News

Two University staff members cancelled their plans to speak at an OUSA Environment Week presentation on the University’s use of lignite coal, apparently after discussions with the University’s communications section.

Energy Manager Hans Pietsch and Environmental Sustainability Co-ordinator Dr Hilary Phipps were due to speak at a presentation last Thursday organised by Generation Zero, entitled Otago University’s Dirty Little Secret. Critic was told by OUSA Welfare Officer Francisco Hernandez that Phipps told him she withdrew from the event following a discussion with the Otago’s communications team. Both staff members emailed the event’s organisers to say they had mutually agreed that it would be inappropriate for them to attend.

Pietsch was expected to talk about alternatives to the Uni’s current use of coal to generate energy, while Phipps was intending to talk about the Uni’s moves toward sustainability.

Gen Zero members told Critic that the University may have been spooked by the combative title of the presentation, although there was also speculation that this latest cancellation was indicative of a recent trend of University staff declining to speak at public presentations.

When contacted by Critic, University communications staff said they were unaware of staff withrawing from the event, despite Hernandez’s claim that they were involved in the decision.

The presentation was hit by a further blow when former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons was unable to Skype in to the presentation due to “technical difficulties”, possibly because her solar-powered laptop was thwarted by an inconsiderate cloud.

Despite these setbacks, the presentation attracted a healthy audience of 100-200. Speakers criticised the University’s use of lignite coal, describing it as “an outdated form of fossil fuel that is inefficient to use and has an incredibly high carbon footprint.”

One speaker was described by organisers as a “Southland local who is directly impacted by these plans”. Her speech was critcised by one attendee as “a storm of clichés, invoking terms like ‘disaster’ and ‘catastrophe’,” as well as several witty references to John Key as “Shonkey”.

Other speakers proposed an “adopt a lecturer” campaign, encouraging all attendees to speak to a lecturer about the “evils of lignite”, which will lead on to a joint staff/student campaign. Generation Zero is also aiming to present the University with 2000 signatures opposing the Uni’s use of lignite.