DCC fails to meet LGOIMA request re ‘lost’ secure storage of CST files

The Dunedin City Council OWNS the Carisbrook Stadium Trust files, note.

Received from Bev Butler
Mon, 8 May 2017 at 1:40 p.m.

Subject: Complaint Dunedin City Council/storage of stadium documents

Message: Attached is the letter from the Ombudsman Office. I have sent a response to the Ombudsman letter.

[screenshot – click to enlarge]

● Download: 0_1-408161-3117439

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Related Posts and Comments:
2.6.16 Official Information at Dunedin City : Bev Butler maintains pressure
10.7.15 Ombudsman complaint re DCC reply to LGOIMA requests #CSTfiles
9.7.15 DCC: Council-owned CST files whereabouts not declared
27.6.15 Ratepayer boxes #saga
20.6.15 DCC / CST document scramble #LGOIMA

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Stadium : Used car and underwear sales down #missdpopularitycontest

The man running Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium says the venue is still hunting for sell-out concerts, despite being overlooked by a string of top international acts.

### ODT Online Tue, 27 Dec 2016
Concert quest ongoing despite setbacks
By Chris Morris
After a bumper period last year in which Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac and Neil Diamond all performed at the stadium, the venue’s international concerts have dried up, the last being Black Sabbath’s show in April. Hopes more big acts would stop in Dunedin this summer were dashed when performers such as British rockers Coldplay and pop superstar Adele opted for shows in Auckland instead…. Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive Terry Davies [said] this summer’s “dry” period for concerts in Dunedin would continue for the first half of 2017.
Read more

****

Listen:
### radionz.co.nz Fri, 12 Dec 2008
Radio NZ National : Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan
Carisbrook Stadium in trouble (Link)
09:30 Malcolm Farry, Chairman Carisbrook Stadium Trust; and Jeff Dickie, property investor and outspoken critic of the stadium.
Audio | Download: Ogg  MP3 (13′15″)

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The instant the CST and the council started believing in their own hype and spin about Dalai Lama visits, world swimming championships and Royal tours was the moment that this city’s ratepayers were doomed to have to meet all of the “private funding”.
–Russell Garbutt ODT 13.4.12

Garrick Tremain – 13 May 2012

At various times, it was imagined that it might host international soccer, rugby league and even swimming; that penguins would frolic in a (converted) adjoining quarry, and not just that the biggest names in rock music would visit, but, perhaps, the Dalai Lama and British royalty.
–Steve Kilgallon Stuff 3.6.12

Then….

### channel39.co.nz Tue, 17 July 2012
█ Dalai Lama’s proposed visit puts smile on face
The Dalai Lama’s proposed visit to Dunedin has put a wry smile on the face of the man behind Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Video

Garrick Tremain – 17 Jan 14

Garrick Tremain – 1 Oct 2014

****

Full article:

[before we knew the GOBs were completely buggering Dunedin and Central Otago’s electricity network]

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 05:00 03/06/2012
House of Blame
By Steve Kilgallon – Sunday Star Times
AMBITIOUS: The Forsyth Barr Stadium has left a city divided and its ratepayers facing vast debts.
….In June 2008, two major concert promoters had told the D-Scene newspaper what should have been self-evident: Dunedin was too small, remote and student-oriented to provide the sales base to attract big-name acts. In February this year, council-owned stadium management company Dunedin Venues Management Limited’s (DVML) chief executive David Davies said concert bookings for the stadium would be “thin” in 2012. “What’s thinner than one?” asks Garbutt. Cull says the council has to leverage the advantage of having a roof, guaranteeing events won’t be rained off. Farry, who wanted to run the stadium for its first two years, is disappointed the council hasn’t attracted more concerts.
Read more

*The same article, retitled, appears at Stuff Sport: Stadium builds under fire

****

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 12:38 14/09/2012
Councils should stay away from business
By Chalkie – Tim Hunter
There are people who believe local councils should own businesses because they generate returns and ease the burden on ratepayers. Chalkie is not one of them. Your humble correspondent thinks councils should stick to their knitting. The reasons are many and varied. Taking a couple of examples at random:
a) Councils can start to think they are there to make money instead of, say, distribute water; and
b) Councils are not commercially savvy shareholders.
Poppycock, you say. Show me a single case of a council’s emptyheaded pursuit of unprofitable goals. In response, Chalkie invites you to consider Dunedin. In that southern city the council is the proud owner of Dunedin City Holdings, whose job, according to its report, is “to manage the commercial investments of the Dunedin City Council to maximise returns”. The businesses under DCH’s umbrella include electricity network company Aurora, forestry company City Forests, the Taieri Gorge Railway Company and an engineering business called Delta Utility Services. DCH’s 2012 numbers are not yet available, but last year it trumpeted an improvement in revenue and profit and a total cash return to the council of $23.2 million. If you thought that was a good result, you’d be wrong. When you look at several years of DCH numbers a disturbing pattern emerges of ever-increasing millions being borrowed and pumped into underperforming assets. The cashflow statements tell the story.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

New pool —Or, SAFE electricity network for Dunedin and Central Otago

THE BULLSHIT METER is off the Scale:

At a Mosgiel Community Board meeting on Tuesday, Mrs Mosley said research revealed the community was willing to give up to $7.5million for the project.

### ODT Online Thu, 24 Nov 2016
Get your togs on, Mosgiel
By Shawn McAvinue
A date to get your “togs on” and make a splash in a new Mosgiel aquatic facility has been set and a decision about location is down to two sites. Taieri Communities Facility Trust chairwoman Irene Mosley said a timeline to build the facility had been made and people should prepare to enjoy a dip in November 2019. The trust had worked with the Dunedin City Council to identify two sites in Mosgiel to build the facility. […] The announcement of the sites would be made in the Otago Daily Times before Christmas so the public could provide feedback to the trust over summer.
Read more

—

Oh Yeah! Let’s consult on the site for a new ‘4-pool’ complex [DO NOT mention the $$$$$$$$] while EVERYONE IS AWAY ON HOLIDAY. That way we the pool trust (using submissions from our pet Unmonied stakeholders) can easily shove it through Council, led and supported by Cull, Staynes and the new Lord of Finance…. who together, will never see large AURORA/DELTA DEBTS looming for Dunedin City Council ie for the Ratepayers and Residents of Dunedin and Central Otago.

BTW
WE the ratepayers, on behalf of DCC, DO NOT accept unsecured pledges from the Pool Trust– that’s a Stadium mugs’ game we CAN’T AFFORD to play anymore.

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Comment from Jacob
Fri, 25 Nov 2016 at 11:23 a.m.
Did anybody bother to read the ODT front page propaganda from Irene Mosley ‘Get your togs on, Mosgiel’ ? Research had revealed the community was prepared to throw $7.5million, and might even want to make it $10million. Yeah Right. Then reported in the Taieri Times the same day, the Mosgiel food bank declared that earlier this year demand was at a 10-year high, and was to have a collection to ensure that nobody goes hungry over Christmas. Sounds to me like an awful lot of people out Mosgiel way can’t even afford to buy togs, let alone donate twice for a pool – once through their rates, and again through a donation.

Received from snorkel
Thu, 24 Nov 2016 at 12:43 p.m.
It’s an interesting ODT story, but let’s read between the lines. No transparency (not wanting to be up front with the sites – maybe a landowner with close connections to the trust, will get an inflated price). The timing of the new pool will suit Mike Lord as he’s made his intentions clear that he’ll run for Mayor next time.

█ Report: MOSGIEL POOL FUTURE AQUATIC PROVISION
30 November 2015
Department of Parks, Recreation and Aquatics
https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/526248/ma_council_r_MosgielPool_2015_11_30.pdf (49 pages)

*OPM – Other People’s Money

—

Related Posts and Comments:
● 26.11.15 DCC report: Mosgiel Pool Future Aquatic Provision
16.9.15 DCC Please Explain —Mosgiel pool design to Warren & Mahoney
● 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?

