The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS:
Shift focus to where energy will come from
In the UK Guardian last week, columnist George Monbiot wrote "All of us in the environment movement ... whether we propose accommodation, radical downsizing or collapse - are lost."
Two weeks prior he wrote about the anti-nuclear movement ... "I've made a deeply troubling discovery. The ... movement to which I once belonged has misled the world about the impacts of radiation on human health. The claims we have made are ungrounded ... unsupportable when challenged, and wildly wrong. We have done other people, and ourselves, a terrible disservice."
He concluded: "We have a duty to base our judgments on the best available information. This is ... because we owe it to other people to represent the issues fairly [and] we owe it to ourselves not to squander our lives on fairytales. A great wrong has been done by this movement. We must put it right."
Green activists such as Gray Southon, carry on the doom, gloom and guilt argument. Like it or not, we belong to a capitalist society that consumes goods requiring plentiful, cheap energy. We must always strive to avoid waste and pollution but the debate and the solutions that really count relate to the source of our future energy needs, to guarantee the economic future and standard of living.
M Houlding, Ohauiti
Trees a problem
Because of another turf management mistake on Domain No1, club rugby was forced into using the Wharapei field for the past few weeks.
This is a beautiful field and a brilliant playing surface and in my opinion should be used more often.
This leads me into a question I would like answers for. Who authorised the plantings of a row of trees along the lower side of the tennis courts embankment and why? This council somehow seems to have more tree issues than many of the other cities and towns and someone must be held accountable.
In this case not only are they the wrong type of tree and they are in the wrong place but they are also very dangerous in their present positions. Because of the embankment, the trees have been planted really close to the touchline and a player in full flight or in a tackle could easily make contact with the trees, causing a serious injury.
The top of the embankment at the tennis court level has two permanent seats located there for viewing over the field and already most of this view has gone, not to mention the leaf problem the tennis club will inherit.
Suitable trees in suitable places is a must for Tauranga but the way it is a present is a joke.
(Abridged)
Bob Sweetman, Tauranga
False marketing
Good luck for Ervin McSweeney's forthcoming drive-in movie festival at Baypark, but for him to describe the event as a "nostalgic experience" is as bizarre as it is untruthful.
Who in the greater Tauranga area has ever been in New Zealand to a drive-in movie centre with roller skating waitresses and "American-style concession stands"?
Hype is one thing, to mislead is quite another.
Perry Harlen, Mount Maunganui
History repeats
A wonderful Split Enz song is about an optimistic fool hoping that the inevitable repeating history will bypass him.
On the eve of John Key's announcement on the future of KiwiSaver this song plays over in my head as I remember telling my wise and retired father-in-law the virtues of Kiwisaver, to which he replied: "I have been in a few of those and they have all disappeared."
"No," I cried, "It is different this time."
December 1975 and Rob Muldoon, the newly-elected National Prime Minister abolishes the Labour Party-introduced compulsory Superannuation Scheme. A scheme almost identical to Kiwisaver, designed to encourage people to save for their own retirement and reduce the burden on the taxpayer to pay for a pension on the growing 60-plus retirees.
History HAS repeated.
The changes to KiwiSaver, Working for Families, student loans and asset sales have been planned since before the last election. The time is now right to announce the changes when culprits to blame abound.
Tonight I go to bed singing History Never Repeats and my father in-law chuckles when he thinks of his optimistic fool of a son-in-law.
B K Rainey, Mount Maunganui
Text Views
* G clark how ignorant. Taxes pay 4 hospitals roads etc. U must hav a grudge against ir.
* The arsonist should have all of his/her precious items burned. An eye for an eye and I can feel the justice.
* To the genius who can't afford to live in their own country: maybe you could if you became literate.
* On bin laden: they probably had a SAS man sitting up a tree eating Lots of Noodles making sure it was safe 4 the glamour boy Seals. It's gr8 he's dead.
* Legalising cannabis for medicinal purpose will not only stop people from developing criminal activities 2 source the herb.
* Re the Council SIGNS policy why deny the clubs the ability 2 earn some advertising sponsorship income. Once again the Mayor is way out of touch with this issue
* Raunchy AO shows. I can't honestly believe what gets aired after 7pm when small children are up It isn't even suitable for teenagers Coro/Shorty/21/2men are totally inappropriate. Grant Boyles
* re tsunami: we cud put lite planes and choppers up flyn along the coast with sirens and towing bannas.very little cost in the unliklehood of a serious wave.
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