the state of its power poles. WorkSafe has been looking into Aurora and its sister company Delta since October over accusations dangerous power poles across Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes were putting the public at risk. The government entity gave fresh details about its audit of the two companies in response to an Official Information Act request from the Otago Daily Times. WorkSafe high hazards and energy safety general manager Wayne Vernon said it had completed an “initial” audit of a sample of the network’s assets and provided a report to Aurora. […] “WorkSafe has not to date made a decision to prosecute or not to prosecute Aurora over health and safety issues associated with the state of its poles.” Mr Vernon emphasised prosecution was one of many options available to it, which also included issuing instructions to remove or minimise the potential for danger and issuing an infringement notice.
Read more

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *epic fraud*, *poles*, *healey* or *dchl* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

thoughts and faces #loosematerial

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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South Islanders woke up to a snowy start this morning with the first Antarctic blast of winter https://t.co/AJsIxO5Pwe pic.twitter.com/0jBfYGEORq

— nzherald (@nzherald) May 19, 2017

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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:

Still cold up on the fells pic.twitter.com/VsFBL9yJnX

— Herdwick Shepherd (@herdyshepherd1) May 19, 2017

Best thing this week… pic.twitter.com/CKD0DJtAxj

— Herdwick Shepherd (@herdyshepherd1) May 19, 2017

### 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……

Amid talk of hotel taxes and tourist levies, Winston Aldworth says New Zealanders are missing a bigger opportunity https://t.co/oJNUiMesTL

— nzherald (@nzherald) May 19, 2017

### 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.

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.

No Integrity | Cull’s FULL INSULT to Ratepayers and Residents

The Star cites the Mayor-terrible:
“Creating the Vision. 2017: Positive, confident, outward-looking Dunedin”

█ Go to http://www.thestar.co.nz/news/creating-the-vision/

Opinion. The Mayor is a disgrace.

Starter for 10:
1. Responsible for DCC flooding South Dunedin in 2015
2. Responsible for Council’s lack of infrastructure spending and monitoring
3. Responsible for wasting +$20million pa of Ratepayer funds to prop up the loss-making Stadium
4. Responsible for Council not investigating the misuse of public funds by Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust
5. Responsible for wasting millions of Ratepayer dollars on unworkable cycleways
6. Responsible for overseeing lack of prosecutions for Jacks Point and Luggate
7. Responsible for Council ignoring constructive fraud and money write-offs at Noble Yaldhurst
8. Responsible for lack of prosecutions for Citifleet (+152 cars sold on, 2003-2013)
9. Responsible for lack of progress with council debt reduction
10. Responsible for criminal neglect of Otago’s power network via Aurora/Delta/DCHL boards and management

So yeah. Has kept Dunedin’s economy at a standstill since being elected to office.

Not a smart learner.
Deals in OBFUSCATION, hides behind deadbeat mouthpieces while practising a pronounced lack of fiducial responsibility to Ratepayers and Residents.
Ending in chaos and disaster for those set to inherit ‘Dunedin’.

Re lack of vision…
Responsible for the lack of Health & Safety leading to an appalling eye injury at the DCC-managed New Year 2017 event held in the Octagon.

Your main job, Mr Mayor, is to get the Otago power network and Dunedin’s water infrastructure, roads, reserves and community owned assets into first class working order.

But actually, just f*** off altogether.

Wanted: New leader with a cool business head, capable of rigour and empathy.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

How to drop Crombie and the mafia from City boards

Or read, how the new city council will continue to undermine the Ratepayers and Residents of Dunedin, as well as the power consumers and district councils of Otago, just like before…. by allowing ill-considered (shoulder tap) appointments of a ‘class of morons’ to the boards of the City companies.

Troughers Unite.

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ODT 11.1.17 (page 4)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Hilary Calvert on Deloitte report for Aurora/Delta

ODT 30.12.16 (page 12)

Aurora – Safety webpage (detail) 30.12.16

WorkSafe New Zealand
Contact WorkSafe 0800 030 040
█ http://www.worksafe.govt.nz/worksafe

Energy Safety
Part of WorkSafe New Zealand, Energy Safety acts as the regulator for ensuring the safe supply and use of electricity and gas in New Zealand. Energy Safety is responsible for providing an effective investigation, compliance, enforcement, and conformance regime for achieving electrical and gas safety outcomes.
█ http://www.energysafety.govt.nz/

Note: On Monday 4 April 2016, the new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) came into effect. HSWA repeals the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, with immediate effect.

‘Delta’ bovver boys by Douglas Field 29.11.16 (detail)

On 19 October 2016 former Delta manager Richard Healey went public about workplace and public safety concerns at Dunedin and across Otago via TV3’s Story (newshub.co.nz).

From 19 October through November posts and comments at What if? Dunedin, including those by Richard Healey, focused on the dangerous network, and poor governance within the council owned companies Aurora/Delta, within the council’s holding company DCHL, and within the duly elected Dunedin City Council itself [relevant trimesters].

The full extent of the dangerous and deliberately degraded network is attributable to criminal negligence and extreme mismanagement of financial resources (public funds).

The young inexperienced chief executive of the companies Aurora/Delta, Grady Cameron, has personally resisted taking any blame for the dangerous network – note, the findings and advice of the 2010 report by LineTech Consulting, commissioned shortly after Cameron’s appointment, have failed to flow into various Asset Management Plans drafted by Aurora, subsequently.

As a result of Richard Healey’s revelations three investigations were to take place:

1. Deloitte report for DCHL (released 12 Dec 2016)
2. Energy Safety (WorkSafe) investigation (no date given for release)
3. Commerce Commission investigation – industry regulator (no date given)

The courts await.

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I N ● J U S T ● O N E ● M O N T H

Related Posts and Comments:
28.12.16 Just beginning…. inquiries into council company rogues
27.12.16 Michael Lewis : The Undoing Project —Interview… #RNZ
25.12.16 The very idea
22.12.16 What GIVES : Aurora/Delta/DCHL/DCC…Energy Safety…ComCom ??
20.12.16 Aurora/Delta : RNZ’s Kathryn Ryan with Rod Oram
16.12.16 Tim Hunter, NBR —Aurora/Delta, DCC and ComCom
16.12.16 Delta #EpicPowerFail 8 —Stuart McLauchlan : contamination, code…
15.12.16 DCHL/Aurora/Delta unravelling
14.12.16 Bev Butler queries invoices for Delta hospitality at Stadium #LGOIMA
14.12.16 Aurora/Delta : Richard Healey on the [SOON departing] CEO
13.12.16 DCHL/Aurora/Delta ‘PR fashion statements’ fb DCC rates increases
12.12.16 Deloitte report released #Delta #Aurora
9.12.16 Deloitte report pending —Public Notice at ODT | Facebook entry
7.12.16 Delta/Aurora : Nobody’s willing to call it after misrepresentations
7.12.16 Audit and Review, Deloitte
3.12.16 Delta/Aurora : The Dirty Twist —EXTREME Misrepresentation…
1.12.16 Oi Grady— “It’s Us, Delta’s Electrical Workforce, unanimously!”
30.11.16 Delta #EpicPowerFail 7 : Kyle Cameron —The Money or the Bag?

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *grady*, *luggate*, *jacks point*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *noble*, *yaldhurst* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

Mobile substation Willis St, Harbourside 12.11.16 [photo: Christchurch Driver]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Just beginning…. inquiries into council company rogues

Updated post
Thu, 29 Dec 2016 at 1:47 p.m.

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ODT 28.12.16 (page 12)

*smartphone tweak by whatifdunedin

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THANK YOU LEAKS

Another demonstration, published via ODT today (see link below), of Lame Brains and Arrogance —Grady Cameron BULLSHIT and BLUSTER

Grady says !! “one of the largest construction projects in Otago during 2017” because…. since he was first appointed, Grady has COMPLETELY FAILED as chief executive of Delta and Aurora. Increasingly weak and witless. He is criminally negligent under New Zealand’s health and safety legislation. If WorkSafe tries to diminish that truth by applying the soft touch – there will be an Otago Riot.

As for Steve Thompson, given his latest offerings (and his past with Otago Rugby Football Union et al), he appears f’g clueless, a seller of hype, awesomely unfit to be (interim!) chairman of Aurora:

“Mr Thompson also told staff it was an “exciting” time to work for Delta…. “As a new chair and board we’re clear that the network needs modernising, that enough hasn’t been done in the past, that we’ll do more and faster in future.””

Modernising. Modernising.

One man dead.
Very little money at bank.

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Whistleblower Richard Healey questioned Mr Brosnan’s appointment, saying his background was in management, not engineering. Delta did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.