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

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.

Official Information at Dunedin City : Bev Butler maintains pressure

An Email Thread
Bev Butler’s continuing quest for information about the Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust (CST) via Dunedin City Council with recourse to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) —and with assistance of Ombudsman Sir Ron Paterson.

What if? Dunedin has archived the original emails. Minor formatting changes have been entered for the WordPress template; email addresses have been removed or deactivated.

—

Received from Bev Butler
Thu, 2 Jun 2016 08:52 a.m.

From: Bev Butler
To: Kristy Rusher; Sue Bidrose; Sandy Graham [DCC]
Subject: RE: LGOIMA responses – Carisbrook Stadium Trust/Progress?
Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2016 08:50:17 +1200

Dear Kristy, Sue and Sandy

It is now nearly six months since I received the response below which indicated that the Carisbrook Stadium Trust (CST) have refused to respond to my LGOIMA request.

Given the CST is subject to LGOIMA under section 2(6) of the Act and given the CST has a statutory obligation to respond to requests for information under their agency contract with the DCC then I believe it is the DCC’s responsibility to hold the CST accountable to the statutory obligations under their contract.

It is not appropriate to refer me to the ombudsman office when it is the DCC’s and CST’s statutory responsibility to obtain that information. I was informed in 2015 by the DCC that they had recovered the documents from the CST after the CST had stored them in an undisclosed storage container – unbeknown to the DCC.

I, therefore, again request the information outlined below and trust I will receive it within the statutory timeframe.

Kind Regards
Bev

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

From: Grace Ockwell [DCC]
To: Bev Butler
CC: Kristy Rusher
Subject: RE: LGOIMA responses – Carisbrook Stadium Trust/Progress?
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2015 23:46:43 +0000

Merry Christmas Bev,

Thank you for your email.

I have approached CST again to ask for the information to LGOIMA requests 3 and 4 below and have received no response.

Therefore, I am declining to provide the information and rely on section 17(e) of LGOIMA as despite reasonable efforts to locate it, the documents cannot be found.

As we have declined to provide you with information you have the right pursuant to section 27 of LGOIMA to have our decision reviewed by the Office of the Ombudsman who may be contacted at:

The Ombudsman
Office of the Ombudsman
PO Box 10 152
WELLINGTON 6143

Ph 0800 802 602
http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
info @ombudsman.parliament.nz

Yours sincerely,

Grace Ockwell
Governance Support Officer
Civic and Legal
Dunedin City Council

DCC AMAZE —oh, more fraud

DCC CULTURE OF ENTITLEMENT
‘Enormously disappointing’ —And Enormously Expected.
‘ONE MAN’ did it. An outright fairytale.
DOLLY didn’t, either. More to come !!

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### ODT Online Mon, 10 Aug 2015
Further cases of fraud at council
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council says the discovery of five more examples of fraud and theft inside the organisation is “enormously” disappointing. […] Details of the smaller incidents emerged last week, in response to Otago Daily Times questions, a year after the discovery of the Citifleet fraud.
Read more

█ ODT blocks public comments to this item.

ODT 10.8.15 [Source: DCC]

[screenshot]

—

Related Posts and Comments:
7.8.15 MOU DCC and TCFT New Aquatic Facility #MosgielPool
4.8.15 Hundreds of DCC Staff receive fraud detection/prevention training
28.7.15 DCC tender fraud includes Citifleet —not for discussion
23.7.15 Publicise: laudafinem.com
207.15 Noble property subdivision —DELTA #LGOIMA
13.7.15 Jeff Dickie: Edinburgh tough, Dunedin (DUD)
4.7.15 DCC Citifleet, [a] Deloitte report leaked
25.6.15 DCC Citifleet COVERUP #screwy
17.6.15 Citifleet: ‘Checkpoint’ interviews Dave Cull
4.5.15 Cr Lee Vandervis: Why I continue to vote. #email
1.5.15 Cr Vandervis unlikely to quit several missions #coverup #naturaljustice
24.3.15 Noble property subdivision —DELTA
23.3.15 Noble property subdivision: “Denials suggest that we have not learned.”
17.3.15 DCC —Delta, Jacks Point Luggate II….
3.1.15 DCC: Street talk NEVER HAPPENED
28.4.15 Today at DCC in pictures
24.4.15 DCC re Dr Bidrose’s time as most senior Citifleet Manager
23.4.15 DCC severely FAILS councillor #naturaljustice #contempt
18.3.15 Lee Vandervis releases emails #Citifleet investigation
13.3.15 Cr Vandervis: LGOIMA request – Citifleet … Deloitte Report
24.12.14 Dunedin: Watching the detectives
1.12.14 Stadium Review: LGOIMA request and 2009 Town Hall speeches
18.12.14 DCC: Deloitte report released on Citifleet
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
1.9.14 DCC Fraud: Further official information in reply to Cr Vandervis
30.8.14 DCC Fraud: Cr Vandervis … urgent need for facts and record to be public
27.8.14 DCC whitewash on serious fraud, steals democracy from citizens
22.8.14 DCC: Deloitte report referred to the police #Citifleet
3.7.14 Stuff: Alleged vehicle fraud at DCC
1.7.14 DCC: Far-reaching fraud investigation Citifleet
28.5.14 DCC: Audit and risk subcommittee
20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General
19.3.14 ORFU: Black-tie dinner, theft or fraud?
26.2.14 DCC: New audit and risk subcommittee a little too late !!
14.2.14 DCC: Broadband AND bicycles #fraudband speed
1.12.13 Secret Commissions Act aka ‘Backhanders Law’

█ For more, enter the terms *deloitte*, *citifleet*, *fraud*, *conduct*, *vandervis*, *delta*, *orfu* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Jeff Dickie: Edinburgh tough, Dunedin (DUD)

Further to the contents of an email from Jeff Dickie last month, who was writing from a hotel on Orchard Road at the time:

Supplied. ODT 13.7.15 (page 6)

****

INVOICE FRAUD AND MORE

TWO corrupt council officials and two businessmen who supplied them with cash and hospitality have been jailed with a warning they face “significant” sentences.

### HeraldScotland.com Wednesday 17 June 2015
Corrupt Edinburgh council officials face lengthy jail term
[…] Former local authority employees Charles Owenson and James Costello were treated to dances and drinks in lap dancing bars as valuable Edinburgh City Council contracts were secured through bribery. Ex-directors of Action Building Contracts Ltd (ABC Ltd) Kevin Balmer and Brendan Cantwell provided the rewards over the allocation of work for public buildings including schools, care homes and cemeteries.
Following their earlier guilty pleas a sheriff told them that he would continue their case until tomorrow for sentencing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to consider the information he had been given. But Sheriff Michael O’Grady QC told the four men: “Having regard to the gravity of the offences, it is clear to me the sentences will require to be custodial and require to be significant.” He remanded all of them in jail ahead of sentencing.
Owenson and Costello were provided with hospitality, including corporate seats at Hibs and Hearts football grounds and meals out as well as cash, by Edinburgh-based construction firm ABC Ltd (Action Building Contracts). The contractors even submitted inflated invoices to the local authority for work carried out to cover the costs of the bribes they were paying council officials. Fiscal Keith O’Mahony earlier told the court: “In essence, the council was being charged for the cost of bribing its own officials.”
[…] Police began carrying out enquiries in 2010 as a result of complaints about the statutory notices system and were later informed that senior management had received “a whistleblower letter” alleging that Owenson was showing favouritism when allocating work to contractors. The Crown has raised proceedings to recover crime profits in the case.
Read more

█ 18.6.15 BBC News: Four jailed over Edinburgh City Council bribes

—

Shades of the ‘Screaming Orgasm cocktails’ saga following Dunedin City Council’s decision to build the stadium. That evening, the board members of Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust went out to celebrate, booking their drinks at Alibi Bar & Restaurant to the Ratepayers.
Of course, there have been masses of local big-ticket ‘corruptions’: the stadium land purchases (including for realignment of SH88); the Carisbrook ‘deal’ with Otago Rugby Football Union, and further ‘Otago Rugby’ deals with Dunedin Venues (DVML); the Delta subdivisions and service contracts (Jacks Point and Luggate, and more recently Noble Village); the unravelling Citifleet fraud and insurance scam (substantially greater than 152 fleet vehicles lost off the inventory, allied to ‘traffic’ in car parts, tyres, service contracts, and fluid cash); the Dunedin Town Hall Redevelopment Project (via City Property) yet to be fully detailed; and field lights for Otago Cricket Association…….. et al.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Ombudsman complaint re DCC reply to LGOIMA requests #CSTfiles

Received from Bev Butler
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 at 11:25 a.m.

