Rethinking Road and Parking Strategies
I spent half an hour today searching for a parking spot. Eventually, I found one on Tennyson St, which is not ideal when my destination was a short visit to a business on George St. This search not only consumed my time but also wasted precious fuel, especially considering the current fuel crisis.
It’s crucial to have a substantial number of parking wardens to strictly enforce parking durations. George St should be reverted to a two-way street along its entire length, and angle parking should be implemented as parallel parking occupies excessive space.
Parking spaces should have a 15-minute limit. The existing vegetation and playground should be removed, and traffic light phasing should be improved. On graduation days, all ceremonies should be held at the stadium to avoid parades through the city. The city center should also restrict large four-wheel drives.
Vivienne Cuff
Calton Hill
Financial Independence Suggested for Community Groups
Many Dunedin ratepayers cannot afford the proposed rate increases. While council staff have reportedly tried to cut future costs, there seems to be little impact on reducing spending.
Why not reassess discretionary spending, such as community grants, which amounted to approximately $1.7 million in 2025? These grants essentially increase rates to fund allocations decided by the council.
While these groups are vital to our community, their funding should not burden the ratepayer. They should seek support from donors, the Otago Community Trust, other trusts, and through their own fundraising initiatives.
R. McKnight
Dunedin
A Lesson from History Ignored
Winston Churchill once said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” In contrast, in March 2026, it seems, “Never in the field of human conflict is so much owed by so few to so many.”
President Trump and his associates have severely damaged the moral fabric of the United States, leaving the nation tarnished by a lack of trust, deceit, lies, fear, tyranny, and blatant hypocrisy.
The adage “Live by the sword, die by the sword” comes to mind. When will humanity learn from its mistakes?
Rev Wayne Healey
Oamaru
Addressing the Fuel Crisis
A recent Saturday editorial (14.3.26) questioned the progress on renewable energy and electric vehicles. Expanding this to assess how we are building resilience against fuel shocks through renewable electrification, the situation is marked by “massive asymmetry.”
An economy based on renewable electrification without additional energy storage is vulnerable to dry year impacts. While current renewable projects focus on power generation, significant new storage solutions are absent, except for a consortium considering pumped storage at Lake Onslow.
Raising Lake Pukaki as a storage solution could be a quicker option. If its recent spill volumes were retained, the water level could rise by 20m, equating to half of Lake Onslow’s proposed storage capacity. However, Pukaki spills are rare, so the Onslow project is still needed for consistent energy storage.
Earl Bardsley
University of Waikato
Criticism of Alcohol Legislation
In support of Mr. Bede Crestani’s remarks (ODT 18.3.26), I found a recent television clip of the deputy prime minister enjoying a large glass of what was presumably one of New Zealand’s finest beers troubling in light of current legislation.
The legislation appears to enhance alcohol accessibility, limit opposition to alcohol license approvals, and aim to increase government excise tax revenue amid our economic struggles. However, it overlooks the toll of alcohol-related road accidents, domestic abuse, healthcare pressures, and other grave consequences.
In what world does the deputy prime minister believe everyone consumes alcohol responsibly, with minimal issues, and that maximizing government revenue from alcohol is beneficial for all?
Roly Scott
Dunedin
Debate Over Iran War
Recent discussions have focused on the legality of the US and Israeli attack on Iran, yet the legality of Iran’s threats toward the US and Israel has been overlooked.
If faced with a death threat, I would report it to the police and expect serious action. Iran has consistently expressed its intent to destroy Israel and the US over the years, raising questions about the international community’s response to these illegal threats.
While some argue there is no evidence of imminent action, I suggest consulting the Iranian people and its diaspora. It is easier for outsiders to pass legal judgments on distant conflicts, yet those directly impacted should have the right to render judgments under international law.
Alan Paterson
North East Valley
No Celebration Amid Middle East Conflict
Amid the current major military conflict in the Middle East, there is nothing to celebrate from either a humanitarian or economic perspective.
The ongoing global economic volatility, uncertainty, and severe inflationary impacts, coupled with a humanitarian crisis, overshadow any strategic or existential reasons for addressing threats from the Iranian regime.
As the war enters its third week, President Trump still seems uncertain about the necessity of military action, sending mixed signals about objectives and outcomes. Hopes for regime change in Iran remain bleak.
Throughout this conflict, the unchecked power of the American president persists, with Congress complicit and the American populace alarmed and confused.
This is President Trump’s war, and there is little evidence that his administration possesses the intellectual or diplomatic capacity to prevent further global damage on an enormous scale.
Bruce Eliott
Arrowtown
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: letters@odt.co.nz
