Draft bylaw and ADVERSE EFFECTS of freedom camping at Dunedin parks and reserves will be Consulted

FREEDOM CAMPING IS YOUR COUNCIL DELIBERATELY SETTING ITSELF UP TO COMPETE WITH COMMERCIAL CAMPSITE PROVIDERS

WHAT BENEFITS – THERE ARE NONE

We take it Mr Mayor does not live next door to a freedom camping site and does not lease out the council owned Santa Fe on his driveway to roofless young strangers with bad toilet and littering habits passing through the peninsula area.

—

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Community’s views to be sought on freedom camping

This item was published on 09 Jun 2017

The Dunedin City Council will seek the community’s views on issues related to freedom camping, says Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull. Council discussion on a report to its 30 May 2017 meeting which recommended public consultation to amend the current Camping Control Bylaw, was delayed pending information from a national freedom camping forum and new guidelines on self-contained vehicles. The proposed bylaw amendments were to allow for further sites to be considered for vehicles that are not self-contained. Mr Cull says that given the wide range of views expressed both formally and informally by the community and Community Board members in relation to the report, and on wider issues related to freedom camping over the last season, it was appropriate to revisit the DCC’s approach.

“Freedom camping is an extremely complex issue which draws impassioned comments from both sides of the debate. It is therefore appropriate to take this opportunity to formally engage with the public on the wider issues around freedom camping; looking at all the pros and cons, costs and benefits.”

A staff report would be presented to the 27 June Council meeting recommending a special consultative process on whether the current bylaw should be amended to restrict freedom camping to certified self-contained vehicles only, or whether it should continue to make provisions for vehicles not certified as self-contained and look at adding a range of further sites where these vehicles could be accommodated.

Mr Cull says the DCC’s current Camping Control Bylaw adopted in 2015 is a very good bylaw.

“At a national level it is regarded as a best practice bylaw by the National Responsible Camping Forum. However, overcrowding has been a major issue at the two unrestricted sites at Warrington and Ocean View, resulting in widespread concern in the community. We therefore need to understand from the community whether, firstly, they think the city should continue to make provisions for non self-contained freedom campers at all, and, if so, at what other sites around the city could these types of freedom campers be accommodated to ease the pressure at Warrington and Ocean View.”

Subject to Council approval on 27 June, staff would complete the public consultation, including hearings if required, and then report back to Council prior to the start of the 2017/18 camping season with a recommendation for further consideration. The current Bylaw will remain in force until that process is completed.

Contact DCC on 03 477 4000. DCC Link

****

### ODT Online Sat, 10 Jun 2017
Petition against freedom camping proposal
By David Loughrey
Residents living beside Rotary Park in Dunedin are the latest up in arms over a council proposal to provide three new freedom camping sites. The residents say the park could be “taken away from the locals”, and become the realm of freedom campers instead of local children. They have also raised concerns about noise from campers parking close to their homes, and potential damage to reservoirs, a pumping station, and telecommunications equipment at the park. In response to opposition to proposed camps at Rotary Park, Puddle Alley, near Invermay on the Taieri, and outside the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club, Mayor Dave Cull yesterday promised to consult the public before the council made any decisions. […] Waverley resident Sharon Weir said a meeting was held on Wednesday night with about 15 residents, and a petition to oppose the proposal had been started.
Read more

****

The only reason “Overcrowding had been a major issue at Warrington and Ocean View, resulting in widespread concern.” is because the Dunedin City Council decided to NOT manage the Warrington Domain. This to take away problems from ‘metropolitan’ areas.

DISGUSTING COUNCIL TREATMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITIES AND THEIR PUBLIC GREEN SPACE.

Warrington residents have had to deal with this:

Wrecked, the state of the domain after the camping season closed:

A Warrington resident worked out that, in the season, Dunedin Ratepayers had been subsidising the roughly 85–100+ freedom campers at the Domain each night at $10 per head.

CONSIDER A BAN ON FREEDOM CAMPING AT DUNEDIN

—

Related Post and Comments:
● 9.6.17 Council says “bag it” —we can help with that
● 30.5.17 The Boil Over : DCC and Freedom Camping, Reserves and Beaches bylaws
● 13.5.17 Condition of Warrington Domain screwed by DCC lack of enforcement #CampingControlBylaw23
● 1.2.17 “Fake news” from DCC boffins & Community Board re freedom camping at Warrington Domain #TheBlight

█ For more, enter the terms *warrington* and *freedom camping* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

thoughts and faces #loosematerial

My father [never a follower of the FedUp Farmers, as he deemed them; always the campaigner for removal of farm subsidies, to enhance production and market competition] had ‘stock’ phrases with which to judge the faces of female adversaries, those with little brain or spine in politics, pretenders. One adept phrase that sticks in my mind is “like a horse eating thistles” —so I look on the following with my tinted lens, and laugh, rurally (ruefully). No one target.