—

From: Bev Butler
To: complaint @ ombudsmen.parliament.nz
Subject: Ombudsman complaint: Whereabouts of secure storage facility?
Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2015 11:19:53 +1200

{Address and phone number removed. -Eds}

Friday 10 July 2015

Dear Sir/Madam

I wish to make a complaint about the Dunedin City Council’s reply to a recent LGOIMA request (copied below) where I ask the whereabouts of the secure storage facility and the date the DCC/CST documents were placed in the facility.
Please also refer to my email to Ombudsman Office dated 15 June 2015 where I express concern as to the safety of the DCC/CST documents.

In the DCC response it states:

“The location of the secure storage facility is withheld pursuant to s7(2)(b)(ii) of LGOIMA to avoid prejudicing the commercial position of the person who is subject of the information.”
This is not a valid reason to refuse the request because s7(2)(b)(ii) only provides protection for “the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information”. This could be a valid reason to refuse to provide some of the documents, but not a valid reason to refuse to provide the location of the documents.

The other reason for refusing to provide the location was: “pursuant to s7(2)(f)(ii) of LGOIMA to enable the effective conduct of public affairs by protecting officers and persons from improper pressure or harassment.”
This is invalid because there are no public affairs being conducted that would be affected by revealing the location of the documents. More importantly, this only applies to “members or officers or employees of any local authority”. Revealing where the documents are, will not create any “improper pressure or harassment” on Council staff or Carisbrook Stadium Trust (CST) members.

The DCC in their response to the date the documents were stored in the secure storage facility state:
“The CST are unable to confirm when the documents were shifted to the storage facility. The person who can confirm this is now resident in Australia. Attempts were made to contact her but she is hospitalised, recovering from a serious illness and was unable to provide the information. Your request is therefore technically declined pursuant to s17(g) of LGOIMA as the information requested is not held.”
The DCC confirmed this morning that the documents were moved with permission of the CST. Therefore, if the documents were moved with the permission of the CST then section 2(6) of LGOIMA applies because the CST are subject to LGOIMA given their special agency agreement with the DCC.

I request the Ombudsman Office investigate the above.

Yours sincerely
Bev Butler

█ {See previous post for chain of correspondence up to and including Ms Graham’s reply at Thu, 9 Jul 2015 21:42:53 +0000, provided in full with Ms Butler’s complaint to the Ombudsman. -Eds}

—

Related Posts and Comments:
9.7.15 DCC: Council-owned CST files whereabouts not declared
27.6.15 Ratepayer boxes #saga
20.6.15 DCC / CST document scramble #LGOIMA

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: Council-owned CST files whereabouts not declared

Updated post Fri, 10 Jul 2015 at 1:22 p.m.

Received from Bev Butler
Thu, 9 Jul 2015 at 12:32 p.m.

—

From: Bev Butler
Sent: Wednesday, 1 July 2015 1:46 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham [DCC]; Grace Ockwell [DCC]
Subject: LGOIMA Request: Whereabouts of secure storage facility?

Wednesday 1 July 2015

Dear Sandy and Grace

It was recently stated in the media that the DCC/CST documents were stored in a “secure storage facility”.
Also on Monday 29 June 2015, the CST stated:
“The CST advise that there is no charge for the storage and as such, there is no invoice.”

I request the location where these documents were stored, the type of “secure storage facility” and on what date the documents were taken to the secure storage facility.

Thank you.
Kind Regards
Bev

—

From: Sandy Graham [DCC]
To: Bev Butler
CC: Grace Ockwell [DCC]
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Request: Whereabouts of secure storage facility?
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2015 22:14:28 +0000

Dear Bev

I refer for your request for information about the CST secure storage facility where you asked the following questions:.
Where are the documents stored?
What type of secure storage facility it is?
What date were the documents taken to the facility?

I provide answers to these questions as follows:

The location of the secure storage facility is withheld pursuant to s7(2)(b)(ii) of LGOIMA to avoid prejudicing the commercial position of the person who is subject of the information and pursuant to s7(2)(f)(ii) of LGOIMA to enable the effective conduct of public affairs by protecting officers and persons from improper pressure or harassment.

The facility is a commercial storage facility. I have already advised that it is not EziStor. Any further details that may identify the facility are however withheld pursuant to s7(2)(b)(ii) of LGOIMA to avoid prejudicing the commercial position of the person who is subject of the information and pursuant to s7(2)(f)(ii) of LGOIMA to enable the effective conduct of public affairs by protecting officers and persons from improper pressure or harassment.

The CST are unable to confirm when the documents were shifted to the storage facility. The person who can confirm this is now resident in Australia. Attempts were made to contact her but she is hospitalised, recovering from a serious illness and was unable to provide the information. Your request is therefore technically declined pursuant to s17(g) of LGOIMA as the information requested is not held.

As we have withheld information you are entitled to a review of our decisions by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Regards
Sandy

—

From: Bev Butler
To: Sandy Graham [DCC]
CC: Grace Ockwell [DCC]
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Request: Whereabouts of secure storage facility?/Clarification
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2015 14:15:33 +1200

Dear Sandy and Grace

Appreciate clarification before contacting Ombudsman.
In the response it states:
“The CST are unable to confirm when the documents were shifted to the storage facility. The person who can confirm this is now resident in Australia.”
Given the statement above which implies that there is only one person in the world who knows when the documents were moved, is it correct to assume the documents were moved by the “sick lady” without the permission of the CST?
Is it also correct to assume the documents were placed in the secure storage facility without the knowledge of the secure storage facility’s owner, given the “sick lady” in Australia is the only person who knows when the documents were stored there?

Kind Regards
Bev

—

From: Sandy Graham [DCC]
To: Bev Butler
CC: Grace Ockwell [DCC]
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Request: Whereabouts of secure storage facility?/Clarification
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2015 21:42:53 +0000

Dear Bev

Your assumptions are incorrect.

Regards
Sandy

—

Related Posts and Comments:
27.6.15 Ratepayer boxes #saga
20.6.15 DCC / CST document scramble #LGOIMA

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC / Carisbrook Stadium Trust document scramble #LGOIMA

Received from Bev Butler
Fri, 19 June 2015 at 9:13 a.m.

—

From: Bev Butler
To: Lee Vandervis, Dave Cull, David Benson-Pope, Hilary Calvert, John Bezett, Doug Hall, Aaron Hawkins, Mike Lord, Jinty MacTavish, Andrew Noone, Neville Peat, Chris Staynes, Richard Thomson, Andrew Whiley, Kate Wilson
Subject: Mayor and Councillors/Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 08:50:20 +1200

Friday 19 June 2015
 
Dear Mayor Cull and Councillors
 
During my recent DCC Annual Plan submission I requested a full forensic audit of the Carisbrook Stadium Trust (CST). You will recall that preliminary informal investigations found that documentation has been withheld. The CST and the previous CEO of the DCC both attempted via undisclosed legal opinions to ensure that this documentation remained hidden from any investigation or even LGOIMA requests and it is now more than clear that the CST, as an agent of the DCC, have no right to retain ANY documentation that relates to the entire period which the CST were in any way acting as an agent of the DCC. The CST appears to have no other function than continuing to receive donations from private persons as part of the private sector funding so, given that, I do not believe ANY documentation should be withheld from the DCC.
 
