SDHB change management: 59 roles proposed to go

Updated post
Sat, 29 Apr 2017 at 6:37 p.m.

At Facebook:

### ODT Online Fri, 28 Apr 2017
Roles dumped in SDHB proposal
By Eileen Goodwin
The roles of chief operating officer (COO) and deputy chief executive will be dumped in a sweeping management restructure proposal unveiled at the Southern District Health Board. In the formal document released yesterday, chief executive Chris Fleming said a new director of specialist services would replace the COO role. The proposed restructuring would not slim the executive leadership team. Its number would increase by one to 13 (including the chief executive), but there is quite a bit of change in the make-up of the roles. The brunt of job losses would be borne at the next two levels of management.
Read more

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Restructure proposal appears to break up a joint decision-making model which involves senior doctors and nurses.

Sat, 29 Apr 2017
Proposal devastates nurses
By Eileen Goodwin
Nurses are “devastate” by the proposed restructuring at the Southern District Health Board. New Zealand Nurses Organisation Dunedin organiser Lorraine Lobb said the proposal removed budgetary and operational control from nursing leadership. There would be fewer nurse management roles, and those who remained would have less say in decision-making, Mrs Lobb said. “We’re quite devastated by this proposal. We’re all about safe staffing, [and that] requires nursing leadership,” she said. The proposal would see a net loss of 23 management positions. It was unclear how many were nursing roles. […] The new chief nursing and midwifery officer would have no control over budgets as their underlings would only report to them on professional matters, she said. […] The proposal also removes operational responsibilities from the board’s top doctor, the chief medical officer. On operational matters, medical directors would report to the director of specialist services, rather than the chief medical officer.
Read more

█ SDHB to consider submissions before announcing the final structure in June.

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6.4.17 ODT editor comments strongly #tick —Dunedin Hospital rebuild
27.3.17 Site Notice #DunedinHospital
26.2.17 Dunedin Hospital Redevelopment
6.2.17 Let the Ombudsman recommend for democracy at SDHB
24.1.17 SDHB/Govt : Physio Pool GRIEF
9.1.17 Audit NZ admonishes commissioner Grant and SDHB #Health
18.12.16 DCC set to take away CBD car parks without Economic Impact research
20.11.16 Delta at Dunedin Hospital #worseluck
7.11.16 SDHB #FAILS with Healthcare Communication and Governance

█ For more, enter the terms *hospital*, *sdhb* and *swann* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

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

At Facebook:

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

Related Post and Comments:
16.2.17 Cadbury, wtf ?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

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

Cadbury, wtf ?

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### ODT Online Thu, 16 Feb 2017
BREAKING NEWS
350 jobs to go as Cadbury closes
By Dene Mackenzie
After years of speculation and concern, the Cadbury factory in Dunedin will finally close next year, leaving about 350 people facing an uncertain future. Staff were told of the closure at a meeting on site at 10am.
The popular tourism attraction Cadbury World is closed today but will reopen tomorrow.
Mondelez International, the owner of Cadbury, confirmed the closure this morning telling its staff 200 people would be made redundant by the end of the year.
Read more

### ODT Online Thu, 16 Feb 2017
Cadbury World to remain open in Dunedin
Dunedin tourist attraction Cadbury World will remain open despite the planned closure of Cadbury’s manufacturing plant in the city. Cadbury owner Mondelēz International today announced its plan to move manufacturing to Australia, with the loss of 350 jobs in Dunedin. In a statement the company said it remained committed to Cadbury World, which attracts 110,000 visitors a year.
Read more

█ Dunedin, One of the World’s Great Small Cities… Really ?

The future:
Not much chocolate, no Safe and Secure electricity, no developing population.
Dunedin: Dead and inDebted, with Dave.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Esco —‘just the global hardball player we always were’, sorry staff….

Esco Dunedin was among a group of neighbouring businesses objecting to Russell Lund’s plans to redevelop the 142 year old Loan and Mercantile building, citing reverse sensitivity concerns, including over noise. The outcome of Environment Court mediation talks was yet to be revealed, but Mr Kershaw said the issue played no part in the company’s decision. (ODT)

### ODT Online Wed, 2 Sep 2015
Foundry closure ‘a blow’
By Chris Morris
Australia’s mining downturn is set to deliver a “real blow” to Dunedin’s economy with the closure of the Esco foundry and the loss of dozens of jobs. Staff at Esco Dunedin were told yesterday the foundry would close by the end of the year, with the loss of 34 jobs. Esco products division president Jeff Kershaw, of Portland, in the United States, said in a statement the decision reflected a downturn in Australia’s mining industry that showed no sign of letting up.
Read more

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TWO THINGS

█ Remember when Esco pushed this button (highlighted) at the NZ Loan and Mercantile Building resource consent hearing:

ODT Online [screenshot]

█ From file records, see Russell Lund’s percipient closing to hearing:

[para] 102. The biggest hurdle would seem to be the decline of the Australian coal mining industry. I refer to a Guardian article May 5, 2014 Australian Coalmining entering structural decline.