### ODT Online Thu, 29 Dec 2016
Director for $30m pole project
By Vaughan Elder
Lines company Aurora Energy has appointed a director to oversee its $30.25million pole replacement programme. Two memos sent to staff at Aurora’s sister company, Delta, before Christmas have been leaked to the Otago Daily Times. One is from chief executive Grady Cameron and the other from newly appointed chairman Steve Thompson. Mr Cameron outlined progress on the company’s accelerated plan to replace nearly 3000 poles in Aurora’s electricity network which is spread across Dunedin, Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes area. […] Godfrey Brosnan had been appointed programme director and would report directly to Mr Cameron.
Read more

Not an auspicious start.

[More poles! Let’s pull in slave labour from overseas….. hmm maybe we don’t even have money for that…..]

Lots of legal clouds beginning to hover over Delta/Aurora HQ at 10 Halsey St – how long can Grady Cameron, Gary Johnson, Godfrey Brosnan and Steve Thompson keep their pay ?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: newshub.co.nz – Grady Cameron | 10 Halsey St (web image) tweaked by whatifdunedin

Christmas Lights Displays #Dunedin

[while the power is on, thanks Delta….]
Christmas Lights Displays you can visit at Dunedin
via ODT’s Dave Cannan at The Wash (29.11.16):

68 Campbells Rd, 79 Rudd Rd, 62 Salmond St, 17 Hastings St, 1 Ipswich St, 1 Isadore Rd, 2 Braeside, 6 Forth St, 4 Doon St, 15 William James Cl, 10 Cavan Pl, 26 Gladstone Rd Nth, 21 Shipka St, 503 South Rd, 1 Centennial Rd, 9 Flower St, 6 Alfred Pl, 19 Magdala St, 20 Magdala St, 3 Nelson St, 103 Richardson St, 4 Roy Cres, 8 Viscount Rd.

█ See map published at this page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DunedinXmasLights

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Delta #EpicPowerFail 8 —Stuart McLauchlan : contamination, code brown and farting in church

Received from Christchurch Driver [CD]
Fri, 16 Dec 2016 at 1:04 a.m.

Your correspondent has been spending some time in airport bookstores recently, and it is hard to escape the plethora of get-a-plan-and-get-your-life-in-order books that seem to breed like unwanted spawn in such places.

While your correspondent has no truck with such boilerplate muck, he will admit to a quiet sense of satisfaction this week of some goals achieved. It is a good thing to have a goal, and a plan to get there. This year, your correspondent was disgusted by the arrogant lawlessness and simply fantastic level of self interest and waste of public funds by DCC and DCHL directors at the Noble subdivision, Yaldhurst. He made it a goal to put his shoulder to directorial posteriors and assist in the push of the dismal Delta directors into the Delta wood chipper (leased of course). Aided by some insider knowledge (what? – reveal my sources – never !) and plenty of tangential side trips, your correspondent is proud to think he has helped (in some small way) What if? and the majestic Richard Healey achieve a clean out at Aurora and Delta.

This week’s dismissal of Parton and McLauchlan is the start, and more will follow.

Mr McLauchlan’s risible statements in the ODT yesterday show your correspondent was 100% correct when he predicted that blame would be sheeted home to That Bad Man, John Walsh.

Mr McLauchlan’s arrogance was in full view with his claims that his decision to step down was unrelated to the billion dollar problem he has co-authored. Mr McLauchlan cannot admit what all of Dunedin knows – he troughed literally while lines exploded, and failed as a director. To do so would jeopardise his other sinecures, and Mr McLauchlan is nothing but self interest. Mr McLauchlan had absolutely nothing to offer the DCC, Delta or DCHL, and we should be at least grateful to Mayor Cull that the scales appear to have finally have fallen from his eyes and he sees Mr McLauchlan for what he is.

Let us not forget the most telling example of Mr McLauchlan’s invertebratedness : In the 2007 directorial decision to waste $8-9M at Luggate Mr McLauchlan’s sole contribution was : “If the other directors agree the I agree”. Not forgetting also that in the case of the Scenic Circle Dunedin City legal dispute with the JV partner, Mr McLauchlan was found by the Court to be an unreliable witness.

Mr McLauchlan is so toxic he doesn’t just need to be signposted, he is a walking talking accounting contamination.

On the subject of contamination, Kyle Cameron – stand up and take a bow, Kyle Cameron! – has made it very sure that Grady Cameron will never lead either of Delta or Aurora, by recommending that they need separate CEOs. As Mr Healey has said, the board will do to Grady what he has done to many others – disestablished their positions, creating new roles, and of course Grady will not quite have the “most appropriate skill sets” for either role. Sorry about that old chap, terribly close call of course, better luck next time– (in another continent please).
Grady, you have just been right-sized.

Another right-sizing would be to appoint Kyle Cameron to the Aurora board, and remove former ORFU/Highlanders director Mr Thompson with links to the $5M ORFU pokies scandal. Mr Thompson is tight with Mr McLauchlan of course, Mr McLauchlan being the Chairman of the Highlanders at the time the South Auckland pokies scandal was in full swing. McLauchlan – scandal – bees – honey.

Not right-sized, of course, is the matter of the Aurora replacement budget. We all know – now – that Aurora were going to spend $443M in deferred maintenance over 10 years (yes, stop dissembling Grady, it’s $443M, not $417M, but what they haven’t set out is where the money is coming from. Lines charges are fixed, and in very, very broad terms if we, the ratepayers, have to spend $443M to basically maintain what we have – then the very big question is – what is the depreciated, deteriorated asset worth …right now?

[An alarming example that comes to mind is the DCC purchase of the Dunedin Railway Station in the early 1990s. A wonderful asset now (pity about the decks) after a number of millions have gone into its restoration and upkeep over a 10-12 year period ….but what did the DCC pay ? ….the answer ? precisely one dollar.]

Now the Aurora 2016 Annual Report says in its headline “Trend Summary” (aka the good news feel-good piece early in the report at page 12) is that the ratepayers have equity of $183M in Aurora, and equity to assets is 42.1%, but unsurprisingly (this is Grady and the gyroscope we are dealing with here) the very bad news – the debt is $253M and is not going away – doesn’t quite make it into the good news piece.

So if we are charitable and assume that only say $250M of the $443M is actually for direct Dunedin infrastructure renewal and the balance being for actual expanded capacity then, then $250M of shareholder equity is needed for the upgrade. But wait Batman ! We only have $185M of equity. Holy exploding potheads Batman !! What do we do ? Batman: Elementary, my dear Doctor Parton —In the immortal words of Christine Fletcher, mayor of Auckland in 1986 when asked the same question by Fletcher Construction (of the cost to finish the Aotea Centre), “That’s what the ratepayers are for.”

Readers, you might well be thinking at this stage, CD has it wrong again – when I put in a new kitchen and bathroom in my villa in Belleknowes, it was worth more, so it didn’t matter that there was more debt ….because the asset was worth more. However, the value of power networks is determined by the Commerce Commission, who regulate what amounts each network can charge ….based on the value of the asset. Your correspondent surmises that the next scandal to unfold at Aurora is that resident Delta toxicologist, Matt Ballard of Capability and Risk, has overseen a massive overstating of the present value of the network. The bottom line is : with $250 – $400M of work needed FOR MAINTENANCE, ie NOT GENERATING EXTRA CAPACITY, it is worth nowhere near $436M right now. What does that mean? It means, readers, that the “jewel in the crown” of the DCHL, our cash cow HAS NO SHAREHOLDER EQUITY and has 100% debt to equity. Hilary Calvert is correct – if this were DC Ross, or any other private company, the receivers would have been called in long ago. However, accountants like the caustic Mr McLauchlan prefer companies with no shareholder equity because the returns on equity are out of this world…. until something happens.

Readers, what dissembling Mayor Cull will never tell you is that just like in Central Otago, as helpfully described by Nick Loughnan in the ODT a few weeks ago, you are about to experience in your future either some eye watering rates increases or, if the Commerce Commission allows, some similar exponential line charge increases. It’s one or the other. There is no other way.

Mayor Cull is aware of the consequences set out above : he said at the outset of Mr Healey’s crusade that he did not want public confidence shaken.

The questions or scenarios above are not pleasant – as the biblical line goes, these are hard questions, who can answer them ? They are the lines industry equivalent of farting in church – rude, inappropriate but better to get it out in the open before there is a big mess (or at least know the mess is coming). Yes, the air will be blue for a while – a long while. Messrs McLauchlan, Parton, Kempton, Frow, Wood, Thompson have done more than farted, they have created a stinking “code brown” mess. They will not be missed.

