'I don't want bananas on my next Otago hoodie'

And: 'I hope your chickens all die'

Someone a lot wiser than myself once told me the electorate is not the Twitter bubble you are part of, or the conservation you have over brunch at your local cafe, or with other parents at a sporting event.

No. The electorate is the seething mass on your local community Facebook page, and they are angry. Fucking angry.

They are angry over food prices, they are (still) angry over lockdowns, they are angry with council, they are angry over broken political promises, they are angry with the media (sorry!).

I get it. Times are tough. People hate uncertainty and particularly hate the shrinking purchasing power of their money.

Last week our rates increased, this week our insurance went up and when I filled my car up and it hit $140 for a tank of gas for the first time.

Now, I’m angry.

That anger is evident in emails I got released under the Official Information Act, after the University of Otago confirmed its branding changes.

You can read about those changes here.

But the key points are:

• The University of Otago is retaining its name

• It has adopted a new Māori name and symbol

• The traditional coat of arms would also be retained, while a newly created stylised version of the Coat of Arms would also be used

• The changes would take effect from May 2024

• The rebranding decision cost a total of $1.3 million

• It comes as the tertiary institution faces a financial shortfall of $60m and faces cutting hundreds of staff.

So anyway, I got a large documents dump of emails - some 379 pages, which involved emails sent to senior management, including the Vice-Chancellor, Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor External Engagement, Director of Communications and Director, Development and Alumni Relations.

Most of the emails received were replying to a mass email sent by Chancellor Stephen Higgs.

That July 11 email, which I also got as an alumni of Otago, began like this:

This afternoon, the Council decided to substantially change the brand of the University of Otago for the first time in 154 years. 

Following the largest stakeholder consultation we have ever undertaken, which showed the strong support of the wider University community, we will make changes which will take effect in May next year.

Sixteen minutes after that email was sent, Higgs received a reply in his inbox stating, “brilliant”.

But other emails were not so supportive. That included one who asked to have their (redacted: like all the released emails) name withdrawn from the alumni email list, adding: “Any future donations I may have made will be directed elsewhere”.

Another emailer accused the tertiary institution of “playing into the current woke agendas which seem to be plaguing universities at the present time”.

That emailer also reiterated that they would no longer donate to the university.

Another wrote that “this is absolutely disgusting”, noting it came at a time of staff redundancies.

“Shame on you all,” the emailer added.

Most of the supportive emails were smaller in nature, saying the likes of “kia kaha”, or simply “thank you”.

“It’s about time,” said one.

But many were unconvinced, noting: “We have a massive debt to deal with”.

Another wrote, “Sad and shocked you have done so”.

One congratulated the Chancellor on the announcement before adding, “You best make some more staff redundant so this can be paid for”.

Another wrote: “what a waste of money when you are losing staff and departments”.

“So much PC crap today,” said another.

“It is a disgrace,” added one emailer. “You have diluted the prestige of Otago”.

“Change it back,” one person added.

This is perhaps the funniest feedback I read among the hundreds of pages of released emails, and concerns the look of the new logo:

One supporter of the change said that people would look back in the future and wonder what all the fuss was about.

But another believed the university would ‘backtrack’ in a few decades, as it was “very out of touch”.

Another questioned whether the university did indeed have strong support for change, adding “Really?” and “hahahaha” to their email to remove any doubt.

One emailer called for the entire university council to resign.

Another said the rebranding would come at the expense of jobs, and the decision was “So heartless especially in this financial climate”.

Very few commented on the design of a logo, but one noted it looked like two bananas sharing a hat.

“It is corporate and lacks uniqueness.”

That same emailer questioned the timing of the rebranding, suggesting it would have made more sense until after the restructuring:

Another email urged management to “wake up”.

A former medical graduate asked that their name be removed from the alumni list and “I will surrender my graduation certificate if you want”.

Another was even more blunt:

Another email simply read: “Is it April 1”.

And then there is this one:

Another added (I’ve cut the bits about DNA and other claims) that “The cowardice of hierarchies in not taking a stand against highly egotistical, stroppy minorities is very much damaging this country”.

Another accused Otago of being gagged with Government money to accept the changes, likening it to the media being gagged with the Public Interest Journalism Fund (you got me).

One emailer said the money would have been better going towards scholarships for Māori.