116. Esco have a large foundry operation in China. They employ 675 people in China.

117. I am very sure the production costs of Esco’s Chinese foundries are markedly less than in Dunedin, Portland or anywhere else. That is the ticking clock for the Dunedin foundry, and other Esco foundries.

118. The bottom line is that Esco will operate this small Dunedin foundry only as long as it serves their shareholders’ interests. If the market conditions dictate that consolidation is required and it is surplus to requirements, then they will act swiftly, as they did in Brisbane.

LUC-2014-259 RV Lund Applicant Right of Reply 22.9.14
(PDF, 6 MB)

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Related Posts and Comments:
6.8.15 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building —meeting tomorrow
13.3.15 Making heritage work | Dunedin New Zealand
7.1.15 Industrial Heritage Save: Cowes Hammerhead crane
28.11.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building —Resource Consent granted
26.11.14 Retraction (see comment on ‘Heritage Counts’)
● 26.9.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building —what ESCO said!
30.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building: Looking round at potential
18.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building #randomsmartphonepix (interiors)
17.8.14 Public Notices: NZ Loan and Mercantile Building… (site tour, hearing)
13.8.14 Chamber’s Own Goals —Heritage (letters)
11.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building (audio)
8.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Agency Co Ltd Building…
18.3.14 Dunedin Harbourside: English Heritage on portside development
21.10.13 Harbourside: Access to a revamped Steamer Basin has public backing
16.3.10 Public meeting: planning the future of Dunedin heritage buildings
24.10.09 Rodney Wilson: Dunedin as national heritage city

█ For more, enter the terms *loan and mercantile*, *heritage*, *bradken* or *harbourside* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Donaghys cutting jobs #SouthDunedin

Managing director Jeremy Silva said then the company was struggling in the face of a consistently high New Zealand dollar and competition from Asia and Europe, the latter able to compete because of a weak euro.

### ODT Online Fri, 17 Oct 2014
29 Donaghys jobs go; 9 under review
By David Loughrey
The confirmed loss of 29 jobs at Donaghys’ South Dunedin factory, and news of a further nine jobs to be reviewed next year, was confirmed yesterday to “silent” workers. The loss of the jobs, which had been foreshadowed recently, came as another 29 manufacturing positions were lost yesterday at Tasman Insulation in Christchurch and 40 at Wellpack in Wellington, as a high dollar and cheap imports cut a swath through the industry.
Read more

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### ODT Online Thu, 2 Oct 2014
Dunedin factory to lay off 30 staff
By David Loughrey
Thirty jobs are set to be cut at Donaghys’ Dunedin factory, leaving workers “stunned”, and their union representative fuming at claims New Zealand has a “rock star economy”. The cuts are another hit to Dunedin’s manufacturing industry. Donaghys yesterday announced it had begun a consultation process with staff and unions on a restructure that included a proposal cutting up to 30 jobs.
Read more

Donaghys’ ropewalk (historical) | Image via The Hocken Blog

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCHL: Aurora upgrade implicates Delta

The upgrade would cost DCC, as Aurora’s annual dividend – passed on to the council and used to offset rates – dropped by $2 million a year, to $7.5 million, from 2015-16.

Delta had shed almost 150 workers and closed its entire civil construction arm since mid-2012.

### ODT Online Sat, 2 Aug 2014
Aurora plans $139.2m upgrade
By Chris Morris
Dunedin City Council-owned lines company Aurora Energy says a planned $139.2 million investment in its network will create about 20 jobs and help ensure the lights stay on as growth picks up in Central Otago. The company’s five-year spending plan would result in upgrades and replacement of key pieces of ageing infrastructure across the network, which supplied 83,000 customers in Dunedin and Central Otago. […] The work would also generate spin-off benefits for another council-owned entity, infrastructure company Delta, which already managed Aurora’s network and shared the same management and directors.
Read more

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Ah well.