[ends]

*Note: New Zealand Companies Office records show McLauchlan and Parton ceased being directors of the Aurora/Delta Boards on 12 December 2016.
Aurora Energy | Delta Utility Services

Legal advice to the DCC on new 3-term limits for CCO directorships ‘may have’ forced this change. Debatable.

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *grady*, *luggate*, *jacks point*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *noble*, *yaldhurst* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: markeweebly.com – farting dog by mark cable, tweaked by whatifdunedin

DCHL/Aurora/Delta unravelling

Garrick Tremain – 15 Dec 2016

****

Received from Lee Vandervis
Thu, 15 Dec 2016 7:43 a.m.

From: Graeme Jeffery
Date: Wednesday, 14 December 2016 7:41 pm
To: Aaron Hawkins; Christine Garey; Doug Hall; Marie Laufiso; Mike Lord; Jim O’Malley; Sue Bidrose; Damian Newell; Chris Staynes; Conrad Stedman; Andrew Whiley; Kate Wilson, Mayor Dave Cull
Subject: Re: Delta Milking

Dear Councillors, I was pleased to see Richard Healey was vindicated in his claims about the crisis facing Delta and Aurora. I, however, was disturbed to see the appointment of another accountant, Steve Thompson, onto the board. Part of the problem with the pole replacement program was that for some time an accountant was running it. We need engineers on the board not accountants as the problem here is health and safety and the integrity of the network not financial systems. I was not however surprised to see Thompson on the board and read he is backing Cameron. After all, the company he works for is Deloitte and it awarded Cameron ‘Young CEO of the Year’. What is hard to understand is how Thompson could claim that Cameron has done a good job in difficult circumstances when most of those circumstances were Cameron and the Boards’ own doing. Does he mean, for example, the millions he lost on subdivisions in Luggate, [Jacks Point] and Christchurch or perhaps the fact that he was the first CEO in living memory to lose money in a financial year. Maybe he meant the 20 roading redundancies, 40 in Christchurch, 15 in Alex, a further 50 in Dunedin at Civil, and another 10 in Greenspace this year. A grand total of 150 good people that Cameron sent down the road. Or were those difficult circumstances the investigations he is or has been under by the Audit Office, WorkSafe, Energy Safety, the Commerce Commission, the [Central Otago] District Council, the Queenstown [Lakes] District Council and then Deloitte. Perhaps it was the hundreds of thousands he spent on relocating offices and his failed re-branding or the fact that he and his deputy Ballard have surrounded themselves with people not competent to do the jobs they are assigned to. Or was it maybe the death and at least 5 serious injuries that have happened on his watch? Maybe it was the destruction of asset management systems and his failure to implement inspections such as link boxes, MDI boxes, air break switches and high voltage switch gear that he has knowingly overseen.
Perhaps those difficult circumstances were driving out good people such as Jarrod Stuart who was to oversee the pole replacement program but could no longer work under interfering, incompetent leadership. Or was he worried that he has now appointed a person with no knowledge of electricity networks to run the pole replacement program after realising how his previous appointment of an accountant to do this went so wrong. Maybe he was worried that his minions have been altering the input into the xivic analysis of pole structures so he could claim to have less red tag poles in the system. Or was it really just his utter failure to carry out what was needed when he did the LineTech Report in 2010 which required 1200 poles replaced per year for ten years and the worry that he may [be] and was found out ? Maybe it’s been difficult for poor Grady in the 2 months since he announced the accelerated pole replacement program that he supposedly planned in April [being that] he hasn’t replaced one extra pole. That puts him 140 behind schedule already. Nothing new there. No perhaps it was the fact that he has destroyed morale and goodwill among staff at Delta and is now considered no more than a laughing stock?
Surely the council can see why Richard Healey said it was ‘mind boggling’ that Thompson backed Cameron and his deputy Ballard. Quite frankly it doesn’t say much for the new chairman of the board when he is supporting somebody clearly not fit to run the company. How can any sane person possibly support this man and his so called executive leadership team. I know very few staff at Delta do. It is completely wrong to suggest, as some councillors have, that it doesn’t matter whether Cameron stays or goes, as he has been responsible for the day to day running of the company and his reports to the board and vice versa have clearly been misguided and deficient. Not only that, no-one at Delta can move on or start the huge task ahead, safely or efficiently with the dark clouds of Cameron and co hovering over their heads. After all, Crombie and Mr Benson-Pope said heads should role if the allegations proved correct. They have. Remember safety was the primary motive for Richard exposing what was happening at Delta and Cameron has been shown to be part of this disgrace (eg LineTech Report).

What is truly sad, is that all this was preventable, as many people have told the councils and the boards over the years this was going to happen. As I have said before this was raised to the then mayor (Sukhi Turner), the board and an MP as early as 1998 but the old boys network closed around her and us, just as they may appear to be doing now. It is time we learnt that you need engineers, some more engineers and then more engineers to run these systems and drop the accountants, and lawyers, who are neither qualified or competent to run an organisation of this type and size, when it is facing the biggest infrastructural project in Otago for next year and beyond. PS, The views of many of the councillors who represent the interest of the ratepayers and owners of the asset have been frighteningly absent through this. Have they left the country, are scared or just not interested. Cheers Graeme (Unhappy ratepayer)

——– Forwarded Message ——–
Subject: Delta Milking
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2016 22:15:38 +1300
From: Graeme Jeffery

To: Aaron Hawkins; Christine Garey; David Benson-Pope; Doug Hall; Marie Laufiso; Mike Lord; Jim O’Malley; Sue Bidrose; Damian Newell; Chris Staynes; Conrad Stedman; Andrew Whiley; Kate Wilson, Mayor Dave Cull

Dear Councillors, I was extremely disturbed to see from the mayor, that the report from Deloitte into public and worker safety and the management of the network may not be made public. Remember this report was to look into management and not on their behalf. The safety of workers and staff is paramount and commercial sensitivity being used as an excuse to censor from public view is inexcusable. Pole replacements, switchgear, transformers, potheads, lines down etc are not let out for contract so commercial sensitivity has no bearing – I fail to see any valid reason why the entire report can’t be made public considering the level of public and worker interest. Remember, you are answerable to the public and ratepayers first and then the board and management are answerable to you, not the other way round which keeping this secret would suggest. We who work on and the owners of the network surely should have the report before us first and the board and management after that. The tail is clearly wagging the dog here. Delta has had at least 5 serious injuries and one death since Cameron took over and Delta has been complicit in at least 2 of the injuries and the death. Roger Steel left behind a widow. How many more women must weep and families like mine worry while the council worries about “commercial sensitivity”, and puts the public’s interests behind the interests of the Delta board and management.
Cameron commissioned a report by LineTech in 2010 that showed he needed to replace 12,773 poles in Dunedin alone (32,406 in total with Central) in the next 10 years to keep the network safe. He and the board have replaced way less than 3,000 in Dunedin in that time. A blind eye or incompetent. Both I’d say. Also the report said inspections, increases in cables maintenance, replacement and equipment had not been adequate, yet I can assure you these have not been stepped up at all, in fact some of these things have stopped all together. For the record, at the recent meeting of Delta staff less than 15 people out of a hundred voted to have a committee and release a joint statement to the media. There was not a No vote taken. A vote of no confidence was proposed but again no vote was taken. I hope there was no confusion that this was a unanimous or popular decision by the workers to support the joint statement. Around 85 of the hundred there didn’t endorse it. Personally I would be disgusted and lose all faith in due process and democracy if this report isn’t released in full and the true owners, the ratepayers, aren’t informed [of] what’s been happening. It may appear to Delta staff and ratepayers alike that the old boys network is closing in on the council and mayor. Remember, you the councillors are answerable first and foremost to the asset owners, the ratepayers, and not the Delta board and management.

[ends]

28.10.16 ODT: Criticism for Cull on poles approach
Whistleblower Richard Healey and Delta staff member Graeme Jeffery were yesterday highly critical of Mr Cull’s response and questioned why he had not yet condemned Delta and Aurora for their health and safety failures.

****

I-Know-Nothing Stuart McLauchlan has no Get Out Of Jail Free card

● McLauchlan was appointed to the Aurora/Delta Boards on 1 June 2007.

Aurora Energy Ltd http://www.companies.govt.nz/co/471661
Delta Utility Services Ltd http://www.companies.govt.nz/co/453486

● McLauchlan served on the Board of Dunedin City Holdings Ltd from 1 June 2007 to 31 October 2011.