Since my public call for a full forensic investigation I have been greatly concerned about the security of the DCC/CST documents all of which were financed with ratepayer money.
 
It has now been revealed that the Chair of CST, Mr Malcolm Farry has removed most of the documents from the stadium and dumped them in a container. By doing so I believe that he has demonstrated a desire to thwart any investigation into any inappropriate spending of ratepayers money which could be revealed by a forensic audit, but he has also on the face of it, essentially misappropriated the documentation which has been, and remains, the property of the DCC.
 
On Monday 15 June 2015 I also contacted the Office of the Ombudsman expressing my concern over the security of the documents.
A representative of the Ombudsman Office then rang the DCC Governance Manager on Monday afternoon.
 
As elected representatives I believe you should be made aware of the situation.
 
Below is an urgent LGOIMA request I submitted on Tuesday 16 June 2015 followed by an acknowledgement of the request.
Further down the page is the earlier correspondence I had with the DCC CEO requesting the documents be secured.
 
Kind Regards
Bev Butler

—
 
From: Bev Butler
To: Grace Ockwell [DCC], Sandy Graham [DCC]
CC: Sue Bidrose [DCC]
Subject: URGENT LGOIMA Request: Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 09:17:33 +1200

Tuesday 16 June 2015
 
Dear Sandy and Grace
 
Given the following:
1. Changes to LGOIMA recently came into force on 26 March 2015.
In light of these changes, and especially the changes to s2(6) which unequivocally states that a local authority will be deemed to hold any information held by an independent contractor in its capacity as contractor.
2. Under section 3 of Schedule 5 of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the CST and DCC it states:
“All files, records and other information held by CST and DVML will be held at the offices of DVML and made available to CST and DVML Board members and staff as required.”
3. DCC Governance staff were told by the Chair of CST, Mr Malcolm Farry, that ALL the DCC/CST stadium documents were in a locked room at DVML offices as per the SLA and only Malcolm Farry and his secretary had keys to the locked room. 
4. Recently it has transpired that MOST of the documents are not in the DVML offices.
5. Most of the documents are now in a container.
 
Therefore, given the LGOIMA legislation, the contract between DCC and CST and other information above, I request the following:
1. On what date were the DCC/CST documents removed from the DVML offices?
2. Apart from Malcolm Farry, who else was involved in the removal of the documents?
3. Which other CST trustees were aware of the removal of the documents?
4. Where exactly is the container located?
5. How are the documents stored in this container? Are they in cardboard boxes, supermarket bags, filing cabinets or thrown in piles or some other storage method?
6. Will the DCC report this removal of local government documents to the Police given this was done without DCC permission?
7. Will the DCC now seize these documents as is their legal right under the SLA?
8. The name of the law firm and lawyer who has been providing legal advice to the DCC over the security of the DCC/CST stadium documents?
 
Given the seriousness of this situation, I am requesting that this request be treated with urgency.
 
Kind Regards
Bev

—
 
From: Sandy Graham
To: Bev Butler
CC: Sue Bidrose, Grace Ockwell
Subject: RE: URGENT LGOIMA Request: Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 02:00:11 +0000

Dear Bev
 
Thank you for your request below. I note that you have requested urgency and we will consider this request. If we decide that we will not progress the request urgently, you will receive a response as soon as practicable or within twenty working days.
 
I do wish to formally advise that I have sighted the CST files and after conversations with the CST have no concerns about their security. I note your reference to the provisions of the Deed between the CST and the DCC and will work to give effect to that with the CST over coming days.
 
Regards
Sandy

—

From: Bev Butler
To: Sandy Graham
CC: Sue Bidrose, Grace Ockwell
Subject: RE: URGENT LGOIMA Request: Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:30:55 +1200

Dear Sandy
 
Thank you for your email.
Do the CST still have access to these documents?
 
Kind Regards
Bev

—

From: Bev Butler
Sent: Tuesday, 16 June 2015 3:47:51 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham
Cc: Sue Bidrose, Grace Ockwell

Dear Sandy
 
Further to your email below where you state:
“I note your reference to the provisions of the Deed between the CST and the DCC and will work to give effect to that with the CST over coming days.”
Can I assume that the DCC will be taking control of the documents by the end of the week as per SLA?
 
Kind Regards
Bev

—
  
From: Bev Butler
Sent: 24 May 2015 4:16 p.m.
To: Sue Bidrose
Subject: Security of stadium documents
Importance: High
 
Sunday 24 May 2015
 
Dear Dr Bidrose
 
I wish to formally request that the DCC secure the CST stadium documents.
Some time ago, I was made aware of a threat by Mr Malcolm Farry, Chair of CST, to remove the documents from the locked stadium room.
I think it is essential to ensure the security of these documents.
 
Given Mr Farry’s ongoing refusal to release information even with the recent change in legislation to LGOIMA and given the false statements and the malicious attack on me which he made on the front page of the ODT on Friday 22 May 2015 I believe it may be necessary to: 
(a) change the locks as I understand Mr Farry has the only key;
(b) secure any external window(s) from possible break-in or access to damage the documents.
(c) ensure Mr Farry is escorted by a security guard at all times whilst in the document room if he does now decide to co-operate.
 
Yours sincerely
Bev Butler
 
PS I think it fair to inform you I will be making this request public in a few days time.

—
 
From: Sue Bidrose
To: Bev Butler
Subject: RE: Security of stadium documents
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 03:38:28 +0000

Hi Bev
 
Thanks for the conversation. To just put it in writing, I have had discussions with the CST representative and we are working together to ensure DCC has full access to CST documents pertaining to the stadium build. Most of the documents are not at the stadium and therefore ‘locking the door’ would not only be likely to provoke legal retaliation, it would be counterproductive in our working together to ensure DCC has the documents that we are legally required to have.
 
Kind regards
 
Sue

—
 
From: Bev Butler
To: Sue Bidrose
Subject: RE: Security of stadium documents
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 17:22:51 +1200

Hi Sue
 
Thanks for the email.
fyi
On reading the Service Level Agreement today on page 20 it states under Schedule 5 – Resources/Administration
3. All files, records and other information held by CST and DVML will be held at the offices of DVML and made available to CST and DVML Board members and staff as required.
 
Kind regards
Bev

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Stadium costs +$20M per annum, against one Fleetwood Mac concert….

THIS DOESN’T SINK NEWS OF LATEST DELTA FINANCIAL BLOWOUT – NOBLE VILLAGE SUBDIVISION

I experienced Fleetwood Mac at Western Springs, Auckland in the 1980s, there is no way I want to see them live now in a crap-for-sound covered stadium at Dunedin. This cat has already eaten the cream. I might see them at Mt Smart, however.

How much has DCC/DVML paid to the promoter to get the band here?
They’ve spent $350,000 on tired roller Rod Stewart, who has yet to perform.

—

### ODT Online Fri, 20 Mar 2015
Fleetwood Mac to play Stadium
By Chris Morris
The rumours are true — Fleetwood Mac is coming to Dunedin. It was confirmed yesterday the group, one of the world’s best-selling bands, will perform its only South Island show at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Wednesday, November 18. Tickets costing between $100 and $300 plus fees will go on public sale from 10am on April 1, and a bumper crowd is predicted to pump millions of dollars into Dunedin’s economy. The British-American group’s Dunedin show will feature all five original band members, with Christine McVie having reunited with Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
Read more

CroNix99 Uploaded on May 26, 2010
Fleetwood Mac – The Dance -1997 – Gypsy

CroNix99 Uploaded on Jul 2, 2010
Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon – The Dance -1997

CroNix99 Uploaded on May 27, 2010
Fleetwood Mac – Landslide – 2004
Live In Boston – Say You Will Tour

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Fleetwood Mac – Christine McVie rejoining Fleetwood Mac 12.1.14 [pitchfork.com]

Malcolm Farry, revisited at Nine to Noon (December 2008)

WARM FUZZIES

### radionz.co.nz Friday, 12 Dec 2008
Radio NZ National
Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan

Carisbrook Stadium in trouble (Link)
09:30 Malcolm Farry, Chairman Carisbrook Stadium Trust; and Jeff Dickie, property investor and outspoken critic of the stadium.
Audio | Download: Ogg  MP3 ( 13′ 15″ )

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Malcolm Farry tweaked by whatifdunedin

DCC: Street talk NEVER HAPPENED

In which Dunedin ratepayer Jeff Dickie is made out to be a liar?