### ODT Online Sat, 2 Aug 2014
Cameron nominated
By Chris Morris
Aurora Energy chief executive Grady Cameron hopes to have put the challenges of the past few years behind him.
Mr Cameron (39), also chief executive of Delta, has been named one of three finalists in the Young Executive of the Year category of the Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards. The winner will be announced in Auckland on August 13.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
5.7.124 DCC’s debt level — who do you believe?
2.6.14 QB 2014 gongs of ill-repute #Hudson COI = MNZM
17.4.14 Aussie wine – NO parallels at DCC/DCHL/DVML/DVL/Delta/ORFU
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ ● OAG…
25.3.14 Delta blues . . . and Easy Rider
20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General
14.3.14 Delta: Mayor ignores Cr Vandervis’ official complaint
8.11.13 DCHL, long wait for review (Larsen sighs)
15.7.13 Delta, Carisbrook, Fubar Stadium —Councillors “weak”, or worse
12.7.13 Delta Utility Services Ltd, missing column…
9.7.13 Delta Utility Services Ltd, full investigation needed
12.11.12 Delta purchases | Vandervis OAG complaint accepted
26.10.12 DCHL: New directors for Aurora, Delta, City Forests

For more, enter the terms *aurora*, *delta*, *dchl*, *dcc*, *auditnz* or *oag* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: Grady Cameron and salary by whatifdunedin; auroraenergy.co.nz – Aurora by Joshua Strang (2006); St Clair by Sean Waller (2009); thinkdelta.co.nz – graphic reworked by whatifdunedin

DVML catering and commercial kitchens….

FB Stadium: The exclusions included a kitchen fit-out, broadcasting facilities, electronic turnstiles, score boards and replay screens.

FB Stadium: On site commercial kitchens with secondary kitchen facilities on Level Two and Level Four
– Bar areas on Level Two and Level Four
– Suites and lounges on Level Four with air conditioning

Questions, questions.

Why is Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) getting rid of their employees in order to employ Compass Group (the caterers) employees?

Perhaps because Compass were going to pull out as it wasn’t viable to do business at the Stadium? If Compass pulled out they would make Dunedin City Council pay them back the $3 million they invested in catering equipment at the stadium?

Oi! What events?!

Images: projectstainless.co.nz

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Related Posts and Comments:
19.3.11 ‘Forsyth Barr Stadium Base Building Further Requirements’

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ ● OAG ● LynProvost

Typically, local government pays Audit New Zealand to audit and review annual financial statements. It’s a tame, tick-box sort of exercise. Audit NZ does a remarkably poor job and is certainly not in it to protect the Community from institutional or corporate misuse of public funds, or indeed from what amounts to perversion or defeat of the course of justice.

Audit NZ is paid handsomely to not see failures of tansparency and non-accountability — such that the enlightened Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association (MRRA) has had Audit NZ sacked from providing audit services to Kaipara District Council.

In an opinion piece last week at Otago Daily Times, City ratepayers let down again, Russell Garbutt cleverly and succinctly summarised the depth of the problem with the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) investigation into Delta Utility Services Ltd. He also noted: “It may seem strange, but if a local government body goes feral, the body which investigates this and the one which provided audit services to that local body are both business units of the Auditor-General.”

Dunedin City Council (DCC) has ‘overseen’ the Auditor-General’s probe into property purchases at Luggate and Jacks Point by Delta Utility Services Ltd, which also involved the council’s holding company (DCHL). A more scandalous, politically slant and irresponsible report from a Government agency it would be difficult to imagine.

(Thank-you, Mayor Dave Cull and the individual Stuart McLaughlan.)

Criminally, the OAG’s Delta report is what passes for ‘honest and comprehensive’ investigation of fraud and corruption in New Zealand… such that the main Delta complainant, Cr Lee Vandervis of Dunedin City, who holds evidence obtained from over 350 emails, was NOT interviewed by the Auditor-General. Nor was his evidence examined.

The fact that for years Audit NZ has refrained from investigating or bringing attention to underhand dealings of the DCC and with respect to DCHL, Delta, Aurora, and Dunedin City Treasury Ltd (DCTL), to identify just some of the ‘group companies’ involved in financial mayhem with public funds, is fully SYMPTOMATIC.

And now we have DCC — and DCHL (again) — in relationship with Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, tied directly to Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) and The Highlanders through shared staff and facilities at the Stadium, and the facilities at Logan Park. Meaning that DCC continues to squander millions and millions of dollars of public funds each year, yet Audit NZ is nowhere to be seen under ‘the Roof’. Don’t mention the black hole, Carisbrook.

█ Inquiry into property investments by Delta Utility Services Limited at Luggate and Jacks Point. The Auditor-General’s Overview and Full Report are available at http://www.oag.govt.nz/reports/2014/delta

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WHERE TO FROM HERE ???
In yesterday’s Business section of the Sunday Star-Times came inklings of hope that the tide of fraud and corruption created by local bodies and ‘their mates’ is up for possible scrutiny through a change of legislation. Greater public and professional awareness of fraud by local councils and their companies (as well as private trusts and other means used to launder public monies) is coming to bear.

[Message to ALL: Those of us working quietly away to expose Dunedin City Council and Otago Rugby will never give up in a month of Sundays.]