Dunedin City Holdings Ltd http://www.companies.govt.nz/co/559098

● McLauchlan ended his stint as Highlanders Board chairman in October 2009. He was appointed in 2004 by NZRU.

As a mere accountant and ‘professional’ receiver of (many sets of) directors fees, Mr McLauchlan is completely out of his depth in regards to property development and subdivision practices per se, however friends and colleagues found themselves assisted towards advantageous pricing of ‘stadium land’. Mr McLauchlan is renowned for having been in the thick of Delta’s ‘lightly investigated’ loss-making Luggate and Jacks Point property speculations. Contemporaneously, Mr McLauchlan and ‘friends’ were behind Delta’s buy-in to the then illegal subdivision at Noble Yaldhurst, Christchurch. That subdivision is set to lose Dunedin ratepayers further millions while bank rolling, once again, certain male protagonists.

We’re not sorry that Mr McLauchlan must take what is coming.

Thu, 15 Dec 2016
Stadium hurt renewal plans – McLauchlan
A departing Aurora Energy board member says pressure to pay for Forsyth Barr Stadium meant less was spent on network maintenance. Former Aurora and Delta board member Stuart McLauchlan was reluctant to go into any detail about the findings of a Deloitte review, but was keen to highlight the problems it identified pre-dated the current board. ….He said his resignation after nine years on the boards of the two beleaguered companies had nothing to do with the review’s findings and he was disappointed the connection had been made. Cont/

****

ODT 15.12.16 (page 16)

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *grady*, *luggate*, *jacks point*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *noble*, *yaldhurst* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: ngaitahutourism.co.nz – stuart mclauchlan

Mosgiel pool site options —muddy water from mainstreet businesses

At the public forum before Monday’s Council meeting, the Taieri Community Facilities Trust (aka TCFT or ‘pooling together’) turned up in the guise of Irene Mosley, its chairwoman. Her only visible means of support was Bill Feather, ex Mosgiel-Taieri community board chairman.

Ms Mosley put up images of two site options (see graphics below), however nobody in the public gallery could read them. A previous round of public consultation had determined that 127 people favoured Site A, the site of the existing pool beside the Silver Stream. And 17 favoured Site B, at the township’s Memorial Gardens.

Ms Mosley is lobbying for the build being at the Gardens, a site (B) more likely to flood. Site A, the existing pool site, is higher; and the flood banks to the Silver Stream are doing their job.

We were trotted the line that the (rearguard) push for Site B was entirely down to the Otago Regional Council (ORC) because they have issues with Site A, that construction could potentially destabilise the flood bank. Phooey. Pure folly, Ms Mosley! Besides, ORC has no particular jurisdiction over the siting.

Ms Mosley carefully emphasised that a second round of public concultation on site options was for “transparency”. Hmm. Although she told Councillors there’s lots of positive support for the new pool, we’re not too sure who Ms Mosley has asked lately. We doubt the “positive support” is people with spare millions to give away on her trust’s “Logic” (loaded commercial term) dream.

All we know is business owners in central Mosgiel want the pool located closer to them, thus why Site B is being PUSHED by the trust. What a lot of fines there are, swirling about in the local water supply.

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Mosgiel resident Peter Sim said he would oppose Site B. Green space was “at a premium” in Mosgiel and the DCC was “nibbling away” at it. “It’s time it bloody well stopped.”

### ODT Online Tue, 13 Dec 2016
Pool locations not ‘perfect’
By Shawn McAvinue
The two possible locations for a new aquatic facility in Mosgiel were revealed yesterday, along with a concession that “neither site is perfect”. At a Dunedin City Council meeting, Taieri Communities Facility Trust chairwoman Irene Mosley revealed the possible footprint of both sites … “We have decided we need to go back to the community and explain there is no perfect site … we just want to get it right.”
Read more

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From the pool trust’s website [click to enlarge]:

█ More information at http://www.poolingtogether.org.nz/

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Related Posts and Comments:
● 23.7.16 Mosley’s Pond now a Dunedin Community ‘asset’ to fund
● 26.11.15 DCC report: Mosgiel Pool Future Aquatic Provision
● 16.9.15 DCC Please Explain —Mosgiel pool design to Warren & Mahoney
● 10.9.15 Tale of two pools … #Mosgiel #Wanaka
● 7.8.15 MOU DCC and TCFT New Aquatic Facility #MosgielPool
● 24.7.15 Hands off Mosgiel Memorial Gardens
● 23.7.15 Dunedin ratepayers —Green Island best site for city pool users…
● 22.7.15 DCC Long Term Plan 2015/16 – 2024/25
● 19.5.15 Mosgiel pool trust conflicts of interest #bigfishsmallpond
18.5.15 NEWSFLASH —Mosgiel pool, tracking [PONT] . . . .
17.5.15 Cr Vandervis on DCC project budgets
● 4.5.15 DCC: Draft LTP matter —‘Unfunded Mosgiel Aquatic Facilities’
● 7.5.15 DCC Draft LTP 2015/16-2024/25 —public submissions online
● 12.4.15 Mosgiel pool trust calls on Dunedin ratepayers to fund distant complex
1.4.15 ‘Pooling Together’ (TCFT) loses chairman, resigns [see Wanaka pool]
28.3.15 DCC Draft LTP 2015/16 to 2024/25 —CONSULTATION OPEN
25.3.15 DCC Long Term Plan: Green-dyed chickens home to roost
11.3.15 Mosgiel pool trust PLAINLY hasn’t got ‘$7.5M community support’
● 6.3.15 Propaganda from trust for Taieri pool project #Mosgiel
● 2.3.15 DCC: Mosgiel Pool private workshop Tuesday (tomorrow) [renders]
● 20.2.15 Taieri Aquatic Centre: 2nd try for SECRET meeting —hosted by Mayor
● 13.2.15 ‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’, email from M. Stedman via B. Feather
● 10.2.15 Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel
14.1.15 DCC Draft Long Term Plan: more inanity from Cull’s crew pending
11.10.14 New Mosgiel Pool trust declared —(ready to r**t)
23.7.14 Mosgiel Pool: Taieri Times, ODT…. mmm #mates
16.7.14 Stadium: Exploiting CST model for new Mosgiel Pool #GOBs
● 4.2.14 DCC: Mosgiel Pool, closed-door parallels with stadium project…
30.1.14 DCC broke → More PPPs to line private pockets and stuff ratepayers
20.1.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 [see this comment & ff]
16.11.13 Community board (Mosgiel-Taieri) clandestine meetings
25.1.12 Waipori Fund – inane thinkings from a councillor
19.5.10 DScene – Public libraries, Hillside Workshops, stadium, pools
12.4.10 High-performance training pool at stadium?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Deloitte report released #Delta #Aurora

Updated post
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 at 11:56 p.m.

█ aurora-report [supplied by DCC]

Deloitte’s Steve Thompson – appointed to the Delta and Aurora Boards in 2015 – is to head two (new) separated (“armslength”) companies.

Grady’s future is between the lines.

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Monstrous understatement from our Mayor Cull:
“The poles network was not as safe as it should be.” ….LOL

Dear god, there appear to be a few capital raising issues to curtail the service delivery promised. Further, Dunedin City Council will receive the wrath of two other councils…. Let’s not be naive about the extent of problems with the DANGEROUS NETWORK. This is not a POLES ONLY exercise. And where, oops, have we seen Steve Thompson before, Deloitte and Otago Rugby governance. South Auckland pokie bars, ORFU, anyone ?

An inquiry into thousands of failing power poles has recommended major changes to the lines companies involved. Thousands of rotting power poles are due for replacement in Otago. (RNZ)

### radionz.co.nz 38 minutes ago
Rotting power pole whistleblower vindicated
By Ian Telfer, Otago-Southland Reporter
The Dunedin City Council-commissioned inquiry was one of three started in October after a whistleblower revealed almost 3000 power poles in Dunedin and Central Otago, managed by Aurora Energy and Delta, needed urgent replacement. Councillors debated Deloitte’s report, which covered the scale of the problem and management, for more than two hours. The report recommended health and safety upgrades and for Delta and Aurora’s board and management to split. Mayor Dave Cull said the whistleblower, Richard Healey, had been largely vindicated. Mr Healey accused the management of not understanding the scale of the problem and of not seeing just how dangerous it was. Deloitte found serious systematic problems in the network.
Read more

[Audio] Inquiry into failing power poles recommends big changes  (3′01″)
RNZ Checkpoint (12 Dec 2016)

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *luggate*, *jacks point*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *noble*, *yaldhurst* 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.