—

On 19 May @StuFleming tweeted: “Spend $200k, revenue projections of $2.4M to others, 10% margin yields say $240k net”
[minus ODT news photo of face]

As ratepayer not involved in tourism or hospo, I’m wondering what to spend my windfall from Trenz on. Travel? Balclutha or Hampden? https://t.co/kau4b3aDSB

— T. Optional (@TomBoyOptional) May 20, 2017

—

Rather bleak. pic.twitter.com/dI41cnqk0u

— Chris (@opetheater) May 20, 2017

—

[DUD ‘money hype’ typically depends on false multipliers, anechoic silences, and arrogant self-belief —this (yes) bleak statement applies across a broad range of proposed deals and associated marketing detritus in the city, especially to events, conferences, sport, hospitality and accommodation, and even the re-use (Not conservation) of truly rare and precious instances of historic heritage] Here’s to all the fricking horses out there, including hypocritical colleagues and friends with blinkers like demo balls prepared to squeeze the last dollar and pass us to Hell. Anyway, back to “the business”…. cargo cult tourism. The wider effects of tourism are like those of dairying. Too many eggs in one basket and everybody (I mean, everybody) ends up doing it badly —killing Our Place for generations. Greed, like endorphins, like a running addiction, binds them up. They think they’re bright, they think they’re enablers (read risk takers/investors centred on their own gains only), they think they’re entrepreneurs, better than others (but because I for one will tell you things you don’t want to hear, you’ll say “I’ll ring you tomorrow”, that silence again) but they’re just funneled, tunneled sheepybaas – doing it wrong. Like cows, deer, Chinese gooseberries (Kiwifruit!), wines, stadiums….. or ‘getting a room’ behind the poorly remembered, heavily made-up, Disney’d facade of our city and nationhood. The worst kind didn’t, or didn’t bother to, ‘grow up’ here. They get desperate, create mess, import other yes men. Ring you like nothing happened, their exploits —not to ask deeply madly who and how you really are.

### ODT Online Sat, 20 May 2017
Trenz prompts high aspirations
By David Loughrey
Next year’s Trenz conference in Dunedin is set to cost ratepayers $200,000, but the long-term pay-off should run well into the millions.
The Dunedin City Council will next week be given an idea of the costs to the city of hosting the conference from May 7 to 10, and also the estimated benefits. The city learned last week it would host the tourism industry event next year, bringing up to 1200 international travel and tourism buyers, media and New Zealand tourism operators to Dunedin. It will be the first time the event, run by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), has come to Dunedin and the first time it has been hosted outside Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch or Queenstown since it began in the 1960s. Trenz is an opportunity for New Zealand tourism operators to sell their product to buyers, effectively overseas travel agents who put together itineraries for overseas tourists. Attracting more than 350 buyers to experience the tourism products on offer here is considered a huge coup. On average, each buyer sends 4000 visitors a year to New Zealand, totalling 1.5 million. It comes as figures show New Zealand’s tourism market is expected to continue to grow strongly, topping $15 billion by 2023. Tourism contributes more than $690 million to Dunedin’s economy every year.
Read more

—

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

— nzherald (@nzherald) May 19, 2017

—

Meanwhile, although we (‘our stock’ NZ) and the UK farm gate look pretty much the same……

‘Herdwick Shepherd’ aka James Rebanks (@herdyshepherd1) farms Herdwick sheep in the English Lake District. Author of bestselling memoir, The Shepherd’s Life:

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

— Herdwick Shepherd (@herdyshepherd1) May 19, 2017

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

— Herdwick Shepherd (@herdyshepherd1) May 19, 2017

### ODT Online Saturday, 20 May 2017
OE to Britain set to get tougher
Prime Minister Bill English says the Conservative Party’s new plans to clamp down on immigration will sting New Zealanders wanting to live in the United Kingdom, including on the traditional OE, but there is little he can do until Brexit is completed. The British party’s election manifesto includes plans to drastically cut net migration from 273,000 to less than 100,000 by targeting students and those on working visas. It proposes cutting the number of skilled migrants to get visas, higher levies on employers who take on migrant workers and tripling the National Health Service immigration health surcharge from £200 to £600 ($NZ380 to $NZ1130) a year for those in the UK on visas of more than six months and 450 for international students. That surcharge increase will also affect those on the traditional OE, although there is no mention of scrapping the two-year youth mobility visa which allows young New Zealanders to get a two-year visa to work and travel in the United Kingdom. Mr English said the changes would affect those on their OE but they would have to grin and bear it until Brexit was completed. NZME.
Read more

—

Super City mayor Phil Goff has a plan for getting money from tourists – it bears some similarity to that of the Mongrel Mob……

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

— nzherald (@nzherald) May 19, 2017

### NZ Herald Thu, 18 May 2017
Winston Aldworth: Seeking the smart money
OPINION What do Phil Goff and the Mongrel Mob have in common? As hundreds of travel industry figures from all around the world gathered in Auckland for last week’s Trenz conference, one of the many topics up for discussion was the Auckland mayor’s enthusiasm for a hotel bed tax on visitors to the city. Meanwhile, up north at Ahipara on Ninety Mile Beach, three German tourists were approached by two local Mongrel Mob members who told them that they were on Maori land, and had to pay koha. They also told the tourists they’d be taking a few of their cigarettes. A tobacco tax, if you will. Perhaps their plan for putting heavy taxes on visitors was inspired by the Super City mayor. Goff’s bed tax is about as blunt an instrument as the Mob’s shakedown. “Look there’s a foreigner! Let’s get a couple of bucks off them.” The airport tax introduced by John Key a year ago is equally clumsy. It’s a travesty that these tariffs are the best we can come up with for making money out of tourism. Yes, other countries put dull levies on visitor arrivals, but that’s no reason to follow suit. We New Zealanders pride ourselves on being innovators, so let’s find innovative ways to get more money out of the tourism sector. Both Goff and Key were ministers in governments that did everything they could to remove tariffs from the dairy trade. Today, the best and brightest marketing wallahs of Goff’s inner circle are putting forward a plan no more sophisticated than one devised by two Mongrel Mob members standing on a Northland beach. I’m not against making money out of tourists — quite the opposite, in fact. I think it’s terrific that our country can be boosted by an industry that encourages us to care for our environment, celebrate the things that make our culture unique and spreads revenue quickly and efficiently to the regions. But how about instead of putting a dumb tax on the visitors, we upsell them? Take their money at the gate for sure, but give them something special in return.
Read more