SST Business 30.3.14 (page D5)

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NEWS: SFO has got into Mighty River Power and there are ‘reasons’ for non-disclosure of MRP fraud to the NZX…

A consultant says:

The following article goes on to cite other cases, one from last year mentions two men sentenced to prison and home detention following the payment of $849,000 in council funds for road and berm projects that were never completed.

█ Think DELTA, think AURORA, think DCC, think DCHL, think DCTL, think CWP, think CST (CSCT), think DVML…

█ Think of the individuals you know by name who fail to be prudent and conservative with Dunedin Ratepayer and Resident monies, whose actions (deliberate or otherwise) have been fraudulent and corrupt.

█ These entities and the individuals you know by name have been aided and abetted by Audit New Zealand, the Office of the Auditor-General, the Department of Internal Affairs, and indeed the Serious Fraud Office which doesn’t always show a clean pair of hands in assisting investigations by other Government agencies — if ‘supervised by’ mayors, local body politicians, local body employees, Members of Parliament, and Ministers of the Crown.

Welcome to the underbelly of New Zealand local government and the parties it pleases. STEAL from the poor to FATTEN the rich, by any means. Backed by Central Government.

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SST Business 30.3.14 (pages D1 and D8) [click to enlarge]

*Links to articles not yet available at Stuff.co.nz.

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Related Posts and Comments:
30.3.14 Paul Pope on local body annual plans
27.3.14 Jeff Dickie: Letter to the Auditor-General Lyn Provost
25.3.14 Delta blues . . . and Easy Rider
20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General
14.3.14 Delta: Mayor ignores Cr Vandervis’ official complaint
22.3.14 DVML, ‘Money for jam…..fig jam’
19.3.14 ORFU: Black-tie dinner, theft or fraud?
17.3.14 ORFU: Black-tie dinner on ratepayers

For more, enter the terms *carisbrook*, *cst*, *cull*, *cycle*, *dcc*, *delta*, *dia*, *draft annual plan*, *dvml*, *farry*, *orfu*, *nzru*, *pokie rort*, *pokies*, and *stadium* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Jeff Dickie: Letter to the Auditor-General Lyn Provost

Received.
Thursday, March 27, 2014  at 10:47 AM

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Lyn Provost
Controller and Auditor General
Office of the Auditor General
Thorndon
Wellington

Dear Lyn, your shameful handing of the inquiry into Dunedin City Council subsidiary Delta’s acquisition of land at Jacks Point and Luggate is both unprofessional and an insult to Justice and Democracy in NZ. You personally have done a massive disservice to the 53,000 ratepayers of Dunedin.

Your very selective choice of “evidence”, and general lack of thoroughly seeking evidence, has amounted to a complete whitewash for the individuals under investigation. Why, for example did you choose to competely ignore Councillor Lee Vandervis’ extensive evidence?

Your conclusions of unsound business practices are completely at odds with failing to note the massive conflicts of interest, personal gain and any notion of personal accountability.

Further, your ham-fisted and gutless handling of this inquiry has been a complete waste of time and public money. You have been a lackey and have orchestrated the sort of politically motivated sham one would expect from Russia or North Korea. You should resign.

JEFF DICKIE

[ends]

Individual letters may be sent to:
Lyn Provost
Controller and Auditor-General
Office of the Auditor-General
04 917 1500
100 Molesworth Street, Thorndon
PO Box 3928, Wellington 6140
lyn.provost@oag.govt.nz

OAG | Our people: http://www.oag.govt.nz/our-people
OAG | Contact us: http://www.oag.govt.nz/contact-us

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Dunedin City Council critic Russell Garbutt reacts to the recently released report by the Office of the Auditor-general on Delta’s move into property development.

### ODT Online Thu, 27 Mar 2014
Opinion: City ratepayers let down again
By Russell Garbutt
I have two major concerns. The first is the quality of the report and the second is that of a lack of accountability – particularly on the part of directors of council companies.
Audit NZ provides audit services to many local bodies, but the fact is the Local Government Act 2002 gave councils the power of ”general competence” – sweeping powers to undertake many projects or actions.
At the same time, the Office of the Auditor-general (OAG) provides investigative services such as this report into the actions of Delta.
It may seem strange, but if a local government body goes feral, the body which investigates this and the one which provided audit services to that local body are both business units of the Auditor-general.
So, bearing that in mind, what has the OAG found about the dealings of Delta and its foray into property development? It found the actions of Delta and its directors and the directors of council umbrella company Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL) as well as the actions of the Dunedin city councillors at the time were such that ”expensive lessons were learned”.
This is corporate gobbledygook for saying this was a gigantic cock-up.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
25.3.14 Delta blues . . . and Easy Rider
20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General
14.3.14 Delta: Mayor ignores Cr Vandervis’ official complaint

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Delta blues . . . and Easy Rider