Deloitte report pending —Public Notice at ODT | Facebook entry

ODT 9.12.16 (page 20)

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█ Facebook: Richard Healey

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Wed, 7 Dec 2016
ODT: Delta, Aurora report for release by Monday
A report on under-fire Dunedin City Council-owned companies Delta and Aurora is expected to be made public by Monday. Mayor Dave Cull said he hoped the report could be released before that day, following a non-public council discussion on the issue that lasted well over an hour yesterday. Dunedin City Holdings Ltd director Keith Cooper faced a grilling from councillors when he gave them a “progress report” on an investigation by consultant Deloitte into the companies. Cont/

Sat, 3 Dec 2016
ODT: Report discussion behind closed doors
Discussion of a Deloitte report on troubled council-owned companies Aurora and Delta on Tuesday will be behind closed doors, and it is uncertain when they will make it into the public arena. Mayor Dave Cull said the report was not finished yet, despite predictions of an early December completion date. It will be discussed by the Dunedin City Council on Tuesday in a non-public session. Mr Cull said the Dunedin City Holdings Ltd board got a progress report on the investigation yesterday. The board would pass on that report at the council meeting on Tuesday. The agenda for the meeting noted discussion of the report would be in a non-public section of the meeting as “the withholding of the information is necessary to protect information where the making available of the information would be likely unreasonably  to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information”. As well, the withholding of the information was necessary to enable the council to “carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities”. Cont/

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Our loss-making public bus system, as for the colours *spew

Inner city Dunedin is NOT a freaking circus or Disneyland.
Obviously, the bozos at ORC/DCC think differently.

Here is something CHEAP-NASTY-like:

Troughing consultants, transportation planners and those who purport to be ‘urban design’ from both councils appear to be barely out of grade school —my god, it shows (see video).

PRIMARY SCHOOL
Colouring in, by non-learned non-contextualists —who manage do it so very BADLY. This is absolute proof that Landscape Architecture at Dunedin is DEAD, BANKRUPT and bloody SMELLY. My cardboard box of pet maggots could design “the interchange” better. They could: swiftly, cleanly, without the disease that is ‘the carnival-scathed’ at local government.

Junior short-term work experience only, no proven local body management expertise or ‘factory floor’ experience whatsoever, now make for ‘team leader’ placements at Dunedin. That’s how tragic the workpool is. Low shoulder-tapping at the tertiary institution is no substitute for a smart council workforce, not that we have a hope in hell of attracting one.

Business leaders need to Take Dunedin!
By Storm, from the doughbrains at local government.
But Business leaders, Entrepreneurs and Investors now have the Largest, most IMMENSE PROBLEM.

At this un-populous sinking town :
At the productive, growth-generating Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes :
THERE IS NO AFFORDABLY SAFE AND SECURE POWER SUPPLY
None! This is All down to leaders, councillors, directors and executives at DCC, DCHL, Delta and Aurora.

And ORC/DCC think the sorry ratepayers and residents can afford an improved, convenient and efficient bus system. Ho. Ho. Ho.

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Apart from or because of the buses making losses….

Clearly, the proposed changes to the bus system are NOT designed to embrace the Accessible Journey —to enhance the experience of city travel for mobility impaired citizens.

The Regional Public Transport Plan 2014 and the Dunedin City Integrated Transport Strategy 2013 DO NOT anticipate the growth of Uber, new technology or ‘other’ vehicular modes of travel, or indeed anything that is the future of transport at (Our Place) Dunedin.

The proposed changes are NOT subject to ANY ECONOMIC STUDIES to safeguard businesses, vehicle users, and the users of public transport, city-wide. None! So Predictable. So Deficient. So Grossly Negligent.

Coloured road markings, a Fun Distraction when there’s a MASSIVE POWER BLACKOUT at Dunedin.

*Note: DCC does not have a spare ONE BILLION DOLLARS in the bank to right Aurora/Delta’s wrongs.

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The Otago Regional Council says:

Dunedin Bus Interchange (hub)
Dunedin’s public transport is changing. Since the adoption of the Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) in 2014, Otago Regional Council (ORC) has been rolling out network wide changes to create an affordable and connected public transport system in Dunedin. While many of these changes focus on implementing direct and stable bus routes with regular frequencies, we are also looking to improve the accessibility of the bus services, information, and infrastructure. As part of these changes we are providing a bus interchange (hub) in the city centre to make your bus journey better.

█ To find out more and how to make submissions, go to http://www.orc.govt.nz/Information-and-Services/Buses/Bushub/

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There are several things the ORC can do immediately to signal its serious intent in improving services to its ratepayers. (ODT)

### ODT Online Wed, 7 Dec 2016
Editorial: Bus hub challenges
OPINION Public transport is essential in any major centre and now Dunedin faces its own challenges with the release of the long-awaited central-city bus hub plans. The Otago Regional Council is seeking community feedback on the hub planned for Great King St, near the central police station. It includes five parking bays on each side of the street. […] The idea of a Great King St hub cannot be taken seriously if people are going to be forced off one bus and on to another in quick time. […] Dunedin’s central area is the Octagon and the regional council needs to recognise the need to keep buses flowing through the Octagon.
Read more

****

Bus hub part of $3million transport project, including “super stops”. 38 car parks lost from Great King St between Moray Pl and St Andrew St.

### ODT Online Mon, 5 Dec 2016
Dunedin bus hub details released
By John Gibb
The Otago Regional Council has unveiled its long-awaited central Dunedin bus hub plans and is seeking community feedback. The bus hub, also termed the “bus interchange”, is, as previously signalled, in Great King St, near the central police station. It includes five parking bays on each side of the street. […] The size and style of bus shelters are partly dependent on public feedback, and also on any negotiations required with owners of nearby land, to be undertaken early next year. It is also proposed to use paints or other coloured materials, including on part of the street, to give the hub area a more lively appearance.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Delta/Aurora : Nobody’s willing to call it after misrepresentations

### ODT Online Wed, 7 Dec 2016
Delta, Aurora report for release by Monday
By David Loughrey
A report on under-fire Dunedin City Council-owned companies Delta and Aurora is expected to be made public by Monday.
Mayor Dave Cull said he hoped the report could be released before that day, following a non-public council discussion on the issue that lasted well over an hour yesterday. Dunedin City Holdings Ltd director Keith Cooper faced a grilling from councillors when he gave them a “progress report” on an investigation by consultant Deloitte into the companies.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

The EVIL Blend: Delta, Aurora, Fubar Stadium, Our Rates

Received from nick
2016/11/22 at 11:06 pm

DELTA
Think Rundown Infrastructure
Think Pigs in Troughs
Think High Living at Ratepayers Expense
Think Cynical PR Spin
Think Appalling Attitude to Public Safety
Think Expendable Linesmen
Think Bloody Hard about What Comes Next
Think Richard Healey has Shown Us Up
Think the Game Might Be Over.

****

Angina attack.

Oh my lord! Nooooo. The DCC can’t be ‘surprised’ after ALL these years (each and every year) of information slung at it about ongoing stadium spending and subvention payments (particularly by the likes of Calvin Oaten!), Not after the (effortless?) Stadium Review…. Which planet are you on, DCC ?

Some backside covering ERUPTS at ‘city hall’.

Then there’s poor Grady Cameron, he’s someone just not coping with Questions these days. Mr Cameron has turned into quite the veritable rapidly depreciating, $417M cracked record. After the ‘concretising’ Drifting event, let’s see him Put Out To Pasture at the Stadium —once DVML restores the hallowed Otago Rugby turf, of course.

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“It is patently clear that Delta/Aurora/Dunedin City Holdings Ltd’s priority over the last few years has been to support a rugby stadium at the expense of public safety by way of subsidies/subvention payments.” –Bev Butler

### ODT Online Mon, 28 Nov 2016
Delta payments to stadium queried
By David Loughrey
The Dunedin councillor charged with overseeing Delta and Aurora says the beleaguered companies should be concentrating on their business and health and safety before pouring money into the Forsyth Barr Stadium. That came after it was revealed the companies have paid $29.9 million in subvention payments to the stadium in the past five years. It also appears a Deloitte investigation into the companies will consider the payments issue.

“In no way should people’s health and safety be compromised because we’re trying to pay for a stadium.” –Cr Mike Lord

A Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) request from stadium critic Bev Butler, passed to the Otago Daily Times, showed the extent of the payments. It also showed Delta had paid $392,499 on its corporate suite and other costs at the stadium since 2010. The details of the spending come after weeks of criticism of the companies in which it has been revealed infrastructure has not been maintained, leaving thousands of power poles compromised and potentially dangerous.
Read more

● ODT: Stadium drifting track build ‘ambitious’
The turf at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin handles 1600kg scrums with ease but it is now bearing a load 500 times heavier….

