Some frontline police have been told to “consider necessity of arrests” because one of the country’s largest prisons, Rimutaka, is nearly full. Photo / Mark Mitchell
New name but what changes?
How much time, energy and money was spent on changing the name of the contentious Three Waters to Affordable Water Reform? The new name sounds quite appealing but does it change anything? How many consultants and PR spinners were involved in all this when perhaps a Year 11 English class could have come up with the same idea during one lesson on slogans? This Government is magnificent at making announcements but continues to be short on delivery even after consulting consultants. KiwiBuild, light rail and the cycle lane across the Auckland Harbour Bridge are examples of this. It has been revealed at the same time of the AWR announcement that the Māori Health Authority is spending $1.15 million a month on contractors and consultants in order to set up this new health sector when money should be directed towards basic healthcare. If the AWR goes through will exorbitant amounts of money be spent on consultants giving advice on how to set all this up? Will we be confronted with another series of cringeworthy TV advertisements to try and sell the idea to us on the advice of consultants? Bernard Walker, Papamoa
Co-governance remains
Apart from increasing the number of water management entities from four to 10, the new reform changes few of the controversial sections in the original Three Waters legislation. Co-governance remains, as do the more significant Te Mana o te Wai statements which few people understand. These statements empower each local iwi to issue statements to which their water services entity must legally respond. They may cover a wide range of subjects including spiritual concerns, investment decisions and Māori employment. The new act also doesn’t remove the liability of councils to be responsible for debt incurred by the Government’s 10 water entities. Janie Weir, Newmarket.
What’s behind opposition?
To those opposed to the Government’s proposed water reforms, can we on the outside detect a whiff of racism as well as a simple refusal to give up control, especially where it might affect profit-making? A real shame on both counts, given the dire state of many of our waterways that have got there by reckless intensification of dairy and other agricultural and industrial activities. The fundamental issues are financial and environmental sustainability; better, wiser decisions need to be made on the management of water, with a clear eye to the future. B Darragh, Auckland Central.
Answer to full prisons
Evidently, some frontline police have been told to “consider necessity of arrests” because one of the country’s largest prisons, Rimutaka, is nearly full. We currently have 18 adult prisons in New Zealand, so do we follow the United States model and simply build more They have over 2 million people in jail equal to 629 per 100,000 population. By contrast, we have approx 8000 in jail which equates to 170 per 100,000 population. Maybe a better solution is to look at countries with low incaceration — Japan (37 per 100,000) or Norway (55 per 100,000) — and find out what we can learn from them. It is a real conundrum because no government wants to be seen as soft on crime. But conversely the US, the self-proclaimed world leader, obviously doesn’t have the solution. Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
Focus on gutters needed
I was somewhat aghast at the response of councillor Sharon Stewart, chair of Auckland Council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee, to the anniversary weekend deluge. To disown any responsibility for council’s sluggish response on that occasion is much like the reported hand washing of Pontius Pilate. Certainly both Judea then and Auckland now required management but responsive and intelligent governance also was and is needed. It is time, I think, for Stewart to move her focus from her favourite footpaths and to turn her mind to the gutter and to what is, and what is not, going down the drain. I appreciate that there is plenty of water about to enable ready lavation but far more is required than the washing or wringing of hands. Truby King, Laingholm.
Hospital pass for mayor
Personally I am delighted to see Wayne Brown as mayor. At last there is someone in office appropriately qualified who seems to call a spade a spade and in sharp contrast to what was there before. Also, in my opinion, he did collect to some degree a hospital pass in respect to the recent flood emergency, as obviously the previous council had nothing planned to deal with that scenario. Let’s hope he is a fast learner and will get things done. Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Months of writing reports
How is it that WorkSafe takes 12 months before laying charges for a single-person accident — yet Mike Bush can interview numerous people, investigate various departments and in less than three months compile an extensive report about Auckland Council naming departments and individuals that were totally lacking in the ability to carry out the required tasks in the devastating flooding that Auckland experienced. Is WorkSafe another government department that can spend months writing reports before any action is taken? Ray Hoy, Riverhead.
‘Pie-in-the-sky’ policies
I listen to the current Prime Minister announcing yet more long-term structuring for water, harbour crossing alternatives and numerous other policies. These so-called important policies eat up huge volumes of New Zealand’s scarce available revenues, millions are spent on consultants and advisers, much of it on “pie-in-the-sky” policies that sound nice but will never get off the ground. I watch our overworked and underpaid nurses asking to be paid a decent wage but the Government says there is no money available. Yet it has and continues to spend funding on big-picture propositions that it (wrongly) believes will gain it votes. Phillip Taylor, Epsom.