Enough randomising. More rain and ice falls.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Cumulative DCC rates rise; council boffins continue ruse of ‘found savings’

At Facebook:

****

The council had engaged with the public well, and arrived at a figure under the 3% limit. It was pleasing to keep faith with the community, and keep that promise. –Mayor Cull

### ODT Online Wed, 17 May 2017
2.99% Dunedin rates rise
By David Loughrey
Despite an extra $100,000 of spending approved this week, the Dunedin City Council scraped in under its self-imposed 3% target for rates rises for the next financial year. The council approved a budget that will see ratepayers asked for an extra 2.99% for 2017-18. Annual plan deliberations ended yesterday, after councillors spent a day and a-half discussing spending for the year ahead. The only major changes affecting ratepayers were an extra $100,000 approved for two projects, changes that came after staff found a further $100,000 in savings. […] Mr Cull said some people had reservations about the annual plan process, which featured feedback meetings rather than formal submissions this year, before full submissions are brought back for the long-term plan next year.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Wed, 17 May 2017
DCC approves $1m for artificial turf
By David Loughrey
Dunedin is set to get two artificial turf sports fields at Logan Park late this year or early next, after a proposal set to cost the city $1 million won unanimous approval yesterday. The move has delighted Football South, which had asked for the money to be provided urgently to attract available funding from Fifa. The Dunedin City Council annual plan deliberations meeting supported the proposal despite concerns from Cr Aaron Hawkins there had been no official public submissions this year, and others had been discouraged from suggesting new projects until next year’s long-term plan.
Read more

****

We’re not interested in (thank god) ex Cr Jinty MacTavish’s or the Green Party’s vision (what vision). DCC’s job IS to look after the environment together with infrastructure service provision. No further strategy is needed. Note the contradictions and hypocrisy contained in this item (italics by whatifdunedin):

The council moved the decision to give the strategy $200,000 to continue work towards making Dunedin a zero carbon, healthy environment.

### ODT Online Tue, 16 May 2017
Funding set for strategy
By Margot Taylor
The environment, bus governance and pool admission fees dominated discussions at the first day of Dunedin City Council annual plan hearings yesterday. The absence of public submissions was a notable difference at the hearing. The public had a chance to voice their opinions on the 2017-18 draft annual plan at public forums and drop-in sessions from March 30 to May 1, rather than at annual plan hearings as in previous years. Dunedin’s environment strategy received 26 comments during the consultation. Mayor Dave Cull said the comments provided “a pretty clear response” about funding for the initiative.
Read more

CUMULATIVE RATES INCREASES –
NO FAITH IS KEPT AT ALL EXCEPT THAT MAYOR CULL HAS TO GO

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

TOMMYROT from ‘academic’ local authorities…. #SouthDunedin it’s PUNCH BACK TIME

At Facebook:

More in tomorrow’s newspaper.

****

Chairman of the Otago chapter of the Property Council New Zealand Geoff Thomas says policymakers need to be careful not to damage property development opportunities in South Dunedin.

### ODT Online Wed, 10 May 2017
Policy could hold back South Dunedin
By Margot Taylor
Residential property development in South Dunedin could be “squashed” by the Dunedin City Council’s overly cautious natural hazards policies, the Otago branch president of the Property Council New Zealand warns.
Geoff Thomas said a proposal under the proposed second generation Dunedin city district plan (2GP), to require all residential properties in the area to be movable, could stymie the replacement of housing stock. The proposed policy ignored costs associated with residential development, including land, compliance costs and construction materials. “Making residential housing relocatable doesn’t make sense. I, personally, have sold a 1980s house with aluminium joinery for $1 to be moved.” If approved, the proposal would result in either more substandard houses, or houses that would be “very expensive” to build, he said. The natural hazards policies did not adequately consider current and potential technologies to manage sea-level rise and floods. “I think South Dunedin is full of opportunity. A lot of the housing stock is from a day gone by. It is an opportunity to do something with the area and our concern is we don’t want to end up with a caravan park out there.” Water drainage was a clear issue. A more reasonable approach to protect the economic viability of the area could be taken to address it.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Why would DCC shaft its own company instead of investing in its change and development ?!

ODT 20.4.17 (page 28)

At Facebook:

—

Related Post and Comments:
11.3.17 How Safe Are We/Our Businesses with the Corporate Disaster that’s Aurora, owned by DCC ? #reliability

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

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Waste Management NZ Ltd is Chinese owned

DCC 2017/18 Annual Plan —Call for Submissions by Mon 1 May at 5 pm

Updated post
Fri, 21 Apr 2017 at 3:37pm

The site owner has corrected the post below for Cr Hawkins’ name and apologises to the councillor for the error in judgement and any offence or distress the now deleted form of addresss may have caused. A full apology will be emailed to the councillor later today.

+++++++++++++++

If you’ve stacked all your furniture up and carefully placed your mattress on top where it’s dry, here’s a DCC Sudoku to while away the hours before the FLOOD WATERS (what flood waters) recede from your property. Yarp, study the numbers and statements, the patterns, in the (draft) Annual Plan 2017/18, and go Bonkers.

