Chaos in Dunedin as youths riot following Undie 500

29 Aug 2007 09:21a.m.

Kel wrote:

time. Don't blame the organisers... they put heaps of effort into collaborating with the police and Otago University in order to make this a peaceful and enjoyable event. But when people set out with the intention of wreaking havoc, there isn't much you can do about it. Students aren't bad people. But I agree that students who broke the law should be punished the same as anyone else would. New Zealand is a country of different laws for different people and it needs to stop.

29 Aug 2007 09:12a.m.

Kel wrote:

Josie... how will cutting the student loan have any effect on student behaviour? The student loan gives opportunity to people who can't afford to pay for their study up-front. I am a student with a student loan and when I recieve my balance and realise how much i have to pay back and how long it is going to take me, even on a professional wage, it makes me take my studies very seriously. This riot is not a reflection of Otago students - it was caused by a bunch of Christchurch students with no regard for the city coming down with the intention of causing trouble. Why? Because they saw the exact same thing happen on the news last year and it looked like a bit of fun. Solution: Provide an event for them to come down for... banning the Undie 500 will not make it stop. You can't stop people driving from Christchurch to Dunedin in their holidays. A rugby game, a music concert, anything where people are allowed to gather in a social environment, enjoy some controlled drinking and have a good

28 Aug 2007 01:59p.m.

Michael wrote:

From footage I’ve seen the only part that was out of hand was some idiots lit things on fire that burn to dangerously. Dragging a couch out onto the street and setting it alight is one thing in that you could stand round and piss them out, but setting them alight by house and lighting old vehicles on fire was stupid and deserved the police attention and hopefully a few kick in the heads from the fire crews.

No shit it was big party but that was the end of term. There most likely would have been a number of those parties up and down the country. The undie 500 was the day before and a lot of extra students would have been in town but it would have also been the end of term for Otago students and they would have been out in force celebrating too. Once the idiots are taking away and the police leave you can see the party go back to normal straight away.

As for the students not stopping the trouble makers once the police turned up there is a reason for that. You soon learn that wh

28 Aug 2007 05:45a.m.

benjamin wrote:

pull ya head out of ya a**e jimay! if your going to waste money you have borrowed, you cant complain about how much that money has cost you,, & education isnt that expensive, an education is something you have for a lifetime, unless your a stupid moron that pisses it up against a wall, & never actually gets qualified! & i would like to see actual stats on that! "ewww, i dropped outta uni, coz it was sooo expensive & i couldnt afford to get pssd & study,, & its all the governments fault for making me pay for an education that i can take almost anywhere in the world for the rest of my life,, where i can then pss it up against a wall & moan about something else" dont cry about it when you'll walk out earning 60K+ a year numnuts! & an uneducated (which was free) will take 8 - 10 years (if ever) to start earning that sort of money!

27 Aug 2007 10:25p.m.

jimay wrote:

Kathmandu Puffer Jacket Wearing student is bang on the money. Wiremu - don't worry, I am sure there was plenty of cannabis flying around. North Dunedin is pretty unique in New Zealand with the number and density of students, most of who are far poorer than many of you could imagine, you wonder why shit like this happens? Those who say we shouldn't complain about the price of education obviously aren't educated... up until not so long ago it was free... and the consequences of tertiary fees are already being felt throughout the country, and will really become apparent as those professionals who trained for free all move on to retirement. Don't complain when shit gets more expensive.

27 Aug 2007 09:07p.m.

Michael Henry wrote:

Student loans should only be contemplated on signing a Code of Conduct Protocol. Any serious breach of that protocol and the loan should be immediately rescinded. Maybe a Bond should be taken to, as in a Bond for Good Behaviour etc. Transgress and the Bond is forfeited and the Student loan becomes 'INSTANTLY REPAYABLE' with suitable penalties for late payments. Deductions from the dole at source! The Organizers of this event, may not be the ones who caused the trouble, however they are indeed ultimately responsible for the behaviour of those attending. Why were Marshals not used to assist the Police? There are so many things that could have been done and weren't! For so called educated members of New Zealand Society, it does not bode well for the future at all!University must now revert to what it is intended for, the further education of students, not a cash cow for endless 'PISS UPS' and Mayhem. Whatever the results are THEY MUST BE PUNISHED SEVERELY BY THE LAW OR THE UNIVERSITYS!

27 Aug 2007 07:55p.m.

benjamin wrote:

yes, thats right Kathmandu Puffer Jacket Wearing Student, its always the fault of the police, never the overly drunk student, wasting borrowed money on alcohol instead of useful study resource, or food, or heating, or shelter etcetc, & then moan about the price of education.

27 Aug 2007 07:34p.m.

wiremu wrote:

kia ora i beleive that cannabis cannister should be hurled at those drunken rioters so they can get stoned and go home in a happy state and then the police dont have to use violence on our students i dont want my son or daughter being bashed with a police baton or fired at with a laser gun overseas they use real bullets think out the square and fight anarchy not with force but with brains cannabis cannisters at least they will come home to mum with a smile and not blood on the collar or go before the courts and end up with a criminal record its about time another method is thought of because this fighting rioting violence with police violence aint working and it aint going to get better before some one is killad or am i going to say i told u so cannabis is only a herb stop being paranoid the powers to be and legalize cannabis if not only for this reason wake up to the effects that alcohol is doing to our love ones says our lord godbless

27 Aug 2007 05:53p.m.

Richard, Dunedin wrote:

These glorified dole bludgers need to been made to clean up every bit of mess they made. Grow up and get a life, if you want to be treated like you have rights act like adults. I am an Otago grad who is now ashamed to admit it. An Otago degree used to be a thing of pride, now I am hearing of alot of employers who won't hire Otago grads.

27 Aug 2007 03:01p.m.

mase wrote:

The Best night I have ever had on the piss!!!