Letters: Protesting during ceremony disappointing

Tauranga City Council staff picket outside the council chambers. Photo / Jean Bell

It was disappointing some Tauranga City Council staff decided to use the swearing-in ceremony on October 24 as an opportunity to protest over how much they are paid. In my opinion, it was exceptionally disrespectful.

This is an important occasion for the council and especially the newly elected councillors and deserves the appropriate respect because these are the people voters have elected and who can change the city's future direction.

Surely if the staff believe they have a grievance at least give the new council the opportunity to investigate the issue rather than act the way that they have.

The councillors only employ one person - the chief executive – who then employs and manages council staff. So why did the staff wait for the new elected council to protest their apparent grievances?

I would say that what occurred last week was a rather ominous start to the next three years.

(Abridged)

Mike Baker
Bethlehem

Nasty element crept into cartoons

I consider the Emmerson cartoon (Opinion, October 22) depicting Winston Peters as a naked dog urinating on the TV Three screen disgustingly inappropriate and should not have been published.

A more appropriate subject might have been Mark Richardson having a political rant and considering he is but a mere sports presenter I was amazed that the TV Three management allowed him so much air time to make such insulting remarks.

With Richardson stating that Peters had removed all his ambitions to be Prime Minister I consider Peters has done us all a favour.

Cartoons were considered a humorous picture dealing with current events.

However, a nasty element seems to have crept into cartoons of late.

Gwyneth Jones
Greerton

Housing First not getting people off streets

I think it's wonderful that people are getting new housing (News, October 25).

Everyone should be living in a warm safe environment but to promote this as relieving homelessness is in my view misrepresenting the issue.

It will not get people off the streets. I work every Monday with Street Kai, feeding more than 100 people at the Willow St bus stop and this initiative will not help them.

Housing First is a much needed initiative and has a great track record, desperately needing housing for our vulnerable community.

But it is not housing the people we see every Monday. Our community are at the bottom of the list. This needs to be made clear.

Pip Brook
Secretary Street Kai Association Incorporated

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