The Dunedin man who travels the world to race online
And why he is not covered in 'Dorito dust'
Yesterday I broke the news about Cr Lee Vandervis taking his case over the $12 parking ticket to the Supreme Court.
You can read that here.
Unsurprisingly Cr Vandervis did not reply to a request for comment. But just before this newsletter went out, he sent the following. Here it is in full:
My concern is the reputational harm done by Dunedin City Council staff with the unprecedented misuse of the Councillor Code of Conduct process which was leaked smearing the likely candidate for the 2019 Council Mayoral election. I actually went into the Council to advise of faulty meter signage that needed to be corrected and not to try and talk my way out of a parking ticket.
I had overpaid for parked time and the $12 was never demanded of me.
This misuse of the Code of Conduct process included: the unprecedented use of the Code by a staff member to be able to make a Code of Conduct complaint, withholding vital evidence [the video of alleged intimidation], withholding the actual complaint, and withholding witness statements which was totally unfair as I did not know much of what was complained about against me. This High court decision effectively prevents any Councillor from being able to complain in-house about any Council staff member for fear of anonymous Code of Conduct retaliation by a staff member.
I am concerned at the amount of money Council have spent on this matter, but I had to act to protect my reputation and the Council could have agreed at any time to undergo a fair process including providing me with the complaint that would have allowed me to properly defend myself.
While the Council have legally won in the High Court, the position taken is morally indefensible because the Council knows I was not given full details of the complaint or a proper opportunity to respond to the complaint before the investigators’ report was provided to Council.
I also got an updated reply from the Dunedin City Council, which had been awarded costs from the High Court and Court of Appeal.
“We have calculated the costs using the court’s formula. This calculation has now been sent to Councillor Vandervis’ legal representative for confirmation,” a spokesperson said.
Last month Stuff reported that the Dunedin City Council had spent $101,682.85 (GST inclusive) over the case – the equivalent of 8473 parking tickets at $12 each – and that was expected to rise.
Looking at previous decisions, I’d expect - if Cr Vandervis loses at the Supreme Court or is denied leave - he may have to pay half of that.
I’ll keep you posted.
Nothing makes you feel quite so old as when your kids want you to play a video game with them.
I quickly get overwhelmed by the multitude of buttons to press, as invariably my eldest dunks a basketball over my (virtual) head.
Last week I got a message from Dunedin man Simon Bishop:
“Mate. I’ve qualified for another Gran Turismo World Series Event.
“Wanna come have a race on my rig for a story?”
I’m in.
(Spoiler alert: I sucked. I didn’t spin out on the first corner, but it was the second that got me.)
I met the 32-year-old at his Heriot Row flat in central Dunedin. Parked outside is his 2006 Suzuki Swift, a ‘Sport’ model, he is quick to add.
Bishop has been playing Gran Turismo, a racing simulation video game developed for PlayStation, since 1999.
“I always liked cars as a kid . . . and it is a very fun game to play.”
That was when it was Gran Turismo 2, with the game now up to Gran Turismo 7, a game he himself makes an appearance in as a non-player character.
In recent years Bishop moved from playing on a controller to a portable racing rig – think: steering wheel, adjustable seats, foot pedals – which takes pride of place in his bedroom.
It is from this corner site where Bishop practices for about three to four hours a day during the competition season
It was when the game moved to online racing that he realised he was good at the game.
That coincided with the launch of the 2018 Gran Turismo World Championship, “and it has basically been a whirlwind since then”.
“I had never travelled outside the country until then,” Bishop said of the all-expenses paid trip to Tokyo, Japan.
He ended qualifying in second spot, finishing third, with the realisation, “I could race with these guys”.
“It was a moment of self-belief.”
People often picture that esports, even at a high level, would involve “larger people covered in Dorito dust”.
“But everybody has to be really fit, because you have to perform your best in tricky conditions.”
Another highlight was racing in person at the famous Nürburgringin track in Germany, alongside the real 24-hour race, where he raced as part of a three-person Toyota team.
“And we won. Basically that was the launching of this career.”
That victory was one of the most famous moments in the world series history, decided “right at the very end”.
“That was pretty amazing . . . it kickstarted the entire year.”
You can watch it here, just like tens of thousands of other people.
Soon he was jetting off to another all-expenses paid trip: New York, staying in the heart of Times Square.
The esport competition has taken him to Japan, United States, Taiwan, Germany, Monaco, Australia, and Austria.
While there was no prize money in this particular sport, Bishop had a sponsor, in this case Logitech, and their brand could be seen on his car.
The travel opportunities made it all worthwhile, he said.
He was heading to Austria again at the end of the month, to compete in the Gran Turismo World Championship.
The top 12 people at the 30-strong event would qualify for Monaco in November, and “the goal is to make it”.
“I have done two world finals, the last one in 2020, representing New Zealand.”
“It was always my dream as a kid was always to race cars.”
One of his 2019 teammates had moved into racing a real-life car, with those drivers increasingly using simulators to train on.
While he would be considered too old to race for competitive racing, it would be a different story if he was 15 or 16.
In addition to playing the game, he had a full-time job and “I try and have a life outside of this as well”.
He was aware of people criticising the time people, particularly children, spent on games, but in their defence they were often being social, playing against others online.
And in a game such as Gran Turismo, “You are learning skills whether you realise it or not”.
Online games were so popular that more people played and watched them, than watched and participated in their real-life counterparts, Bishop said.
Add to that the popularity of other games, like Fortnite and League of Legends, and it is easy to see why games are the future.
Maybe it’s time to pick up that controller after all?
I was reading the Today in History column in the Otago Daily Times, which mentioned that in 1863 the Pride of the Yarra collided with the vessel Favorite in Otago Harbour, with multiple deaths.
That included the Rev. T Campbell, who was to be the rector of a local high school, his wife, their five children and two servants.
Their children were all aged under five, including one born on the trip from the UK to NZ.
According to an ODT report, the captain of the Favorite failed to see the Pride of the Yarra until it was too late, with the collision occurring at Sawyers Bay.
Thirteen people died, with 10 of those buried at the city’s Southern Cemetery.
You can read about it here.
I spotted this the other day. Well, that’s not true. My son spotted it, and so started an awkward conversation.
It reminds me of a stop sign at Port Chalmers, where someone had written ‘Hammer Time’, underneath.
Not far from the give way sign above, I spotted this:
What terrible crime has unfolded at a Dunedin dog wash?
Turns out it was a car crash early in the morning of Monday June 20. But if it is action you are after, here is a video concerning the DCC’s Annual Plan. PHWOAR!!!
Now, if you’ve never clicked on Tweet of the Week before, you need to change that. Now.
This video is incredible.
Have a great week.
I know Vandervis' answer... But are all media outlets telling lies or...? I thought most of the stuff he is arguing was either offered to him or explanation given (eg it was the CEO who made it a Code of Conduct complaint, not the staff member). I mean, my memory may be wrong, so perhaps I need to go back and go over that info again...
Havn't clicked on the video, can you see why it's called Te Wai Pou Namu from the video?
Anyway Hamish, can we get a story on this scandal thanks?
https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/waieconwp/22_2f11.htm