Time to make most of Dunedin’s land resources

YESTERDAY, I was looking at housing and section availability for a colleague at work.

Dunedin does not have enough sections for sale. Families coming to Dunedin are faced with expensive rents, often over $500 for a family home, and building is restricted by the lack of land being freed up by the council for housing.

Young professional families do not want apartments or student digs — they want a home.

I was recently told by one agent that they could easily sell 200 new homes, or sections, if they were available. The demand is there for wellpriced, quality homes. The lack of land in turn fuels the high cost of housing, as the two are closely linked.

Dunedin, by area, is one of the largest cities in New Zealand, so there is no real excuse.

Also linked to housing is the need to maintain comparative cost versus other cities.

To be simple, if it is cheaper to live and grow new businesses in Dunedin then the city will be more attractive to new startups and existing investors, as well as those with the skills needed to drive the local economy.

The council, in return, has more ratepayers. A winwin, really.

B. Smith Waikouaiti

Euthanasia

RESPONDING to Colin Campbell (Letters, 13.11.20) — in order to be eligible for assisted dying in New

Zealand, you must be diagnosed with six or less months to live and in unacceptable pain unresponsive to palliation.

Mark JarmanHowe, director of Britain’s largest hospice, admits they are unable to assist 6% of their patients, who experience severe pain at the end of their lives. Australian hospice report similar findings. Are we to suppose the situation is any different here?

So, what is it that disturbs Colin Campbell? The idea that when in these dire circumstances we could choose a peaceful and stress free death?

Would he be happier if we were obliged to suffer on to the bitter end? Do his personal beliefs attach some value to suffering?

Patricia Butler

Nelson