Open mike 16/05/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 16th, 2023 - 18 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:


Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

18 comments on “Open mike 16/05/2023 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Sabine 1
    16 May 2023 at 7:57 am

    It is going to be a bad day in Wellington. Keep a thought in mind for the firefighters – paid and volunteers. Just sadness all around. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300879627/live-loafers-lodge-hostel-fire-in-wellington-a-multifatality-incident

    • Tiger Mountain 1.1
      16 May 2023 at 9:50 am

      If you run your eyes down the linked text there are so many stories and social issues likely to enter media channels from this tragic event.

      I wonder what empathetic genius came up with the name for this establishment? Wellington has a number of similar multi level “managed apartments”.

      What does it take to get quality social housing, including emergency and tiny houses for homeless happening?

  2. Peter 2
    16 May 2023 at 8:53 am

    Recently we replaced our fireplace. One of the requirements was around updating our fire alarms. Which were checked as part of the permit requirements. Not multi storey, not complicated layout, not ever occupied with more than a handful of people at most.

  3. Anker 3
    16 May 2023 at 9:35 am

    Devastating. Incredibly sad.

    and for those who survived the fire, a terrible trauma to have lived through.

    thanks to our first responders. Always absolute champions

  4. weka 4
    16 May 2023 at 9:39 am

    Does anyone know what kind of hostel it is in Wellington? Backpackers? Homeless people? Permanent residents?

  6. Anne 6
    16 May 2023 at 11:09 am

    Direct from a fire victim:

    Resident loses everything

    Tamrat Isse Adan has lived there since last year. He lived in a room by himself on the second floor, and has lost everything except for his jacket and phone.
    He was going to the toilet when he realised there was a fire.
    "There was smoke and the alarm was going from upstairs," he said.
    "When I come from the toilet there was smelling everywhere, smoke … people running everywhere. I just jumped to my room, and I take my jacket and my mobile, that's it."
    He escaped down the stairs and out the door. He could see nothing in the dark.
    The smoke alarm did go off, but it often went off and people didn't realise at first it meant there was a fire.
    "The alarm they keep going every week, two times, three times, there's no good management there.
    "People think like before the alarm was just going."

    Fire service came but they didn't get water on the fire fore more than an hour, he said.
    "Fire brigade first one (came), second one – one hour 25 minutes later, when the fire was blowing up, they started to put (on) the water.
    "I'm very sad, very sad. My neighbour, he's missing, maybe he's dead, police say there's a lot of people missing. Very sad."

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300879627/live-many-feared-dead-in-wellington-loafers-lodge-hostel-fire

    • Phillip ure 6.1
      16 May 2023 at 12:36 pm

      Why on earth did it take 1 hr 25 mins after fire engine arrived for water to be directed at the blaze..?

      Wtf…!

      • Shanreagh 6.1.1
        16 May 2023 at 12:57 pm

        I am not sure if the lack of water is linked but earlier in the night…last night about 10.30pm to the south of this building, also on a main road (Rintoul St) there was a massive water blowout that even now is causing a shortage of water in the area around the SWIS (the internediate school). The pupils have been sent home today. We went past just as it was starting. Also in the area are three hospitals, do they have a priority draw? (Wellington Public, Wakefield and Southern Cross)

        There were workers at this Rintould St site from about 11.00pm. If the system is under pressure I wonder if that causes lack of, or diminished supply to other areas?

  7. Shanreagh 7
    16 May 2023 at 12:35 pm

    It caters for a range of people. A close friend (in her 60s) and other owners of several low rise blocks in a 'village' that was having roofs and wallboards replaced as part of ongoing maintenance were housed there free of charge when the renovation work reached their unit. They were housed there as she had access issues and found that the lift was invaluable. She also said the alarms were often set off maliciously but that there were regular practice alarms. She said there was comaraderie and it was not a bad place. They found the limitation was the size, coming from a three bedroom unit but said it was like living in a motel long term.

    Other people are clients from Wellington City Mission, not sure if these would be the returning ex prisoners from Australia. Also nurses and people who stay during the week or when they are on duty and go to other homes when they are not. Overseas people on working holidays often stayed there. There are several buildings like this where working holiday tourist have stayed but perhaps now others are being housed.

    I have not heard of any bad things about this one and one of the others closer to CBD but one in the CBD (Manners St) has had lots of trouble.

    Terrible that there were no sprinklers. I pass this building most days and think that there may be some fire escapes on one side of the building.

  8. adam 8
    16 May 2023 at 3:21 pm

    In good news from our Northern neighbours. Good how a new progressive programme gets a huge win.

  9. tsmithfield 9
    16 May 2023 at 4:24 pm

    Everyone is all kissy kissy again at the Gore Council. Nice to see everyone behaving like adults again.

  10. tWiggle 10
    16 May 2023 at 4:32 pm

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/17/rental-crisis-airbnb-and-holiday-home-owners-urged-to-let-properties-out-to-long-term-renters

    Banging on the anti AirB&B drum again. An Aussie study last year showed 250,000 Australian properties were marketed as short term lets, with more than 20,000 each in Melbourne and Sydney. Local councils are waking up to this, urging owners to transfer to longterm rentals.

    'Brendan Coates, economic policy program director at Grattan Institute, said in the short term, Australia cannot build itself “out of the housing squeeze” which is set to worsen as migration increases. “Then the only [way] you can really get more housing supply is to either get people to better use the existing stock by living in share houses, or [by] renting out a spare bedroom or by getting it from the short stay market.”

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.