Letters: Climate crisis, childcare, Pike River Mine, masks and the Northern Pathway

The sun sets behind an idle pump jack near Karnes City, Texas as demand for oil falls due to the Covid 19 coronavirus outbreak. AP Photo / Eric Gay

Climate crisis cause and solution

Along with Brian Pittams (NZ Herald, April 20), I too am delighted to have kept up my subscription to the NZ Herald. What I am particularly impressed with is the continual coverage of climate change and the need to act.
In Jamie Morton's Covering Climate Now, 'Virus impels us to act, why not warming?' (NZ Herald, April 20) an interesting perspective is given by some psychologists around the world, noting we respond quickly to immediate fear, not so well with slow-moving disasters. This seems to ignore the overwhelming fact that it is a man-made disaster, caused by extravagant needs and wants.
These needs and wants have been manipulated by a ruthless business approach, the discovery of fossil fuels and cheap labour. It made men powerful, controlling, wealthy and greedy and unable to connect to the damage being done. This business approach has promoted many of them to positions of authority around the world. Asking these men to change their ways would be taking away their power, their control and their wealth. That's what is at the heart of climate change.
We need a world action to stand up and demand change. We need all conservation activists to combine and to get in behind or start one movement.
Recovering from the virus is a starting point.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.

Childcare reopening

We have known about the lockdown level system for over four weeks now.
During that time the Ministry of Education and ECE sector organisations should have been preparing for the time when the tight lockdown rules would be relaxed a little. Questions about what opening centres under level 3 would look like should have been raised and thought through during the downtime of level 4, so that once faced with re-opening, the sector would be ready to go.
It should have been plainly obvious that as soon as more parents were allowed to rejoin the workforce, childcare would need to restart, albeit in a very limited capacity, for those families who have no other alternatives.
The ECE sector and the Ministry of Education appear to have been caught napping at a time when New Zealanders are relying on them to do their bit to get the country moving again, in the same way that other essential workers have been doing.
Sue Kurtovich, Tauranga.

Pike lessons

T W Poulgrain (NZ Herald, April 20) asserts that the living should take precedence over the dead in the competition for government funding, so we should not continue the Pike River recovery.
He and many others completely miss the point. By discovering exactly what happened at Pike River we can ensure that New Zealand workplaces are made safer in the future.
At these times in particular, the issue of mining our own country will be up for discussion. Doing that safely in mountainous terrain could provide a vital economic lifeline to remote communities. This was one of the selling points for the Pike River set-up.
Companies that operate unsafely must be punished to the full extent of the law, otherwise there are few incentives to look after workers in dangerous occupations.
If we simply walk away from the 29 bodies buried at Pike River, we are enshrining the "she'll be right" attitude for New Zealand workers.
The result will be more killed at work because unscrupulous employers know they will get away with it.
Pike River provides a chance to set a precedent. The only question is which way that precedent will point.
P J Houlahan, Titirangi.

Supermarket masks

Here's a suggestion: Free, mandatory facemasks at the entrance to every supermarket. No more infected people coughing or sneezing virus-loaded droplets into the air.
Supermarkets have saved thousand of dollars by eliminating plastic bags and offering fewer specials, while making thousands more because of their privileged, exclusive status.
How about they give a little back by providing a safer shopping environment for the public through supplying masks?
Alice Muir, Lynfield.

MP costs

Correspondent Glenn Forsyth (NZ Herald, April 20) makes the point about reducing the number of MPs to reduce costs.That will never happen, as turkeys are not inclined to vote for an early Christmas.
However, during the lockdown, MPs have successfully worked remotely so there is no need for all MPs to travel to Wellington and be housed there as well.
Now that would reduce costs dramatically and reduce their big carbon footprint.
Dave Miller, Rotorua.

