City at a crossroads as election nears
I am a proud Southlander who now resides in the Waikato region but still has a definite connection to my roots in the South.
I always keep in touch with what is happening in my home region, especially during local body election time.
As I see things, Invercargill is at a crossroads as to how it approaches its future direction and presents itself as a viable and desirable destination for travellers while also being a place that is worth calling home.
Like him or hate him, Sir Tim Shadbolt has definitely put Invercargill on the map. He is polarising and controversial, but always keeps the city in the national spotlight and has the region’s best interests at heart. No mean feat in this day and age.
The fact that Invercargill has such a high voter turnout at local body elections is a testament to this as he makes people think about their city and gets them out of their armchairs and heading to the polling booth – not something that happens up north.
Good on you, Invercargill. I love the city even though I am now a reluctant North Islander.
(We still have skin in the game as we own property in Invercargill and we love the place.)
Appreciate what you have and think hard about your future direction before casting your vote. Ken Leatham
Dismal record
I am writing to express my dismay at the Southland District Council’s dismal record under chief executive Steve Ruru, mayor Gary Tong and its present councillors:
■ the Around the Mountain Cycle Trail blowout, which in 2016 was singled out in a damning Deloitte report as staggering local government ineptitude;
■ the Te Anau/Manapo¯ uri sewage debacle;
■ the Colac Bay sea wall to be rebuilt and matted due to engineering incompetence;
■ the change of logo, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars; ■ bridges being closed due to a lack of maintenance; and
■ saying that due to finance a lower tender is preferred, which would mean Southland disAbility Enterprise workers lose their jobs.
So many projects appear to be beyond the routine scope of the district council’s operation, and poor budgeting exposures are becoming a norm.
It is election year and I urge ratepayers to think of SDC’s track record when it comes time to voting. In days gone by councillors represented the ratepayers and not the council.
Kevin Mulqueen
Flippant on bullying
I refer to the article ‘‘Shocking news for older men’’ (Opinion, September 20) by well-known and respected columnist Rosemary McLeod in which she quoted the former national president of Grey Power, Tom O’Connor, as saying ‘‘the role of president is very demanding unless you’ve had some military training’’.
The background to this comment was an allegation of bullying by Barbara Branch, a prominent Wellington member, against the incumbent president Mac Welsh.
This was the basis of a frontpage article in Wellington’s Dominion Post newspaper earlier this week.
As a former national president of Grey Power, I disassociate myself from Mr O’Connor’s remarks which I find to be flippant, demeaning and unhelpful to the current situation where a formal complaint of bullying has been laid.
Having served on Grey Power’s national board for 16 years I can safely say the presidents I served with relied on good manners, a sense of fairness, and basic respect for everyone while in the leadership position.
Grey Power’s role as stated in the constitution is to protect the welfare and wellbeing of the older person and there is no place for bullying of any kind in this great organisation.
Terry King