Record response begs a reasonable question
David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill has drawn a record response with circa 470,000 submissions from the New Zealand public.
Clearly this reflects a massive public interest in the Bill and the meaning of the nation’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi. If nothing else, the Bill has triggered widespread interest, both public and political, as to what are the defining principles of the Treaty.
Based on this enormous interest it is a reasonable question as to why the highest court in the land, Parliament, is simply going to discard the Bill after the first reading.
The uncomfortable conclusion could be that government is missing an historic opportunity to tackle the highly polarising, multi-layered and complex task of defining the principles solely on the grounds of a lack of political will and courage.
The Treaty of Waitangi will remain an enigma lacking in clear consensual definition and the Waitangi Tribunal and the courts will continue to be given a free hand to simply soldier on with past rulings, interpretations and judgements as their only guide.
Apologies to Mr Seymour but this government, and likely all successive governments, will have much more urgent and important matters to attend to. In the real world political pragmatism and expediency will always win over ideology.
Bruce Eliott
Arrowtown
A university joke
Like Russell Garbutt (Opinion ODT 7.1.25) I don’t know how many victims of border imperialism might be knocking at the doors of Waikato University (perhaps a course in transformative epistemology or dialectics — both valid scientific fields of enquiry — might offer some insights).
However, when an Icelander, a Hawaiian and an Irishman walked into a Hamilton bar, the bartender said “You’re a long way from home, what brings you here?”.
The Icelander said “Don’t you know, ‘the international working man has no home’; I’m here to work.”
“Me too” said the Hawaiian. “The land of my birth is run by rich foreigners for rich foreigners; didn’t they teach you anything in school?”
The bartender replied, “Well, I did learn that ‘the history of all hitherto existing society is a history of class struggles’.”
He turned to the Irishman. “And you Paddy, why are you here?” “I’m here for a drink,” quipped the Irishman. “What university did you go to?”
Susan Hall
Oamaru
Grudging praise
I wish to take a moment to offer kudos to the council for the introduction of the tri-bin recycling system we now have, an unusual occurrence for me as I am usually found having a quiet moan about the loose-handed way they have in spending our money. I certainly don’t think it will stop us humans destroying this beautiful place we inhabit but credit is due in getting us “round-to-it” people into helping more to prolong the planet’s life cycle a little longer.
Colin Campbell
Dunedin
Make no mistake
The Dunedin hospital downgrade is a purely political decision. The government issues its own currency, it is not tied to a gold standard, and, unlike a household, it can create as much currency as it chooses, being mindful only of inflation.
Our government can spend as much as it needs to provide a decent, modern hospital, essentially without restraint. It chooses not to for political not economic reasons. You may well ponder what those are.
Dick Martin
Waikouaiti
The struggle is real: the quest for a decent pint
Well done to Ross Alexander (Letters ODT 15.1.25) for raising the issue about beer and what constitutes a “pint”. As an enthusiastic beer drinker myself I concur, but it is not the biggest issue facing beer drinkers in this fair city.
Why has it become commonplace to charge $15 for a “pint” in most pubs/bars in Dunedin?
No doubt the businesses justify it on the basis of the cost of living crisis, overheads and the need to make a dollar.
They are the first to moan about the struggling hospitality industry, but they need to take a long hard look at themselves.
Alas these pubs are cutting their own throats by charging so much for the staples — e.g. a bowl of chips now costs $12-$15, and it is rare to be able to get a decent pub meal for under $25
So beer drinkers and chip eaters of Dunedin unite. Vote with your feet and shun these overpriced establishments; head for those that charge reasonable prices (e.g. $10 a pint and $8 for a bowl of chips).
They do exist and half the fun is finding them — particularly if you go “up country” where the beers and food tend to be better and cheaper than their urban counterparts.
Chris George
Kaikorai
New scheme not solution to old issues
Regarding co-operation between the Christchurch stadium and our own, I cannot see how anything could be changed as the outcome of this new initiative; the reason being, that all this rhetoric and veneer of mutual goodwill, despite the best intentions of our mayor and other promoters, really changes nothing.
Visiting acts of any consequence fly in for fleeting visits on very tight schedules due to obligations world-wide. Although some might give the South Island a miss altogether, those prepared to pay us a visit have everything to gain, and nothing to lose by staging two or three performances in Christchurch for the costs of one setting-up of all the gear, against a sharing with the Forsyth-Barr Stadium at the cost of transporting by road, there and back.
After all, like every other commercial activity, it’s the dollars and cents of the bottom line which will prevail. Christchurch has the whip hand.
Secondly, the refusal of Ed Sheeran to return to Dunedin’s stadium on the basis of its abominable acoustics has likely caused an embargo by others.
These are the two most relevant disincentives against any visiting show coming further south than Christchurch, plus limitations on what aircraft would be able to fly into Momona. Very much the same would apply to other events which were floated as possibilities, in much the same vein as the present initiative — I clearly recall international equestrian events, Davis Cup tennis, international swimming events, and a military tattoo to outdo Edinburgh.
But look on the bright side. It will be a win-win situation all the way for the promoters, because even by shelling out for an air fare from and to Momona of our own, we will have saved them the costs of transport of their gear south, for a one-night stand but still with, for them, all the same benefits.
Let’s face it, they’ve got us by the nuts, no matter how much of a smiley face we put upon the situation.
Ian Smith
Waverley
[Abridged: length. Editor.]
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz