Does South Dunedin really need a library?

I AM at a loss to understand why our council is so actively pushing to build a new library/community centre in South Dunedin.

The mother library is only about 4km away. I cannot find any other centre that has the extravagance of two libraries this close.

Also, given that travel between the two is covered by good public transport, and many residents of South Dunedin would have free travel with their Gold Card, I cannot see how this can be justified or viable.

If this library is a necessity, why not have one for the north end of town, too, or for that matter why are the hill suburbs not getting one as well?

As for the community centre, which is a touchyfeely place for people to sit , mainly on bad weather days, to be in the warm, and have access to free newspapers, jigsaws, internet and so forth, one wonders if there will be showers included.

Given the state of the world at present and the forecast rates increase of nearly 10%, it doesn’t stack up that this new building takes off.

The council is better off doing basic works, and not chasing the ‘‘look good’’ jobs which will no doubt have a plaque on the wall with our mayor’s name on it.

South Dunedin is no more in need of such a facility than many other suburbs.

J. Pearce Andersons Bay

Gull slaughter

THE cowardly, heartless and deliberate act of running over defenceless gulls (ODT, 8.2.21) shows a dark and arrogant side of Aotearoa

New Zealand psyche.

This is another in a string of recent similar acts of cruelty from Kaikoura, Ashburton, Ashley riverbed and Waimakiriri and no doubt elsewhere.

The mindset that gulls are scavengers and pests is ironic.

Human activities now are the biggest threat to all species on this planet facing extinction and trying to survive.

These human pests/predators need to be brought to justice, and learn how much effort goes into treatment and protection of wildlife.

I suggest more education in schools on understanding the value of biodiversity and some hard work volunteering for Doc without a car or quad bike or motorbike.

Claire Coveney

Christchurch

Aotearoa

THE ODT featured a fullpage article titled ‘‘Clean Aotearoa CO2 optimism’’ (3.2.21). The content of the article mentioned Aotearoa just once and New Zealand eight times.

I am pretty certain that outside of New Zealand, the name Aotearoa is meaningless, so why do we persist with it, especially when some people confuse things further by calling it Aotearoa/New Zealand?

Who is pushing us to accept this name without, as far as I can see, any evidence that there is a majority support for a change of name? And what are their motives?

Can we have a referendum so the matter can be resolved democratically? I doubt if that will happen because the demand is probably not there.

Dennis Dorney

Calton Hill

Dunedin rates

FURTHER to my letter to the editor regarding rate increases by the Dunedin City Council (Letters, 8.12.21), I would like to vent my frustration at the unsympathetic attitude of the DCC toward fixedincome families and superannuitants.

I’ve done the sums. If these unpopular rate increases are passed by council, a ratepayer with rates of, say, $3000 per year, would at year five pay $4109, and at year 10 $5416.

I wonder if these people are from another planet.

If they have the residents of Dunedin at heart, they should in all good faith lower the rates and delay unnecessary projects until the balance sheets display black.

I’m quite sure, with this action, their position in council would be secure for years to come.

Robert Porter

Roxburgh