The rain has become fractionally heavier for a moment due to AUTUMN WEATHER, that’s no reason not to try the DCC Sudoku. Do critique where YOUR MONEY is disappearing to, and slap Daaave’s wrist if you Disagree with the prescribed budget lines. Treat this as a warm-up for the Long Term (Community) Plan. Is your money ACTUALLY being spent on core infrastructure services, or more of the soft-goo and popcorn programmed by Cr Hawkins on behalf of the Labour/Greens vote in September.

—

The DCC summary of the current (draft) Annual Plan says:
“We’re on track. We listened carefully to you when we developed the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) in 2015 and the Annual Plan for 2016/17. We’ve responded to calls to reduce our debt and rates increases and to provide services to high standards.”

Ah well. Rates increases at Dunedin are still far ahead of the national rate of inflation and…. are about to escalate strongly.*

[screenshot – click to enlarge]

*The council-owned Aurora/Delta fiasco is Not Mentioned by your elected mayor and councillors – that’s ONE BILLION DOLLARS WORTH of burnt asset (the totality of Otago’s electricity network) that Dunedin Ratepayers will have to (paying twice!) finance in replacement.

—

[screenshot – click to enlarge]

Active links:

Click here for the Annual Plan summary.

Submissions: Use this online feedback form.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DunedinCityCouncil
Twitter feed (@DnCity Council): http://twitter.com/DnCityCouncil

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

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

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

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

****

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

****

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

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

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

At Facebook:

****

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

—

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

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

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

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

Mosgiel Pool site options, survey twists

At Facebook:

****

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

****

Old footage / older survey:

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

—

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

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

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Richard Healey on Aurora’s asset value —heralds “massive increase in rates”

Just some little things our beloved leader Mayor Cull isn’t talking about urgently with his Councillors and Dunedin ratepayers at large.

M U S T ● R E A D

Excerpts from Richard Healey’s Facebook 14.2.17:

[click to enlarge]

—

Related Posts and Comments:
14.2.17 DCC not Delta #EpicFail : Wall Street falsehoods and a world class debt
11.2.17 Shudder : Aurora Energy programme leader likely delusional…
6.2.17 Delta #EpicPowerFail 9 —The Curious Case of Godfrey Brosnan and…
19.1.17 Jarrod Stewart is EXACTLY RIGHT [what would Steve Thompson know]

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *grady*, *steve thompson*, *richard healey*, *dchl*, *epicpowerfail* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Mayor ignores serious plight of DCC’s FAILED Otago power network in favour of urban cycleways and CBD

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said one factor behind recent delays was the council “definitely screwed up” with the South Dunedin cycleway.

Mr Cull said he understood the NZ Transport Agency was about to start work at the north end of the one-way system. He was looking forward to the NZTA building its planned separated cycle network on the city’s one-way streets. “I’ll be very pleased when they actually get something going, because it has taken too long.”

### ODT Online Sat, 21 Jan 2017
Cycleway work to crank up
….The Dunedin City Council will spend $2.6million of government money on links between the Portsmouth Dr shared cycleway and the city, and State Highway 88 and the Dunedin Railway Station. Those improvements will help link cycleways on West Harbour and the Otago Peninsula. Council spending has been delayed on the peninsula, with $3million spent this financial year instead of an expected $10.3million. […] There were no plans for more cycleways in South Dunedin, other than remedial work on five intersections there, following botched work in 2015.
….The cycleway budget will be discussed at a meeting on Monday to consider the annual plan for the next financial year. […] The strategic cycle network budget would return to the long-term plan next year for community consultation.
Read more

****

In which THE BLOODY CLUELESS (see italics) needs a freaking rocket.

Comments at ODT online (our italics):

Boldor Sat, 21/01/2017 – 7:06am #
My my Mr I’ve got no agendas is back to wanting to spend untold millions of dollars of ratepayers hard earned money on useless cycleways this money would be be better spent on infrastructure and a small but important thing known as the power grid and poles.

AJPemberton Sat, 21/01/2017 – 10:40am #
A quick rebuttal to Boldor : Cycleways are infrastructure and far from useless. It is not untold millions: they mention costs in the article. And it is a small fraction of the total spend on roads. The NZTA won’t be funding Delta to replace power poles either, that money is only for the cycleways. I was unaware Delta’s power grid maintenance was funded by Dunedin ratepayers, when did that happen?

█ For more, enter the terms *cycle*, *cycleway*, *cycling*, *bicycle* or *$47 million* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Local govt and the question of general competence #North

Received.
Mon, 9 Jan 2017 at 10:56 p.m.

Subject: Did you notice……

Message:
Whangarei District Council was reported on TV3 as supporting protesters who have put a road block across four roads and are not letting trucks pass because they are pissed off with the dust from the roads, and want them sealed. Not that we wouldn’t have sympathy with their cause, but how is it right for a Council to support illegal road closures?
These Councils may have been given by law the power of general competence but they sure don’t warrant the confidence of central government in hope that they may become generally competent……

—

Protesters set up four separate road blocks along Pipiwai Road [newshub.co.nz]