Another simply wrote: “you’re crazy”.

Then there is this one:

Many emailers disagreed with the support concerning the changes

Another wrote that the European architecture at the Dunedin campus “will be next to go”.

“My Scottish ancestors will be turning in their graves,” one email said.

So there you have it. Do you think this is how the majority of people feel, or it just a case of those angry people being compelled enough to email letters voicing their frustrations?

I suspect it is the latter. Perhaps the biggest judge of this will be time, and if donations $$$ drop.

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Just a quick note to say I had messaged Michael Woodhouse on Tuesday to see if he would do an interview, but the ODT got in first. That’s fine.

I told him I’d interview him at a later date, and I was looking forward to reading the interview.

He later walked back some of those comments when he appeared on Newstalk ZB:

“In an interview with the Otago Daily Times, he said he’d been pushed down the list after losing “a contest between diversity and experience”.

In later interviews, Woodhouse denied he said he’d been demoted due to being a man, specifically. But he did say he thought the National Party’s pursuit of a more diverse caucus, alongside his own popularity issues in caucus, had cost him.”

It looks like the ODT didn’t change anything about their story, despite Woodhouse’s claims, and probably have a recording of that interview.

I’m still free, Mike!

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No doubt you have seen the artist impression of the inpatient building of the Dunedin Hospital, which is scheduled to open in *checks diary* 2029.

A few people asked me about the skybridge featured in the design, with Te Whatu Ora Southern confirming there were originally two link bridges between the inpatient and outpatient Buildings.

One was removed as part of the “value management process” (you and I call these ‘cuts’) in December 2022 and the other has remained.

There you go.

Nice to see the extended Clutha Gold Cycling and Walking Trail is opening soon, which adds 63km of trail between Lawrence and Waihola.

The trail includes 15km of boardwalks through the wetlands on the edge of Lake Waihola.

Friday will be a big day for the Clutha District, which will also celebrate the opening of the $23 million Te Pou Ō Mata-Au, its War Memorial and Community Centre.

It is billed as a state-of-the-art community, business and visitor complex, which includes a 468+ person auditorium, movie theatre, the Clutha iSite, social/health agencies, multiple meeting rooms, community spaces, co-working desks, and event and leased tenancy spaces.

Balclutha has certainly undergone a major facelift in recent years.

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ICYMI, I had wrote a few stories of interest over the last few days. One of my favourites was spending time at (quite possibly) the last ever counter protest by Sam Sharpe outside Dunedin Hospital on Friday.

I love how a supporter gave him this cup. You can read the story here.

I would not be surprised to see those same abortion protesters outside on Friday afternoon. I will keep an ear out.

As I said last week, I was working on a story about what you can buy in prison. You can read that here:

In response to the cost of living crisis, Corrections told me they have reduced some of the margins, to counter a recent increase from its supplier.

It is worth noting that those in prison – of which there are more than 8000 people around the country (roughly the equivalent of the population of Gore) – are provided with three daily meals and supper, clothing, and personal hygiene items including shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

I had a great time watching the King Loser documentary, as did hundreds of others at the stunning Regent Theatre.

I’ve had King Loser earworms all week, and I just hope their albums get reissued or I somehow get a CD player.

Another entertaining local watch is this Frank Film doco on Cr Mandy Mayhem, please do see it. It is great.

You might have seen that the inaugural WXV Women’s rugby tournament is being hosted in New Zealand, with the Black Ferns set to play in Dunedin in October.

I had a look at ticket prices, you can pick some up from $10. No excuses.

I’m not really a gin guy, but I know it is a very popular drink for those people classier than myself.

Sandymount Distillery, owned by Richard Wilson, was the first NZ distillery to be accredited as carbon neutral. 

Last week the distillery won ‘Best in Class’ at the 2023 Juniper Awards for the second year in a row for ‘Third chapter - Old Tom’.

I’ll drink to that, just not gin.

If you know where this is, please respond in the comments.

Nice local track here (catch the below video) by [Allophones]. The three-piece are doing a nationwide tour next month including these local shows:

• Saturday 16 at Dive

• Sunday 17 at Yours (all-ages matinee 3:30pm)

For fans of hip hop, today marks the re-issues of one of my favourite NZ albums, Home Brew: