Letters: Charlotte Bellis, teachers, child deaths, KiwiSaver, and Chris Luxon

Charlotte Bellis in Antwerp, Belgium, bound for Afghanistan in January, 2022. Photo / Jim Huylebroek via Instagram

Due process
I see Chris Hipkins is undergoing a review to see if the proper process was followed in denying Charlotte Bellis entry to New Zealand.
Just to make it easier for him, the proper process is: A pilot making a successful landing of an aeroplane at a Customs-controlled airport in New Zealand, with the passenger preferably still inside and alive.
The production of a valid New Zealand passport by the passenger to a Customs officer at the immigration counter.
Production of an honestly filled out arrival card for immigration and the Ministry of Primary Industries.
So far Charlotte Bellis can fulfil all the above requirements.
If all this is done, it is her legal right to come and stay in New Zealand.
Its pretty simple, Chris.
Michael Walker, Blockhouse Bay.

Greater good
Strongly disciplined environments in my formative years provided not only security but also a lifelong understanding of my individual status in the world.
Freedom by degrees, to maintain law and order and safety and security for all, is concomitant with certain restrictions of freedom.
The larger the group the greater the constraints and the less the individual, as such, has any traction.
Many individual stories during our Covid restrictions are indeed heartbreaking but they are nevertheless individual stories. Rules and restrictions have been devised to keep the greatest number of New Zealanders safe. There is absolutely no point in having rules and restrictions if they are going to be sabotaged every time there is an individual's "sob story" - even those involving pregnancy.
Becoming pregnant in today's world is a choice. Being pregnant is not a bargaining tool… in this case.
Heather Mackay, Kerikeri.

Extended futility
The issue is well beyond whether this person or that person should get an MIQ spot. MIQ has not been fit for purpose for months, but now the real question is "what purpose is MIQ even serving?"
We are 93 per cent double-vaccinated; taking up boosters steadily, and have Omicron in the community anyway (having leaked from MIQ, which everyone including the PM knew it would do and publicly said so).
The WHO has said extended travel bans contribute to economic and social stress and has pointed out the obvious - they haven't stopped Omicron spreading.
Open the borders to vaccinated, negative-testing arrivals - with self-isolation if you must, though even that seems rather pointless.
Stuart Freeman, Titirangi .

School opening delayed
So now we have a primary school delaying opening this week (NZ Herald, February 1) because the teachers are all isolating after attending full school planning meetings on site.
Surely the Ministry of Education has advised against this? Surely principals can work it out for themselves? There's little point in putting the children into separate areas/teams/days/break times, etc, if you then go and put all the teachers together in the one place at the same time. That's actually daft and would be laughable if it wasn't so irresponsible and serious.
My 6-year-old granddaughter is devastated that she isn't starting school this week, as would be many other children.
Nicola Mathews, Ponsonby.

Child deaths
In response to Christine Foley's Letter "Kids still die, yet no comment" (NZ Herald, February 1). I agree that seemingly nothing changes, "One abused child dying every five weeks" reinforces that thinking.
If the experts we have looking after New Zealand children can't pull their weight, we need new experts, until someone actually delivers an answer to our continuing problem.
Meg Gallagher Caldwell, Howick.

On the house
James Lawry's suggestion that KiwiSaver be used for housing investment (NZ Herald, January 26) seems not only sensible for renters in need, but also for those who cannot get work except in big cities.
When teachers' unions, such as in Canada, have super funds to invest in sharemarkets worldwide – including carbon-soaking forests in the southern hemisphere – surely it makes sense also to offer professionals in teaching and health professions the benefit of such funds for house and/or car funding?
Sometimes professionals can find jobs only in big cities, and cannot afford to buy a house when high demand and entry-deposits change - beyond even the hardest working. Especially single-income earners who lose jobs because of falling rolls.
In England early this century, despite being paid 8000 pounds less, as I was "only" New Zealand teacher certified, I took out a subprime loan. After family illness intervened, I had to pay it back at 3:1 in New Zealand dollars on return. Worse, I used it to fund a book instead of a house the English bank manager was then incentivised to offer me. I know, I know – unwise generation-renters.
Steve Liddle, Napier.

Flight of fancy
I am at a loss to understand why it was necessary for Jacinda and the GG to travel to Waitangi on an Air NZ aircraft, along with security personnel, presumably film crew and entourage that accompany the PM for a 15-minute soundbite? And then the use of vehicles to transport them from the airport to Waitangi and return. What a waste of time and resources. Surely, this could have been accommodated in Government House in Wellington and, if necessary, a photoshop of Waitangi grounds in the background. This is the same PM who claimed climate change as this generation's nuclear moment. It appears as blatant politicking with disregard to her vision as a prudent climate change advocate.
L. Hughes, Hamilton.

