Tim Calder

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Drawing on the very same traditions for inspiration that has influenced Highlanders Rugby we have proposed that our Stadium seating block be named after the most famous of Scottish Regiments the Black Watch.  Last night at the Robbie Burns a ballot was draw for the first seats to be picked in the new stadium amongst our Lounge Membership group. I was extremely fortunate this night to be standing next to Professor John Burke whose number was called first. Not knowing what seat to choose John asked me to help him whereby I got to  select the two best seats in the entire stadium for both him AND me! So you may say that I had first pick of the 31,184 seats available at the new Forsyth Barr Stadium at the University Plaza, and of course I chose the best ones to go with our Lounge Membership package!

It all began in 1725 when General Wade, as leader of the King’s Army in Scotland, set up six companies of the Highland “Watch”, dressed in what was to become known as The Black Watch tartan; inadvertently he created one of the world’s greatest and most enduring military brands.

In 1739 George II amalgamated these companies that had performed with such distinction to form a single infantry regiment which became known as ‘The Black Watch’.

The regiment spent the next 266 years fighting for King, Queen and country from its first great battle at Fontenoy in Flanders in 1745 to Fallujah in Iraq in 2005. Along the way The Black Watch collected an incredible 164 battle honours, 14 VC’s and a reputation that places the regiment in a category of its own.

This month All Stor (Christchurch), All Safe (Wellington), Ezi Stor (Palmerston North), and Ezy Stor (Dunedin) completed a combine website under the domain storage.co.nz. This joint venture has made the range of website features like storage calculators, online booking systems, and easy updated specials more affordable for smaller operations to justify. As each company offers a comparable service in different regions it has made it possible for us to work together efficiently without causing any competition issues. Eventually our operations will run closer together to allow customers to receive a similar secure service and relative storage product offerings in most major cities across the country as well as the ability to have their goods moved between locations when moving. As our local operations grow and more centers are acquired our collaboration will hopefully give us a competitive edge over our competition.

This is the final week for the Otago University Rugby Football Club’s 125th Jubilee preparations. Queens Birthday weekend was chosen for the clubs big day over the 12th of June All Blacks v France test as the club didn’t want to compete with this major Dunedin event. The 125th Jubilee sub-committee was late to get off the ground with festivity organising but has put in a huge effort to date leaving only the finishing touches to be completed this week.

Media liaison David Tapp has done an excellent job with ensuring that the entire country was canvased to avoid any chance of people missing out on registering for this Jubilee. This weekends Otago Daily Times back page feature titled: “Who’s who of NZ rugby in varsity dream teams” is a good example of David’s work combined with fellow sub-committee member Rex Thomson, Hugh Tohill, and Iain Gallaway’s selection skills.

Luke Herlihy and I (and a few other Otago MBA classmates) were going to give it our best shot at presenting the gains to students if OUSA was in support of the construction of the new Stadium at Awatea Street when quorum count was called and the meeting was closed as there were only 136 at the meeting when 196 (1% of student population) was required.

THAT OUSA rescind motion 26/07. “THAT OUSA does not support the construction of the new stadium in Awatea Street”

THAT OUSA rescind motion 27/07. “THAT OUSA does NOT support the construction of the new stadium in Awatea Street if it (or related development) either:

• Contributes to fee increases, or
• Negatively affects OUSA’s ownership or control of UNIPOL”

THAT OUSA actively establish a positive working relationship with the Carisbrook Stadium Trust for the betterment of students and the wider community.

THAT OUSA supports the construction of the new stadium in Awatea Street.

SGM’s are a way in which students can have their say in what they want from their University experience and how things can be improved for their betterment. The problem is though that as the University’s role has grown and technology improved the system in which OUSA is run has not. This system may have worked when the student role was 4000, 1% of this would have meant 40 people. Now that the role is up to close to 20,0o0 people, 200 people are required! This makes the logistics of coordinating the meeting considerably more difficult.

