National leader Judith Collins during a press conference at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
At times of national crisis, such as the present pandemic, confrontational politics does more harm than good.
For the Government's attempts to protect its citizens constantly to be sneered at and derided simply strengthens the resolve of those who refuse to be vaccinated and encourages others to break the lockdown rules. It was therefore a breath of fresh air to hear Judith Collins actually support the Government's proposal to introduce vaccination certificates.
Hopefully, the other leaders of the Opposition parties will follow suit and show a united front in working to eliminate the virus and getting the whole of New Zealand back to normality.
Gerald Payman, Mt Albert.
Worth the sacrifice?
Simon Wilson's column on "...the balderdash of Bloomberg" (NZ Herald, October 5) is chilling. Bloomberg, in its world pandemic performance-ranking criteria, regards lack of freedom as more reprehensible than lack of deaths. So it ranks New Zealand way down at 38th in the world for its Covid response.
Bloomberg is a financial services and media agency. Bloomberg himself is mega-rich – a billionaire. This is big business talking. Promoting the idea that many deaths, and the debilitating effects of long-Covid, are acceptable trade-offs against loss of freedoms, and loss of business. Ergo – if it's good for business, deaths are okay.
Is this the attitude our own business "bench" will be bringing to the table, given the chance?
How many deaths? How many sacrifices? The US is recording 1900 deaths a day. That's over 12,000 a week. Is that okay? Bloomberg ranks the US number one for "ease of movement". So that's the trade-off Bloomberg and business finds okay in "learning to live with Covid"?
Well, it's not okay for Wilson. And it shouldn't be for New Zealand either.
Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
Church contrition
I joined the Catholic Church as a young man in 1980. One of the things I have valued has been the church's recognition of our human frailty and our need for forgiveness through the sacrament of reconciliation.
The unchurched among your readers will understandably be looking down their noses at us at present. Hard on the heels of the many instances of sexual abuse uncovered, and the attempts to avoid acknowledging them, the Pandora Papers reveal financial duplicity on a grand scale by the Legion of Christ, through NZ registered trusts.
The need for forgiveness is central to our faith; however, genuine remorse is a precondition to that forgiveness. I do not gain any sense of remorse from those caught up in this further stain on my church.
David Tennent (retired Catholic school principal), Wattle Downs.
No extensions
There is only one reason Government wishes to reduce the voting qualification age. It knows younger voters of very limited (like, nil) world experience (in this case still at school) are disproportionately predisposed to voting Labour.
The move to promulgate a four-year period in Government, equally obviously, is to try and extend its present period in office without having to face the electorate at the end of three years.
The answer to both: No way.
Hugh Perrett, Remuera.
Bossed into jabs
Sasha Borissenko's column (NZ Herald, October 4) on "Can your employer make you get the jab", makes it plain that the law is unclear.
Elsewhere, Business NZ has been quoted as saying: "Talking to Employment Court judges, they would love to have a case in front of them to allow them to set some ground rules. No one wants to go to court, but in the place of legislation, court decisions would provide guidance."
So why don't Business NZ, the Employers and Manufacturer Association and other such organisations simply apply to the court for an urgent declaration on what the law is? That is what courts are there for – to decide on the correct legal position where it is in doubt. Sure, it would cost, but that cost spread amongst all their members would be relatively little, the court would no doubt deal with the matter urgently, and they would get a direction all their members could safely follow.
That would take politics out of the issue and produce a more productive outcome than their present strategy of griping and crying to the Government to do something about it.
John Burns, Mt Eden.
Knock, knock
Judith Collins has suggested that vaccination teams should go door to door in suburbs "like Clendon". Perhaps she should volunteer to go with them and see if a charm offensive might help. If it worked, imagine the kudos she would receive. If it didn't work at least she would know what the vaccination teams are up against.
Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
Hidden vulnerable
The number of overstayers in the country is estimated to be in the region of 15,000. While an NHI number is not required to be vaccinated, these people may be reluctant to present because they do not want their personal details entered in official records.
When every person vaccinated counts toward our vaccination target, this is a sizable cohort that will not have access to vaccines. Further, these people are possibly living in circumstances that provide the perfect conditions for virus transmission. An amnesty is not required to address this issue.
Would it be possible to institute and publicise a special drive to vaccinate overstayers without the necessity of an NHI number and with a guarantee that the information held in the vaccination records will not be shared with Immigration, Police, or other regulatory authorities?
Keith Marshall, Freemans Bay.
Gang mentality
When Simeon Brown was growing up in Clendon, I imagine he would have been very aware of gangs, gang culture and the influence these have, some good, some not so, on the communities around them.
When someone who has the presence and mana among these gangs, as Sonny Fatupaito has, is granted exemption as an essential worker to cross the border, attempting to convince other gang members and leaders to take the opportunity to be vaccinated, then he should be applauded for doing so.
