Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is escorted by police past rowdy Freedom NZ party members at Ōtara markets. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Letter of the week: Johan Slabbert, Warkworth
With apologies to Steve Braunias: The voter parked his ute outside the Court of Public Opinion where Judge Adrian, seconded from Parliament, presided. Chippy, chair of the Labour Union, promised the jurors that there would be no wealth tax but an increase in Working for Families allowances, if re-elected. His chief accountant looked on, scowling. Jimmy Cricket took off his pixie cap and promised jurors a guaranteed monthly income, paid for by the wealthy. The next witness took off his pilot’s cap and promised jurors a network of new roads – if elected. The next witness, an elderly man with a big smile, promised that he would return NZ’s old values and restore English. David, Auckland’s famous pugilist, promised the same. Nobody promised any new schools or hospitals. The jurors then retired to decide which witness was to be believed but could not. Judge Adrian declared a hung jury and called for a new jury to sit from October 2-14. He promised an outcome by October 17 but did not guarantee justice would be done. The voter returned to his ute and drove to the nearest bar.
Dotty investigation
I cannot comprehend the callous disregard for the safety of pedestrians demonstrated by Auckland Transport over the injuries caused by their yellow footpath markers (Weekend Herald, August 19). AT has been aware of several serious injury incidents since 2018, and cites the cost of removing the markers promptly as a constraint. But what will be the future cost in injuries and trauma to victims? Stacey van der Putten, AT’s executive general manager of public transport services, tells us that staff have reported these incidents “so we can investigate what needs to be done to eliminate further concerns”. There is nothing to investigate. What needs to be done is the removal of the hazards now, and not after next year’s budget round. John Walsh, Green Bay.
Overlooked achievements
Bruce Cotterill (Weekend Herald, August 19) attacks using user-pays taxes to pay for infrastructure while claiming that we have a Government that has “failed to implement a single substantial infrastructure project”. He fails to recognise the headwinds we have encountered in the last five years including the $641 million Mycoplasma bovis eradication programme for dairy farmers, the Covid pandemic which has placed severe pressures on our health system, education, prisons and businesses and the Anniversary Weekend and Gabrielle storms. On top, we face the upsurge in an ageing population from baby boomers, the Ukraine War, the 501s from Australia and stalled demand for exports to China. Despite this, we are seeing gains in state housing builds, the progress on the CRL boost to Auckland’s rail network and the $400 million purchase of two new Cook Strait ferries. It is sad that at a time when the world is confronted with a climate crisis that we have to put up with the impatience of commentators who want to continue with old ways that helped cause the crisis. David Holm, Mt Roskill.
Italian model
Sue Gee (Weekend Herald, August 19) seeks an alternative to capitalism, in which individuals and businesses control production and distribution of goods and services. As she laments, unfettered capitalism leads to the unequal distribution of wealth with environmental issues all too often given little or no consideration compared to wealth creation. When capitalist excesses led to the great depression many looked for an alternative to capitalism. That alternative already existed: Fascist Italy under Mussolini had a corporatist model of governance, whereby Italian society was organised into corporate groups, such as agriculture, labour, business, and others, which operated independently, albeit with ultimate government authority. Free market forces were greatly reduced to ensure social and financial benefits to all. In England at the time there were those who admired what Mussolini had done, and to a lesser extent what Hitler and Stalin were doing to improve the lot of the working classes. None of this was to end well, so it may be best to remember what Winston Churchill once said, “the main vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings, while the main vice of socialism is the even distribution of misery”. Bruce Anderson, Christchurch.
