Letters: Andrew Bayly got off lightly; no upside to appeasing China

National's Andrew Bayly announces his resignation as a minister in Pukekohe on Monday. Photo / Calvin Samuel, RNZ

Letters to the Editor

Andrew Bayly got off lightly

Considering the circumstances whereby Andrew Bayly put his hand on a staffer, he is lucky he has not been charged with assault – the definition of which is covered by any situation where you intentionally apply force against another person’s body without their consent.

An assault can include very minor force. There is no place for this sort of behaviour in the workplace. One can only hope the staffer involved is not affected by the event in the long term.

Instead of being given a few days' grace to organise his exit, the Prime Minister, on learning about this situation, should have used some of the vernacular used by Bayly to a wine worker in October last year.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Coalition slip-ups

Honestly, this is embarrassing. How many times have members of the coalition slipped up in front of literally everyone?

From David Seymour driving up the steps of Parliament, when he was specifically told not to, to Andrew Bayly resigning for touching one of his staff member’s arms.

What also drives me crazy is that there is no embodiment group representing the 9- to 13-year-olds who are watching our climate being destroyed by Winston Peters and Shane Jones, our future being taken away just for a short-term economic boost.

Hayden Brown (12), Mt Eden.

National security

There has been much discussion regarding the Chinese warships in the Tasman. My opinion is that China is preparing to invade Taiwan and is saying to New Zealand and Australia, quite simply: stay out of it.

We, with our insignificant defence forces, can do nothing about China. Same applies to Australia.

So, my suggestion is this. Firstly, I choose to side with America, warts and all, as opposed to China. We should offer America an option to set up a naval base in New Zealand. This will at least assure us a degree of security.

Coming from the Caribbean, I watched as time and time again America kept Cuban/Russian communism from spreading through the islands. Was the end result perfect? No – but at least the islands are still democracies.

Steve Clerk, Meadowbank.

China realities

A correspondent recently suggested we treat China more like a friend. Rattling their sabres between us and our Aussie mates aside, there is little to respect in the Chinese regime. They have shown an abhorrent response to the dissension in Hong Kong, they posture around Taiwan and encroach in the Philippines, and they invest in their Belt & Road initiative anywhere. China treats any concerns about human rights as interfering with its domestic affairs.

Yes, we trade with them and in that respect we are complicit in their despotism. I can see no upside to appeasing and ingratiating that regime.

Jason Conway, Green Bay.

Investment risk

What is to stop wealthy investors putting $5-10 million into New Zealand investments or starting a company just to gain citizenship and a property – and then pulling out?

I remember the furore over the granting of such to Peter Thiel after he gained citizenship by residing a few weeks in New Zealand with the promise of benefiting New Zealand. Now, at a time when the Government is promoting growth, he is pulling out. It is all about the money and profit for these wealthy entrepreneurs, not helping the ordinary Kiwi slogging for minimum wages.

Marie Kaire, Whangārei.

Pest problem

I agree wholeheartedly with correspondent Vicki Carpenter’s suggestion that more cat control measures are required to stop the decimation of our unique wildlife (February 25).

Unfortunately, this problem goes way beyond keeping cute, fluffy moggies on a shorter leash. Until every introduced animal running feral in our country – every possum, wallaby, rat, weasel, ferret, stoat, hedgehog, dog, cat and deer – is eradicated, our precious wildlife, none of which is found anywhere else in the world, will be threatened with extinction.

I emphasise the “feral” here. If people want to live with their pets, that’s fine as far as I’m concerned. The sad reality is that if nothing is done, there will be a huge loss for all of us. Can anyone imagine replacing the extinct kiwi, tuatara, tūī and the rest we love with a possum or hedgehog as new symbols of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s diverse fauna?

Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.

Trump claim

If Donald Trump has submitted a vastly overvalued claim to Ukraine of US$500 billion [$871b] for US aid provided by the previous US administration, then perhaps Ukraine should submit a similar claim for the 14,000 (and rising) Ukrainian lives expended in fighting what has been a proxy or de facto war against Russia for the US and the Western allies. With a friend like Trump, who needs enemies?

David Pickford, Whitianga.

Bishop on board

Finally, Chris Bishop, a Government minister who gets the necessary urbanisation and transport issues for Auckland, reports Simon Wilson (February 25). Whoop-de-do, about time. Now to blow up the council blockages and the Nimbys. Come on Mayor Wayne Brown, please get on board.

Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.