Like many, I'm not generally a fan of gang behaviour but when an initiative like Fatupaito's is offered, it should be afforded all the help available. Perhaps Brown could shelve his prejudices long enough for the good of all those who will take heed of the message being broadcast, rather than take an arbitrary stand against all things gang-related. He might discover that gang members can be vulnerable too and just need the right advice from the right person, to act for their own and everyone else's welfare.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Let it rain
I now feel more at risk than at any other time over the last 21 months. There are some 200,000 unvaccinated people in our community as well as continuing cases of Covid, and they are allowed to virtually go anywhere that they want, including into my space.
Yes, I am fully vaccinated but, like a lot of other people, I am also immunocompromised. While the unvaccinated now have the freedom that they have "protested" for I am still stuck at home.
After doing such a great job for so long, the Government has now lost the plot. They have been watching what is happening in Australia, so they know what can happen in a very short space of time.
I can only hope that for the next couple of weeks, it rains and keeps everyone indoors, not only for their safety, but also for mine and many others like me.
Trish Heikoop, Pakuranga.
Living proof
If you were born in New Zealand, you have almost certainly already been immunised against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, TB.
All this was done when you were very young.
Not only did you survive these injections; they helped keep you alive.
The same applies to Covid. Just do it.
David Blaker, Three Kings.
Level success
Obviously there are many out in the wide world who think Jacinda Ardern can walk on water. There are also many of us who know she cannot and are aware also that she does not have a crystal ball.
It seems therefore that to ask her for firm dates for a shift from one level to another has to be the highest form of stupidity.
The easing of restrictions depends on the success of everyone playing by the rules - I find it amusing that politicians, of all people, could be so trusting
Geraldine Taylor, Remuera.
Looking up
I have been surprisingly happy with my husband's company for seven weeks, but what a joy to start seeing my children and grandchildren this week, and I can stop reporting Covid 19 breaches (mostly).
I am so looking forward to catching up with friends next week - outside is fine - better for our mental health
As soon as vaccinations rates increase, I can go to the library, have a coffee in a cafe and possibly go shopping safely. The plan seems clear to me.
Barbara Strong, Kawakawa Bay.
On Fuatai
A very thoughtful portrayal by Teuila Fuatai (NZ Herald, October 6) of the ways the Covid lockdown affects ordinary people - no axe to grind, no agenda, no carping, just compassion and understanding. Anne Martin, Helensville.
On road
Auckland Transport and Downer, in the space of two weeks, have transformed the surface of a significant section of Mt Eden Rd, working at night with minimal disruption. Great job.
Terry Kayes, Mt Eden.
On gangs
If the Government is granting essential worker exemptions to gang bosses to come from outside Auckland, it must mean the city has no senior gang executives. I call that good news. P Raine, Auckland Central.
I thoroughly agree with bringing the gang boss into Auckland to bang a few heads together. Even better, give him a syringe and get the bros to line up for the jab. Josephine Ellis, Meadowbank.
I am the head of the Auckland chapter of the Moses gang and will also be applying for an exemption certificate. Jon Moses, Epsom.
On university
"University" does not refer to one universal truth (NZ Herald, October 6). The word is derived from the Latin universitas - the first word of the term: universitas magistrorum et scholarium meaning "a community of teachers and scholars". R Scott, Tauranga.
On toilets
If the day has arrived that we need the Prime Minister's permission to go to the toilet, we truly are living in a totalitarian state. Maureen Verner, St Heliers.
Getting people vaccinated is everything - just do what you have do. I have no issues giving this guy an exemption, I don't mind giving money and vaccines to Māori and Pasifika groups to get the job done - just do it quickly. Mark B.
Seems [the PM's] priorities lie with getting everyone vaccinated that can to avoid preventable deaths. Delta doesn't judge criminal status. This outbreak started in law-abiding people including tradespeople and churchgoers. Now it's in gangs; not communicating in an effective manner just gives Delta multiple paths to spread back to everyone. Gillian B.
Well done Sonny, whatever it takes. Not sure what the big deal is here. We have MPs and officials who can't get a foot in the door to some communities like gangs and the pōhara, and the disaffected and disconnected like Simeon Brown and ilk have issue? Gimme a break. Rosina H.
This gang leader was asked by South Seas Health to come and make contact with a cohort of people that obviously even they have struggled to reach ... Getting hard to reach cohorts tested and vaccinated has got to be a good thing. Denise F.
We are all people and what matters most is who is the appropriate messenger to the people the message is targeting and how it will be received and acted on positively. Dain B.
What people forget ... is that even though he gave the order to the MMM chapters, and for them to get vaccinated, there will always be the odd bunch that disregard orders. Sometimes the boss has to show up and restore order. Hamish D.
The end justifies the means. No problem with Mr Fatupaito getting an exemption. The issue is that the same flexibility isn't applied to others. Pietro E.
Do we really believe that'll be his only "business dealings" whilst he's in Auckland? I understand the sentiment but the optics on this say a lot about the PM's approach. Kevin F.
Could this gang boss have texted, emailed, social media his gang members to issue the instruction to vaccinate? Susan E.
They can't run Zoom? Richard N.
Sorry, I can't agree that legitimising gang members is a good thing. Surely there are better Māori and Pacific role models that could do an equal and/or better job? Jason G.
'He has disregarded our voice and continued with this divisive kaupapa.'