ANZ New Zealand's net profit after tax has jumped 20 per cent to $2.299 billion in the year to September 30. Photo / Michael Craig, File
Modern-day profits
We live in a country and a world where, to our shame, the gap between those well-off and those who aren’t, continues to grow. The idea of a tax on record profits of banks and large companies that have come about due to factors for which they have not been responsible deserves serious attention. It could be one positive step towards redressing the gap. And, by the way, what about a capital gains tax on investment property profits produced by the market and not by any efforts of those fortunate enough to own property? It’s the same principle, isn’t it?
Norman Elliott, St Heliers.
Unseemly gains
Further to John Christiansen’s letter (NZH 31/10) commenting on the Reserve Bank’s efforts to control inflation by drawing a connection between the ANZ’s record profits and an individual’s concern with a rising mortgage payment, I don’t think he goes far enough in drawing parallels. Are we perhaps edging closer to a Dickensian England, with profit before people, the rich being rewarded, i.e. the salaries of CEOs (“We are only doing what our shareholders demand”), and those at the other end of the spectrum enduring today’s equivalent of debtor’s prisons, repossessed homes and motel living at the state’s expense? I acknowledge that profit, in itself, is not a dirty word, but excessive profits before service, in the banks’ case, closing branches, and with a growing wealth disparity means that perhaps it is time to re-evaluate the ethos and the ethics of where our society sits, and where we see it going.
David White, Pāpāmoa.
Specialist care
There is a great need for change within healthcare and we feel that an innovative approach in our small community of Kawerau, could be extended to other communities. We feel very privileged that a specialist has decided he can help by coming out for an afternoon each week to general practices in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. GPs send him patients they are concerned about, in terms of their waiting times for urgent hospital treatment. He sees the patients and, with the help of a local charity, he gets things done like CT scans, ultrasounds, or even MRIs. In the past two years, we understand he has helped 60 patients who might still be waiting to see a specialist, several with undetected cancers. We have written to all political parties, suggesting specialists like this one could go out to some GP practices even once a month seeing patients that GPs are really concerned about. It could have a big impact on waiting lists. Despite all parties saying they want to improve healthcare, there has been not one reply.
Margaret Potter, Whakatāne.
Pause practice
I am supporting more them 35 surgical mesh-harmed women. Our collective consumer voice asks for a visible demonstration of improved patient safety before, during and after mesh surgery. Improvements are needed in clinical governance structures around mesh surgery. Surgeons need extra training and upskilling. The current harm shows they are not where they need to be in their practice. They need to restart. A registry to follow patient outcomes and detect harm early needs to be implemented. Until then, we ask for a pause for patient safety.
Sally Walker, Whangaparāoa.
Muddled waters
The thinking behind Three Waters is muddled. If the objective is to minimise financing costs, then this could be achieved by the Government guaranteeing new water infrastructure debt. And if the objective is to have greater concentrations of industry expertise, then this could be achieved by having a central resource that must be used by councils before the Government will guarantee any debt. And if the objective is to cross-subsidise those small councils that cannot afford their new water infrastructure assets, then this could be through an infrastructure fund. And, finally, if the objective is co-governance of water catchment land, then this could be achieved by co-management arrangements between councils and local iwi and hapū. None of this requires large bureaucracies, major restructures, confiscation of water assets, opaque governance, and new expensive IT projects that may fail. As the Auckland, Christchurch, and Waimakariri mayors suggest, it is time to think differently.
Spencer Scoular, Remuera.
No Mercy
The closure of Mercy Parklands is not just the closure of an aged-care facility. Mercy Parklands works as an official adjunct to Auckland Hospital by transferring non-critical patients out of wards and into this facility in Ellerslie. In July last year, I was offered this option and was transferred out of a ward and had six weeks of care while I recovered from surgery after an accident that had ruptured all ligaments in both of my knees. This closure should be ringing very loud alarm bells in Wellington. If this doesn’t wake up Andrew Little - nothing will.
Brett Hewson, Parnell.
Missed the bus
The Fair Pay Agreements Act recently passed by the Government was lauded as giving unions encouragement to bargain for equal pay for similar work throughout the country. The old “awards” system. The Government has just now allocated $61 million to selected transport providers to enable better pay for bus drivers and to make being a bus driver an attractive career. In doing so, however, the Government has purposely not included school bus drivers to be eligible for the $61 million sop to the unions. How mean-spirited and hypocritical at a time when the charade of equality is enacted in law.
Lloyd Murcott, Whangamatā.
Reduced classes
Whilst I think it sad that anyone is made redundant, I question just what these AUT staff (NZ Herald, November 1) have been doing when the university (and all universities) have had their rolls decimated with no overseas students that they charged big dollars for. Simply put, the universities must be bleeding money and many of their staff are presumably under-worked given the fall in student numbers. So, sorry, but that’s life in the real world, unlike the oft-cosseted world of academia. Given our apparent lack of teachers, they shouldn’t have too much trouble finding other similar roles.
Glenn J Pacey, Glendowie.