Jewish dilemma
Bex Silver’s courage is undeniable. As a Jew, in secretly visiting Israel’s West Bank, and writing about its “Nightmare for Palestinians” (Canvas, August 19), she risks vehement condemnation from her fellow Jews. By her visit, and by detailing what she found there, she underlines both the hypocrisy inherent in Israel’s Jewish governance and the mirroring, by Israel, of Jewish oppression at the hands of Nazism. In my book, the world’s sympathy (and mine) for these horrors, has been strained to breaking point by Israel’s ongoing actions against Palestinians. But the world just looks on, as these egregious injustices continue. The UN has proved to be quite impotent in issuing any effective measures against Israel. It proclaimed Israel’s settlements on Palestinian land to be illegal. But Israel doesn’t care. Its settlements continue to spread unabated, swallowing up personal properties, whole villages, and territory that should be included in the promised Two-State solution that was originally intended when Israel was finally created in 1948. Bex Silver says enough is enough. It’s well past time the world did likewise. Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
Fire preparedness
Rose Lovell-Smith (Weekend Herald, August 19) wrote about a fire break from the bush-clad Waitākere slopes. We live in the Waitākere Ranges and need a fire plan in place for the pending El Nino weather system, and also, after the reports from the Northern Hemisphere of the disastrous wildfires. A local fire a few seasons back exposed the limitations of the firefighting facilities available. Many areas are on tank water and a helicopter and fire bucket are required for a major fire. In this case, the fire bucket had to come from a northern location which created delays. I am also aware of another instance of a shortage of helicopter fuel and the lack of qualified helicopter pilots who can operate a bucket. On the ground, firefighters did a great job but the bucket stopped the fire. Auckland Council should put in place a fire plan for bushfires in Auckland to be ready for this season; not like the recent floods and cyclone and finding out the inadequacies when it is too late. As a community, we have spoken to the local board about this, and our local councillor and they express their full support. How about a quick response from the Auckland Council with a plan, not consultations, to ensure services are immediately available? Gillman Rae, Cornwallis.
Occidental academics
I read Ramesh Nair’s letter (Weekend Herald, August 19) at least three times to be sure it wasn’t some subtle sarcasm. Two ethnic European Australians who have degrees in Asian art from Harvard and London are held up as Asian culture being placed to the fore in Australia compared to Auckland’s art scene. My geography skills may not match his but I thought Harvard was a US institution and London was a UK institution. Both those institutions seem a long way from Asia. Difficult, I would think, to claim they gained immersion in Asian culture there. Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
Knives and Fawkes
Thomas Coughlan’s article (Weekend Herald, August 19) described David Seymour’s biggest mistake of the week with his joke mentioning Guy Fawkes. It was a lead balloon joke added to his media statement. He was politicising the attack on the Ministry of Pacific Peoples for political gain. It’s called dog whistle politics and Seymour knows it. Guy Fawkes wasn’t the only dumb person in the article. Steve Horne, Raglan.
If an applicant for a job was facing felony charges in four courtrooms in different state and federal courts, would you not want those serious charges to be dealt with before you offer that candidate a four-year fixed term? Bill Hodge, Mt Albert.
Sue Gee should be applauded for her leading letter (WH, Aug. 19) calling for rapid radical change, not for just reducing wastage but for survival. Eion Field, Hamilton.
David Seymour’s aspiration is informative. Guy Fawkes failed dismally at making a real change at Parliament. Michael Smythe, Northcote Pt.
Perhaps David Seymour was inspired by the quote by Benjamin Wittes: “The only man ever to enter Parliament with honest Intentions was Guy Fawkes.” David Weston, Maraetai Beach.
Churchill fans love to run that “you can’t tax yourself to profit” gag. But dear ol’ Winston hadn’t considered Norway finding the recipe. Gerry O’Meeghan, Pāpāmoa.
Time for the NRL to repay the Warriors for the 19 months spent away from family, friends, and fans during Covid. Let us have our moment of glory on our home park. Junene Patterson, Papakura.
High rainfall figures have driven Genesis Energy to record profit. Wouldn’t it be better to keep the profit at a reasonable level and pass on the excess profit margin to consumers? Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Although it’s been a long time coming, congratulations for publishing the experiences of Bex Silver (Canvas, Aug. 19). Malcolm Evans, East Tamaki.
Richard Lauren claims (WH, Aug. 19) Labour cancelled plans for the Northwestern busway. Actually, it was National. Mike Crosby, Papakura.
The election choice depends upon which option wins the day: Selfishness and greed or wellness and need? Knowing human nature, the first is the more likely. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
I wonder if the fact that Labour politicians are loath to implement a comprehensive Capital Gains Tax is evidence that we need compulsory financial literacy courses in our secondary schools. Peter D Graham, Helensville.
My father gave my brother and I a short but succinct talk on financial literacy: ”Don’t be wasters.” Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.
Much alarm ensued when the KKK reared their ugly hooded heads in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday night. Except it turns out these clowns appear to have been the provisional wing of the CKC (Clueless Klutz Clan). Boneheads the lot of them. Dean Donoghue, Pāpāmoa.
Western Bay of Plenty District could have fewer councillors to vote for next election.