ODT 3.1.15 (page 30)

—

Saturday night thoughts on disgrace and dark forces.

When did Cull’s highly individualised chip-on-shoulder naysaying campaign start; this would be located well outside DCC Comms’ advice, wethinks.

Nowadays, how many Dunedin ratepayers and residents are “absolutely right” in how they view Dunedin City Council and the way it is operating. Citifleet is a mighty nail in the council coffin, surely.

ONE MAN alone is not the guilty PARTY.
ONE MAN is dead.

It’s disgusting, indecent and despicable that COUNCIL leaders are preying on the deceased, at their own convenience.

2015. Let individual histories and emerging evidence tell the real story against the mayor and chief executive’s ‘party line’ for Brent Bachop.

—

Related Posts and Comments:
29.12.14 DCC gets QLDC talent…. the weft and warp deviously weaves
25.12.14 Daaave stole Christmas from #DUD
● 24.12.14 Dunedin: Watching the detectives
23.12.14 Our Leaders: if commonalities
● 19.12.14 DCC: Limited Citifleet investigation about insurance
19.12.14 Vandervis: Deloitte and Police Citifleet investigations
19.12.14 DCC Citifleet by email . . . . woops! (another timeline proof)
● 18.12.14 DCC: Deloitte report released on Citifleet #whitewash
22.11.14 ODT puffery for stadium rousing ? [Sue Bidrose profiled]
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
● 19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
24.10.14 DCC Citifleet, more revelations….
21.10.14 DCC Citifleet, undetectable….
13.10.14 DCC: Consulting the Community
● 19.9.14 Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem to launch post-election inquiry
8.9.14 Jim Harland and the stadium MESS
3.9.14 Stuff: Dunedin council CEO won’t resign
1.9.14 DCC Fraud: Further official information in reply to Cr Vandervis
30.8.14 DCC Fraud: Cr Vandervis states urgent need for facts….
● 28.8.14 DCC: Tony Avery resigns
27.8.14 DCC whitewash on serious fraud, steals democracy from citizens
26.8.14 DCC: Forensics for kids
23.8.14 DCC public finance forum 12.8.14 (ten slides)
22.8.14 DCC: Deloitte report referred to the police #Citifleet
6.8.14 DCC tightens policy + Auditor-General’s facetious comments
3.7.14 Stuff: Alleged vehicle fraud at DCC
1.7.14 DCC: Far-reaching fraud investigation Citifleet
● 18.6.14 Crowe Horwath Report (May 2014) – Review of DVML Expenses
3.6.14 DCC unit under investigation
2.5.14 DCC $tar-ship enterprise
28.4.14 DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring
● 20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General
24.1.14 Stadium: It came to pass… [stadium review announced]
28.12.13 Sue Bidrose, DCC Chief Executive
18.11.13 DCC: New chief executive
7.2.12 DCC ‘money go round’ embedded

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Stadium: Online petition to pressure $1M donation

Prior to the Christmas break, using old Stop The Stadium Inc mailing lists* (the organisation is legally defunct), local woman Bev Butler distributed links to a public report and petition on suspected non-payment of a one million dollar donation that was heralded to underpin DCC/CST commencement of stadium construction at Dunedin—a donation promised by Queenstown philanthropist Eion Edgar.

The petition is headed ‘Sir Eion Edgar: Please pay the $1,000,000 donation as promised for the benefit of all Dunedin ratepayers’.

The report indicates non-payment may see complaints to the UK-based Honours Forfeiture Committee.

—

Related Posts and Comments:
9.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 Submission by Bev Butler
10.4.14 Stadium: Edgar’s $1m donation (private sector fundraising)
2.2.14 Stadium: ODT editorial (1.2.14) —Garbutt debunks myths
30.7.13 Stadium: Accountability, paper trail leads unavoidably to NEWS
18.7.13 ODT won’t touch Fairfax story
10.7.13 Stadium: Edgar will honour $1M personal pledge to project
3.7.13 [Pulled!] Call for Dunedin stadium cash
24.12.12 A Christmas Tale
7.6.12 Stadium: Forsyth Barr naming rights
8.1.11 ‘Civis’, the columnist . . .
22.2.10 Eion Edgar predicts
6.7.09 Eion Edgar on ‘stadium haters’

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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

*The Privacy Act 1993 controls how ‘agencies’ collect, use, disclose, store and give access to ‘personal information’. The privacy Codes of Practice do the same, but they apply to specific areas – particularly health, telecommunications and credit reporting.
Personal information is information about identifiable, living people.
Almost every person or organisation that holds personal information is an ‘agency’. So, for example, the Privacy Act covers government departments, companies of all sizes, religious groups, schools and clubs.

—

Stadium Review: LGOIMA request and 2009 Town Hall speeches

████ Download: Stadium Review Nov v 15 (585 KB, DOC)

Copy received from Bev Butler
Sun, 30 Nov at 12:17 p.m.

Message: A while back I was told there was Rugby pressure happening behind the scenes to exclude the mothballing option.
Cheers, Bev

From: Bev Butler
To: Sandy Graham [DCC]; Grace Ockwell [DCC]
Subject: LGOIMA REQUEST: Stadium Review/Mothballing
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 12:10:47 +1300

Sunday 30 November 2014

Dear Sandy and Grace

Earlier in the year it was announced that the stadium was to be reviewed and that all options would be considered, including mothballing.
Now with the recent release of the Stadium Review only two options are presented, namely, the status quo and the most extreme option of demolition.
1. Why were the options of sale and mothballing not reported on?
2. Did the Stadium Review committee look at the sale and mothballing options? If so, I request a copy of the findings. If not, why not?
3. Whose decision (names) was it to not include mothballing as an option?
4. Did the NZRU and/or ORFU have any input into the Review? If so, I request a copy of all documentation.
5. Who (names) from the NZRU/ORFU was consulted/involved in the Review?
6. Did any member of NZRU and/or ORFU influence/pressure/request that the mothballing option be removed/excluded from the Review? If so, who (names)?
7. Mayor Cull has publicly stated that the demolition option was included in the Review to show the “lunatic fringe” that demolition is not a realistic option.
a) Who (names) are the “lunatic fringe”?
b) If Mayor Cull is unable to name members of the “lunatic fringe” then why was the demolition option considered?
c) Why were the mothballing options not considered when well informed stadium critics had publicly called for this option? ie. Why was the extreme option from an unidentified “lunatic fringe” considered over the mothballing option proposed by identifiable well informed stadium critics, like myself, who have been proven correct in their predictions?
8. What part did Sir John Hansen play in stifling the mothballing option?
9. Will the mothballing options now be reviewed?

Yours sincerely
Bev Butler

___________________________________

REFRESH
Speeches made to Stop The Stadium public meeting held at Dunedin Town Hall on 29 March 2009:

● Alistair Broad
● Dave Cull
● Gerry Eckhoff
● Michael Stedman
● Sukhi Turner

Speeches to Otago Regional Council (ORC) public forums for stadium:

● Public Forum Speech to ORC by Bev Butler 11.2.09 – stadium meeting
● Public Forum Speech to ORC by Bev Butler 3.3.09

___________________________________

On behalf of ratepayers and residents Dunedin City Council decided on and publicly listed ten conditions (10 lines in the sand) to be met for the stadium project. Unfortunately, this summary table shows the extent of departure!

Received from Bev Butler – Summary of Conditions
Sat, 29 Nov 2014 at 7.44 a.m.

