Letters: Chinese culpability, road blocks, citizenship & Desley Simpson

A woman holds a Chinese national flag near the site of a national moment of mourning for victims of the coronavirus in Wuhan. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

Chinese blame game

The threats of President Trump and others to sue China for the damage caused by Covid-19 are empty gestures due to the rule of law known as "sovereign immunity", which prevents governments from being sued. Even if such a case was allowed it would face a defence – in America's case – of contributory negligence, as most of the harm to that country was caused by its own leader's ignoring of medical and scientific advice. Likewise, demands for an international investigation into China's handling of the crisis have little prospect of acceptance.
A more useful demand, however, would be for transparency around any Chinese inquiry, which surely must take place, although that may be too much to hope for. The international community must, however, exert concerted pressure on China for watertight assurances as to how future outbreaks will be notified internationally. There must be no recurrence. Likewise, the international community must insist that the wet markets that are widely attributed to be responsible for the initial outbreak will either be outlawed altogether or robustly regulated. Let's focus on the future and not seek to play the blame game.
Gehan Gunasekara, Ellerslie.

Checkpoints

While National has a role in providing an effective Opposition, Simon Bridges has again showed poor judgment in his heavy challenge to the Police Commissioner.
Police have recognised the vulnerability of some rural communities and provided a presence to ensure no illegal activity takes place at these checkpoints.
They are working to protect both the community and the validity of claims by drivers to such communities.
Janie Weir, Newmarket.

Rich immigrants

Jacinda Ardern is right in not considering land sales and exchanging citizenship for cash. If the wealthy wish to set up business in Covid-19-free New Zealand, then they should be encouraged as long as they abide by tax laws, employ a proportion of locals and only acquire land on leasehold. This works in the Cook Islands, so why not here?
For decades now we have stupidly allowed foreign land grabs with little advantage for New Zealanders.
Marie Kaire, Whangarei.

Over-staffed

Auckland councillor Desley Simpson's article (NZ Herald, May 1) appeals for public understanding on the council's need to raise rates. Surprisingly, she has conveniently left out the most likely practice in any private corporation, that is, reduced staff.
Most Aucklanders consider the council is over-staffed. During the present crisis, all residents suffer hardships and exercise sacrifices. The council should do the same rather than putting more pressure on its residents.
Andrew Yap, Stonefields.

Taiwanese bubble?

Before we open our border with Australia we should be reaching out to Taiwan. With a population of 25 million, Taiwan is well ahead of NZ in the fight against Covid19. Taiwan has 427 infections and six deaths in a population five times our size. They were well prepared and acted immediately the Covid19 threat appeared. A direct air link and enhanced trade terms would bring benefits to both countries.
Of course, that's assuming they'd have us in their bubble.
Neil Harrap, Wellington.

Beauty of symmetry

Councillor Simpson's article (NZ Herald, May 1) had the beauty of symmetry. Both the first and last sentences use the propagandist's best weapon: The Big Lie.
If she did really want to "be open …about the financial realities…as a result of the Covid-19 crisis", she would perhaps have at least allowed that a contributor to council profligacy has been the average increase in staff growth costs of around 4 per cent per annum over the last seven years.
Perhaps she could have mentioned that 2831 council staff are on more than $100,000, or that 218 are on more than $200,000, or even that 60 are on more than $300,000?
If she were keen to "help those financially affected by this crisis" perhaps she would have encouraged her fellow troughers to consider a 0 per cent rates rise and not the false dilemma of a 2.5 per cent or 3.5 per cent rise.
Colin Rippey, Mellons Bay.

City debt

"I want to be open with Aucklanders about the financial reality our city faces as a result of the Covid-19 crisis and lockdowns," Auckland councillor Desley Simpson writes (NZ Herald, May 1). "I want you to know we are listening," she continues. "What I want to make clear is that as we move through this process, you are our priority."
Reassuring as all this new transparency appears, I would be interested to know how Auckland Council managed to accumulate nearly $10 billion of debt before the Covid-19 crisis; what percentage of its existing income is set aside to service that debt; and the extent of the council's exposure to derivatives, which have contributed to the downfall of so many municipalities.
John Julian, Waiuku.

