Opinion piece)Dunedin DCC and its backers first told us foot path widening and changes to the CBD were needed because of climate change (a very real event. One they however refused to believe in less than a decade ago, until it became politically beneficial).

Then they now say it’s because of social distancing (but yes bikes and scooter can also use the same space used by small children and frail old people).

And now they are saying it is to stimulate the economy, as local retailers themselves reject this as nonsense. How does that add on TV go “change direction – change direction – change direction”.

SPIN SPIN SPIN The Wheels on the corporate lobbying bus go round and round.

And this nation wide phenomenon is brought to you by the very same folk (such as The Business Round Table influence LGNZ) who also told us of the need for earthquake strengthening laws. A policy which is also crushing small business and benefiting big developers nation wide ,for example: how these policies were used as economic weapons (see the take over of Invercargill’s CBD and the increasing control of its local public assets by the Richardson Transport Group).

SPIN SPIN SPIN The Wheels on the corporate lobbying bus go round and round.

National and Labour have both shafted us repeatedly with the privatisation model.

The standard borrow borrow borrow – to create jobs for the construction, trucking (and very soon the private water industry – coming to a town near you), snouts in the trough brigade.

My prediction: this will be followed by the sale of public assets (such as the already touted Port of Otago sale) as the result of these policies. As a result what we’re being spun.

As we continue to privatise, privatise, privatise.

SPIN SPIN SPIN The Wheels on the corporate lobbying bus go round and round.