### newshub.co.nz 15/12/2016
Northland residents block dusty roads in protest
By Wilhelmina Shrimpton
Frustrations have reached boiling point as locals of a small Northland town fight to have a notoriously dusty logging truck route sealed. Locals have had enough and stepped up protest action by blocking logging trucks from using the gravel roads. “Don’t piss me off, you either do it or you go,” one protester yelled at a truck driver while blocking the road. “What you gonna do bro? What you gonna do? Cause you ain’t going down here today!” Puti Tipene says the dense dust clouds thrown up by the trucks are unhealthy and dangerous. […] Locals say up to 50 trucks drive along unsealed routes every day, and believe the council isn’t doing enough to help. […] Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai says the council wants the roads sealed but doesn’t have the money. “We’ve had money in our budget to do it … if there was a subsidy from our partners the NZTA, that hasn’t happened. Until that happens, we don’t think it’s appropriate for the wider ratepayers to pay 100 percent of that.”
Read more + Video

****

Pipiwai Valley protest [ngapuhi.iwi.nz]

### newshub.co.nz 09/01/2017
Protestors block trucks from dusty Northland road
By Newshub staff
Ten people blocked off a Northland road today in a fight to have the notoriously dusty logging truck route sealed. Protesters set up four separate road blocks around Pipiwai Valley on Monday morning, an area they say is plagued by dust kicked up both water tanks and trucks. They parked vehicles across Pipiwai Rd to deter trucks, but are letting locals through. Police were at the protest, which was kept low key. Protest organiser Alex Wright says truckers may have been tipped off and taken another route. Those truck drivers that did come their way had to reverse back down the gravel road. […] “It’s affecting our way of life… It’s horrific. We can’t handle it anymore and that’s why we’re here today. We’ve tried all avenues.” Ms Wright says they’re their new campaign won’t stop until the road is sealed.
Read more

****

Truck-generated dust at Pipiwai, an ongoing issue for more than 10 years.
Photo: Graham Wright [nzherald.co.nz]

### NZ Herald Online 10:47 AM Mon, Sep 14, 2015
Logging and trucking industries asked to pay $132k
By Alexandra Newlove – Northern Advocate
Logging and trucking industries will be asked to cough up cash to help solve a dusty road problem that has had residents up in arms for more than a decade. Whangarei District Council had allocated $400,000 over the next two years to seal ten 100m strips along the notoriously dusty Wright, McCardle and Pipiwai roads west of Whangarei, though the work was expected to cost $532,000, said WDC roading manager Jeff Devine. “We will be asking the industry if they can make up the [$132,00] shortfall,” he said. The New Zealand Transport Agency declined a $4.5 million funding request from council early this year for a full 9km seal of Wrights Rd and McCardle Rd. Pipiwai Titoki Advocacy for Community Health and Safety Group spokeswoman Alex Wright said she was unconvinced that the strip sealing would make a huge amount of difference. “It’s our 11th year now. We’re heading in the right direction but need to do it properly and completely.” Mr Devine said he agreed that the dust was a health and safety issue. “The big issue is that when they shifted the port from Whangarei to Marsden Point the traffic direction changed. It was never planned when the forests were planted that this would be the [trucking] route.” Council would continue approaching central Government for money to seal the remainder of roads, Mr Devine said.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Hamilton Mayor has it right —DCC has lost ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars

The misuse of public funds at Dunedin is far from being over……

Received Sun, 8 Jan 2017 at 5:21 p.m.

Questions mount over Hamilton City Council’s commercial nous. By comparison, how does Dunedin City Council stack up ?

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 12:03, Jan 6 2017
Business: Property
Hamilton City Council urged to stay away from property ‘gambling’
By Aaron Leaman
….Hamilton Mayor Andrew King said the city council has a poor record when it comes to commercial property deals. And he doesn’t want any more ratepayer money risked on commercial developments. Records obtained under the Official Information Act show the Hamilton City Council has taken a multimillion-dollar hit on a raft of property deals dating back to the mid-1990s. The council incurred heavy losses after selling properties at well below their purchase price.
….In 2017, city councillors will consider restoring the council’s property development company, Hamilton Properties Ltd, after an almost 20-year hiatus. Last term, the council voted to transfer the city’s municipal and domain endowment funds, valued about $52 million, to the council-controlled organisation. The decision can be overturned by the new council. Hamilton Properties Ltd was set up in 1989 and retired in 1998 after developing a host of commercial and community sites, including the BNZ building and Novotel Hamilton Tainui in the central city.
….King said the council should enable developers and investors to risk their money to build Hamilton. “We’ve got $50 million sitting in these funds and I think the proposal to give it to Hamilton Properties Ltd is very, very scary, in my opinion,” King said. “It’s not our job as councillors to risk ratepayers’ money and go into competition against others. The record clearly shows that we are way out of our depth. We’re not specialists in this field and anything council does seems to cost twice as much as what the specialists in the field can do it for.” King’s views, however, are at odds with senior council staff, who have defended the city’s investment nous.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Mosgiel pool site options —muddy water from mainstreet businesses

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

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

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

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

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

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

—

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

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

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

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

—

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

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC on Safety of Aurora/Delta network (remember Stadium Review, Citifleet, South Dunedin flood et al)

THE DEPLORABLE JOKE THAT IS LOCAL BODY GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT AT DUNEDIN
…. wait for the soft audit review by Deloitte [watching paint dry]
…. DON’T meet or respond to the WHISTLEBLOWER in any capacity
…. be on the DEFENSIVE because you’re that Professional
…. DON’T for godsake issue ANY media release to Ratepayers and Residents on HOW TO STAY SAFE given the DANGEROUS and DEGRADED Aurora/Delta network —which can injure or kill.

It is true that whistleblower Richard Healey has contacted the Mayor of Dunedin to offer overview and discussion but the Mayor has NOT responded.