Road anarchy
That the public the authorities, and the police chiefs cannot see the reason for our horrendous road toll amazes me. Every day I see dangerous driving, including excessive speeding. Observe the 80km/h speed limit on sections of the Auckland city motorway and you will be tailgated, and overtaken in dangerous lane changes by angry drivers travelling at much higher speeds. Add to this, red light and compulsory stop runners, vehicles parked facing the wrong way, cellphone offences, short phasing traffic lights and the almost total absence of a dedicated traffic enforcement identity, the recipe for disaster is obvious. Reduction in the road toll is a pipe dream unless radical changes are urgently implemented. Bring back the traffic cops.
Lee Miller, St Johns.
Buying trouble
Observation and science have told us we are experiencing huge climatic change, with dire circumstances to come. It is not just the farmers who need to help stall this deterioration. Each of us can play a positive role. But stupid is as stupid does. As an example, in the supermarket this morning: imported strawberries for sale in the middle of our own strawberry season. Just as stupid is buying them The same supermarket is offering vouchers for us to collect new drink glasses. Just as stupid is people collecting them when the op shops have trouble giving glasses away. It is time to stop and think, and to change from the carry-on-as-usual mindset. Dianne Blumhardt, Morrinsville.
Unnecessary demolition
Recently the Auckland Council granted resource consent to partially demolish the listed Category 1 historic Building One Carrington Hospital at Unitec. The reason given was that this is the preferred option in order to allow an internal site access road off Carrington Rd, Point Chevalier. Expert peer reviews disagree and, in reality, it is to increase the housing footprint. Instead of going around the built heritage (1900-1905) it will go through it. A fully functional road, Gate One, has existed there since 1865. The new Carrington urban development proposed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development with iwi partners will be a wonderful regenerative opportunity. Unfortunately, heritage demolition is not a sustainable option in a time of Climate Crisis. It ignores embodied carbon, and historic features and highlights waste and emissions. It is also counter to the Marutūāhu/Ockham press release (NZ Herald, October 18) which states " we don’t want thoroughfares in terms of internal roads”. The simple solution vs demolition is to re-option the road around Building One, without losing any development volume or profitability, and allow housing to coexist with heritage.
Chris Casey, Pt Chevalier.
Rugby dominance
We had some great sports results for New Zealand over the weekend: women’s rugby, cricket, basketball, triathlon, supercars and rugby league - to name a few. Yet, what has been the social and media focus? Headline articles, opinion pieces and letters complaining about the All Blacks, who actually won. What gives? For better or worse, it shows that rugby - especially the All Blacks - remains the dominant sporting culture in New Zealand. Maybe it’s time we (public and media) started to accept that the All Blacks are just a sports team - one that can win and lose. Not only would that provide more space to acknowledge the performances of other sports, it would also allow us to better appreciate every win by the All Blacks - wins that should never be treated as a given. M. Boardman, Dunedin.
On banks
“A banker is a fellow who lends his umbrella when the sun shines, and wants it back when it starts to rain” - Mark Twain. B. Watkin, Devonport.
On PM
For the Prime Minister to have visited Shackleton’s hut is living a legend, but being rescued by an Italian Hercules is an event of mythical proportions. Owen McMahon, Lynfield.
On Luxon
While flipping burgers, maybe Christopher Luxon could have explained to the workers at the fast food outlet why his tax scheme would give them $100 each per year while he gets $18,000. J McCormick, Gisborne.
On phones
The “tight labour market” is mainly due to so many potential workers being so preoccupied fiddling with their smartphones every hour of the day that they have neither the time nor the inclination to look for a job. Jack Waters, Taupō.
On cartoons
Is there a cartoonist cleverer and more astute than Guy Body? Jeffrey Langford, Belmont.
Body’s cartoon (NZH, Oct. 31) of Elon Musk loading Donald Trump’s head into a Twitter cannon was brilliant. Emmerson is also a great cartoonist. More of those two, please. R Hodges, Kohimarama.
Simon Wilson: Wind and rain of Mayor Wayne Brown
I am extremely concerned about the combative stance of the current mayor. I was hoping for better. Also, “If we stop doing this, would anyone notice?” seems a little facile. There will be people who notice, it’s just whether their voice is heard. Rather than just cutting, what are you going to do? Karen F.
After reading this, I don’t expect anything positive to come from this council. Erik P.
I do: fiscal responsibility after years of overspending. Mark C.
Not quite as critical of Wayne Brown as most of Simon Wilson’s columns, harking back to the time Brown chose to run and even continuing after the election. Maybe it’s because Brown got supposedly unlikely support from the bike lobby and Chloe Swarbrick for a couple of his initiatives. Even before his inauguration, it looks like Brown has started doing what he said he would do, which is why he was elected with such a large majority. Colin E.
Sixteen per cent of the voting population is a “large majority”. Ladies and gentlemen, mathematics in modern New Zealand. Scott L.
Desley Simpson is not only the brains of the Auckland Council but also a National Party member, so her choice as the deputy was no surprise when it was such a swing away from the left to the right. It is a trend that will carry through to the next general election. David S.
Finally, sanity is prevailing at Auckland Council. Wayne Brown said, “we need to review every line item of expenditure”. Most Aucklanders will be celebrating having a competent Super City Mayor for the first time. And AT is so dysfunctional it is cancelling bus services when public transport is held up by both local and central government as the answer to all our problems. Enjoy the reliable car ride to work, Simon, because the bus isn’t coming. Andrew O.
Mind that carbon footprint, though. Ross P.
A senior leader tells staff he doesn't feel 'in the least bit Christmassy'.