DUNEDIN MEETING ON NORTH D CYCLEWAY DERAILED BY AUCKLAND PIGEON STATUE FOR 90 MINUTES
DCC hired a consultant to explain a bronze bird nobody in Otago asked for. He billed the trip down.
A Castle Street residents' meeting on the proposed Leith Street cycleway was hijacked on Wednesday night. A Dunedin City Council consultant spent 90 minutes defending a bronze pigeon being installed in Auckland.
The consultant, flown down from a firm in Parnell, ran forty-two slides on the pigeon. Nobody got to ask about the cycleway.
"Mate, I came here about the road," said scarfie flat rep Angus Whitmore, 20, wearing three jerseys and holding a Speight's. "Now I know more about a pigeon in Freemans Bay than I do about my own street. My street's got a pothole you could lose a Corolla in."
Asked twice why Dunedin ratepayers were funding a talk on an Auckland statue, the consultant said the trip had been "bundled". He called the pigeon "emblematic of shared urban values". He billed six hours plus airfare.
A DCC spokesperson confirmed the council had "no involvement" in the pigeon. The consultant was "contracted for the evening regardless", and sending him home early would've cost more. The cycleway was not discussed.
The meeting reconvenes next Thursday. The consultant is, per his invoice, already booked.
Know someone this is about? Send it to them.
Spotted something like this in your area?
Send us a photo and a sentence. We'll write the article.
SUBMIT A YARN →Free. Anonymous if you want. Takes 60 seconds.
Read next
More from Council Chaos →RICHMOND FOOTPATH UPGRADE HALTED BY ONE CAMELLIA THAT WON'T BUDGE
Christchurch City Council confirms works paused pending an arborist, a mediator, and possibly a priest.
BISHOPDALE RATEPAYERS FUND $84,000 REPORT CONCLUDING REPORTS ARE UNDERFUNDED
The report recommends a further report. Christchurch City Council says this is a positive finding.
HALSWELL WOMAN LOCKED OUT OF AUCKLAND COUNCIL PORTAL DESPITE LIVING 800KM AWAY
The portal has rejected fourteen passwords. One was the portal's own suggestion.
WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL HIRES CONSULTANT TO CONSULT ON WHETHER IT NEEDS MORE CONSULTANTS
Bloke I know reckons the fee's got a fee. And that fee's got a mate.
MASTERTON DISTRICT COUNCIL TO DEBATE WHETHER HOT CROSS BUNS REQUIRE RESOURCE CONSENT
One councillor reckons the cross on top might be unpermitted signage.
INVERCARGILL FOOTPATH JOB DOWNS TOOLS OVER SINGLE STROPPY CAMELLIA
Six blokes, two diggers, one shrub. Guess who's winning.
Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
What a bloody waste of time and money. Honestly, no one gives a shit about a pigeon statue in Auckland when our roads are rooted.
Trev_Hornby
Mate, did you even read what they said? It's about shared urban values or some crap like that. What a piss-take.
MumOf3_Dunedin
@Garry (Halswell) completely agree, mate. What's the point of talking about Auckland when Dunedin’s infrastructure is crying out for some attention? Those rates are not going where they should be.
couchgremlin
Lol.
wayne1987
I’ll tell you what's rooted—our Council’s priorities! We can't get a pothole filled, but we can fly in a consultant for a pigeon no one wants.
markymark97
That's not even real bronze, bet you it's some knock-off metal. Council loves to overspend on crap!
Sandra L.
Back in my day, we had real meetings where people discussed local issues, not nonsense from up north. Poor Angus with his Speight's is right—focus on the roads!
Heather. from Mosgiel
Aucklanders think their pigeons are gold plated apparently. Ridiculous what councils choose to spend on these days.