Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni, herself the daughter of a Samoan migrant, says she is 'deeply concerned' about reports of early morning raids to capture illegal overstayers. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Raid trauma carried on
I was appalled at the news this week of a dawn raid in search of an overstayer. It’s incredible and totally unacceptable for this to happen in the light of Jacinda Ardern’s recent and long overdue apology on behalf of the government and the nation for the cruel experiences of the families subjected to dawn raids in the1970s. I lived in Otara in the 1980s and experienced first-hand the terrible and long-term consequences for so many Pasifika families living with fear any time anyone knocked on their doors. Those in authority presently working in immigration who are responsible for the authorisation of this recent dawn raid, and any other since the apology, should no longer be working in immigration. An apology from them would not be enough to heal the emotional trauma suffered.
Sister Barbara Cameron, Hamilton.
Over-stayed welcome
While noting the outrage among many of our worthiest citizens over dawn raids, we have not been advised why this latest dawn raid was necessary. Concentrating on the domestic consequences of leaving a wife and four kids is insufficient information to allow the public to make a judgment call as to the fairness or not of the dawn raid. The query in our household was: If this person has been here for enough time to have four kids, why didn’t he regularise his immigration status long ago?
Rex Fausett, Auckland Central.
Consultant time
It has been said that a consultant is someone who borrows your watch to tell you the time, charges you a fee for the advice, then keeps the watch. If that’s true, then there can’t be many ministers in the current Government or in the public service management hierarchy who still own a timepiece, or have the budget left to buy a new one.
John Denton, Eskdale.
Electric avenue
The big winner from the Government’s successful Clean Car Discount has been our threatened environment. Despite all the criticism from the right, the rebate scheme for electric and hybrid vehicles has been a huge step in weaning us off polluting petrol and diesel vehicles. From a mere 4.4 per cent of imported vehicles being electric the year before, it leaped to 18 per cent fully electric in the year to March 2023. Reduced emission vehicles overall leaped up to 37 per cent, from 14.5 per cent. The rebates have been a resounding success and we can all breathe easier as a result. A small price to pay for big progress.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.
Flat out unfair
Richard Prebble (NZ Herald, May 3) makes the argument that “the only fair tax is a flat tax”. This would be true if everyone in New Zealand was born into situations and environments where they had an equal chance to succeed. Sadly, this is not the case. Successful people are always the first to point out that they have worked hard to get where they are, and this is true. However many in this country are born into poverty and have to work hard just to survive. A flat tax is not fair. A fair tax system addresses inequality and gives everyone a chance to succeed.
Huw Dann, Mt Eden.
Choose life
Brooke van Velden might describe anti-vax behaviour as a “personal choice”. I would rather label it as ignorant and anti-science. I am extremely relieved that, in the school environment where I work and in Middlemore Hospital where I was a patient for three weeks last year (not Covid-related), all personnel were vaccinated. Otherwise, I might very likely be dead. Do Brooke and her ilk actually think about this?
Judy Lawry, Golflands.
Inhaling vape
While we don’t fully know the consequences of long-term vaping, it doesn’t take a genius to realise that regularly ingesting anything into our lungs other than air is probably a bad idea. The Government’s relaxed attitude to the introduction of vaping as a means to wean smokers off cigarettes never made sense to me. Why wasn’t it a prescription item from the start? The unintended result is we now have many previous non-smokers vaping, including teenagers. So much for Smoke-free NZ 2025. The proliferation of vaping stores across the country is a testament to the profit of selling these chemical substances. Health Minister Ayesha Verrall’s reluctance to do anything about it is a travesty. It will come back to bite us.
Fiona McAllister, Mt Maunganui.
Soft bones
With the widespread lack of self-discipline, it is easy to see why people cannot summon the willpower to stop cigarette smoking. Maybe a nice calcium supplement might help these weak people to grow a spine and give up voluntarily? Once again, we can trace this degenerate generation’s lack of self-discipline to the kid-glove approach to raising and educating children. The vaping industry has given minors another dangerous fad to follow. Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said “We’re about to really restrict the availability of tobacco. So that alternative is important to have available.” Vaping never was a sensible alternative, it is a dithering response. While we are reflecting on discipline, we might consider adopting the German approach of arresting the parents at the same time as their offspring when they commit violent crimes.
Hugh Webb, Huntington.
