Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins. Photo / NZME
Don Smith a name to remember
Don Smith, an ordinary-sounding name but an extraordinary person. He achieved high academic honours at Auckland University and matriculated at Merton College, Oxford graduating with a DPhil. He was Assistant Vice-Chancellor and Associate Dean of Arts at Auckland University and a Professor at the University of Toronto. I attended his lectures in English literature at Auckland University, where he held his students spellbound with his engaging style. Don represented New Zealand at the 1958 Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff in the 880 yards. He was fifth in the final. He competed at the 1960 Rome Olympics with Sir Peter Snell in the 800m. He was fourth in the quarter-finals. Snell went on to win the gold. Don received a New Zealand University Blue 1955-56 and an Oxford University Blue in 1959. I got to know Don when he was President of the Auckland University Track Club where he was always keenly supportive of the young runners, some of whom became New Zealand representatives. He was not a man who “went quietly into the night” recently. He left an indelible mark on the world of athletics and academia.
Bernard Walker, Pāpāmoa.
Debatable defence
Audrey Young defends Christopher Luxon’s refusal to reschedule the Christchurch debate on the flimsy pretext that a politician leading in pre-election polls has “no good reason to give [their] opponent the chance of getting ahead” as if self-interest should be the only determinant, and the interests of the debate organisers and the intended audience (the voting public) might go unconsidered. Luxon, she says, “has every reason to avoid another debate”. Perhaps, but it’s a shame he couldn’t find the decency, generosity and fortitude not to.
Roy Ward, Freemans Bay.
Tailored tinkering
Desiring to remove any trace of legislation passed by Labour, Chris Luxon puts removing Auckland’s Regional Fuel Tax first on his list. The legislation, requested by a cash-strapped Auckland Council needing money to address congestion is not Labour policy but a formality to make taxing legal. The council will now raise the rates. New Zealand has problems that cannot be solved by such tinkering. When John Campbell asked Dr Richie Poulton (director of the remarkable study of 1000 children from birth to adulthood) to name the greatest cause of a failed life, his answer was poverty. Overcrowded and poor housing, mental and other illnesses, overflowing hospitals, poor educational attainment and crime are greatest in our poorest areas. National thinks that boot camps, training more doctors, three hours a day on the 3Rs and punishing recalcitrant beneficiaries is the solution. Selling houses to fund a small tax relief for some while leaving the better-off unscathed and the poorest deprived, expecting a return to some happy time of the past, is dreaming. Labour with its massive majority had the chance to be really transformative but fluffed it. National is in a three-ring circus with Act and Winston, clinging to outmoded ideas. Roll on summer.
P. Belsham, Mt Albert.
Farm produce
Simon Wilson (October 3) claims our dairy industry will come under increasing pressure from Fonterra’s largest customer, Nestle. He suggests slow progress on emissions will threaten the trading relationship between these two major players but he then acknowledges the fact that New Zealand dairy produce has a carbon footprint only one third of the global average. This contradiction surely puts our industry in a favourable position as a preferred supplier on the global stage. The inevitable climate denial barbs are aimed at political parties and farmer groups and further that some policy settings will even increase emissions. The bold assertion that it is the Green movement that will define the future of agriculture should strike fear into the hearts of anyone concerned about food security. Farmer innovation and investment in research and development will pave the way, as it always has, with science to the forefront and political bias dismissed.
George Williams, Whangamata.
Hospital care
Suddenly I found myself spending eight nights in Waitākere Hospital. The staff were so professional, at a time when I really struggled. The compassion of all staff, from my doctor to the physiotherapy personnel was constant, when as an 86-year-old my health was suddenly in freefall. Truly an earnest United Nations of carers of us older folk.
Vern Walker, Green Bay.
Effluent society
As the effluent streams into the Waitematā Harbour, it’s not the only place where noxious waste is flowing. Winston Peters’ attempt to bully Jack Tame on Q&A, the schoolyard scrap between the two Chrises and the most unlikely hero of the hour, David Seymour, polishing his halo after serving himself up as a luncheon companion for a breast cancer charity, makes for satirically good viewing. Mercifully, this will all be over on October 14 but whoever forms a government will need to prioritise the negative effects of inflation. Campaign promises and throwing money at issues will be negligible, without rigorous control of inflationary pressures, as they will continue to disproportionately impact low-income families, stifle productivity, and impair the economy’s long-term performance. Will whoever is basking in the after-glow of victory have the courage to do this, or will they bow to political expediency and MMP compromises?