[click to enlarge]

Recent Posts and Comments:
26.11.14 Cr Hilary Calvert, an embarrassment
22.11.14 ODT puffery for stadium rousing ?
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
15.11.14 Stadium #TotalFail

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

ODT puffery for stadium rousing ?

The banner at today’s ODT Online home page

Received, a snapshot at 11:14 a.m. (to read the article get the latest budgie cage liner full of advertising with not much else EXCEPT an exclusive interview)

Oh Dear Times —
Sue Bidrose, ‘I’ve always said I just don’t want to work for someone who’s not as good as me’.

Alternative text, just an observation —
From King James Bible, Psalms 8:2, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength”.

Updated post 23.11.14 at 10:47 a.m.
● Read the interview (Sunday release) at ODT Online

—

The completely under-researched yet highly threshed and winnowed
Fubar Stadium Review released on Thursday 20 November will be tabled at Monday’s Extraordinary Council Meeting (Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers at 1:00 PM).

████ Download: Stadium Review Nov v 15 (585 KB, DOC)

As to timing of review and puffery, coincidence?

ODT used the same new face the day before to sell the ‘Stadium in the black’ message (see Friday’s front page graphic)

—

Anything for tenure. The motorbike makes her one of the boys, and the girls. This popularity farce-triumph(ant) is costing ratepayers +$20million pa.

The newspaper can’t distract from an extremely inadequate Stadium Review by throwing us lines about a recreational biker’s “life, job and sleepless nights”. There’s a public excluded Chief Executive Appraisal and Appointment Committee meeting at the Mayor’s Office on Monday 8 December, 8:00 AM.

—

Related Post and Comments:
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
20.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed

### radionz.co.nz Thursday 20 November 2014
Checkpoint with Mary Wilson
Dunedin Mayor: ‘Stadium is not a lemon’
A Dunedin City Council report has looked into demolishing the city’s covered rugby stadium built for 200 million dollars just three years ago.
Audio | Download: Ogg  MP3 (4:48)

████ Download: Stadium Review Nov v 15 (585 KB, DOC)

● 15.3.11 Post: Cr Dave Cull speech to Town Hall Meeting [31.3.09]
● 27.4.09 Post: Contract signed

—

### stuff.co.nz Last updated 09:08 21/11/2014 | Southland Times
Stadium demolition option only for ‘lunatics’
By Wilma McKay
Dunedin’s mayor has said the city council only included an option to demolish the city’s stadium to shut down “a lunatic fringe”. In an interview with Mary Wilson from Radio New Zealand, Dunedin mayor Dave Cull said demolition was included in a review of stadium funding, ownership and operation “to put to bed the frequent and strident claims of a lunatic fringe”. Cull described the opposing group as “a small vociferous band of critics all the way along through this process who have said it would be much better to knock [the stadium] over”. “So, we said ‘okay, we’ll look at that option, we’ll cost it, and that should put it to bed once and for all’,” he said in the interview. As it turned out demolition proved unworkable economically, Cull said.
City councillors are to gather for an extraordinary meeting on Monday to discuss its recommendations out of the review, including one that ratepayers stump up $18.1 million extra over the next 10 years to keep the arena afloat.
Read more

● Stuff: Stadium under fire as city eyes next steps | Southland Times

****

### ODT Online Fri, 21 Nov 2014
Stadium review ‘kick in the guts for ratepayers’
By Chris Morris
Dunedin city councillors are preparing for a fresh war of words over Forsyth Barr Stadium, following confirmation it needs another $1.81million a year from ratepayers. The extra costs, together with a nearly $1million budget hole to be plugged by mid-2015, would see nearly $20million in extra ratepayer funding pumped into the venue over the next decade.
The findings – outlined with the release of the Dunedin City Council’s stadium review yesterday – prompted a mixture of resigned acceptance and recriminations from some councillors.
Read more

● ODT: ‘I don’t think we had much choice’- councillor
[Richard Thomson, chairman, DCC Finance Committee]

Agenda for Extraordinary Meeting | Monday 24 Nov at 1.00 PM
Venue: Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers

—

Related Posts and Comments:
19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
15.11.14 Stadium #TotalFail
12.11.14 DVML: Two directors gone before release of 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
4.10.14 DCHL & DVML: Call for directors
30.9.14 DCHL financial result
25.9.14 DVML on Otago Rugby and Rod
13.9.14 DVML and ORFU refuse to disclose 2012 Otago Rugby deal
10.9.14 Stadium: Behaviours at Suite 29 (intrepid tales)
8.9.14 Jim Harland and the stadium MESS
28.8.14 Stadium Review: dark yet rosy thoughts [joke, honest]
15.7.14 Stadium: Who is being protected?
15.7.14 Rugby stadiums not filling #SkyTV
29.6.14 Stadium: NZRU in the sights
24.6.14 Stadium: DVML, mothballing, and ‘those TVs’ #LGOIMA
18.6.14 Crowe Horwath Report (May 2014) – Review of DVML Expenses
13.5.14 Stadium benefits, what?! (Copeman)
11.5.14 Stadium: DCC proposes extra funds for stadium debt repayment
5.3.14 Stadium: Fairfax business editor pokes DCC’s Fubar
26.2.14 Stadium costs, read uncapped multimillion-dollar LOSSES
24.2.14 Carisbrook Stadium Trust: ‘Facts about the new Stadium’ (31.5.08)
22.2.14 Carisbrook Stadium Trust costs
2.2.14 Stadium: ODT editorial (1.2.14) —Garbutt debunks myths
1.2.14 Stadium: ODT editorial (1.2.14) —“Palpable claptrap” says Oaten
27.1.14 Stadium: No 4 at interest.co.nz
24.1.14 Stadium: It came to pass . . . [stadium review announced]

█ For more, enter *stadium*, *dvml*, *terry davies*, *cst*, *dchl*, *dcc*, *annual plan*, *rugby* or *carisbrook* in the search box at right.
ODT 31.5.08 (advertisement) | PDF fax copy cleaned by whatifdunedin
[click to enlarge]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Forsyth Barr Stadium Review

Updated post 20.11.14 at 2:31 p.m.

████ Download: Stadium Review Nov v 15 (585 KB, DOC)

This Report should be left on the table by Councillors at the Extraordinary Council Meeting on Monday 24 November, since the implications of the Review’s published content and lack of content are very serious indeed.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC

### whaleoil.co.nz Fri, 31 Oct 2014 at 5:20pm
Why is there no law to rein in dodgy ratbag local body politicians?
By Cameron Slater
Former ARC Councillor Bill Burrill is not the first dodgy ratbag Councillor to trough from abuses of power to his own pecuniary advantage in recent years. A few years back in 2009 Council Watch was calling for a number of Councillors from the Canterbury Regional Council to be prosecuted and sacked from their positions after an investigation by the Auditor General Lyn Provost found that four individuals had broken the law by acting in conflict with their official role. Back then those Canterbury Councillors failed to declare a conflict on interest that [led] to a financial benefit for themselves by participating in discussion and voting on proposals before Council. Under investigation the Auditor General’s office chose not to prosecute stating that whilst the Councillors should have withdrawn as a matter of principle – they had each received and shared legal advice that they could participate. And here in lies the problem. The Auditor General and Office of the Ombudsmen publish clear guidelines for Councillors and council staff but the reality is that the law is erroneously filled with holes that are exploited and there is precious little oversight of Local Government leading to the Auditor General loathing to bother and the Courts uninterested.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Emerson’s Brewery #Dunedin

Founder Richard Emerson (via stoppress.co.nz)

█ Premium Craft Beer | Emerson’s Brewery Dunedin http://www.emersons.co.nz/

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### NZ Herald Online 11:08 AM Wednesday Apr 10, 2013
Lion paid $8m for Emerson’s brewery
By Christopher Adams
Brewing giant Lion paid $8 million for Dunedin craft beer maker Emerson’s last year, according to documents filed with the Companies Office. At the time of the November takeover the Auckland-based company did not disclose the multi-million dollar price tag it paid for the South Island firm, which was founded in 1992, making it one of the most established and well-known craft brands in the country. But Lion is required to file its financial statements with the Companies Office due to its foreign ownership by Japanese brewer Kirin.
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Emerson’s Brewery On The Move
Monday, 20 October 2014, 3:22 pm
Press Release: Emerson’s