Overly ambitious
Much of the discussion about Eden Park’s unaffordable plans fails to recognise a couple of key points. Firstly, stadium atmosphere is very much a product of the proximity of seating to the players. If you are close to the action of an exciting game you are engaged and don’t care about the rain. At the oval-shaped Eden Park, many seats are so far away that the spectators are not engaged and leave disappointed, and the graphics for the new plans show a similar situation will persist. All the best football stadiums are rectangular, with stands close to the touchlines, but Eden Park’s cricket shareholding obviously cannot permit this. Secondly, New Zealand has to acknowledge the limits of its population size. Saying Auckland should have a 60,000-seat stadium because Sydney and Melbourne have, ignores the fact those cities have three or four times more people to patronise and pay for them. And if we want to host a World Cup or Commonwealth Games, we should enter a co-hosting arrangement with Australia, just as the Women’s Football World Cup has. A 60,000-seat stadium is twice as big as we need for domestic competitions, and those competitions will be the worse for it.
Tony Waring, Grey Lynn.
Royal mockery
A couple of decades ago in Hong Kong, my employer hosted a group of Thai Navy officers along with one of the Thai royal family’s younger princesses and her husband, one of those estranged and wandering British lords. We were on a junk, with naval officers, and I was seated next to the princess, absolutely charming and very sincere. Mid-meal, in a very low voice, she said, “There is something which really worries us in Thailand and especially in my family. We can’t understand how your Queen can allow a Dame of the Realm to be quite rude, make fun of herself and members of the Commonwealth on TV and still remain a Dame, it would not be allowed in Thailand.” I asked to whom she was referring and she solemnly replied “Dame Edna Everage”. Her incomprehension only grew deeper when I said that Dame Edna was a man, an Australian and a comedian. Her hand covered her mouth and her eyes grew wider. She whispered that she had never discussed it with her husband. I should have written to Barry Humphries when I had the chance. Long will we remember him, as will that Thai princess.
Richard Kean, Rotorua.
Lumping it
Pt Chevalier and West End roads have been disrupted for weeks by the construction of elevated pedestrian crossings. These are massive concrete and steel structures that contrast with the adjacent and rapidly failing asphalt road surface. Previously, a simple asphalt bump, at a fraction of the cost, was all that was needed. In my experience, it would have been more effective in slowing down traffic. Instead, we have a major construction site, hundreds of road cones, three traffic control vehicles, traffic lights, diggers, concrete mixers, and more wasting even more of our money. Could someone in AT please explain the reasons for this massive exercise and why they can find money for this monstrosity but it seems, not for fixing the increasing number of potholes and failing road surfaces all over Auckland?
Bryan Leyland, Pt Chevalier.
Blackout lifted
Further to my letter (NZ Herald, May 1) regarding a planned power outage on May 6 during the coronation coverage, I must give credit where credit is due to Vector, who has listened and postponed the said outage until May 13. Thank you to them.
Margaret McDonnell, Glenfield.
On coronation
Whether you’re for the monarchy or against it, the coronation of King Charles III will surely be a few hours of pure escapism. The pomp and pageantry will be wonderful to watch. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
On EVs
Ford has produced an electric Mustang. I mean, good grief, is nothing sacred? John Capener, Kawerau.
On protests
These derelict protesters in Wellington need to get off their bums and stop this childish exhibition. To delay a father from taking his daughter to a chemotherapy appointment is appalling, not to mention stressful. Lynette M Reid, Hauraki.
On wealth
Your income isn’t a measure of how hard you work. It’s a measure of how much your work is valued by whoever is paying you. Morgan L. Owens, Manurewa.
On census
If the great unwashed require bribes to complete the Census, let them go uncounted. Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.
On rugby
Is Gregor Paul the best rugby writer in the world? Or just New Zealand? Rob Paton, Snells Beach.
On fascism
The Poneke Anti-Fascist Coalition has stated it is opposed to allowing groups with whom it disagrees the right to meet and protest in public. There is a word for that inclination. Fascism. Doug Hannan, Mt Maunganui.
Transport Minister stays mum on higher tolls for Northern Gateway
I support tolls, but this Government just keeps chasing more tax on every front and wastes it on consultants and dead end projects. Crime, education, etc are going backward. Daniel S.
Tax and spend, tax and spend... and repeat. No new taxes though. Perish the thought. Tony M.
Government causes inflation through bizarre monetary policy and profligate spending. Government then causes more inflation by loading additional transport costs on to families whose household budgets are already strained by inflation and making it more expensive to move goods around the country. Sounds about right. Jonathan S.
Thirteen years and counting on the Whangaparāoa Penlink project. Anyone believe it will be done by 2026, tolled or not? Greg M.
He’s staying mum because they’re still working on the script for the announcement. Jonathan F.
I wish we had a proper six-lane motorway between Christchurch and Auckland. A European-quality 120km/h motorway would be transformational to the movement of goods and people and I’d happily pay tolls of $150 to use the full length of it, as would tourists, etc, etc. Marcus A.
Taika Waititi's Boy lifts Waihau Bay, attracting visitors to Aunty Gracey's shop.