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:
Two sides to Aussie story
Re Aussie Exodus (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, July 16). Having lived in Brisbane for 21 years and then returning to Tauranga to retire in 2010, I can see both sides of the article.
Australia offered all the incentives mentioned, long-term employment with good wages, good housing at a reasonable price and cheaper grocery bills.
The downside was that Brisbane was slowly being over-populated, the roads gridlocked and with the mega councils being formed the cost of household utilities soared.
Good luck to those people who are moving over the Tasman to work and live. They will do well as Kiwis who are prepared to put in the hard yakka will go ahead more quickly than they can over here.
I agree with all the comments made in the editorial. There seems to be a dearth of entertainment and we are forced to go to Auckland to see sport, musicals and the mega-stars.
I think the council needs to get motivated, build more facilities for bigger shows, make Tauranga a more vibrant hub for the arts/culture.
Meantime we enjoy the walking, the clean green atmosphere, the friendliness of the people, the ability to drive from point A to point B in a relaxed manner and the lovely cafes.
(Abridged)
Eileen Mitchell, Welcome Bay
Inspiring artists
Recently a reader asked why the Tauranga Society of Artists does not exhibit regularly in the Tauranga Art Gallery.
It is a public art gallery and operates in the same way as most public art galleries in New Zealand and overseas.
Public art galleries are generally considered to be peak organisations in the area of the visual arts.
A major aspiration for serious artists is to be hung in a public art gallery. It's pretty much the same as playing rugby and wanting to be an All Black. If you are good enough you will be chosen.
In order to push such activities, that are part of our culture, to their peak performance there needs to be lots of good artists, rugby players and dancers. Without them we would never see the best.
The Tauranga Society of Artists continues to nurture and support local artists as the calibre of this year's exhibition has demonstrated. I look forward to the next Miles Art Award at the Tauranga Art Gallery in 2013 at which local artists can compete.
Meantime, the profile of the Tauranga Art Gallery continues to gain national respect. As it becomes established as our very own regional public gallery the art it is able to bring to this area will inspire and grow in quality and diversity our emerging local artists.
(Abridged)
Mary Dillon, Maungatapu
It's offensive
Re: Boobs on Bikes. Some years ago I made a submission at a Tauranga City Council meeting to not allow prostitutes to operate in our residential communities.
As men, we need to support the women of Tauranga in stopping this sort of behaviour, even if some men think it is okay in topless bars. We don't want it happening in our streets.
A man was arrested for running around a park naked and that was the right action. If the actions of Boobs on Bikes are not indecent (which most citizens would say they are), then they should be arrested for disorderly behaviour.
We have eight grandchildren living in Tauranga who we do not want to be exposed to this kind of event.
A previous generation fought for our freedom to live and walk safely in our communities and not be subjected to inappropriate and invasive actions of powerful media or a minority group.
Come on, Tauranga, when public opinion is strong enough these sorts of actions can be stopped.
J Hood, Tauranga
Advert for Crow
I have read with increasing incredulity the correspondence about Steve Crow and his idea.
All people are doing is giving him free advertising and promotion for his sex expo in Auckland, which I am sure is nobody's intention.
All we have to do to stop this once and for all is to make a formal complaint to the police who will then have to act. Any talk in the press or on the radio is just further promotion and advertising for Mr Crow. Please stop it now as it is just what he wants.
Concentrate on what you can do. Call the police, report offensive behaviour when it happens and be done with it.
Anything else is merely pandering to him.
Michael Webber, Omokoroa
Election signs
I encourage everyone to make a submission on the proposed local elections "signs" policy and submissions close on the August 5.
As there is no requirement to pay a permit cost, to be able to put up local body election signs, the entire cost of monitoring and policing the policy is, therefore, borne by ratepayers. If in fact a permit fee was required this would at least cover, in part, the cost of council monitoring staff's time and associated travel costs in answering the many residents' complaints regarding these signs but as no fee is payable the total cost is accordingly met by ratepayers through their rates.
As the current councillors are stating that they have a strong desire to reduce costs incurred by ratepayers, it seems illogical that they would vote any other way other than to agree to adopt the new elections signs policy and that is that they, in future, be banned on public property.
This will result in no further costs being incurred by ratepayers in policing the policy and responding to complaints, etc.
Mike Baker, Bethlehem
Trouble-maker
In all my 66 years I have never been driven to the compulsion to write to the paper to express my frustration and outrage. However, Hone Harawira and his antics have now compelled me to do so.
Almost daily he makes head- lines because of his attitude to mainstream New Zealand and, more recently, his ongoing failure to conform to the established order of parliament, that he has chosen to invade.
He appears to be more consumed with making headlines and radical and racial interpretations than conforming to established protocol and getting on with making a real contribution to the "supporters" he represents.
Has it ever been established (published) what, if anything, he has achieved for his constituents (Te Tai Tokerau)?
Good on Lockwood Smith for challenging this endemic trouble-maker to follow accepted protocols and procedure.
Why do we have a system that allows this recidivist trouble-maker the opportunity to pursue his biased ideals?
Daneby Hill, Bayfair
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