Fortunately, OUSA, the University of Otago, the Police, and the DCC are all stressing the message that, on a quantum level, the universe is essentially indeterminate, and that the universe Critic witnessed was just one of an almost infinite number of possible futures. Moreover, they claimed, humans have free will and need not consider the future in strictly fatalist terms.
With this in mind, various ways to tame this year’s upcoming Hyde Street Keg Party are being considered. The message from the DCC and the University has been that if the party matches 2012’s level of mayhem then not only will future iterations be banned but a permanent North Dunedin-wide liquor ban is likely to be introduced, effectively spelling the end of Scarfie culture as we know it.
The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday 13 April, and OUSA has held a series of meetings with tenants, landlords, the DCC, emergency services and other key stakeholders to discuss ways to make the event safer. Last year’s glass ban seems certain to be repeated, and various ways to limit the number of revellers are under consideration. Last year’s event saw 5000 attendees; University Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne is hoping to halve that figure, with OUSA President Francisco Hernandez citing an ideal limit of 2500-3500.
Safety
Last year’s party ended up being extremely unsafe. 80 people with an average age of 19 years were admitted to Dunedin Hospital’s emergency department. Of these, 11 had suffered head injuries, 28 had lacerations, 12 had fractures, 17 had soft-tissue injuries, and 15 were as tipsy as a gypsy.Hayne recalls witnessing the carnage first-hand. “I saw students receive severe lacerations, I saw students fall off roofs. There was carnage literally spread from Hyde Street almost to the botanical gardens with students passed out because they’d had way too much to drink. They had no ID on them, we had no way of knowing who they were or where they belonged, so I was very,
very concerned about the safety of the individual students.”
Hayne’s other main concern is the financial fallout from an event like Hyde Street. On top of the now-infamous footage of a roof caving in, last year’s party was estimated to have cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of clams, at around $1 per clam. Hayne is clear that she does not consider the event to be worth such an exorbitant price. “We have to keep in mind that it’s really just one day,” she emphasised. “It’s not like the students at Otago don’t have multiple opportunities to have lots and lots of fun in many different ways.”
Bogans
Of the nine people arrested at last year’s event, only one was an Otago student. Two were University of Canterbury students, three were Dunedin non-students, and three were out-of-town non-students. Non-Otago students are widely considered to be responsible for much of the more extreme disruption, and one of the principal aims of residents, OUSA and the University has been to ensure that the party is restricted to students only.Hayne believes that this will ensure that attendees are people who “have some sticking power to Dunedin and feel a bit of responsibility as citizens of this city, rather than people coming in from outside whose only goal for the day is apparently to wreak havoc.”
Hernandez concurs, stating that Hyde Street is a “student event,” and that restricting it to students has received strong support from residents. He also emphasised that the ability of residents to enjoy their own party should be a paramount concern. “The people at Hyde Street told us, ‘we didn’t actually have fun at our own party last year. We were too busy trying to police our own property, stopping people from having sex in our beds and breaking our shit to actually enjoy the party ourselves’,” he revealed.
Nonetheless, one of OUSA’s proposed solutions, to allot 15 tickets per Hyde Street resident, has provoked a backlash from many students. On the party’s Facebook event page, a post by Ryan Edgar gently criticising the 15 ticket allotment proposal received over 100 likes before being taken down. Edgar is a Hyde Street resident and one of the hosts of the event, and served on the OUSA Executive last year. Beneath this post, an angry comment by Alastair Lynn advocating “a very unpeaceful, violent, drunken riot” attracted around 30 likes. Alastair, you’re really not helping.
Despite these objections, Hernandez believes the proposal is “only unpopular among people who don’t live on Hyde Street, or don’t have any friends on Hyde Street.” Nonetheless, he stresses that the proposal is just that, and OUSA is actively exploring other ways to limit numbers. Critic suggests a rain dance.
Scarfie Culture
With the closure of Gardies and the Bowler, the end of the Toga Party, the Undie 500 and the Cookathon, and the mooted closure of the Cook, many see the Hyde Street Keg Party as one of the last vestiges of a dying Scarfie culture in Dunedin. Hernandez agrees that Hyde Street is an important part of the Dunedin experience. “We’re very much in favour of Hyde Street. We see it as a cultural institution that should be preserved. For that to happen, we need this Hyde Street to go well.”Hayne also sees the value of the event. “I was at Hyde Street all day last year and I do understand why the students like it,” she confesses. “The costumes were fantastic, there was a great feeling on the street early in the day, the weather was beautiful, so it was a fantastic day. But things got really out of hand around lunchtime, and it shifted from being a fun occasion to being something that was really quite dangerous.
“If things are handled well and the residents of Hyde Street and the landlords on Hyde Street cooperate and ensure that everybody has a safe and fun time, I see that it’s a great addition to the student culture here. If we have a repeat of last year then I think the Hyde Street party is over.”
Liquor Ban
There are fears within OUSA and among the student body as a whole that any more mishaps at Hyde Street will not only see the event banned in future, but will see a permanent liquor ban imposed across North Dunedin. OUSA fought tooth and claw last year to stop a liquor ban being imposed. One of the DCC’s main concerns at the time was the cost and danger of the Hyde Street party, and OUSA are fearful that any mishaps on Hyde Street this year will undo all their work.Hernandez believes that this threat is exacerbated by 2013 being local body election year, and says that various “unprogressive” elements in Dunedin are “looking for an excuse” to step on students in order to gain political capital. “The message we’ve got from senior figures in the University and the DCC is that if the Hyde Street party fucks up, the liquor ban is back on the table,” Hernandez warned. “And by back on the table, I would go so far as to speculate that a liquor ban will be in place over north Dunedin by the end of the year.”
When Critic asked DCC liquor licensing and projects officer Kevin Mechen whether he supported a liquor ban, Mechen had this to say: “It would depend on what one hopes to achieve. If the Council receives a request to consider it my job is to put it before the Councillors for them to decide. My report would put options based on the information I’m fed by the various parties. The options would have pros and cons stated and my recommendation would be based on what the various parties hope to achieve and whether or not they are likely to be achieved.” So, in other words, yes. Yes he does.
Hayne also cautioned that “if the party gets out of hand again this year I will work very closely with the DCC, with the Police, with the emergency services in making sure that it does not happen again.” According to Hayne, “there is absolutely no doubt that the carnage following Hyde Street would meet the criteria for a liquor ban,” and warned that “this could literally put student culture around north Dunedin in very serious jeopardy. And that would be a shame.”
Hernandez urges any students who are concerned about the future of Hyde Street to attend a meeting at Union Hall on Monday 4 March at noon. He stressed that while OUSA was not trying to take over the event and could not tell Hyde Street residents how to run the party, the organisation could provide the liaison, manpower and know-how needed to make the party safer.
Hernandez and Hayne both stress that the fate of the event rests with the residents and partygoers themselves. Only a responsible attitude by those attending will ensure the ongoing survival of the event.
“If it does go well, it will be a fantastic day. If it doesn’t go well, it will be the last time the party is held,” Hayne told Critic.
“I think the residents of Hyde Street need to ask themselves one question: do you want to be the Hyde Street that saves the party forever, or do you want to be the Hyde Street that kills it?”