What I believe Edwin Darlow, OUSA President, is looking to instigate is an online voting system whereby all students have the ability to listen to motions via video feed and then after deliberation cast their vote. This would be a far better system as ‘all’ students would have the opportunity to have their say.

Our new Dunedin based web based Start-up group The Distiller made this years nominees for the Outstanding Industry Initiative category at the PwC New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards. This has been a monumentious achievement for a group that has only been in existence for no more than six months!

The Distiller is approximately 5 weeks into its 12 weeks sprint whereby the start-ups within our walls make huge steps toward producing a prototype of their web application. A big ‘thank you’ needs to go to the team at the University of Otago’s Centre for Innovation, in particular Steve Bodmer. If it were not for this support we have received from Steve The Distiller would not be where it is today, nor would we have been able to enjoy the National Awards evening in Chrischurch live in person, along with many other industry greats!

Reading through the Otago Daily Times this weekend I was presently supprised to see pictures of two of my student rental properties on the front page! My first thought was, “Shit, what has happened now!”, but as I read on I found that a former student and staff of the Otago University, Sarah Gallagher, was attempting to put together a book of great Dunedin named student flats. After reading these articles I decided to join her Facebook group ‘Dunedin (NZ) student flats’ where I found several of my old varsity friends and loads of other great Dunedin named student flats.  

Dunedin’s population is about 115,000 and around 20,000 of those people are students at Otago University,

Most of them come from other places which creates a campus, unique in New Zealand, based round residential halls and flats centred on the University.

Otago’s student culture usually hits the headlines because of alcohol fuelled stupidity. But between those, relatively few, episodes of anti-social behaviour most of the students attend to their studies, sport and social activities without annoying other people or damaging property.

While doing so they forge friendships which last a lifetime.

Sarah Gallagher

Forsyth Barr today announced the appointment of David Kirk to the Board of Forsyth Barr.

David Kirk is appointed as an independent director to the company.

Forsyth Barr Chairman Eion Edgar said, “We are delighted to be able to announce David’s appointment to our Board. David is well-known to most New Zealanders from being captain of the successful 1987 World Cup winning All Black team. He brings to our Board considerable experience and business acumen gained from a wide range of professional roles and public activities. David has enjoyed many achievements in his professional career and we are delighted that he has accepted the invitation to join our Board.”

David Kirk said, “I am delighted to be joining the Board of New Zealand’s pre-eminent locally-based financial services company and I very much look forward to working with a highly regarded Board and management team.”

David Kirk was most recently Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fairfax Media Ltd for 3 years. Fairfax Media is the largest media business in New Zealand and is the owner of Trade Me. Prior to that David had been Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of PMP Ltd, Regional President Australasia for Norske Skog and in senior executive roles with Fletcher Challenge Paper and Fletcher Challenge Energy. David was also Chief Policy Advisor to the Rt Hon Jim Bolger, Prime Minster of New Zealand for 3 years.

Amongst his many other achievements, David enjoyed a highly successful rugby career playing for Otago and Auckland and captaining the All Blacks in 1986-87, before heading to Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He has been President of the New Zealand Rugby Players Association since 1999.

He was awarded an MBE for services to rugby in 1987.

This excellent news comes as Boys Club Limited agrees to conmence trading with Forsyth Barr, the new stadium in Dunedin recieves its new name (Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza), and the Otago University Rugby Football Club Inc. prepare for their 125th Jubilee celebrations over Queens Birthday weekend this year.

John Gardener has today launched his new ‘Dance Dunedin‘ Ballroom Dancing School website. John is a first class, certified ballroom dancing teacher and has been teaching Dancing in Dunedin for over 30 years. John’s new website will now take over the old (and inadequate) Finda.co.nz and with the ability to offer more photo images his new site will be far more interesting. I am now into my third year of dancing under John’s guidance and have learnt far more types and styles of dances than I ever thought possible.