Rates relief

To show some commitment to ratepayers, Auckland Council and COOs should be reducing rates.
Financing this should not be hard - cut salary costs (by, say 20 per cent) by reducing either staff remuneration or staff numbers.
Capital expenditure on some of the "nice to have" projects must be postponed and savings channelled into rate reductions and improvement of services - start off with $360m which is earmarked for the Northern Skypath.
Alas, Auckland Council solves its predicament by leaping into action and raising rates by 3.5 per cent (alright, maybe 2.5 per cent) and, to really rub it in, sends out early notices reminding us that our dog licences will be due soon.
John Kothe, Torbay.

Pathway houses

I was very dismayed and disappointed to read of the probable requisition and destruction of six heritage houses in Northcote Point (NZ Herald, April 20) to allow for the construction of the off-ramp for the Northern Pathway.
The date for public submissions has passed (April 19). The NZTA seems to have pushed this very destructive idea through with little public consultation.
I find it hard to believe that a team of professional designers cannot figure out a way to create a path that does not require house removal. It is not a cycle motorway, just a path, surely.
Chris Blenkinsopp, Beach Haven.

Project costs

I was horrified, but not surprised, to read of the enormous budget blowout, lack of consideration of historic heritage and appalling consultation processes of the New Zealand Transport Agency.
I think there needs to be a "please explain" letter sent to NZTA as to how a plan can go from $67m to $360m in less than two years, destroying history as it goes.
Andrew Thackwray of NZTA was quoted as saying there had been significant changes in a relatively short time. Why?
It appears, true to form, they have a plan and they will put that in place at any cost which happens to be at our cost. They need to be reminded of that and held accountable.
Annabel Haddrell, Manukau.

Yachting pioneer

A recent report (NZ Herald, April 20) stated that the first P class yacht was launched from a ramp at Princes St, Northcote. This was not correct.
The first P class was designed and built by Harry Highet and launched at Tauranga in 1922. What was launched from Princes St was the 3.8m long Gunter rigged Z class yacht designed and built by R.B. (Bob) Brown in 1924. He designed it to sail on the tidal estuaries of nearby Shoal Bay and Ngataringa Bay and it was also sailed on the shallow harbours of Tauranga, Manukau and Sumner Estuary at Christchurch.
In the 1950 Auckland Centennial Regatta, 93 Z class yachts were entered, split into two divisions, the most popular class in the regatta.
Bob Brown was later to tragically drown while rescuing a child at Orewa but his legacy, the famous little Z class yacht, lives on.
Paul Titchener, Grey Lynn.

You're welcome

I agree with Brian Pittams (NZ Herald, April 20). Congratulations to the Herald for the well-researched and informative stories published over the lockdown period. They make for very interesting reading.
The editorials have been fair and unbiased.
Also, thank you for the extra sudokus, crosswords and puzzles published daily. We do enjoy them.
Thumbs up to the Herald reporters and staff.
Sally Paine, St Heliers.

Short & sweet

On Level 3

I sincerely hope that, in making her decision on the lockdown level and the future safety of our nation, the Prime Minister checked first with Mike Hosking. Gerald Payman, Mt Albert.

Today's front page had good news of a possible easing of our alert level, but also a gloomy headline advising of a "new climate change series". Please can't this topic remain in lockdown? Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.

I feel like I can breathe more easily and move at my own pace. I really don't want to return to the frantic pace of living and the craziness on the roads. Rita Riccola, Albany.

We cheer on every day the progress in New Zealand and watch, in admiration, the resoluteness and teamwork of 5 million Kiwis making it happen. Kia kaha, Kiwis! Jane Lawless, France.

On trees

Why does the council persist in planting rewarewa trees on berms, when they take years to look other than a stick in the ground and die in droves at the slightest suggestion of a dry summer? Colin Nicholls, Mt Eden.

On America

How ironic it is to see the White House playing Russian roulette with American lives? Philip Jenkins, Kerikeri.

On breaches

We have a Defence Force, who are on salaries paid by Government. Cannot they be deployed to assist the police in bringing these miscreants to justice? I S Thomas, Cambridge.

On puzzles

Thank you for all the puzzles you have been publishing. They are much appreciated and my family has been enjoying doing them. Nicola Bartlett, St Heliers.