ONE News: Victim’s relative feels ‘sorry’ for Easy Rider widow
Published: 9:17AM Wednesday March 19, 2014
A relative of one of the people who lost their lives in the Easy Rider sinking in 2012 says he feels sorry for the woman charged over the tragedy. Judge John Strettell released his judgement today, finding Gloria Davis and her company AZ1 Enterprises guilty of three charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act and the Maritime Transport Act in relation to the tragedy. She originally faced five charges but two were dropped. Ms Davis is the sole director of the company that operated the fishing boat which capsized in Foveaux Strait on March 15, 2012, claiming eight lives, including Ms Davis’s husband, Rewai Karetai, who was skipper of the vessel. Link to Video/Article

Stuart McLauchlan

From the video:
The New Zealand Institute of Directors agrees the judgement serves as a warning. “When you take on a role as a director you cannot sit there passively,” says NZID’s Stuart McLauchlan. “You’ve got to understand what the risks are, you’ve got to understand the operations of the business, and ultimately you’re responsible.”

The same applies in the failed Delta land deals at Luggate and Jacks Point. Board directors for Delta Utility Services Ltd, Delta Investments Ltd (previously, Newtons Coachways (1993) Ltd), and Dunedin City Council’s holding company (DCHL) are ultimately responsible to Dunedin ratepayers for the multimillion-dollar loss.

Note: Stuart McLauchlan has been a director for Delta Utility Services Ltd since 01 Jun 2007; Delta Investments since 16 Jul 2009; and Dunedin City Holdings Ltd from 01 Jun 2007 to 31 Oct 2011. Altogether, this represents a “perceived conflict of interest” and more.

█ Inquiry into property investments by Delta Utility Services Limited at Luggate and Jacks Point. The Auditor-General’s Overview and Full Report are available at http://www.oag.govt.nz/reports/2014/delta.

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Related Post and Comments:
20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: tvnz.co.nz – video still re-imaged by whatifdunedin

Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General

Inquiry into property investments by Delta Utility Services Limited at Luggate and Jacks Point.

The report on the OAG probe was tabled at Parliament at 2pm today.

█ AUDITOR-GENERAL’S OVERVIEW and FULL REPORT available at http://www.oag.govt.nz/reports/2014/delta

“My staff found no evidence of impropriety or of poorly managed conflicts of interest in relation to either investment [Luggate and Jacks Point]. However, they did identify some breaches of the Local Government Act 2002 and the Companies Act 1993 and instances of Delta using artificial business structures to avoid public accountability.” –Lyn Provost, Controller and Auditor-General

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█ Inquiry into decisions by Delta Utility Services Limited to invest in residential development at Luggate, near Wanaka, and at Jacks Point, Queenstown. 14 November 2012. Link

What was the probe about?
The OAG probe was to cover all aspects of the council-owned company’s decision to spend $14.12 million on property at Jacks Point, in Queenstown, and Luggate, near Wanaka, in 2008 and 2009. That included how and why the purchases were made, consideration of risks, compliance with legislation, and the identification and management of any conflicts of interest, the OAG said at the time. The OAG would also consider to what extent the Dunedin City Council – as the shareholder of Delta’s parent company, Dunedin City Holdings Ltd – was involved, and any other matters considered ”desirable” to report on. (ODT article 14.3.14)

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████ Updated 21.3.14 – essential listening ████

### radionz.co.nz Friday 21 March 2014
Morning Report with Geoff Robinson & Simon Mercep
Delta complainants not satisfied with critical report
Reporting by Ian Telfer
08:41 People who made complaints about failed property deals from a Dunedin council subsidiary say it is unacceptable no-one is being held to account.
Audio | Downloads: Ogg   MP3 ( 3′ 38″ )

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Related Post and Comments:
14.3.14 Delta: Mayor ignores Cr Vandervis’ official complaint

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Delta: Mayor ignores Cr Vandervis’ official complaint

### ODT Online Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Land purchases report imminent
By Chris Morris
The findings of a major investigation into Delta’s multimillion-dollar land acquisitions at Jacks Point and Luggate are expected to be released next week.
However, exactly what the Office of the Auditor-general has found after more than a year investigating the purchases remained a closely-guarded secret yesterday. The report was due to be officially published by Parliament’s speaker – who would table the report at 2pm on Thursday – and it would appear on the Auditor-general’s website minutes later, OAG staff confirmed.
Read more

The OAG probe was to cover all aspects of the council-owned company’s decision to spend $14.12 million on property at Jacks Point, in Queenstown, and Luggate, near Wanaka, in 2008 and 2009. That included how and why the purchases were made, consideration of risks, compliance with legislation, and the identification and management of any conflicts of interest, the OAG said at the time. The OAG would also consider to what extent the Dunedin City Council – as the shareholder of Delta’s parent company, Dunedin City Holdings Ltd – was involved, and any other matters considered ”desirable” to report on. (via ODT)

