Participation in local government, particularly in elections should be looked upon as one of our great shames. With only 42% of eligible New Zealand voters bothering to cast a ballot in Council elections, we only have ourselves to blame when decisions are made that we may not approve of or support. Just why we are so apathetic when it comes to voting for the people who raise our rates, dog registrations and pool fees is as mysterious as the Bermuda…
With the Christmas holiday period fast approaching, we tend to get drawn into the whirlpool of planning family gatherings, school break ups, shopping and overloading our fridges beyond their intended capacity. Worrying whether we should have ham or chicken and will grandma be all right sleeping on a camp stretcher in the spare room removes us from some of the real issues around this period. The holiday season can be a difficult time for some families and individuals. Financial, familial…
The debate between the Otago Peninsula community and the Otago Regional Council over the provision of bus services for school commuters has been a long and arduous one. Recently, local parent Jason Graham and I presented a petition of nearly 1000 signatures seeking three very simple things; A timetable change An additional bus to create a half hourly service like the rest of the city A minor route change that caters for all users. Over the course of the bus…