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Gets my vote
My voting papers for the election have arrived in my mailbox. They are the most personalised, clear and informative I can ever remember. I’d like to congratulate the Chief Electoral Officer and staff. It’s a truly massive job delivered just so well.
Richard Leary, Browns Bay.
Inconvenient truth
National has successfully sold us their election narrative that New Zealand is practically a failed state and it’s all the Labour Government’s fault. And a National/Act coalition can get us back on track to economic growth and high performance public services (despite what is happening globally, re trade and skilled workers). What they conveniently ignore is that the whole planet is suffering ongoing physical threats from damaging weather events, but also mental malaise: it has become a seriously malfunctioning world fed by greed, lies and war. Solutions to our problems will not derive from chasing money. How about we try to look after the climate and each other?
B. Darragh, Auckland Central.
Whole picture
Your editorial (Herald, Oct 3) exhorts us to have our say in the election in a way that best suits us. I hope we will also consider what is best for the country as a whole. If we don’t acknowledge the disunity that exists in Aotearoa and begin the healing process, we are doomed to fail. Unfortunately the dumbing-down of the media in favour of the celebrity culture has had alarming effects on the reporting of politics. As Sir Geoffrey Palmer wrote as far back as 2015: “The media plays a a vital role in sending communications from the governors to the governed.” May the media be up to the task.
Glennys Adams, Oneroa.
Ticked off
I recently voted. The instruction on the ballot paper is to fold the ballot paper once after voting, but to my horror the two ticks were visible on the outside so I folded my voting paper twice. The paper is very thin, not like the sturdy paper used in previous elections. When I spoke to the Electoral Commission, I suggested the quickest and easiest way to solve the problem was that all polling booths be advised to tell voters to fold their voting paper twice. The man to whom I spoke thanked me for drawing their attention to the problem.
Barbara N. Barwick, Gisborne.
Deadwood city
Most Aucklanders will be disappointed with Wayne Brown. It is not appropriate to spend money on nice-to-haves. The only important thing is fixing broken infrastructure.
We don’t need all the pretty but unessential departments like Tataki and Panuku, they can wait for better times. Auckland Transport can be wound down to minimum maintenance; currently AT’s grandiose plans are achieving nothing more than obstructing traffic and impoverishing ratepayers.
The Auckland Harbour should not be a cesspit. Now is the time for tough action: reduce expenditure and get rid of deadwood, the city depends on this.
Neville Cameron, Coromandel.
On charities
Is any party going to come out and campaign on finally taxing the commercial activities of charities? It’d be an easy vote-winner. Huw Dann, Mt Eden.
On mayor
It might be more productive for all of us for Mayor Wayne Brown to show leadership and spend more time walking the talk rather than focusing on talking the walk. Bruce Tubb, Devonport.
On terms
It’s good to see that both our prospective PMs agree (on something) — that we need a four-year term. The three-year term is one of the biggest impediments to our system. Hamish Walsh, Devonport.
On negativity
Chris Hipkins “is in isolation until he tests negative”. But the PM has been negative throughout the election campaign. Maybe he’ll be more positive by the time he’s negative? Jeff Tallon, Hauraki.
On campaign
Any one like me, fed up with the pettiness that is a growing feature of this election campaign? Too many of politicians acting like a bunch of squabbling kids: “You said this”; “No I didn’t”; “Yes you did”. Ad nauseum. It’s no wonder too many of our young people are turned off voting; they are waiting for the politicians to grow up. David Hood, Hamilton.
Higher for longer: No change to OCR but Reserve Bank hints more interest rate pain is needed
RBNZ cannot hold down NZ mortgage rates as long as wholesale rates internationally are rising in response to Fed policy. What Orr says or wants is irrelevant if he is out of step with our banks borrowing costs offshore. Mike B.
Hopefully the incoming government will set the Reserve Bank’s sole responsibility back to dealing with inflation, with the social service specialist dealing with unemployment. And we can also lose the Monetary Policy Committee so we know where the buck stops. Steve N.
I doubt [rates] will raise again. Coming stats will show negative GDP, inflation falling, unemployment rising, and other key indicators too soft to validate another rise. Glenn P.
It’s like the RB trying to put the handbrake and the government foot on the pedal to maintain positive GDP at any cost. The result has been we have been skidding around like boy racers with no clear path in sight. Geoff T.
Bad news for savers I guess. Hudson K.
It’s kind of pointless having an ORC review 10 days from an election. No matter which government is in power, the RB would never raise or lower the ORC given its political implications (though it is meant to be independent). Tune in next month. Murray B.
He was caught trying to trade gift vouchers for sex with a 14yo, police say.