Letters: Auckland's plight, lessons from 9-11, Three Waters and Herald readership

With the Delta strain peppering Auckland, is it time to divert planes to other parts of New Zealand? Photo / Dean Purcell, File

Put the 'closed' sign out

Nearly 60 per cent of MIQ facilities, and an even greater percentage of rooms, are in Auckland. Inevitably, therefore, Auckland is far more likely than the rest of New Zealand to be affected by a border control failure. Such as we have at present. Auckland has willingly stepped up to bear the burden of this and is currently in Level 4 lockdown. Meanwhile, the rest of the country (happy in Level 2 ) just sneers and gloats; and bureaucrats and police respond with cruelty and petty bloody-mindedness. All while Auckland pays the price in ruined businesses, shattered lives and mental and financial trauma, on behalf of the rest of New Zealand
Now we are told that another tranche of Covid-bearing "Red Flights" is on its way. If we must have these flights, then they must go somewhere else in the country, not to Auckland. Auckland has had enough. It's time for the rest of the country to step up and take its fair share of the pain. Send them to Christchurch, or Wellington. Or wherever. Auckland has done its bit, and more, and has had enough. Send the rest of the Covid deliveries elsewhere.
Howard Sutton, Panmure.

Lake affront
On Sunday, I walked around Western Springs lake, which is within 1km of my home.
There were hundreds of people, enjoying the sunshine. Few were masked, fewer still observing any semblance of social distancing. I repeatedly skirted around people who were about to walk very close to me.
You can't tell me they were all locals who had walked there.
Aucklanders are nowhere near compliant enough to deserve a relaxation of level 4 restrictions.
Peter Calder, Westmere.

Tapping in
Brian Fallow wrote an excellent backgrounder (NZ Herald, September 10) to the Three Waters issue. Whoever moves to reform the chronic under-investment in infrastructure will need massive funding.
For local councils, huge increases in rates would be political suicide; central government doesn't want the headache; privatisation would change water supply from a service to a commodity and we all know what happened with electricity.
The best solution is cheap Reserve Bank credit made available to local councils at minimal interest, say 0.5 per cent. David Howard, Pakuranga.

Balanced ledger
I am pleased to read of the Herald's continuing increased readership. As you are well aware, the media has a very important part to play in preserving New Zealand's democracy. In that regard, the Herald, as NZ's pre-eminent daily newspaper, has a very special role to play. Good quality, balanced reporting ensures that the public has all the information needed to make their own judgements, and further ensures that the Government-of-the-day is held to account.
An excellent recent example of balance was David Seymour's article (NZ Herald, September 9) by way of rebuttal against the accusations by several journalists and other commentators regarding his reasons for publicising the "Priority Access Code " for vaccinating Māori.
Well done Herald and keep up the good work. You have a huge part to play given the Covid pandemic and the many changes to our society in New Zealand that are currently under consideration.
Steve Clerk, Meadowbank.

Preferential treatment
Peter Donnelly (NZ Herald, September 10) somehow appears to have overlooked the fact that people over 65 received preferential access to vaccinations, by having them available months before the rest of the population.
Anyone over 65 who is not now vaccinated, either chose not to do so, or may have had a medical reason for not receiving it. While they may not have access to a special code, I am pretty sure they would receive immediate vaccination should they make themselves available to receive it.
Lyall Dawson, Sandringham.

9-11 reponse
A good article by Matthew Hooton (NZ Herald, September 10) illustrating the overreaction to 9/11.
The cost of that atrocity /tragedy was 3000 dead and about $40 billion in economic damage. The preemptive wars on terror in response to this event cost $11 trillion, causing a million dead, nearly all of whom had no involvement with the terror event.
Was there any positive effect of these wars? One can only hope there is some learning.
Frank Olsson, Freemans Bay.

September 9
There is plenty of media attention remembering 9/11 in the United States, but an absence of any mention of 9/11/73 where Henry Kissinger's CIA initiated the murder of President Salvador Allende, the democratically elected socialist president of Chile, and the installation of the right-wing General Pinochet.
Bill Gibson, Kawerau.

Fighting falsehoods
Jared Gilbert column (NZ Herald, September 6) highlighted strategies to counter spread of disinformation – and "resilient and self-reinforcing" conspiracy theories.
Given the widespread online misinformation, and the Classification Office's finding that 82 per cent of us are concerned about it, he recommends Finland's approach.
Finland weaves critical thinking into core subjects in primary and secondary schooling. It has also set up an independent body to train government ministries, police, journalists, teachers and librarians about disinformation.
Such investment is yet to be announced here. Gilbert's recommendation relates to last week's call by AUT professor of Diversity Edwina Pio for a nation-building test requirement for citizenship or residency. Her paper on counter-terrorism emphasises a need for "high-impact", inclusive policies to identify and counter lone wolves. Deprogramming ideology is no simple matter, but expertise now available requires government action for development and wide availability.
Freely available resources include our 10-lesson online course on good governance somsog.org . Ability-levelled, animated, and translated into languages (Arabic and Pashto come to mind), it could easily be adapted to guided education in comparative government and citizenship.
Steve Liddle, Napier.

