Is Auckland's conversion to electric buses running on time? Photo / Sylvie Whinray, File
Simon Wilson's excellent opinion piece (NZ Herald, June 25) on the need to drive change on Auckland's traffic congestion was a breath of fresh air.
Despite all the moaning about efforts to cut vehicle emissions, every thinking person knows we have to, and fast. Inner cities clogged with traffic have to be a thing of the past.
Unfortunately, the message doesn't yet resonate strongly enough with Auckland Transport, which continues to buy more high polluting diesel buses.
Auckland is plagued with clapped out, noisy and toxic diesel buses. Only a dozen of AT's bus fleet is now clean and quiet electric. AT is still buying diesel buses until 2025 which is appalling. Every new bus must be electric and older diesel buses must be retired rapidly. The current snail's pace of electrification of AT's bus fleet shows a failed grasp of the issue. We need bold action, not incremental change. There should be no diesel buses within 10 years, not 45 years as currently planned.
In the meantime, central Auckland's rapidly growing population has to endure unacceptably high levels of toxic diesel fumes from AT's buses.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.
Congestion question
Simon Wilson (NZ Herald, June 25) gives only part of the picture in Stockholm. Surely the critical other side is its flatness for biking and its public transport.
Until Auckland makes public transport public again - and budgets for it to be a revenue-neutral, public service - the kind of comparisons Mr Wilson makes will be moot at best. However, it must be emphasised that there is no congestion in the CBD - there's no one there anymore, so where will the charges apply? Ponsonby? Newmarket? Newton? Tāmaki Drive? City motorway exits?
Christopher Johnstone, Ponsonby.
Hardest word
It is interesting the Prime Minister has announced she and her Government will make an apology to the Pasifika peoples for the Dawn Raids.
I guess it has come about because there is a degree of high priority attached to it. The urgency is somewhat questionable when the apology is decades too late and right now we are in the middle of another pandemic lockdown.
Still, the Prime Minister and her Pasifika caucus should remember: Pasifika peoples understand "apology" to mean different things to different Pasifika people.
The Samoan tradition of an apology is called the "Ifoga". This is the highest and most meaningful way of saying sorry. If she and her Government are meaning this kind of apology where actions are as important as words then all will be well. If not, don't bother.
Rev. Uesifili Unasa, Avondale.
Fossil fires
John Caldwell (NZ Herald, June 25) claimed that coal and gas burning "usually occurs in the middle of the day". The generation website shows coal and gas input is currently at least 20 per cent every hour, every day. The main variable is hydro input. Nick Nicholas, Green Lane.
Dam breakthrough
Your correspondent Neil Anderson's (NZ Herald, June 25) reference to the Clyde Dam being built by the Ministry of Works is incorrect.
The decision by the-then government that its construction should be put out to competitive tender was a decision of great moment to Civil Contractors in New Zealand.
The contract was won by the Zublin-Williamson joint venture.
The NZ Contractors Federation had lobbied successive governments to promote the proposition that competitive tendering had the benefit, all other things being equal, of getting civil construction contracts completed for the lowest possible cost.
The successful tendering by the private sector for the Clyde Dam was the breakthrough project for the contracting industry, and broke the stranglehold the Ministry of Works had on major projects in New Zealand. The fact that the lowest tender was from a primarily overseas contractor did not matter. The future for civil contractors in New Zealand was bright indeed.
Roger James Douglas, past president of the NZ Contractors Federation Inc.
Cycle of joy
Bravo AT. The new Karangahape Rd bike lanes are great. Makes my ride to work much safer and more enjoyable. Alistair Woodward, Freemans Bay.
Adoption law
As the Adoption Act received the royal assent as long ago as 1955; it is 66 years old and completely unfit for its original purpose.
Having practiced family law in the 1970s and 1980s I know the natural mother's consent was never given freely but was given only because of the social mores at that time.
In our society today, there must not be a provision in the amended Act that requires the religion of the adoptive child must adhere to. New Zealand has for many years been a mainly secular society.
Moreover, the prohibition on the adopting out parents from making contact with their child must also not appear in the amendment.
But section 27(a) of the Adoption Act 1955 must be retained as it is an offence to induce consent.
Brian Collins, Lower Hutt.
Whizz-bang waterfront
So pleased to see our Auckland waterfront revamp yesterday; it and the surrounding areas look classy and will be a refreshing entrance for visitors and Aucklanders alike.
Well done to the designers and workers who completed it. We were impressed.
Linda Beck, West Harbour.
Eye spy
Congratulations to Catherine Curlett (NZ Herald, June 25) that she was observant enough to see a lonely cyclist. It would be great if all drivers were as observant as she is. Cyclists (and there are thousands of us out each day) will know that my experience last week was more typical. Despite wearing high-vis clothing, cycling legally along the road, I was almost knocked off my bike by a driver rushing to pull out of a shopping centre car parking area. Unfortunately, a high number of drivers have the attitude that the road is for cars and bicycles are just an impediment to getting to your destination 10 seconds earlier. I cycle for my health which is increasingly at risk from the anti-cycling fraternity.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
Ahoy matey
I would rather be called a lady, than mate. That is appalling. Think of all those famous songs like Lady, Three Times A Lady, Treat Her Like A Lady. Treat her like a mate? I don't think so. I think lady is a beautiful expression. Helen Lowe, Albany.
Ladies' smile
Of course ladies deserve their title. Doesn't Danna Glendining (NZ Herald, June 25) know that behind every successful man there is a surprised wife?
Roger Hall (KNZM), Takapuna.
Jab well done
When going to my vaccination appointment, I was prepared for endless queues, difficulty with finding parking, and staff coping but bored with a repetitive job. The opposite was the case.
We were directed into a parking spot by efficient helpful traffic managers at the Mt Wellington centre, entered the building following the signs, and from there we were part of a system of giving and receiving information, that ran like clockwork.
The staff were friendly but professional, showing no signs of the stress the job must entail. I'm sure all who go to this place, and others like it around the country, must share with me a huge debt of gratitude that we are able to have this service free, from such a great team of our professional health workers.
Lucy Lamb, Epsom.
Post script
Not everyone is in thrall to Theresa Gatting's wealth and genius (NZ Herald, June 25). She destroyed the Post Office. Necessary? Maybe, maybe not.
What used to be a throwaway comment "snail mail" is now the modus operandum.
Barbara Matthews, Onehunga.
Travel bubble ban surprises expert
It all depends which expert you talk to doesn't it? Only three days ago prominent medical expert Des Gorman queried whether the travel bubble with Australia was worth it. We have been told all along there will be a pause in vaccine delivery this month but that it will ramp up again in July. So come on people, rather than sit back and blame and criticise, let's do our bit. All those level 1 and 2 workers still to be vaccinated please step up. Level 3 people keep trying to get your appointments and you will. John B.
It's ridiculous to block all states when only two have any cases. Queensland, WA, SA, NT and Tasmania have fewer cases than NZ does. Steve S.
An effective vaccine rollout on both sides of the Tasman is the best option. We are going to be living with Covid-19 for a long time. A discussion about living with it like Singapore has proposed might need to be held. Stuart W.
This latest response is a direct consequence of the lack of confidence in the pace of our vaccination programme. Spin any way you like but the truth lies here. Pru B.
In Sydney, the capability of the fast contact tracing and massive testing capability seems to have been overwhelmed by an even faster spreading delta variant.
How many people travelled from or fled NSW to other states before the lockdown is not clear.
For NZ, in this situation, to briefly pause the entire bubble until there is more clarity, is the right thing to do. Carl R.
Dr Maia Hetaraka: 'Cultural competence' should evolve into genuine cultural understanding.