—

### ODT Online Sat, 26 Nov 2016
DCC takes pole risk seriously, CEO says
By Vaughan Elder
The Dunedin City Council has denied being soft on Aurora Energy over the risk to the public caused by rotting poles. The Central Otago District Council (CODC) has been applauded by whistle-blower Richard Healey for asking a series of questions over the danger presented by compromised poles, but he has called on other councils in the region to take a tougher line.
….[DCC chief executive Sue Bidrose] disputed Mr Healey’s suggestion the council was more concerned about its role as owner of Aurora and Delta than health and safety.
Read more

****

The Public absolutely know Delta “is guilty of “spin” and trying to minimise the enormity of the issues it faces over safety and network maintenance”.

### ODT Online Sat, 26 Nov 2016
The questions we asked Delta/Aurora
Aurora Energy and its sister company Delta have had another rough couple of weeks as allegations they have mismanaged Dunedin and Central Otago’s power network continue to mount. The two companies regularly choose not to answer questions posed by the Otago Daily Times. Here are some of those questions, which chief executive Grady Cameron belatedly responded to yesterday.
Read more

ODT —Question 5. What is Delta’s response to the suggestion from two current staff that most people who work in the field support Richard Healey’s stance and think it is a good think (sic) he went public?
Mr Cameron: “The feedback I have received from our people in the field is that they welcome the increased investment being planned for the Aurora Energy network.”

That says it all.
No one on the Aurora/Delta executive or the Boards has -For Years- given a flying toss about YOUR Health and Safety —not while they’ve troughed, not while they’ve supported the DCHL regime to pay DCC unholy dividends.
We know The Guilty, can Name and Vilify Every Last One of Them.

DVL/DVML/DCHL/DCC money pit [cost to Ratepayers +$20M per annum]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: channel39.co.nz – dave cull, bw whatifdunedin | espnscrum.com – stadium build, tweaked by whatifdunedin

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.

—

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.

Delta : Something to ponder……

Received.
Sun, 20 Nov 2016 at 10:44 p.m.

There are questions for the Council to ask Dunedin City Holdings (DCHL).

█ However, the one chosen, namely does DCHL have confidence in Delta, is not one of them.

Council should ask DCHL to explain why Council should have confidence in the board of DCHL, considering:

1) Both Delta and DCHL are expected to report financial budgets competently: recent talk of a need for increased investment required of $39 million suggests this has not happened.

2) Both Delta and DCHL are required to report to the shareholder within 5 days if there are any major issues that should be known, especially media related issues. This has not happened.

3) Delta is apparently intending to borrow $30 million dollars to deal with a public relations issue (the poles are apparently safe). There was no suggestion in any budgets that $30 million would be required for a public relations exercise, despite the CEO of Delta apparently having known for some years that the situation which is now in the spotlight would need to be addressed.

4) Neither of these companies accept that their plans included ignoring safety issues that others have noticed. It appears that Delta still does not accept that there are any safety issues that should have been addressed.

—

It is for DCHL to explain to Council why these financial and safety issues have arisen either without the knowledge of DCHL or with their knowledge which was not passed on.

The starting point must be to sack DCHL and appoint a replacement board unless there are prompt answers to the above which are acceptable both to Council and at this point to the public of Dunedin (and also to other places where Aurora provides services, come to that).

PS. Among the Not acceptable answers:
‘It is important that Council understands that dividends paid from profits are likely to be compromised as a result of the increased replacement programme undertaken by Aurora through Delta.’

[ends]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: linkedin.com – Fall from a height: a case study [poor Grady], tweaked by whatifdunedin

At ODT : DCC (oblivious) sound bites on Delta/Aurora #letters

Updated post
Sat, 19 Nov 2016 at 3:16 a.m.

—

ODT 18.11.16 (page 10)

Douglas Field 18.11.16

N O T E
All the street lights between Green Island and North East Valley went out earlier this evening (Friday). The CBD now has lights back on, no idea about the rest.

?????

[later]
### ODT Online Fri, 18 Nov 2016
Street lights out in Dunedin
By Timothy Brown
Dunedin was plunged into darkness tonight after the city’s streetlights did not turn on. Delta marketing and communications manager Gary Johnson said the lights were scheduled to turn on at 8.52pm, but the automatic activation never occurred. Reports of the issue from around the city started circulating social media about 9.30pm. The lights were switched on manually from 9.50pm and all lights were confirmed on by 10.10pm, Mr Johnson said. “We apologise for any inconvenience and will be carrying out further investigation to pinpoint the reason the switching did not operate automatically as scheduled,” he said. Link

Updated at ODT Online: Street lights fail to turn on

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

COMPLETE Dis-satisfaction with DCC, DCHL, DVML, DVL, Delta….

Fake it til you make it, and hey, don’t lift the marigolds.

Sorry Daaave, looks like a D for your council’s governance. —Actually, for the avoidance of euphemism, make that D- and lower for DIRE Performance, accompanying Drivel, and Diabolical treatment of Residents and Ratepayers in the aftermath of emergency situations.

Listening to Yes People and your dwindling voter base isn’t your best hope to resolve ongoing multimillion-dollar losses being sustained by a couple of the council-owned companies, to the point where the holding company led by chairman Crombie, fronts with a “qualified audit” only on presentation of its annual report(?) to Council.

[In July 2015 Graham Crombie was appointed to the Commerce Commission as an Associate Commissioner for a five year term.]

Damages to employment, liveability and opportunity in a No-growth city keep stacking.