—

On the issue of the corporate suite, Mr Cameron said like any large business, “from time to time we host our customers to strengthen the working relationships”. (ODT)

So, Grady:
Question, you splurge Many Dollars on your main customer – Aurora Energy – by entertaining them at the Stadium? The champagne lifestyle. On Our Money.

—

Related Post and Comments: [THE CHEAPIE INVOICES]
22.11.16 Delta/Aurora spend-up at Stadium —Degraded electricity network, Us ? (said the GOBs) #LGOIMA #Rugby

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *dchl*, *grady*, *cameron*, *crombie*, *noble*, *yaldhurst* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Douglas Field 18.11.16 [click to enlarge]

Delta/Aurora spend-up at Stadium —Degraded electricity network, Us ? (said the GOBs) #LGOIMA #Rugby

Received.

From: Bev Butler
Sent: Tuesday, 22 November 2016 7:40 p.m.
To: Sue Bidrose [DCC]; Sandy Graham [DCC]; Lee Vandervis; Elizabeth Kerr
Cc: Vaughan Elder [ODT]
Subject: Re: Urgent LGOIMA Request: Delta/Aurora dangerous power poles – reason for financial restraints/clarification/invoices

Dear Sue, Sandy, Lee and Elizabeth
I have just received the attached table and invoices for Delta’s spending at the stadium. They not only have a $45,000pa corporate suite contracted for 10 years, they also have used ratepayers’ money to purchase Gold tickets to concerts, they have spent thousands of dollars on expensive booze/wines and meals, stadium platters etc whilst watching rugby and concerts at the stadium. All this whilst neglecting the maintenance of basic infrastructure.
I am especially disgusted that this is continuing after the excessive abusive spending by the Carisbrook Stadium Trust which you are all aware of. Disappointingly nothing has changed. My opinion is that’s because no one has ever been held to account for the corrupt behaviour that ensued relentlessly throughout the stadium swindle. Please note that these invoices have been signed off by Grady Cameron and Gary Johnson. You may recall Gary Johnson was Farry’s CST public relations boy who worked for Farry part time on a full time salary – all documented in the CST invoices.
Elizabeth, feel free to post on What if as I am at the airport waiting for a flight to go overseas and will be out of range in two hours time.
Sincerely
Bev

On 22 Nov. 2016 2:05 pm, Glenda McGowan [Delta] wrote:

Dear Bev
I refer to your official information request of 12 November 2016 for a copy of all the invoices in relation to the entry in the table under the sub-heading “Other payments, including Forsyth Barr Stadium corporate suite costs (D)” in our response to you of 11 November 2016. The information you have requested is provided in the attached document.

Regards

GLENDA MCGOWAN
PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO CEO

WEB THINKDELTA.CO.NZ

█ Attachment: invoices_0001

********************************

From: Bev Butler
Sent: Saturday, 12 November 2016 10:46 AM
To: Glenda McGowan [Delta]
Subject: Re: Urgent LGOIMA Request: Delta/Aurora dangerous power poles – reason for financial restraints/clarification/invoices

Dear Glenda

Further to my email below requesting clarification for the other payments included in with the corporate suite costs in row D, would you please send me a copy of all the invoices in relation to the entry in the table below under the sub-heading “Other payments, including Forsyth Barr Stadium corporate suite costs (D)”.

Please send me electronic copies.

Thank you.

Sincerely

Bev Butler

********************************

From: Bev Butler
Sent: Friday, 11 November 2016 3:50 p.m.
To: Glenda McGowan [Delta]
Subject: Re: Urgent LGOIMA Request: Delta/Aurora dangerous power poles – reason for financial restraints/clarification

Thanks, Glenda.
Would you please clarify/list what the other payments were for which have been included in with the corporate suite costs in row D.
Thank you.
Sincerely
Bev

On 11 Nov. 2016 3:02 pm, Glenda McGowan [Delta] wrote:

Dear Bev

I refer to your official information request of 26 October 2016 for information regarding Aurora and Delta dividends and WorkSafe. The information you have requested is provided below.

1. The total yearly amount Aurora and/or Delta have paid to DCC/DVML/DVL for the stadium, including grants, subsidies, subvention payments or other, since 2007.

The total of subvention payments, tax offsets and other payments including Forsyth Barr Stadium corporate suite costs paid by Aurora Energy Limited and Delta Utility Services Limited to Dunedin Venues Management Limited or Dunedin Venues Limited by financial year ending 30 June are set out in the table below.

[click to enlarge]

Aurora Energy Limited and Delta Utility Services Limited pay dividends to their shareholder, Dunedin City Holdings Limited. We have not included dividend payments to Dunedin City Holdings Limited in the figures above on the basis that these are not stadium-related payments. Dividend payments are disclosed in our publicly available annual reports at www.auroraenergy.co.nz for Aurora Energy and www.thinkdelta.co.nz for Delta.

Delta | Home
http://www.thinkdelta.co.nz
Delta is the infrastructure specialist. We invest in, design, construct, manage and maintain energy and environmental infrastructure.

Home » Aurora Energy
http://www.auroraenergy.co.nz
New Zealand’s sixth-largest electricity distributor delivering electricity supply to homes and businesses throughout the Dunedin and Central Otago community.

2. Please also send me the name and contact email address of the Worksafe Investigation team leader as I want to ensure that the Worksafe Investigation team receive this relevant information.

The contact details are:
Roy Butler
Technical Officer
Energy Safety
Level 9, 280 Queen Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010
P +64 9 928 2912
E roy.butler @worksafe.govt.nz
W http://www.worksafe.govt.nz
W http://www.energysafety.govt.nz

Regards,

GLENDA MCGOWAN
PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO CEO

WEB THINKDELTA.CO.NZ

********************************

From: Bev Butler
Sent: Wednesday, 26 October 2016 2:21 PM
To: Grady Cameron [Delta]
Cc: Sandy Graham [DCC] ; Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: Urgent LGOIMA Request: Delta/Aurora dangerous power poles – reason for financial restraints
Importance: High

Wednesday 26 November 2016

Dear Mr Cameron

As you are aware Aurora pay a subsidy of approximately $7.2 million per annum to subsidise the stadium.

At $5000 per power pole this is equivalent to 1440 power poles per year.

I read in the ODT that Aurora’s excuse for not dealing with the backlog of dangerously compromised power poles was that there were financial constraints but nowhere did it mention the reason for these constraints. It is patently clear that Delta/Aurora/DCHL’s priority over the last few years has been to support a rugby stadium at the expense of public safety by way of subsidies/subvention payments.

It is in the pubic interest that Delta/Aurora are transparent especially now that this has become a public safety issue.

I, therefore, urgently request the following:

The total yearly amount Aurora and/or Delta have paid to DCC/DVML/DVL for the stadium, including grants, subsidies, subvention payments or other, since 2007.

Given the total amount is in the vicinity of approximately $40 million, then it is incumbent on you as CEO of both Aurora and Delta to inform the Worksafe Investigation team that Delta/Aurora/DCHL made stadium payments a priority over replacing dangerous power poles.

Please also send me the name and contact email address of the Worksafe Investigation team leader as I want to ensure that the Worksafe Investigation team receive this relevant information.

Yours sincerely

Bev Butler

[ends]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Calder Stewart pay up #Carisbrook

What will Dave and the greenies spend this loot on ?

ODT 23.7.16 (page 6)

Link: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/391281/dcc-paid-31-million-carisbrook-sale

█ For more, enter the terms *carisbrook* or *orfu* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

STADIUM LOSSES +$20M Ratepayer Subsidy each year : Not a Community Asset while Our Money flows OUT

So DDT, woops ODT, persist with their Stadium Support Policy after months of Nothing of Substance at the LOSS MAKING Stadium.

One feeble rugby test only.
Infrequent visits by grey-haired performers, jaded once-stars.

All this for +$20million each year on your Rates. The sinkhole of all Dunedin GOB stupidities, with a direct line to Mssrs MF and EE, dear friends of Queenstown.

The erstwhile owners of the local newspaper (and was it 23 delectable Rolls Royces and Bentleys later, as if Sunday night marshmellows by the roaring log fire) have the personal wealth to overlook the sheer theft by stealth and duff embellishment that is Dunedin’s LOSS MAKING stadium.

Many of us find our entertainment thrills, according to income or not…. via the tea leaves, payless YouTube, internet TV, Sky, or the treat of flying to venues elsewhere in New Zealand and overseas. Without having to insinuate ourselves into the Dog Stadium of #DUD.

