Letters: A significant number of people are starting the year in debt

Many Kiwis feel dread when looking at an over-inflated credit card bill. Photo / 123rf

Letters to the Editor

Letter of the week

Kiwis in debt

Cameron Smith’s article headlined “Christmas takes toll on Kiwi wallets” (Feb 4) is sad. A significant number of people are apparently starting the new year in debt after the festive season. Isn’t this festivity supposed to be a time of joy, togetherness and gratitude? Why do people feel the need to buy elaborate gifts, host that unforgettable dinner or go on that expensive holiday? Surely, they must realise they are bowing to the god of consumerism. Do the various stores, restaurants and owners of exotic destinations really care? They are the ones laughing all the way to the bank.

Whether you believe Christmas to be a religious festival or not, it should all amount to the same thing when family and friends spend quality time together in an atmosphere of warmth and gratitude that extends beyond the day itself and not to a feeling of dread whilst looking at an over-inflated Visa card bill. To get into unnecessary debt really is unforgivable and should be avoidable. Is the saying “the best things in life are free” just a little too trite and quaint nowadays? Maybe, but at least one can sleep at night.

Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui

PM sets the standards

If it’s okay to put down a Mexican-born member of Parliament, you don’t need a gang patch to intimidate, you just need to be a coalition leader. Free verbal punches allowed by the Prime Minister – nothing can be done because “his power” is based on his coalition partner’s rights. Say what they want, when they want.

That’s it in a nutshell. Who gives a peanut for what’s actually right? This is the Trump 2.0 era. In NZ we have Peters, Seymour and the matua in charge – gang patches unnecessary.

The lifeblood of our nation begins with the PM setting the standard. His religion is “power baby” – his precious – that’s actually what he’s saying to you.

Steve Russell, Hillcrest

Working from home

Jamie Ensor’s “Working from home data for public service released” (Jan 31) confirms that all public servants typically worked from home 0.9 days a week, with the most common day being Friday. If this isn’t proof that the Government can cut another 20% of public servants positions immediately, then I do not know what would be.

Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour

Privatised healthcare

I was rather astounded by Sir John Key’s remarks (Jan 29) if he were to have a heart operation tomorrow, he wouldn’t care who owns it, the private or public sector.

What he does not realise is that a) he can afford to go private and b) the private sector, with higher-paid surgeons, usually is much faster in dealing with the problem, with generally shorter waiting lists due to the lower demand and much more efficient, shorter turnaround times.

Surely he would care about how they are owned if he were to have to wait four months with a life-threatening issue.

René Blezer, Taupō

Treaty Principles Bill cost

Can we (the public) ever know how much this Treaty Principles Bill is costing the country in money and time.

There is the Justice select committee, people for and against, 80 hours of submissions, 300,00 written statements and goodness knows what else to go through. If a respected figure like Christopher Finlayson with decades of Treaty work behind him thinks it’s a waste of time, what are we doing it all for?

We know that National and NZ First have vowed to support the bill only until the first reading; so why are we wasting so much time and money on it?

Surely history will show us it was all a huge waste of resources. Dare I mention the changing of the NZ Flag?

Susan Wilson, Waiheke Island

Sand mining concerns

Well done for letting us know in the Herald on Sunday (Feb 2) that Waipu Cove Beach has just been voted by New Zealanders as the best camping beach in our country. Langs Beach alongside it was voted to be the second-best hidden gem. I hope you will remind your readers about the sand mining company that is seeking permission to mine the sand just out from these pristine beaches. Where are our priorities?

Dianne McKinnon, Morrinsville

Bankers' morality calls

So the masters of the universe in the banking system are now making moral judgments about organisations and people with who they choose to do business.

The latest is a mining company, but others have been given the same response – Gloriavale, a couple of women selling sex toys, small independent petrol stations. All of them legal enterprises. This from outfits that have been forced to repay hundreds of millions of dollars they swindled from customers by overcharging or failing to pay discounts due.

While they deny services to legal businesses, they continue to make profits from brothels, cigarette companies, the liquor industry and gambling houses.

Which brings to mind one of the classic quotes from the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey: “Is it cold up there on the moral high ground?”

Shane Jones is all bothered by it, as he, and we, should be. Go get ‘em Shane.

David Morris, Hillsborough

Trump politicises plane crash

What a disgusting act by US President Donald Trump to try to politicise the deaths of all those innocent people in the air crash in Washington. It serves as a graphic example to the rest of the world of the type of thing they can expect to encounter during the years of his presidency. Shame on the man.

Phil Chitty, Unsworth Heights