—

“It is also yet another example of good public service jobs being lost from our smaller towns and cities.” –PSA spokeswoman

### ODT Online Thu, 13 Oct 2016
ACC jobs to go in Dunedin
By Vaughan Elder
After consulting with staff since June, the decision had been made to relocate all the roles over the next 12 to 18 months to the larger Christchurch office and have “one centre for consistent customer and rehabilitation services across the Southern region”.
Read more

****

Asked about people who continued to be negative about the city, he said: “Negativity is an attitude, it’s not a fact.”

### ODT Online Thu, 13 Oct 2016
Survey ‘shows Dunedin on right track’
By Vaughan Elder
A survey showing Dunedin residents feel increasingly positive about their city shows the city is on the “right track”, Mayor Dave Cull says. […] the annual survey was not all good news. Last year’s June flood was picked as a reason for increasing dissatisfaction with the city’s stormwater system [down 13 points to 43%]. Satisfaction rates also fell when it came to public toilets, the suitability of the city’s roads for cycling and the availability of parks in the central city.
Read more

[Chief executive Sue Bidrose] said some of the areas where there had been negative results this year and in past surveys correlated to negative media coverage in the Otago Daily Times.

*1577 survey responses from 5400 residents randomly selected from the electoral roll,

The Talking Head (without helmet, unprepared)

█ Dunedin City Council (media release)
Residents’ Opinion Survey released 12 Oct 2016. Link

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: cdn.guardian.ng – marigold, tweaked by whatifdunedin

Stay positive Dunedin #awash

TQoFE 23.9.16

****

Cull climbs into alcohol issue to advance his mayoral election campaign (?) – yet specifically states he won’t campaign on the matter of the new Dunedin hospital and retention of health services for Dunedin’s wellbeing.

Drink to that, Dave! *clink

### ODT Online Sat, 24 Sep 2016
Alcohol policy appealed
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council faces a potentially protracted legal battle as New Zealand’s supermarket giants join forces to fight the city’s local alcohol policy. Progressive Enterprises and Foodstuffs are among eight parties — including the  New Zealand Police — to appeal the DCC’s provisional local alcohol policy. The appeals  mean the council’s policy  remains in limbo and changes to curb alcohol-related harm are stalled, more than a year after the initiatives were signed off by councillors.
Read more

—

Related Post and Comments:
29.4.16 Otago students at Pitt St: No longer drunk possums in trees
7.3.16 Balcony Collapse at Six60 concert, 598 Castle Street, Dunedin
3.11.15 Dunedin: University students into excess alcohol, party drugs… #CRIME
15.7.15 Business owner forcibly removed from Dunedin Central police station
● 11.5.15 Don’t for Chrissakes play down effects of liquor barons #DUD
● 8.5.15 Sunday TVNZ #Dunedin —10 May TV1 at 7:00 pm
● 11.11.14 Dunedin’s draft local alcohol policy (Lap)…
30.4.14 Octagon mud

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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

Whiley, buying the mayoralty with Dunedin Ratepayers’ money ?

Much hoo-haa over a very expensive community pool.
Who pays for it.

Andrew Whiley probably loves former Greater Dunedin candidate Irene Mosley (Taieri Community Facilities Trust aka Pooling Together) who appears to support taking major projects off DCC to project manage privately….
[Carisbrook Stadium Trust tricks].

Or, does the mayoral and council hopeful love – So Much – For Votes – the residential developers carving up Taieri paddocks with bunker-style housing on cul-de-sacs, who might or might not say no to a ‘greater Dunedin’ rates-funded pool complex over their back fence. Dunno.

Would Professional Rugby rather its own pool complex at the Logan Park sport and recreation hub ?? Since Mosgiel is far flung, and all that’s really needed is an upgrade to the township’s existing pool !!

Now, about targeted rates for the Taieri Area population to afford their Expensive Four-Pool Complex.

What Should happen.
Consider very carefully who you rate when voting.

Received today:

█ For more, enter the terms *mosgiel*, *taieri* and *pool* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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

Calvert on DCC, ‘We could have a much more democratic and transparent operation of council’

Leunig Cartoons ‏@leunigcartoons · Aug 21

—

### ODT Online Thu, 8 Sep 2016
Scope for more democracy with checks and balances
By Hilary Calvert
OPINION In the past three years Dunedin City Council has functioned just as central government does, with a government and an opposition. But the problem is that in Dunedin it means central government-style politics without the checks and balances. Because the mayor of the day is allowed to choose the chairs of the council committees, if the mayor anoints those who are similar in their views to him or her, effectively a “government” is formed. Those on the “government” side support each other, forming a version of the “cabinet”, with meetings between themselves alongside senior council staff to discuss the issues of the day. Those who are not part of this grouping are obliged to form a loose “opposition”, because this is the only place where any public challenges and questions are likely to come from.
In Dunedin […] the chairs of committees forming the “cabinet” meet secretly and without any minutes which can be accessed. They may be part of working parties with other groups, which never report back to the council, for example groups meeting with NZTA about cycleways. They may have information either before the rest of the council or outside the rest of council papers, never to be seen by council. […] In Dunedin, the ODT describes what happens in council meetings, talks to the chairs of the meetings, and prints press releases, having clarified the situation with a relevant staff member. There is little chance for any challenge of prevailing views unless a major debate happens during meetings, or unless the issues raised are ones which the ODT chooses to follow up in an in-depth way.
Read more

● Hilary Calvert is a Dunedin City councillor, who is not standing for re-election.

Leunig Cartoons ‏@leunigcartoons · Sep 8

****

B L O W N ● O U T ● O F ● P R O P O R T I O N ● B Y ● C U L L

If, for example, the solutions involved “massive urban renewal or massive pumps” then Government help could be sought.