Delta Utility Services Ltd: Directors past and present (go to Show History)
Delta Investments Ltd: Directors past and present (go to Show History)

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Related Posts and Comments:
25.1.14 Stadium: Some helped it along, or themselves!
15.7.13 Delta, Carisbrook, Fubar Stadium —Councillors “weak”, or worse
12.7.13 Delta Utility Services Ltd, missing column…
9.7.13 Delta Utility Services Ltd, full investigation needed
18.12.12 Delta hasn’t fixed Union St West after EIGHT WHOLE MONTHS
█ 12.11.12 Delta purchases | Vandervis OAG complaint accepted
26.10.12 DCHL: New directors for Aurora, Delta, City Forests
11.9.12 Delta Utility Services Ltd
30.8.12 DCC seen by Fairfax Business Bureau deputy editor Tim Hunter
20.12.11 Delta and the GOBs #DCHL #DCC
18.11.11 Delta rebrand
26.8.09 DScene: Delta, STS, DCC larks
9.7.09 Delta dawn what’s that flower…

█ ODT 20.6.13 Lee Vandervis (opinion): Council firms must get back to basics
█ ODT 30.10.12 Mayor sees red over Vandervis questions

█ Fairfax | DScene publishes Cr Vandervis’ questions (page 3):
[click to enlarge]

For more, enter *dchl* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mayor Cull ‘handshakes’ Hodgson

Taxpayers’ Union executive director Jordan Williams questioned whether the Auditor General should be involved. “No wonder this council has a history of financial troubles, they’re running it like a cake stall.”

### Sunday Star-Times Sun, 23 Feb 2014
Mayor Cull defends deal (page A9)
By Hamish Rutherford
Dunedin mayor Dave Cull is defending a “gentleman’s” agreement which saw a former MP paid $3400 for lobbying following a handshake deal. Documents released under the Official Information Act reveal that former Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson was paid by the council to lobby the Government not to strip core functions of Ag Research Limited from Invermay, near Dunedin.
The council said the main point of contact for the deal with Hodgson was Cull, but could not locate a single email, contract or any other document relating to the agreement. […] “Mr Hodgson did not provide any reports relating to his services,” governance support officer Grace Ockwell said.
See article for more.

[click to enlarge]

█ The Taxpayers’ Union broke the story, read their media release (24.2.14), and later they blogged it.

Related Post and Comments (today):
12.9.13 Dunedin community v government-led centralisation

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: pocketbook.co.uk – handshake; en.wikipedia.org – Dave Cull, Pete Hodgson (re-imaged by whatifdunedin)

Dunedin community v government-led centralisation

Local farm animals marooned on a specially constructed grassy knoll for want of truth, no bungy cord was available today as an alternative solution.

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### ODT Online Thu, 12 Sep 2013
Grilling likely for Key
By Dene Mackenzie
Prime Minister John Key can expect to face tough questions about the southern economy and the planned job cuts at Invermay when he visits Dunedin today. Mr Key is in the city to present awards at the Otago Daily Times Class Act function. Before Class Act, Mr Key will address an Otago Chamber of Commerce-organised function at which Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull expects to be seated next to the prime minister. Asked whether he would raise the issue of AgResearch’s restructuring of Invermay, Mr Cull said: ”Too bloody right. It would be remiss of me not to take the opportunity”.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image via fanpop.com

Winston Peters on the regions

[thejackalman.blogspot.com]

### ODT Online Fri, 9 Aug 2013
Cuts in South ‘sick joke’, Peters says
By Dene Mackenzie
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters arrives in Dunedin today determined to talk to as many people as possible about the local and regional economy. When contacted in Wellington, Mr Peters said he was concerned about the lack of regional development throughout New Zealand, particularly in areas where significant infrastructure had been paid for long ago by the taxpayers.

“Much of this is unused. It is not being expanded to help regions grow. I’ve listened to this psycho-babble for 28 years. The last person to have a regional development plan was Jim Anderton.”