Dunedin, New Zealand – Emerson’s, with support from Lion, has today purchased a new site in Anzac Ave, Dunedin where they plan to build a brand new spiritual home for this iconic New Zealand craft brewery. The new site will allow Emerson’s to meet increasing demand for its high quality beers whilst continuing to bring new and interesting beers to beer lovers. This is the fourth move in the Emerson’s journey and Founder Richard Emerson says the new site will be a vast improvement on the place they currently call home.
“Moving brewhouses and tanks is not new to us but this time, we want to create a place where people can touch, smell, taste and experience more about Emerson’s and its story,” says Emerson.
Emerson’s, supported by Beca who will be project managing the development locally, are progressing well with the plans for the site which will house a new brewery, warehousing, retail store and bar area where visitors can enjoy a beer matched with good food. Improved staff facilities are also a key consideration for the new development.
Lion’s Managing Director, Rory Glass says today marks the start of another exciting chapter in Emerson’s history and Lion is delighted to be able to help them reach their full potential.
“We stand by our commitment of allowing Emerson’s to continue doing what they do well – experimenting and brewing great beer and we are genuinely excited about helping Emerson’s to build a new home in which they can realise their growth aspirations now and in the future” says Glass.
Work is expected to get under way on the site in December 2014 with a target completion date for the new Emerson’s Brewery in early 2016. Final plans for the site will be shared more widely in due course but Emerson’s have extended their current lease at Wickliffe Street to cover them until the new site is fully operational.
For now however, it is business as usual for Emerson’s and the team remain focused on creating great beers for Emerson’s fans to enjoy.
Link to Scoop

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DCC Webmap [click to enlarge]

Cr Hall had been in dispute with the council over access to his land for three years, after realignment of State Highway 88 during Forsyth Barr Stadium’s construction.

### ODT Online Tue, 21 Oct 2014
Brewery’s big plans revealed
By Vaughan Elder
An expanding Emerson’s Brewery is set to become a ”world-class” tourist destination now an agreement has been reached to buy a new site. The development – expected to cost in the millions – will be open for tours and house a new brewery, warehousing, retail store plus a bar and restaurant. The 22-year-old Dunedin brewery’s purchase of two adjacent pieces of land in Anzac Ave, belonging to the Dunedin City Council and Cr Doug Hall, also resolves a long-running access dispute over the land.
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The global environment in which we operate has always meant swings and roundabouts for New Zealand goods and services.

### ODT Online Mon, 27 Oct 2014
Editorial: Swings and roundabouts
It has been a tale of two fortunes for city businesses this month. […] And as one door closes [Donaghys], another opens. Dunedin’s Emerson’s Brewery last week announced it had bought land on Anzac Ave, and would move from its nearby Wickliffe St site to build a multimillion-dollar expanded operation with a new brewery, warehousing, retail store, bar and restaurant. The company envisaged it would become a “world-class” tourist destination and the expansion would create jobs.
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Image via 3news.co.nz

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Related Posts and Comments:
2.9.13 SH88 realignment: decision to Environment Court?
3.8.13 SH88 notice of requirement [more maps]
30.4.13 DCC governance = management ?
20.11.12 DCC vs Anzide Properties decision: The road “has no legal basis”
27.5.12 SH88 realignment – information
25.5.12 SH88 realignment costs (injunction)
27.2.12 Bringing DCC, related entities and individuals to account…
23.8.11 Stadium project tangles
4.11.10 SH88 realignment for stadium disrupts traffic
21.7.10 SH88 realignment – update
7.7.10 Goodbye to great store buildings in Parry St
21.4.10 SH88 realignment – update
31.3.10 SH88 realignment
24.2.10 SH88 realignment: Are ratepayers buying the land twice?
20.11.09 Interesting. SH88 realignment.
2.9.09 SH88 realignment past stadium

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Harland to scale

[zoom text with Ctrl + and Ctrl -]

█ Ten years ago. Whoever typed THAT ?

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Related Post and Comments:
8.9.14 Jim Harland and the stadium MESS
27.6.14 Stadium costs $23.4144 million per annum
2.6.14 Stadium costs ballpark at $21.337 million pa, Butler & Oaten
23.5.14 Stadium | DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 ● Benson-Pope asserts…
9.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 Submission by Bev Butler
10.4.14 Stadium: Edgar’s $1m donation (private sector fundraising)

For more, enter the terms *harland*, *farry*, *malcolm*, *athol*, *stadium*, *dcc*, *cst*, *dchl*, *dvml*, *orfu* or *rugby* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Jim Harland and Sukhi Turner (via ODT 2.6.04) – supplied by Calvin Oaten

Jim Harland and the stadium MESS

Meanwhile, as Mayor Dave Cull’s council keeps up with massive spending on low priorities and unnecessaries, this comes to light:—

### ODT Online Mon, 8 Sep 2014
Stadium budget help was declined
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council declined an offer of specialist help to keep its Forsyth Barr Stadium budget on track, years before the cost jumped by millions of dollars, it has been confirmed. The decision, revealed in an Audit New Zealand report from 2010, has been criticised by Mayor Dave Cull, who said it was “a function of the attitude of the management and the executive at the time”. Former council chief executive Jim Harland defends the decision, saying the council’s oversight was felt at the time to be “appropriate”. The offer was detailed in the Audit NZ annual report to the council, dated December 2010, which covered the 12-month period to June 30 that year.
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The decision to build a debt-funded stadium – of which Jim Harland, Malcolm Farry, Athol Stephens, DCC stadium councillors, ORC stadium councillors, and professional rugby cronies are GUILTY – was ALWAYS the decision to bankrupt the Dunedin City Council but more especially, and insidiously, the ratepayers and residents of ‘greater’ Dunedin and Otago.¹

The Audit NZ offer was INANE and in any case a complete waste of time.
Audit NZ is what it is, a basket case. Of sheer incompetence and hypocrisy, nationwide.

Time for a full independent forensic audit of the Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust, fondly known as CST, headed by Malcolm Farry. This will also entail an intimate look at the way Dunedin City Council treated CST invoices, the Council’s spending delegations, and its chief signatories.

Let’s hope somebody goes to clink before the accounting games are over.
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¹Only now are Otago power users waking up to the fact of high line charges being levied by Aurora Energy Ltd to fund subvention payments to ‘the stadium’ (see recent letters to the editor in the Otago Daily Times).
Did the killer consolidated DCC think the people of Otago wouldn’t notice?

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Related Post and Comments:
27.6.14 Stadium costs $23.4144 million per annum
2.6.14 Stadium costs ballpark at $21.337 million pa, Butler & Oaten
23.5.14 Stadium | DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 ● Benson-Pope asserts…
9.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 Submission by Bev Butler
10.4.14 Stadium: Edgar’s $1m donation (private sector fundraising)

For more, enter the terms *harland*, *farry*, *malcolm*, *athol*, *stadium*, *dcc*, *cst*, *dchl*, *dvml*, *orfu* or *rugby* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: odt.co.nz (re-imaged by whatifdunedin) – Jim Harland

DCC: Forensics for kids

Fairfax Media has obtained Audit NZ letters of management to the DCC from 2005 to 2012, released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. The letters show that in the years 2007-2010 auditors consistently urged the DCC to tighten up its risk-management policies and processes.

Audit NZ expressed concern over what it indicated could be inadequate controls over several internal processes, including verifying signatures of those authorised to sign invoices and purchase orders, independent review of creditor files, and controls of sensitive areas such as sale of council assets to staff. (Fairfax)

### stuff.co.nz Last updated 08:17 26/08/2014
Dunedin council officers ‘not kids’
By Wilma McCorkindale
The Dunedin City Council (DCC) appears to have ignored calls by Audit New Zealand to improve its risk and fraud processes, saying its officers were “supposedly people with integrity … not kids”.