River delay

I completely agree with J R Jones (NZ Herald, April 30) and further to his letter, I contacted Watercare regarding the pipeline from the Waikato River and it had this to say: "You are correct, we do draw water from the Waikato River, but due to the plain and simple fact that we have not had decent rainfall since the beginning of the year it is not enough due to our dam levels at the moment. In 2013, we submitted an application to the Waikato Regional Council to draw more water from the Waikato River. Under the Resource Management Act, the council is required to review applications in the order they are received. Unfortunately, there are still more than 100 applications to be reviewed ahead of ours. With the current amount we are able to take, the Waikato is a great source - providing up to 150 million litres a day. Without it, the situation would be critical."
It is absolutely unbelievable that seven years can pass and the Waikato Regional Council has still not dealt with Watercare's application and, as a result, Auckland is desperately short of water for no good reason.
The RMA needs a major overhaul and the Waikato Regional Council needs to be told to action Watercare's application immediately.
R W Stewart, Rothesay Bay.

General practices

Ms Ardern would be wise to turn her newly acquired steely gaze to the primary health care sector.
This was given the kiss of death by the previous Labour government - and is now moribund.
When Covid-19 anxiety passes, which will be far sooner than is currently believed, the demand for services will rapidly return to normal.
In the meantime, it would be prudent for the Government to throw a billion dollars at general practice to keep it alive.
Andrew Montgomery, Remuera.

Save houses

Regarding the houses set to be demolished for the pedestrian/cycleway on the Harbour Bridge.
Andrew Thackwray states that Waka Kotahi has been "working at pace" and the complex design is an iterative process that has "improved significantly in a short time". Possibly too short, and the process needs to slow down a bit and include a way to preserve the special character of this area.
I have heard that the main reason the houses must go is because construction of a support will damage them and render them dangerous. Perhaps crowdfunding could be sought to allow the residents to move out while the work is going on, then these historic homes repaired? It may be the damage is not as severe as expected - after all, wooden houses are built to withstand earthquakes.
Also, there is a pedestrian tunnel where the old Harbour Bridge toll booths used to be, could this be utilised in some way for the Northcote Point entry?
Apparently, the Government will forcibly acquire the land, bulldoze it and later re-build on the site, thereby recouping some of the burgeoning costs. But the great cost to Auckland's heritage can never be recovered.
Sarah Meikle, Birkdale.

Road toll

New Zealand's car crash rate is among the worst in the developed world, alongside America.
Interestingly America has the most developed motorway system on the planet. So building motorways on its own is not the answer. Yes, motorways reduce crashes while you're on them, but it's the getting to and from that is the problem, along with the encouragement of excessive car use.
If we put a functional central rail and bus system into New Zealand, we should start reducing our road toll for the long term. This will get those people off the road that don't actually want to drive or don't even want to own a car but have no choice. At the same time this will reduce car dependency, as well as having many other positive outcomes like health, urban form (better cities, as they are built around transport hubs) and climate change to name a few.
We should be asking ourselves not "what is the cost?" but "what is the cost of not having it?".
Kevin Honiss, Cambridge.

Short & sweet

On takeaways

Reports in the media are indicating our next cluster will likely come with fries. Stan Jones, Hamilton.

On recovery

I nominate Peter Beck for Prime Minister to rebuild New Zealand. Ashley Clarke, Beach Haven.

On debt

The Bank of England has created an overdraft facility on which the British Government can draw directly. Why not here? David Guise, Golflands.

On council

Auckland councillor Desley Simpson, in her article (NZ Herald, May 1), talks of helping people to pay rates but makes no mention of holding or reducing rates or pruning the budget. Ken Graham, Greenlane.

Rather than referring to "council employees earning more than $250k", it should be: "council employees being paid more than $250k". Anne Wilson, Titirangi..

On masks

There seems to be a new mask, worn completely under the chin when you are talking. Unless there is a very high incidence of tracheostomy these masks will be totally ineffective. Dave Miller, Rotorua.

On flouters

The people who flout lockdown rules are as selfish as those who stripped supermarket shelves. Pamela Russell, Orakei.

What spreads Covid-19 fastest? Contact? Getting too close? Hygiene? No – stupidity. Given we can't eradicate this, then the simplest way to ensure elimination and get us down the levels is to prosecute stupidity. Mike Diggins, Royal Oak.