Mr Peters quoted cuts in the regions to state housing, hospital services, schools, government departments and social services. “The infrastructure is there in places like Oamaru, Dunedin, Timaru and the West Coast.” The spending of money in Christchurch and Auckland was a “vote-gathering exercise”, he said. It was a “sick joke” that so much of New Zealand’s exports came from Otago and Southland – along with other regions – but they were being neglected.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Delta, Carisbrook, Fubar Stadium —Councillors “weak”, or worse

ODT Letter to the editor 15.7.13 (page 8)

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Related Posts and Comments:
13.7.13 New Zealand: Salmond on democracy
12.7.13 Hudson, DCC (ex DCHL)
12.7.13 Delta Utility Services Ltd, missing column . . .
10.7.13 Stadium: Edgar will honour $1M personal pledge to project
9.7.13 Delta Utility Services Ltd, full investigation needed
7.7.13 DCHL changes lack transparency —where’s the report, Shale?
4.7.13 Carisbrook: DCC losses
3.7.13 [Pulled!] Call for Dunedin stadium cash
29.6.13 Audit NZ and OAG clean bill of health —Suspicious!
27.6.13 State of the City —DCC or Dunedin?
20.6.13 Stadium: DVML, DVL miserable losers! #grandtheftdebt
8.6.13 Stadium: Insurmountable debt but gosh, look at our numbers!
28.5.13 Carisbrook: Auditor-General #fails Dunedin residents and ratepayers
27.5.13 Carisbrook and Leith flood protection
23.5.13 Carisbrook: Calder Stewart to demo Dunedin’s historic stadium
11.5.13 Stadium: Truth, usual whitewash or prosecution ?

*Use search box at right to find out more.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Delta Utility Services Ltd, missing column . . .

Received from Hype O’Thermia
Friday, 12 July 2013 10:37 a.m.

What we earned, what we made, what we own.
Where’s the What we owe column?

Delta webpage as at 12.7.13 (detail)

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Related Post and Comments:
9.7.12 Delta Utility Services Ltd, full investigation needed

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Delta Utility Services Ltd, full investigation needed

At Otago Daily Times today:

Responsibility of care (editorial)

Cull, Acklin at odds over Delta

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Comment at ODT Online:

Time for accountability
Submitted by russandbev on Tue, 09/07/2013 – 10:28am.
Cr Acklin protesteth too much. He was a councillor when it was determined by Council to insist upon dividends that were being produced by borrowing, he has consistently voted for large scale Council projects including the stadium to be financed through debt, he has been in an informed position when presented with DCHL and Delta accounts and forecasts, but perhaps most importantly, he simply doesn’t understand that a Council cannot subsidise a commercial organisation by the degree that is needed to win contracts.
Delta’s overheads are way way too high and Cr Acklin has been in a position to assist in ensuring that Delta was not involved in land speculation, poor business decisions, commercial sponsorship of professional rugby and the like.
Mayor Cull is right in his position regarding Delta, but surely now is the time to bring all those for this sorry mess to account – including Cr Acklin, [Abridged]
ODT Link

In a longer opinion piece, Russell Garbutt outlines the ”sorry” tale of Dunedin City Council-owned company Delta as he sees it.

### ODT Online Tue, 9 Jul 2013
Delta heading for drawn-out death
By Russell Garbutt
OPINION The sorry and inevitable story of Delta continues to what union spokesmen have described as a ”long, drawn-out death”, with owners of the company, governance of the company and management of the company all disclaiming any responsibility or accountability for the loss of business and consequent loss of jobs. But it isn’t as though this position has not been able to be foretold with some accuracy by interested observers.
The basic concept of a business activity supplying professional services to the wider community and supplying profits from that business operation to its overall owner – in this case, the Dunedin City Council – is sound. But it requires strong and wise governance to strike the right balance between risky entrepreneurial activities and conservative growth. Most importantly, the governance of such an activity requires some basic business sense.
Many would say, including those recently advised of the loss of their jobs, that for many years this basic governance requirement has been sorely lacking.
Read more

● Russell Garbutt is a long-time critic of the city council and council funding of Forsyth Barr Stadium.

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Related Posts and Comments:
28.5.13 Carisbrook: Auditor-General #fails Dunedin residents and ratepayers
18.12.12 Delta hasn’t fixed Union St West after EIGHT WHOLE MONTHS
22.11.12 Cull COVERS UP COUNCIL #massage
12.11.12 Delta purchases | Vandervis OAG complaint accepted
30.10.12 DCHL ‘run by a bunch of fools’ -agreed
29.10.12 DCC consolidated debt substantially more than $616m…
26.10.12 DCHL borrowed $23 million to bail DCC
26.10.12 DCHL: New directors for Aurora, Delta, City Forests
17.10.12 The only thing up…. (for sale)
17.10.12 DCC on DCHL, subsidiaries and DCTL
12.10.12 DCHL, subsidiaries and DCTL
11.9.12 (updated) Delta Utility Services Ltd
30.8.12 DCC seen by Fairfax Business Bureau deputy editor Tim Hunter
20.12.11 Delta and the GOBs #DCHL #DCC
18.11.11 Delta rebrand
29.7.11 WE ALL SAID IT #DunedinCityCouncil #SHAME
9.2.11 DCC and DCHL, was there ever any doubt?
13.3.10 Dunedin City Holdings Ltd
26.8.09 DScene: Delta, STS, DCC larks
9.7.09 Delta dawn what’s that flower…

For more, enter *dchl* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Photo: odt.co.nz – grady cameron (re-imaged by whatifdunedin)

Otago Chamber of Commerce

8.3.10 The Chamber publishes the following statement:

JOB LOSSES FOR HARBOURSIDE – A CALL FOR ACTION

THE PATTERSON PITTS REPORT

Members will find statements that call into question:

* the foundation for the proposal
* the flaws and self interest in the management of the proposal and;
* the background of Council decision making.