### ODT Online Fri, 9 Sep 2016
Work on South D issues
By Vaughan Elder
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says it is too early to make a formal approach to the Government for help with the problems facing South Dunedin. Mr Cull made the comments while outlining the council’s response to its vote last month to “immediately engage” the Government over the threat groundwater and sea-level changes pose to the low-lying area. Mr Cull said that in recent weeks he and chief executive Sue Bidrose briefed local MPs on the situation in South Dunedin and in the past he had spoken to ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett about the possibility of “collaboration” between local and central government in addressing South Dunedin’s issues.
Read more

The demise of the stacked cup towers. pic.twitter.com/ptti2qo3yz

— Animal Cognition (@animalcog) March 27, 2016

Animal Cognition @animalcog · Mar 27 [Birdie Cull, the wrecker]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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

Nice day away from the desk

ODT Online Fri, 19 Aug 2016
Errant DCC staff member ‘spoken to’
The Dunedin City Council staff member caught parking illegally in Green Island on Wednesday has been “spoken to”. […] Acting transport group manager Richard Saunders confirmed the car was driven by a member of the council transport team.
Read more

****

DCC employee in café “having coffee and a catch-up with a guy” for about an hour between 2pm and 3pm yesterday.

ODT Online Thu, 18 Aug 2016
Double standard? DCC parking lapse
By David Loughrey
The Dunedin City Council is being accused of double standards after one of its employees was caught parking for an hour on yellow lines, over a fire hydrant and too close to a bus stop. Green Island woman Cody Sheridan sent photos to the Otago Daily Times of the vehicle parked near an area where the council handed out tickets to customers of the cafe in which she worked.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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

*Image: stuff.co.nz – yellow line [tweaked by whatifdunedin]

Election Candidates : DCC, ORC and Community Boards

Updated post
Sat, 13 Aug 2016 at 12:50 a.m.

█ Check out election candidates’ names and profiles here:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

—

### dunedintv.co.nz Tue, 9 Aug 2016 6:52 pm
Nightly Interview: Pam Jordan
Nominations close soon for the local body elections, and it’s a busy time for the officials, especially those at the helm. Dunedin returning officer Pam Jordan, has one of the busiest jobs.
Ch39 Link

Channel 39 Published on Aug 8, 2016

****

Tuesday, 9 August 2016
ODT: Too few standing to fill council roles
Just three and a-half days from the deadline for nominations in October’s local body elections, there are not enough prospective candidates to fill Otago’s councils and community boards. While candidates regularly leave nominations until the last minute, electoral officers across the southern region say for this election the response is particularly slow. Dunedin’s community boards have just 10 nominations for 30 positions, while in the Clutha district there have been only five nominations so far for the 27 positions available. Electoral officers have called on candidates to get cracking and submit their nominations before they close at noon on Friday, 12 August.

****

[older item]

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Only a week to go

This item was published on [FRIDAY] 05 Aug 2016

Candidates wishing to stand for this year’s local authority elections have a week left to put in their nominations.

Nominations close at 12 noon on Friday, 12 August.

The Electoral Officer for the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council, Pam Jordan, says the following numbers of nominations had been received by 10am today [Fri, 5 Aug].

Dunedin City Council (DCC):
● Mayor of Dunedin – 1
● Council – 8
● Community Boards (six vacancies for each of six boards) – 5 in total

Otago Regional Council (ORC):
● Dunedin Constituency (six vacancies) – 0
● Dunstan Constituency (three vacancies) – 4
● Moeraki Constituency (one vacancy) – 1
● Molyneux Constituency (two vacancies) – 1

Anyone wishing to stand as a candidate for the DCC (including their local community board) or the ORC can obtain nomination forms and candidate information at www.dunedin.govt.nz/elections or phone 03 4774000.

Candidates can also get further information from Local Government New Zealand at www.lgnz.co.nz/vote2016/candidates.

The names of candidates are put on the DCC website as nominations are received and processed. Candidate profiles will be published once nominations close. The elections are held by postal vote and voting papers will be sent out from 16 September. These must be mailed back in time to be received by 12 noon on Election Day, Saturday, 8 October.

Contact Electoral Officer on 03 4774000.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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

Truthful Letters : Stadium + DCC #toobadaboutmayoralreply

ODT 27.7.16 (page 12)

[click to enlarge]

—

DEPLORABLE MULTIPLIERS [what more do we need ?]

The god awful millstone stadium is due to have its 5th birthday soon – ODT will be saturated, note bilge leaking into the Op-ed pages, already.

WE ONLY CARE ABOUT . . . .
THE UNMITIGATED UNPRINCIPLED FLOW OF RATEPAYER MONEY AT +$20MILLION PA to subsidise the Stadium, DVML/DVL, Professional Rugby and Grey Hair Events —meanwhile draining council owned company Aurora Energy of development capital sufficient to satisfy the regulator of lines companies, the Commerce Commission.

It is wrong. Criminal. (metaphorically!)

****

### dunedintv.co.nz Wed, 27 Jul 2016
Your word on local body elections
The Dunedin City Council is set to have some fresh blood in its midst with five current councillors confirming they won’t seek re-election. Many of those not standing have cited the large workload and increasing bureaucracy as a job deterrent. With that in mind our Word on the Street team asked the public whether they care about the upcoming local body elections.
Ch39 Link

Channel 39 Published on Jul 26, 2016

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

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