Winter always delivers some important highlights for the city, like this year’s Mid Winter Carnival held at First Church over two nights in June, the Matariki Drone Show held over the long weekend, and the science festival.
I was fortunate to attend the drone show, alongside more than 10,000 other Dunedinites.The show was organised by the NZ International Science Festival and Dunedin City Council, with help from Kāi Tahu and central government (noting that the recent Budget cut funding for Matariki).
Choreographed by local Kāi Tahu artists Kitty Brown and Kirsten Parkinson, the show enthralled young and old with beautiful taoka pūora performer Alistair Fraser playing over the loud speakers. Well done to everyone who helped get this project off the ground and up into the night sky.
Another Matariki celebration was a performance by the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, which again used taoka pūora and also welcomed back Dunedin opera star Jonathan Lemalu, at the same time the All Blacks narrowly defeated the English down the road at the stadium.
Reflecting over Matariki, I’m reminded of the importance of arts and science to our city, and provision of a warm dry home to return to.
Unfortunately, the current government has cut funding from the Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme, as well as to other initiatives that support community arts and grow the knowledge of science.
The freezing temperatures bring higher priced power bills and a struggles for many to keep warm.
Labour’s Winter Energy Payment is being continued.
Everyone deserves a warm, dry place to call home, and the payments help about onemillion people nationwide, with cheaper heating bills through the colder months.
This equates to around 25,000 Dunedin residents who benefit directly from the scheme.
However, unfortunately the National government didn’t continue funding Labour’s free prescription initiative and many now have to pay to receive the medicines they desperately need. With many bugs circulating throughout winter, this can mean a lot more people struggling to keep well in what is already a difficult time.
People having to choose between medications they’ve been prescribed, because they can’t afford everything, is not a decision anybody should be forced to make.
Research has shown this could increase the number of people admitted to our hospitals, with doctors seeing more people come into A&E after not being able to afford treatments like antibiotics, asthma medication or pain relief.
If you’re struggling with getting assistance from support agencies this winter, please feel free to reach out to my Dunedin office.
