Bond medical students
We have an acute chronic shortage of nurses and doctors in New Zealand and it appears that as fast as we train more, they disappear to greener pastures overseas. Back in the dim and getting dimmer past, teacher training was free and a small living salary paid monthly to cover board and very basic essentials.
But all trainees were bonded for two years and required to do one year country service. This allowed for fairer distribution of staffing and the obligation to pay back in service years for one's training.
Now nurses and doctors (and teachers) pay highly for their training and cannot be blamed for wanting to seek higher remuneration when it is offered.
Why doesn't the Government instigate a scholarship-type system where training for medical staff is free and a small allowance paid in return for a five-year bond to work in New Zealand?
This would at least help retain constant numbers of medical staff and stop the brain drain.
National has added to the chronic shortage that we now endure by failing to train staff, reliance on immigrants and failing to affect due maintenance.
Marie Kaire, Whangārei.
China's history
There's various discourse on what China is about around the Pacific Islands right now, highlighted by the Solomon Islands signing their access agreement.
Fiji has been aligned with China for 50 years and more.
As a schoolboy in Fiji, later a banker, and for many years a tourism business operator, I have witnessed Chinese presence grow with investors in supermarkets, grocery stores, night clubs, tourism, small scale manufacturing (solar energy installations etc) and agriculture.
There have been cultural exchanges and government to government exchanges over the years, including military and police training. Expatriates will remember fondly the first major Chinese-owned department store in Suva, Mr Chang's Joon Hing Loong. That was in 1949 — 73 years ago.
John Cooper, Eastern Bays.
Scrutinise agreement
Should we be worrying about the apparent partnership our Government has formed with China?
The 2019 Defence Agreement seems more about being in military partnership with China than a document ensuring our sovereignty. We need to be able to understand the ramification of this agreement for sharing all our military training and development with China and making our ports available for "visits".
Some analysis of this agreement is needed for it seems to parallel that offered for other Pacific nations to sign up to. What have we given away?
Roger Russell, Campbells Bay.
Tax will get Trump
The Weekend Herald's editorial is correct when it says Trump will not be indicted by the January 6 committee but I do not believe that was ever the intent. It was always obvious there was enough support for his totally (and knowingly) false position that the election was stolen.
He has distorted the truth from day one but indictment and subsequent conviction would be impossible.
Rather, the intention was to make him so unpalatable as to be unelectable and thus move the political spectrum to a more reasonable position. We can only hope that is achievable although it may prove impossible.
Indictment would, in any case, be futile without 10 senators crossing the floor to convict but even if that did happen he would simply plead immunity from any action as the then sitting president and if that failed, his Supreme Court would find in his interest.
Trump is not vulnerable to any January 6 charge but he is definitely so to charges which will almost certainly be brought by the New York Attorney General. There is adequate evidence he inflated the values of his property to gain more favourable terms from his bankers and deflated it to reduce his taxes. He cannot claim presidential immunity from these offences.
He has forgotten what Al Capone learnt to his cost: "The Taxman cometh".
Rod Lyons, Kumeu.
Poor model
Your editorial in Saturday's Weekend Herald, "Why Trump won't be indicted", suggested Republicans were the majority of voters deciding the make-up of Congress. In fact, each state gets to elect two Congress representatives. So California with an overwhelmingly Democratic population of 30 million gets two Congressmen/women while rural states such as Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, South and North Dakota (and many others) all overwhelmingly Republican with populations of less than 1.5 million also elect two Congressmen/women each.
Some democratic model that is — and is a warning to those proponents of changing our governance from the Westminster system to a Republic.
Paul Cheshire, Maraetai.
Bolster KiwiSaver
Australia's superannuation funds now exceed A$3 trillion, far outstripping our meagre NZ$100 billion savings pool. We have paid a high price for the cessation of the Kirk fund in the 1970s.
Our KiwiSaver fund is woefully inadequate to meet the future needs of retirees, with politicians unwilling to confront the issue. The possible solution? KiwiSaver should be compulsory with increased contributions and an extended age entitlement. Australia's superior savings pose a threat to our businesses as their fund managers seek investment options, our share register dominated by foreign investors as evidenced by the recent sale of Z Energy to Ampol Australia.
P. J. Edmondson, Tauranga.
Short & sweet
On crime
I read again that prison does not reduce crime rates. I'm sure the crime rate would increase if we let everyone out of prison. W Roberts, Kohimarama.
On rugby
Auckland, please don't boo someone else's success. It is not our traditional welcoming style or mirror our true personality. Annette Nicolls, Mt Eden.
On hair
There is a glaring lack of diversity in New Zealand Rugby. It badly needs more redheads.
Christine Keller Smith, Northcote Pt.
On jobs
Why did we import 275 workers when NZ has a population of five million? Surely, if I didn't have a fulltime job, and was 20 something, I'd have put up my hand? Nishi Fahmy, Avondale.
On stadium
Cantabs — build your stadium now, it will never be cheaper. Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.
On portfolios
Chris Hipkins moves from his pandemic and education roles which have unresolved problems of truancy and poor academic performance to the police which also has massive problems. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
On Queen St
I joked that Queen St needs chicanes. Now I'm thinking it could be a good idea. Hamish Walsh, Devonport.
The Premium Debate
Crusaders v Blues: How players rated
Crusaders have the formula. Each man does only his job and does it to the max, trust the others to do the same. Passing skills are on a different level. Tackling is an attacking process. Mary S.
Havili completely outplayed Tuivasa-Sheck; Mo'unga was all over Beauden Barrett; Hall was superior to Christie; Scott Barrett and Whitelock were awesome compared to Blues locks; Perofeta is not All Black material. Garry B.
The game was won by the Crusaders pack, especially Barrett and Whitelock. Blair V.
Watching that final makes for scary viewing when you consider the latest All Black selections. Alan W.
We just witnessed the best-ever coaching group in NZ devise a plan to win — and a team that executed the plan to almost perfection. Leon MacDonald was a great assistant to Razor Robertson but is nowhere near a head coach of the same quality. The Blues should have changed strategy during the game but Beauden didn't have the skills or nous to do that. Tim F
The Warriors don't look quite so bad now. David G.
Nor both our cricket teams, netball squad, both hockey teams, women's football ... the list feels endless. Wayne S.
Why, oh why did NZR lock-in Foster until after the Rugby World Cup? David S.