The Chamber has no reason to call into question any of the information contained in the Paterson Pitts report.

Members are asked to read in full this vital document.

Click here for the full report.

Recent media reports have set some background to the Chamber’s twelve month work to change the proposals in Plan Change 7: Harbourside to avoid the loss of industry and jobs that independent advice commissioned by Council says will occur.

To support the Chamber’s work, in conjunction with four other appellants to the scheme, the Chamber commissioned a professional report from Mr Don Anderson, Senior Planner of Patterson Pitts.

The Chamber has now decided to release this report to Chamber members as a background document to the Chamber’s call for action.

Below is the report summary.

_________________________________________________________

12.1A RESPONSE TO THE INITIAL QUESTIONS.

“Why has Plan Change 7: Harbourside caused conflict?”
Dramatic changes of land use direction in district plans create winners and losers. Chalmers Property Ltd gains increased land value/ground rentals and redevelopment opportunities along the redundant harbour basin. Existing industry has operational constraints imposed, the expectation that they will exit the area, and no viable relocation package in terms of compensation or location.

This all happened over a four week submission during January/February 2007.

“Has Council identified the public benefits?”
Over the eight year gestation period of Plan Change 7: Harbourside, the public benefits identified by Council have varied. Plan Change 7: Harbourside does NOT reconnect the Harbourside area to the central city. The Rattray Street reconnection remains unresolved, the additional connection between the Railway Station and the Settlers Museum failed to materialise, and the existing St Andrew Street connection is beyond the reduced area of Harbourside.

Plan Change 7: Harbourside’s revitalisation of the Harbourside area was seriously reduced by the removal of the three designations of squares/walkways, the removal of the ‘fanciful’ canal along Mason Street, and by the ‘statutory’ straight jacket imposed on the new rules that are the principal means of implementing the ‘vision’.

“Was the consultation without the rules appropriate?”
Council’s consultation prior to public notification of Plan Change 7: Harbourside did not include any details of the rules by which the objectives and policies were to be implemented. The assurances given that existing industry would be “protected” has proven to be unfulfilled. The rules that result in the loss of industrial jobs as they are replaced by service jobs in cafes, bars, restaurants, visitor accommodation and tourism facilities was never made clear. Effective consultation was never possible without the rules.

“Will the service jobs relocated from the centre truly replace the lost industrial jobs?”
There is no analysis of the economic viability of the relocated service jobs on either the city centre or Harbourside, but as far back as 1968 (TK McDonald) and again in 2000 (McDermott Fairgray), the economic importance to Dunedin retaining existing industrial jobs has been made clear.

“What is the actual demand for apartments within Harbourside to justify the loss of industrial jobs?”
There is no analysis of the current or future demand for apartments within either converted industrial buildings or in new specially designed residential buildings. The experience to date is that residential conversion has been at the lower end of the rental market in Harbourside, and the utilisation of vacant commercial floor space within the Central Activity Area.

“Why is Harbourside favoured by existing industry?”
Harbourside and the adjoining industrial land forms a hub for both Dunedin’s manufacturing and service industry. Hubs are based around well established industrial operations, and play an important role in providing mutual support, as illustrated by the marine engineering group where specialisation widens the capacity of the group. The harbourside area provides operating convenience to the Central Activity Area and existing buildings that can be readily adapted to the changing needs of industry.

“Why not relocate?”
Relocation away from Harbourside is the Council’s intention for all industry along Fryatt Street and all industry within Harbourside that requires an air discharge permit. But Plan Change 7: Harbourside contains no analysis of the implications of relocation. Relocation that results in the loss of industrial jobs in Dunedin will have more than a minor effect on the economic wellbeing of the city. Relocation that results in higher operating costs to industry should attract compensation from those who benefit from the relocation, but that is well beyond the scope of Plan Change 7: Harbourside.

“Benefits to Chalmers Property Ltd?”
Council has already identified that Chalmers Property Ltd is the principal beneficiary of Plan Change 7: Harbourside. The scale of that benefit has not been made public but it would relate to an increased land value and the resultant increase in ground rentals payable by lessees. As prudent landowners, Chalmers Property would not have invested in Plan Change 7: Harbourside unless the return on a continuing basis did not exceed the cost of its involvement in the plan change.

Link to site

Post by Elizabeth Kerr