The DCC revealed in June it was investigating a suspected major fraud within its Citifleet unit. The fraud was suspected to have been carried out over a decade. Citifleet team leader Brent Bachop died suddenly in May. His death has been referred to the coroner. Council chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose said the alleged fraud of $1.5 million included alleged illegal transactions resulting in the loss of profits from the sale of 123 council fleet vehicles. The findings have been passed to the Dunedin police for further investigation.

Fairfax Media has obtained Audit NZ letters of management to the DCC from 2005 to 2012, released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. The letters show that in the years 2007-2010 auditors consistently urged the DCC to tighten up its risk-management policies and processes. It appears Audit NZ was compelled to repeat similar advice over the period and noted the DCC met only minimum requirements.

Council managers’ response to the Audit NZ findings in 2010 was to say the council had considered creating an audit and risk committee but concluded its finance and strategy committee adequately performed the role. In December 2010 Audit NZ raised the issue of reviews of areas “susceptible to fraud”, but management commented that specific audits in the “most sensitive areas” had found “no transactions of concern or deficiencies in controls”.
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Five council staff were involved in “employment processes”, with some facing the prospect of losing their jobs, the ODT understands.

[Irony] Local Government New Zealand president Lawrence Yule yesterday told the ODT the “mind-boggling” alleged fraud was the biggest involving a local authority he could recall.

### ODT Online Tue, 26 Aug 2014
Council overlooked audit advice
By Chris Morris
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull concedes a chance to detect the alleged $1.5 million Citifleet fraud may have been missed, after the council twice overlooked advice from Audit New Zealand. The revelation came in Audit New Zealand’s annual reports to the council, obtained by the Otago Daily Times, which highlighted gaps in council processes dating back to 2003. […] The findings have triggered finger-pointing between past and present council staff, councillors and Audit NZ, but council chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose said responsibility for failing to detect the alleged fraud rested with the council.
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Related Posts and Comments:
23.8.14 DCC public finance forum 12.8.14 (ten slides)
6.8.14 DCC tightens policy + Auditor-General’s facetious comments
3.7.14 Stuff: Alleged vehicle fraud at DCC
1.7.14 DCC: Far-reaching fraud investigation Citifleet
3.6.14 DCC unit under investigation
2.5.14 DCC $tar-ship enterprise
28.4.14 DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring
7.2.12 DCC ‘money go round’ embedded

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images (tweaked by whatifdunedin): tmba.tv – Tim McGarvey: 3D forensic animation (TMBA Inc. Animation Studio, New York City); scottthornbury.wordpress.com – F is for forensics (illustration by Quentin Blake, from Broughton, G. (1968) Success With English. Harmondsworth: Penguin)

DCC public finance forum 12.8.14 (ten slides)

The ten powerslides presented by DCC group chief financial officer Grant McKenzie, as discussed at the public finance forum held earlier this month are available for download (see PDF below).

Figures might be, but the forum was advertised….

Public notices advertising the forum and the warm invitation extended by Cr Richard Thomson, chair of the Finance Committee, were unfortunately met with low attendance on the night. Few of the well-known vocal commentators on DCC’s financial position, or indeed, leaders of the Otago Chamber of Commerce, bothered to show. Those individuals lose a measure of credibility. Where were all the beleaguered ratepayers and residents? The local ‘interested’ accountants, economists, board directors, investors, and successful business people? Their apologies? Has everybody drowned with rising sea levels or been knocked from their bikes on the one-way? Blame Dave Cull.

Rob Hamlin and ‘JimmyJones’ did make the effort to be there, solidly plying their observations and questions in debate. Other members of the public also engaged. We didn’t hear the names of people who forwarded questions prior to the meeting, or what their questions were. Notwithstanding, the slides are the Council’s attempt to respond to issues commonly raised, in summary.

The first public finance forum was held on 27 November 2013. The second on 12 August was an opportunity to hear Grant McKenzie who arrived at the Council in January. He proves to be approachable, mild-humoured and self-effacing. Grant explores the expanded GCFO role ably supported by senior finance staff; his already onerous duties include the overlay of current fraud investigations, new systems for accountability and risk management, as well as the stadium review (due in September).

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[click slides to enlarge – scanned from forum handout]

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█ DCC Finance Forum (powerslides 1-10) (PDF, 18.6 MB)

For more information on DCC, enter the terms *finance*, *dcc*, *dchl*, *delta*, *cst* *dvml* or *stadium* in the search box at right.

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Other Reading – link supplied by Calvin Oaten
Sat, 23 Aug 2014 at 12:08 p.m.

An interconnected world was meant to reduce inequality – but that doesn’t seem to be happening.

### blogs.telegraph.co.uk August 22, 2014 13:18
Finance
Nobel gurus fear globalisation is going horribly wrong (technical)
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
David Ricardo’s Theory of Comparative Advantage has broken down after 200 years, or so I learned at the Lindau forum of Nobel laureates in Bavaria. The theory published in 1817 has been a guiding principle of free trade, taken as a given by every student of economics in the modern era. It has served us well, but just as Newton’s theories ran into limits and were overtaken by Einstein’s relativity, comparative advantage no longer explains the world. Under Ricardo’s model, inequality was supposed to narrow within countries as globalisation accelerated exponentially in the Nineties. Instead it is getting wider. The Gini coefficient measuring the spread between rich and poor is narrowing between countries, but is widening almost everywhere within countries, leading to a corrosive concentration….
Read more

● Ambrose Evans-Pritchard has covered world politics and economics for 30 years, based in Europe, the US, and Latin America. He joined the Telegraph in 1991, serving as Washington correspondent and later Europe correspondent in Brussels. He is now International Business Editor in London.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: (from the top) Facebook – yahoofinance (advert); goodcars.co.nz – Finance your next car (advert); nzvf.co.nz – New Zealand Vehicle Finance (advert)

DCC tightens policy + Auditor-general’s facetious comments

The city council’s Whistleblower policy, originally written by Athol Stephens (!!), has recently been updated.

The proposed change came as independent financial consultant Deloitte continued its investigation into an alleged $1 million fraud within the Dunedin City Council’s Citifleet department. (ODT)

### ODT Online Wed, 6 Aug 2014
Council aims to tighten policies
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council is moving to make it easier for whistle-blowers to speak out, but still has “a fair bit of work to do” to tighten other internal policies, senior managers say. The proposed change came as the council’s audit and risk subcommittee, meeting yesterday for just the second time, considered a schedule of 12 internal council policies it was now responsible for overseeing. The policies, ranging from risk management to staff travel and fraud prevention, were designed to promote good governance while protecting the organisation and its staff.
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Universally detested (except by a charming coterie of Wellington’s public servants, all living high off the pig’s back), Lyn Provost represents a fat salary-dollar value only. Fully complicit or was that comfortably incompetent, in not getting MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR RORTS and FRAUD stopped across the local authorities of New Zealand. She and her well-paid ‘academic’ staff ask: “Whatever is Crime?” —OHH! “New Zealand’s public sector boasted $240 billion worth of assets and managing them required continuous attention, she said.” (via ODT) …..What attention, steamed up spectacles??!!

Bugger off, Lyn [Photo: liberation.typepad.com]

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### ODT Online Wed, 6 Aug 2014
Praise for DCC’s new internal controls
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council’s move to tighten internal controls has been praised by the Office of the Auditor-general, even as the investigation into an alleged $1 million Citifleet fraud continues. The words of encouragement came from Auditor-general Lyn Provost as she addressed a meeting of the council’s new audit and risk subcommittee during a visit to Dunedin yesterday. But, despite the headlines and unanswered questions about why the alleged fraud was not detected, including by auditors, the word “Citifleet” was not uttered yesterday.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr