Convey within the Dutch to type South Dunedin out
One more headline at this time (25.6.26) tells us the entire full incapability of the Dunedin Metropolis Council and employees to resolve the issue of flooding in South Dunedin.
As a Dunedin ratepayer, I discover it offensive to continually learn of this steady waste of our time and assets when the reply is blindingly apparent.
The Netherlands is a rustic the place most reside at sea stage, but they seem to haven’t any points of their administration of low-lying flood-prone land.
Please DCC, fly out a few extremely skilled engineers from the Netherlands, properly versed in water administration, to Dunedin.
Their temporary could be to write down a report on the best choice/s accessible to resolve the South Dunedin drawback.
Ratepayers aren’t within the opinions of councillors and employees who’ve by no means managed, not to mention resolved this long-standing subject of South Dunedin
Will this suggestion be thought of by the DCC? No, after all not.
Gerrard Eckhoff
Alexandra
Low-lying
Councillor Mayhem asserted at Thursday’s council assembly that South Dunedin contained many homes which are located beneath sea stage. That is false. None of Dunedin, not even the flat, is beneath sea-level.
Rosemary McQueen
Dunedin
Pipes and pumps
The DCC assembly (25.6.26) spent a lot time speaking about South Dunedin flooding. A number of audio system, together with councillors, described the 2024 flood rain occasion as heavy.
It wasn’t. It was solely average rain, at 8mm/h. Even the 2015 rain depth that precipitated flooding wasn’t heavy. Heavy rain is double, 16mm/h, and a stormwater system is supposed to deal with that, in accordance with NZ Requirements.
As soon as that maths is known, then it’s clear that these floods aren’t brought on by local weather change. Two essential elements why South Dunedin now floods simply are that an excessive amount of of its floor is tough so rain can’t soak in, and the pure drain of water to the higher harbour has been blocked.
South Dunedin merely wants extra pipes and pumps, now, to forestall flooding earlier than the following average rain occasion.
Dr Louisa Baillie
Dunedin
The primary 100 days
Ingrid Leary’s wonderful synopsis of the long-term adaptation plan for South Dunedin (Opinion ODT 24.6.26) makes an important remark in being trustworthy with South Dunedin residents in regards to the price ticket of any choice.
She criticises the federal government and PM for cancelling a proposal to Treasury’s Nationwide Resilience Plan searching for $132.6 million for implementing adaptation measures in South Dunedin.
If this can be a gross failure of the current authorities then I might anticipate Ingrid needs to be lobbying her senior politicians to provide you with an election promise of at the least $132.5m for South Dunedin inside a 100 days if Labour is a part of the following authorities.
Alan Paterson
North East Valley
Have a hmmm
M Smith (Letters 25.6.26) must ponder a second and suppose a second about his ill-conceived feedback relating to the Oval homeless within the ODT. Simply wander down and speak to them your self after which ask them why they’re nonetheless parked there. Their reply would possibly embarrass you and serve you proper.
Dave Edwards
Mosgiel
On the street once more because of town council
Re a parking fiasco costing Dunedin Metropolis Council $100,000 (ODT 24.6.26).
It didn’t even value the council one cent. Simply one other illogical dumb choice by council employees that value the ratepayers — and all for no acquire.
Additional on, in the identical paper, the Invercargill Metropolis Council has paid $29,274 for MoleMap pores and skin checks for 149 of its employees. Mayor Campbell and chief govt Michael Day cannot see what individuals are complaining about.
Incidents of employees abuse have elevated. No marvel there are numerous offended folks when ratepayers’ cash is being spent on non-essential, non-core council enterprise.
Time to purchase a home truck and solely have to fret about paying Highway Consumer and COF expenses as a substitute of charges, which are wasted by incompetent councillors and employees.
Neville McLay
Opoho
Suspending journey
Precisely Ray MacLeod (1.6.26). Dunedin has identified issues in its storm-water disposal techniques. These are engineering issues to which there are engineering options. Please DCC, apply them now and postpone the wonderland journey.
Graeme Chesney
Kakanui
Med Council strikes fear
The editorial (22.6.26) noting the Well being Minister’s choice to not re-appoint two members of the Medical Council, and the minister’s subsequent Nursing Council interference needs to be of curiosity to all registered well being professionals ruled by the Well being Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act.
A key driver behind the adjustments goals to align the HPCA Act to allow authorities coverage to override skilled peer critique of competence to observe, changing skilled information with lay information.
Crucially, the federal government proposes to put in an oversight committee that has the facility to override regulatory authority suggestions.
In observe which means that non-qualified people can resolve whether or not a well being skilled is competent to carry out and in addition override selections on stage of qualification to register.
Primarily authorities ideology is legislating to erode the protections that govern safer healthcare observe.
Quickly, we will probably be decreasing our competence to the bottom frequent denominator to make the workforce figures look higher for the federal government. Targets drive this ideology.
I encourage taking a second to face again and critique what the longer term is inside a well being system that has authorities overreach and lowered accountability to the general public well being outcomes.
No well being skilled is immune from being judged and this in itself is nice.
Sufferers belief the system to be as protected as it may be and the employees to have the ability to carry out competently.
Reducing the bar may have penalties, for sufferers and practitioners alike.
I’m eager that we use our skilled voice to push again in opposition to erosion {of professional} oversight.
We as a major workforce (near 90,000) shouldn’t be pushed into accepting a mediocre unsafe system the place affected person hurt occasions improve simply to make authorities targets or coverage look higher.
Dr Teresa Bradfield, RN
Pukerangi
[Abridged — length.]
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