Unless, you’ve a moronic Thugby itch, a weakness, a throwback in your understanding of national identity as brawl and brain injury…. and can live with just one test in a year, or more years…. to justify filching from the pockets of vulnerable citizens bullied into paying for Stadium indulgences of the rustler-wealthy and the toothless eroding upper echelons of the middle class.

Then a little Home Show for the Non-savers amongst us. Glory!

ODT 2.7.16 (page 1) | phoneshot by whatifdunedin

Dunedin’s 53,000 ratepayers (the hordes? far from it!) and the power users of Otago (via Aurora Energy, on notice to industry regulator, the Commerce Commission, because the lines company can’t fund sufficient renewals and upgrades to its working assets – not helped by annual subvention payments) are being Robbed Blind year in year out – to subsidise the council-owned Stadium debt servicing and operating costs.

This is a complete INJUSTICE.
All the games of tilted media Sway is the crippling joke landed upon those who dare to live South. More fool us for our obsequious, largely unquestioning gutless surrender.

In the midst of irresponsible property speculation, low-paying tourism-exploitation, and dairy industry shortfalls, no wonder it’s harder for people to meet rates, rents and basic weekly living expenses —or indeed to feed, clothe and home our very young and our school children, or to sympathetically and safely care for our elderly, and our homeless. Hell, just add the LOSS MAKING stadium as sprinkles on top.

New Zealand is now a Social-economic Monster and our Dunedin City Council is the frizzling Limb of that Heathen.

What faith a turnaround in our individual and collective fortunes at Dunedin as the +$20million pa Stadium RORT continues…. ?

The financial betrayal of the Chin and Climate-Change-Cull councils is WRIT LARGE as the hanging noose. The ANNUAL Stadium Subsidy – in raw terms – equals +$20million not available each year for Dunedin business diversity and development sufficient to create jobs as the much needed ratchet to gradually better standards of living for our most vulnerable residents.

So ODT, here’s the middle finger to your soul-destroying misfit editorial, Stadium’s true legacy (1.7.16), its deceitful posturing : an incendiary Insult to honest Dunedin people.

ODT, you socialise the parochial blindness, unquenchable greed and ultimate +$20million (annual) sins of the good old boys and flunky boosters. FO.

****

Reality checks from MikeStk at ODT Online:

The stadium’s true legacy
Submitted by MikeStk on Fri, 01/07/2016 – 10:52pm.

The stadium’s legacy continues to be a litany of broken promises and financial mismanagement. They’ve largely been papered over by raising taxes to pay for all these missteps, this can’t be put behind us because we continue to be forced to pay and pay for these mistakes and lies.

Let’s list a few:

● Mr Farry started off, back during that first council election, promising us a stadium that would be completely privately financed and the ratepayers would simply be a backstop in case of disaster. In the end we’ll have paid more than $400m, $8000 per ratepayer.
● Then we were promised the stadium “would not cost a dollar over $188m”. Turns out they quietly spent more than $250m, forgetting things like toilets, kitchens, turnstiles and scoreboards, and neglected to include the cost of debt servicing. When we’re done it will have cost more than half a billion dollars, not including the ongoing losses from running the thing.
● Rugby promised to raise $50m in capital to pay for the stadium. They failed, then they had the DCC borrow the money and ‘sold’ the best seats cheaply to their own members with the intent that that would pay down those loans (at the same time taking income from DVML). This ended up on the books as ‘rent’ that DVML was paying DVL, crying poor DVML abandoned this plan and the council hit up the ratepayers to pay for rugby’s private fundraising – we’re still waiting for rugby’s promised private fundraising.
● We’ve twice bailed the ORFU out of impending bankruptcy, largly caused by their decision to push for the building of a stadium that grossly devalued their one asset, namely Carisbrook, that secured their bank loans. In a moment of insanity the council bought Carisbrook for twice what it was worth. Having done this once rugby continued to party up big, holding black tie events for which they could not pay the bills. For some strange reason we bailed them out again. Last year the ORFU made $1m – it’s time they started to pay back some of their debts
● Rugby’s CST promised us that the stadium would make a small profit, $175k/year. Wouldn’t that be great? Instead DVML charges too little for using the stadium, losing millions every year that are paid for by the ratepayers as subsidies to create a pretend profit.

It’s been pretty much a disaster, and those responsible have yet to be held accountable. [Abridged]

****

A clarification at What if? Dunedin:

Mike
Sat, 2 July 2016 at 1:00 pm
For the record abridged from my response to this travesty was the final lines “… the various CST actors have mostly left town, the rugby crowd still don’t pay their way and wilfully neglect their promises to help pay for the stadium.”

The ODT also removed my contention that Farry’s original promise that the stadium would be privately financed “turned out to be far from the truth”. They also removed the adjective “their own stupidity” describing ORFU’s decision to push for a stadium resulting in the value of their one asset crashing to 0.

[ends]

****

ODT: Firm has 3 weeks to pay Carisbrook $3.1m debt (2.7.16)
The buyers of Carisbrook have three weeks to pay the Dunedin City Council for the former sports ground after an earlier plan to subdivide and develop the site to meet the $3.1million debt did not eventuate.

This week ODT said the mild winter had produced an increase in rodents. ODT need look no further than the infestation at its own sainted house.

—

Related Post and Comments:
1.12.14 Stadium Editorial Support strategy —ODT [see recent comments]

█ For more, enter the terms *stadium*, *orfu*, *rugby*, *carisbrook*, *pokies*, *dia*, *martin legge* or *bev butler* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

Rugby dying : Takers still gonna take

[Stuff.co.nz]

—

Received from Alex Brown
Wed, 1 June 2016 at 7:35 pm

It may be time for us to face the fact that we’re no longer who we think we are.

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 05:00, May 31 2016
Cas Carter: If rugby’s just a sport, is NZ’s national identity at stake?
By Cas Carter
OPINION Our image as a hard core rugby loving nation is under threat. Last week rugby bosses launched a rescue strategy to revive the sport which is no longer number one in Auckland. Only 3 per cent there now play our national game and there are fears this trend could spread across the country. It’s been on the cards for a while. Increasing ethnic diversity in Auckland, concern over injury and a rising number of sporting options are all at play. But this isn’t just an issue for rugby. Our national identity is at stake.
Read more

[Stuff.co.nz]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

CELEBRATE !!! Greater Dunedin has DIED #boombustcycle

It has not quite gone to Hell, alas.

ODT editor Barry Stewart on tonight’s 39 Dunedin News, announed Greater Dunedin has ended.

This doesn’t mean the people from that popped cycle tyre won’t stand individually.

The reign of Incompetent Spending Terror continues.

But it’s a start. More spurning please.

[HUGE PITY] Dave Cull is running for Mayor again.

Who are they ???
● Dave Cull
● Chris Staynes
● Richard Thomson
● Kate Wilson
● Mike Lord
● Jinty MacTavish

Photo (retitled): The Greater Dunedin caucus leaves

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Rugby Stadium flat passion

Comments at ODT Online:

It’s the finances
Submitted by MikeStk on Sat, 06/02/2016 – 11:26am.

Bones: Once again you misrepresent me – my beef with the stadium and rugby is the way that Otago rugby has ripped off Dunedin, initially promising us a free stadium at no cost to the ratepayers then, without allowing us to vote, changing it to “we’ll raise $50m” and you can pay for the rest, then to “oops we can’t raise a cent” you pay for all of it, to “oops we’re going down the gurgler you must buy Carisbrook for $10m”, to “we’ve had too many black tie dinners and now we’re bankrupt you have to bail us out”, to “we’re not paying enough rent to use it you have to subsidise the running costs by $2m, $5m, $7m, ….”-
Now local rugby is making million dollar profits off our backs but is still not contributing a cent to pay for their rugby stadium – a bunch of wowsers eating at the public trough hoovering my hard earned dollars out of my pockets to subsidised their booze fed events.

I’ll say nice things about your rugby stadium the day I stop having to pay for it and for your fun.

—

A sad decline
Submitted by MikeStk on Sun, 07/02/2016 – 2:25pm.

Bones: As I said, my issues with the rugby stadium are with the finances, not whether anyone thinks it’s a good stadium or not. Solve the financial issues, have rugby pay what they owe and make the ratepayers financially whole and I’ll be happy.

Remember that the ORFU once owned Carisbrook free and clear – the grandfathers of the current generation of rugby official built and paid for Carisbrook out of their own pockets. That’s the way it should be done.

But over time they started spending more money than they were taking in, rather than doing the financially sensible things like spending less or charging more. They started mortgaging their major asset, with no real way to pay it back, and eventually they owed the DCC $2m, and the bank a few million more – a terrible way to honour the wonderful legacy they had been gifted by their canny, thrifty grandfathers.