Tight line
I enjoy fishing, and know the thrills of exaggeration but the National and Luxon polls over December/ January (Curia and Kantar) go like this: National - 32.6 per cent, 33 per cent and 32 per cent, Luxon 20.4 per cent,18.4 per cent and 17 per cent. Going backwards.
It shows that since the bump from jettisoning Judith Collins, National has now stalled and Luxon is becoming less popular the more people get to know him.
National/Luxon surge? What a whopper.
Roger Laybourn, Hamilton.

Missed the bus
If you have trouble sleeping, listen to the droning Auckland Council recorded message. In Hal-like tones, Corp-Auck lectures on nothingness and kindness as it racks up property and water rates; banks regional petrol tax; balances budgets selling previous generations' public investments; and, with the cost of living adjustment, will soon bridge a wage bundle of a billion dollars.
We were sold efficiencies, productivities, better planning, streamlined management. We got an expensive, uncommunicative, inefficient lemon, sinking under its own hierarchy.
Take the nesting of half the regional petrol tax. On Waiheke, $16 million electric buses pass me on my bike in one day, nine empty. The remaining seven carried 3-5 people. The bus driver at the port speaks about the "dead-man run". Why not contract out private electric vans for out-of-rush hour times? Why aren't all Auckland buses free right now?
Auckland City feels like a captainless boat with a crew AWOL or speaking vagaries and safe issues. The management of Auckland is as dynamic as their message system, like waiting for a bus that never arrives.
Russell Hoban, Ponsonby.

Last stop, Mt Eden
When the prospect of light rail was raised by the Greens, holding Labour to ransom as part of the Coalition deal in 2017, tracks were to run on road from the CBD and via congested Dominion Rd to the airport.
After much public scorn and opposition, a new plan to underground the first 11km bypassing Dominion Rd altogether has surfaced to look like a face-saving option as the cost balloons to $15 billion and much more.
How can this cost be justified, considering the limitations of the route, even if all the promised houses were built along the way?
The Government has already borrowed an unplanned $66b to get us as safely as possible through Covid, which is not done with us yet.
If tunnelling is now the latest crash hot idea, what has happened to plans to extend the City Rail Link further than Mt Eden?
Coralie van Camp, Remuera.

Short & sweet

On Bellis
I wonder how many times in the last few weeks Charlotte Bellis has wished she were a citizen of any other Western country than New Zealand. Therein lies our shame. Peter Newfield, Takapuna.

I never thought I would see the day when an institutionally misogynistic regime would be kinder to a stranded New Zealander than her own country. Steve Gardner, Tamahere.

On Ardern
During a pandemic the Prime Minister should not have to use any aircraft other than one provided by the NZ Air Force. If they do not have a suitable-sized plane the Government should purchase one. K Clive Britton, Hobsonville.

On predictions
I am wondering if "modellers" and weather forecasters come from the same stable. For nearly a fortnight we have been promised rain or showers in Auckland. Gregory Cave, Sunnyvale.

On voters
The one thing I would ask Labour supporters in next year's election is this. How much disposable income do you have compared to 2020? Mark Young, Ōrewa.

On MIQ
MIQ seems more like "missing in the queue" every day. Better change the name/acronym. S Mohanakrishnan, Mt Roskill.

On Partygate
Finally, for Boris - when caught with your pants down - there is nothing left to do than declare "We will change; we are into people, not parties". Paula Wagstaff, Pt Wells.

The Premium Debate

Tax rate hits more than expected

Covid payments (resurgence payments, etc) to self-employed are classed as income and in some cases can amount to more than $20K. Russell O.

Either main political party needs to correct tax creep across all brackets. Warren C.

How many are local and central government employees? Wayne M.

That's team of 5 million, minus 1 million citizens locked out; 119,000 working two days a week for free; farmers; anyone self-employed; hunters; landlords; pregnant women; anyone who cares about pregnant women. Who have I missed? Craig W.

It's working precisely as it should. The 39 per cent rate only impacts on the income over the $180k level, remember. The income up to $180k is still at the level most people pay. Seems to me to be both sensible and fair. If you are a CEO (most of whom delegate 90 per cent of the work) and you are earning $1,000,000 plus bonuses and shares, then you should be paying this tax. As an additional option, why not make all income up to $25,000 tax-free? That would help lowly paid/minimum wage earners, sickness beneficiaries and the vast bulk of the population. Roger H.

I guess profligacy has to be funded somehow. I suspect that if you kept this Government in power for long enough, most people would work for the government anyway. Paul W.