Referee decisions distrusted
Commentators of the Warriors clash with the Cowboys on Saturday had a valid point when continually expressing their distrust of NRL-sanctioned referees’ decisions. The players resignedly accepted the situation as business-as-usual but let the scoreboard tell the story. There were numerous marginal calls with the Cowboys usually being granted the benefit of any doubt. The Warriors’ marginal missteps in handling or play the ball slip-ups, by comparison, were always harshly treated. This situation is not new. To the Warriors players’ great credit, they box on and continue to compete fiercely. The NRL hierarchy meantime, hold to their Australian team bias by reserving their “nothing to see here attitude” for Warriors games. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Disruptive minority
I fully agree with the opinion of Bruce Cotterill (Weekend Herald, April 15) but feel his critique of the actions of the vocal and disruptive minority was not strong enough. Many people who hold a strong view on any social issue show an intolerance of any opposing view to the extent that those other people should not have the same rights as are being claimed by themselves. In fact, not only are they prepared to take action to stop others doing the same thing as them (e.g. Posie Parker) but are more than prepared to break the law to express their views. Public and illegal disruptions do not suddenly become okay simply because a loud minority say it is so. Michael Dixon, Hamilton
Christian viewpoint
Was I mistaken or did I just see an article presenting Christians in a favourable light (Steve Braunias meets the biggest-selling artists you’ve never heard of — Weekend Herald, April 15)? David and Dale Garrett are shining examples of the reality of Christianity lived out. Things spoken of from their lives have seldom been heard in the secular and have much to offer to our fractured society. May we continue to see Christianity and Christians portrayed in the light it and they deserve. It’s called balance. John Beach, Christchurch.
Safer driving in US
Driving in the US as we often do, I feel much safer on the road. High speed limits are only for major roads with multiple wide lanes where opposing traffic flows are separated by physical barriers. On New Zealand highways, only a line painted on the road separates opposing traffic moving at speeds of 200km/h. Lower the limits, bring on the barriers. Barb Callaghan, Kohimarama.
On prison capacity
Watch ram raids, burglaries, etc, increase now police officers have been told “to consider the necessity of arrests”. Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.
On health
What doctors need is a way to measure pain. Rod Matthews, Melbourne.
On Three Waters
Three Waters still retains the co-governance principle, a bottom-line policy to guarantee Māori Party support at the next election. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth
Affordable water reforms? Shouldn’t that be “Less affordable water reforms” now that the “economy of scale” advantage has been lost? Wendy Clark, Pukekohe.
On Bruce Cotterill
I’m so tired of listening to the worn-out ideas of Bruce Cotterill. I respect his right to his opinions but please give him a break and suggest he cycles up and down New Zealand a few more times. Phil Rich, St Heliers
Bruce Cotterill lists the “forms of protest” (Weekend Herald, April 15): marching and lobbying. Let’s see who can swing this election — the marchers or the lobbyists. Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.
On supermarkets
I’m wondering how much less the cost of living rises would be if we had a competitive grocery industry. Richard Irwin, Te Atatū South.
Liam Dann: When will the post-Covid party stop?
When will Robertson’s post-Covid party stop? Amazing how the IMF report didn’t get rolled out by him this year. It highlighted exactly what caused our economy to tank but, of course, no one wants to talk about the reality. Craig M.
The real question is, when will the Government stop borrowing and wasting billions with no accountability? Right now, New Zealanders are getting less “bang for our bucks” — the worth of our money is draining away. Sara M.
Not one mention of Robertson’s role in this. The same minister who said in 2022 on inflation: “We are doing comparatively well against other countries”. Fast forward to now and it’s obvious he overshot with his Covid fund and now he says, when faced with a disparity in inflation between us and our trading partners, “we shouldn’t compare”. We’ve sacked other ministers for less. Jan W.
We are in a wage/price spiral now. Chippy and Robertson don’t want to admit it and are therefore continuing to exacerbate it with minimum wage and benefit hikes. Robertson claimed he was going to prevent the inflationary effects of increased wages by increasing productivity. Perhaps you could ask him what his plan is for that. Helen A.
Unfortunately, there is no increase in productivity. In fact, productivity has gone down. Restaurants and hotels can’t operate at capacity due to worker shortages. We will have higher costs of goods sold and sell less, which ultimately will mean hard times. Lucy L.
The problem with giving generous financial support to so many people over time is that those people rely on it continuing and build it into their expectations — even if subconsciously. David M.
Police seize guns, cannabis in Kāpiti; Firearms Registry links suspect to licence holder.