Aurora is just doing what it always does
IT is not at all surprising to learn that Aurora Energy tried to use the back door to the Commerce Commission to convince it to push through unwarranted and unjustifiable increases in line charges (ODT,
12.1.21).
After all, this is Aurora’s way of doing things. It is also its way of doing things in being outraged at the widespread public anger — particularly in Central Otago — at the proposal to charge those users far more than the rest of its network for the same service.
This is wonderfully captured by your cartoon in the same issue of the ODT. The cynical approach by Aurora to shield shareholders from increased line charges is appalling, as are the personal attacks on past employees whose bravery and selfsacrifice in exposing technical shortfalls on the network led to much personal cost.
What is, however, most galling, is the constant excuse of ‘‘past underinvestment’’ in the network which has led to the shocking reliability record of Aurora.
It is not past underinvestment at all. The subscribers kept on having to pay line charges over this past decade and more.
The truth is that this guaranteed income went elsewhere — direct dividends to the Dunedin City Council via Dunedin City Holdings Limited, subvention payments, ridiculous property speculation, grossly overpaid senior staff or plain inability to stick to the knitting. That happened by conscious decisions and directly led to the lack of maintenance.
Please don’t buy into this Aurora corporate doubletalk of ‘‘underinvestment’’. We in Central Otago have another name for it. Russell Garbutt
Clyde
McMillan obituary
I HAVE just learned of the death of journalist Neale McMillan last October and hope I can express a few thoughts about this remarkable man.
I note Neale’s obituary (ODT, 12.12.20) mentions that he regarded himself as ‘‘a simple seeker of truth’’, which recalls meeting him in the 1980s when a group of us were driving around the Beaumont area trying to figure out how to stop the proposed hydro dam which would have flooded homes, farms — and the Beaumont pub.
I made a comment about the involvement of stirrers like ourselves, to which Neale replied, in words I have never forgotten: ‘‘We are not stirrers; we are seeking the truth’’.
What a wonderful career in journalism Neale had doing exactly that, and in such a gentlemanly way. His subsequent interest in my small efforts regarding social issues was always a great encouragement and remains so even after he has left us.
His statement, ‘‘We are not stirrers; we are seeking the truth’’, should be an inspiration to all who care deeply about social issues and the wellbeing of all New Zealanders.
Thank you, Neale, for your wisdom and compassion.
David Tranter
Tasmania
Thank you
A VERY big thank you to the ladies and the police that helped me after I had had a fall opposite the little cafe in Great King St last Wednesday. After a few hours in A&E and some stitches, I was able to go home.
Your help was really appreciated Heather Turner
Mosgiel