OUSA to look again at being student flats landlord

AFTER years of ‘‘barking on the sidelines’’ about cold flats and substandard living conditions, the Otago University Students’ Association has been given the green light by students to invest in flats itself.

The association held its twiceyearly referendum this month, and students agreed by a majority of 68% the association should set up a subsidiary company to invest in flats in North Dunedin.

Administrative vicepresident Cam Meads said a student had suggested the referendum question and the OUSA had a lot of background work to do on the idea.

The association was ‘‘morally obliged’’ to consider the proposal, but because it related to financial matters it was not binding, Mr Meads said.

If investment in flats went ahead, he thought it would start on a small scale.

Money could potentially come from the association’s reserves, which exceeded $6 million at the end of last year.

The association would be obliged to set an example for other landlords due to its advocacy role for students, Mr Meads said.

‘‘I guess we’d have to set the standard. We’ve been barking on the sidelines for so long.’’

About 14% of the student body — 2816 people — voted in the referendum.

Mr Meads said he understood the association’s finance officer wanted to invest in flats a couple of years ago but it had fallen over ‘‘at the last hurdle’’, so the first step would be understanding why that happened.

Otago Property Investors Association president Cliff Seque said the rental market in North Dunedin was looking strong this year.

Competition to secure the best flats and the extra $50 students were receiving from the Government were encouraging people to sign up early for student flats for 2019.

Students also voted in the OUSA referendum to expand the infamous annual Hyde St Party, which has a limit of 3600 people.

The issue was close, with 51% of students voting to expand it and 49% opposed.

Other ideas backed by students included the oncampus marae proposed by Te Roopu Maori, lobbying the university for better pay for residential assistants living in colleges, and having a composting facility on campus.

Maori Development Office director Tuari Potiki said earlier this month he was ‘‘fully supportive’’ of Te Roopu Maori’s push for a marae on campus.

‘‘From a university perspective, we will be guided by local runanga through the University’s Treaty of Waitangi Committee as to whether the current policy would change,’’ he said.

Among the other ideas backed by students were whether the association should support the university providing recordings for its lectures, whether the OUSA should continue its free breakfast and whether it should lobby the university to fund flu vaccinations.