Face of freedom
Following on from Dr Hylton Le Grice's excellent letter regarding mask-wearing (NZ Herald, September 10), in my more than 40 years as a medical practitioner, I never once saw or heard of an instance where a surgeon or theatre nurse refused to don a mask because it impinged on their personal liberty.
Henry Doerr, MD, Remuera.

Access denied
For a third morning, I have been unable to access online banking due to the current cyber attack.
There has been absolutely no communication from the bank regarding this, not even an acknowledgment that an outage has occurred. It seems that their continuing reduction of basic customer services is proceeding at an even faster rate than I thought.
Duncan Simpson, Hobsonville Pt.

Mission improbable
The Ministry of Education has a mission statement, "We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes." Alwyn Poole (NZ Herald, September 10) writes it would be hard to imagine a statement that is further from the truth.
His answer to start bridging aspiration and desperation in the districts seems to be "another form of groundswell protest".
Maybe at first there needs to be a New Zealand Mission Statement to the effect, "We shape a country that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes for all."
Without that and a determination to make it happen are schools just a bandage to put over and hide the ongoing sores of socio-economic conditions or a salve to cure those? Or a distraction so the real issue doesn't have to be faced?
Peter Nicholson Ruatangata.

TV realisationLockdown has given me more time to watch and appreciate recent New Zealand drama series on television. Namely, Head High, One Lane Bridge, The Panthers, The Brokenwood Mysteries, My Life is Murder.
These programmes not only showcase our local acting talent but more importantly our writers and filming crews. Some wonderful New Zealand scenery, along with excellent plots and scriptwriting demonstrate a coming of age for our drama and filming industry in Aotearoa. However, it is not without pain that I watch The Panthers. This excellent series should have been on our screens 10 years ago. Hopefully it is disturbing our assumptions and urging us to think more deeply about white privilege and racism.
Colleen McMurchy, Blockhouse Bay.

Short & sweet

On Delta
The minute Delta was detected in MIQ, the relevant cities should have been placed in level 2 (or level 1.5). Once again we are left chasing our tail, and Aucklanders are paying the price. Allison Kelly, Mt Roskill.

On rugby
The AB/Argentina Test was a great spectacle with, and owing to, a wonderful referee. David Jones, Parnell.

On tennis
What a fabulous US Open final. No temper tantrums, nor a smashed racquet to be seen. John Ford, Taradale.

Do most spectators attend major tennis tournaments just to see themselves on the big screen? John Norris, Whangamatā.

On Collins
Judith Collins criticises Siouxsie Wiles for travelling 5km to do some exercise, yet herself travelled 600km to sit in any empty Parliament trying to prove what? Jim Holland, Orewa.

On prices
Last year, a box of disposable face masks cost me $7. Same place, same box, a year later, they are $28. Price-gouging is alive and well. Margaret Dyer, Taupō.

On Shaw
For the pious winging their way (with entourages) to Save The Planet prayer meetings, let he who is without sin cast the first sermon. Tony Olissoff, Mt Eden.

The Premium Debate

Covid reserves bench

I feel for all businesses who are really struggling. However, I don't believe this Government, full of people who have never had a "real" job apart from "organising" will ever understand business, economics, finance or trade. Teresa E.

New Zealand has delivered and continues to deliver a world-leading pandemic response. The benchwarmers can stay put. Steve E.

Thanks Sir Ian. Key takeaway from your thoughts? That we are still ahead of the game, in your opinion. Great to hear. Alfred T.

A key part of the challenge is timely access to useable data. There is world-class expertise in the relevant areas in New Zealand, however, they are not being engaged with. They are potential substitutes that will bring a different approach that could become very valuable. At least give them a go. Jon E.

The daily press conferences are a gruelling challenge which everyone on the podium does their best to answer, mostly successfully, with follow up when unable to answer on the spot. I doubt naysayers here could do better. Marshall P.

Brilliant start. Bring it on Sir Ian. I can't wait for your next column. We can only hope the Government actually takes on board what you are saying, listens carefully and follows what will no doubt be sage advice. If they don't we'll know there's little or no hope economically. Jonathan F.