Then in a moment of financial lunacy they decided to get the city to build them a new stadium, to replace Carisbrook – the bank must have looked at that and raised their collective eyebrows somewhere over the backs of their heads – Carisbrook, the thing they had mortgaged was now worth less than the loan. You can see why they offloaded it on the city in a deal that cost the ratepayers millions – if they’d sold it themselves their bank account would be in the red. So much for their grandfather’s legacy – squandered to nothing.

There’s no reason for the DCC to have been involved in building the rugby stadium – the ORFU’s grandfathers had already proven that with some thrift, some canniness, reaching into their own pockets and raising money from the public, it was completely possible for rugby to build its own stadium. The current generation seem to be too lazy to try, too willing to force the rest of us to pay for something they should have been saving for themselves over the past generation – very much the Ant and the Grasshopper. [Abridged]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: sportreview.net.nz (Aug 2010) – matching rugby’s favourite nutbar Peter De Villiers’ quote to New Yorker cartoon, tweaked by whatifdunedin

Dunedin Venues’ (DVML) clandestine operations for Rugby-Business

2015 Club Rugby: Harbour v University at fubar [orfu.co.nz community]

DVML’s Terry Davies has gone deliberately quiet on all SECRET SANTA help his company gives to Otago Rugby, more evidently so following recent purchase of The Highlanders by local parochials.

Yesterday’s dish-out to ORFU (“charitable status”) is just another *feel good* cover to the multimillion-dollar transgressions charged to Dunedin ratepayers, for PROFESSIONAL RUGBY operations.

MAKING IT WORK
Remember fubar stadium is costing ratepayers over $25 million per annum. The ‘blistering handiwork’ of Mayor Dave Cull and his cronies, Greater Dunedin.
NONsustainable as all HELL.

Otago v Canterbury at fubar stadium 15.8.15 [orfu.co.nz community]

—

Dunedin Venues’ September funding gave $267,819.60 to 24 community organisations to hold 53 events.

Dunedin Venues Management Ltd – Media Release
DVML Community Events Funding September Funding Round Allocations
8 December 2015

As part of the Community Access Service Level Agreement with Dunedin City Council, DVML has annual funding of $750,000 to allocate for community events/activities to be held at Forsyth Barr Stadium and the Dunedin Centre. The funding provides financial support to people, community groups and/or organisations that have a charitable status or are a not for profit organisation, to enable community users to utilise the facilities, resources and equipment across the venues.

The September funding applications have now been processed with 53 events/activities by 24 organisations receiving funding. A total of $267,819.60 has been allocated as follows:

Group/Name of Organisation | Funding value

Forsyth Barr Stadium
Athletics Training Squad —$3,700.00
Southern Skating —$14,580.00
●●● ORFU —$19,940.96
Athletics Otago —$3,090.00
Athletics NZ —$18,870.96
Southern United Football —$43,982.88
Sport Otago —$ 10,210.00
NZ Master Games —$15,720.96
Historic Motoring —$4,000.00
SARINZ Trust —$14,730.00
Plunket —$16,110.96
Playcenter —$16,110.96
Natural Health & Wellbeing —$1,450.00
Wishbone Trust —$5,350.00
Kavanagh College —$14,660.96
Dog Rescue Dunedin —$19,530.96
Fibromyalgia Awareness —$ 2,450.00
Malcam Charitable Trust —$14,350.00
Dunedin Bike Blade & Board Development Trust —$5,240.00
Kaikorai Valley College —$2,740.00

Dunedin Centre
NZ Masters Games —$6,000.00
Southern Sinfonia —$5,000.00
Sport Otago —$6,000.00
NZ Choral Federation —$4,000.00

█ The next round of funding for events happening 1 July to 31 December 2016, will open on 1 February and close on 4 March 2016. There are specific criteria which applicants must meet and the application form and policy can be downloaded at http://www.dunedinvenues.co.nz.

Source: http://www.dunedinvenues.co.nz/whats-on/latest-news/dvml-community-events-funding-september-funding-round-allocations/

****

### ODT Online Wed, 9 Dec 2015
Community groups get $267,819
Dunedin Venues Management Ltd has given more than $250,000 to community groups in its September funding round, it was confirmed yesterday. DVML marketing and communications manager Kim Barnes said as part of the community access service level agreement with Dunedin City Council, DVML had $750,000 in annual funding to allocate for community events and activities to be held at Forsyth Barr Stadium and the Dunedin Centre.
Read more

—

Related Posts and Comments:
29.11.15 Lively dialogue with DVML’s Terry Davies —Not ! #LGOIMA #Stadium
1.3.15 DCC: DCHL/DVL/DVML limited half year result | Term borrowings $586.5M
28.2.15 Blonde ‘lawyer’ takes over DVML —expect no change
1.12.14 Stadium Review: LGOIMA request and 2009 Town Hall speeches
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
8.10.14 Stadium: Liability Cull warns ratepayers could pay more to DVML
6.10.14 Stadium misses —like it would ever happen, Terry
25.9.14 DVML on Otago Rugby and Rod
13.9.14 DVML and ORFU refuse to disclose 2012 Otago Rugby deal
1.8.14 DVML and the “Otago Rugby” deal (sponsorship and payments)

For more, enter the terms *dvml*, *dvl*, *rugby*, *orfu*, *highlanders*, *stadium*, *carisbrook*, *nzru*, *cst*, *pokies*, *aurora* and *high performance sport new zealand* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Greater Dunedin…. ALERT from party (un)faithful #HoHo

Text received Sat, 05/12/2015 6:47 pm
GD’s marketing man has a letter in today’s ODT [page 30]. Kind of reads as an implied crit of DC et al???

—

Old comments at What if? Dunedin:

Tony Crick, Julian Smith and Dave Cull set up and recruited the original nucleus of ‘Greater Dunedin’. Who do you think has run Dave and GD’s advertising campaigns since?
Calvin Oaten 2014/02/28 at 10:44 pm

“Mr Cull told the ODT that the higher spending reflected a decision to make more use of Dunedin-based marketing company Creative Advertising.” Huh? Creative Advertising IS Greater Dunedin and vice versa. Just ask CA’s Mr Crick. Are we plebs all adjudged stupid by this omnipotent Great One?
Calvin Oaten 2013/12/04 at 10:29 am

Philippa@cre8ive = Philippa Crick = http://greaterdunedin.co.nz/who-are-we/ [website expired]
Anonymous 2013/10/02 at 11:17 pm

—

Related Posts and Comments:
13.7.15 Jeff Dickie: Edinburgh tough, Dunedin (DUD)
25.7.14 Greater Dunedin: developing image
13.10.13 Pressuring Cull and his GD Party . . .
2.10.13 Greater Dunedin caucus arrives
29.9.13 Cull’s political party caucuses ‘in term’. Lost best chief executive…
22.4.11 Current … Dunedin City councillors will never create a ‘Restorative City’

—

Media stories:

### ODT Online Wed, 2 Oct 2013
Grouping claim dismissed as lie
By Debbie Porteous
Accusations of lies are being thrown around on the issue of councillor groupings in the Dunedin local body elections. A former council staff member says he saw members of Dunedin’s only ticket, Greater Dunedin, meet behind closed doors before council and committee meetings.
Read more

### ODT Online Tue, 7 Sep 2010
Mayoral Profile: Dave Cull
By David Loughrey
(page 2) Who do you see as your supporters? You’ve got an organisation behind you?
We’ve set up a group, an incorporated society, called Greater Dunedin Inc. We incorporated it mainly to protect the name, the brand; it’s very small. There’s 11 members, and nine are standing for council, and the object of Greater Dunedin is to get good people on to council.
Read more

### dunedintv.co.nz Wed, 2 Dec 2009
Three Dunedin City Councillors form an incorporated society
Three Dunedin City Councillors, Dave Cull, Kate Wilson and Chris Staynes, have formed an incorporated society, called Greater Dunedin, in preparation for next year’s Local Body Elections. Greater Dunedin’s stated purpose is not to rigidly dictate policies, but to promote ‘good quality candidates’ onto Council. According to Cull, only new blood can change the direction Dunedin is currently heading. He says the trio want Council to be more transparent and financially responsible, as he thinks irresponsible decisions have led to ballooning debt.
Ch39 Link [no video available]

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[click to enlarge]

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Policies
● Fiscal responsibility
● Environmentally friendly
● Economic development
● Reduce compliance costs
● Preserving heritage infrastructure
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Dunedin

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr