It was interesting to read (NZ Herald, May 18) of a plan to train unqualified people to draw up doses, give vaccinations and observe for side effects because of the shortage of vaccinators.
As a registered nurse who has been out of nursing for less than five years, I was invited to apply as a vaccinator in early March. Since then, I have jumped through many hoops and been given conflicting information at every turn. I persisted when I know of many nurses who ended up putting the application process in the too-hard basket. Now, more than two months later, I apparently will be hearing soon from a "scheduler" as to when I am to start.
No wonder there is a shortage, when the whole process is such a shambles.
Robin Groombridge, Warkworth.
Water fight
Auckland's mayor speaks for all of us when he warns that "the Labour Government is opening the door to the privatisation" of our water assets (NZ Herald, May 18).
That would mean Aucklanders stand to lose $10 billion worth of water assets.
In Hawke's Bay we stand to lose water assets worth roughly $2 billion under the government's proposals to amalgamate water services and water assets into five supersized regional entities to be run by anonymous bureaucrats.
It's time all our local councils started to fight back against central government so that we retain local knowledge and local control of our drinking water supplies.
All of this because Hastings District Council failed to raise the bore heads on Havelock North's two council bores after severe flooding in 1998 caused a gastro outbreak.
HDC continued to use the two bores, leaving Havelock North residents vulnerable to another gastro outbreak in 2016.
The Havelock North Water Inquiry has turned out to be no better than the Pike River investigations.
Nothing will be solved by allowing a takeover of our water assets, which have been developed by generations of local ratepayers.
Pauline Doyle, Napier
Check out
In response to your article on "Shoppers charged too much for groceries" (NZ Herald, May 18), I urge everyone to check their dockets. It might be a small difference in the price, but it soon adds up when it happens regularly.
In the past three weeks I have been overcharged three times, from $1 on a bunch of asparagus, $2.50 on a bag of potatoes (wrong sign put on product,) and no discount for buying two items ( being charged full price separately instead of advertised special).
I go back and am reimbursed but it's getting all too regular.
P. Salvador, Hobsonville.
Tax break
I like the Australian tax model. There is a minefield of similarities with ours but ultimately the biggest variant is that Australia does not take any tax before $18,000.
What a fabulous idea. It gives all workers more money ultimately, but more importantly the lower income bracket tax burden is much less.
Of course this would mean Working For Families would be retired because that would be double-dipping I would assume.
I'm sure, if my idea was so fantastic, some wizard politician would have done it by now.
So the question remains, why has it not been done?
John Ford, Taradale.
Port importance
As a mariner and marine surveyor, having travelled to ports in many countries, I know the challenges (NZ Herald, May 18), and I know that dumping Auckland's port and pollution on Whangārei will not work for either.
As for the Manukau, don't even bother going there.
I also know that upgrading the ancient railway yet again will not work. Narrow gauge never has. I know that a million extra truck journeys each year on a winding road built early in the last century, will not help reduce emissions.
I know that the cost of imports will go up even higher, and I know that without a port, Auckland will change from a super city to a sick city.
The challenges Auckland has, including congestion, are for Auckland to solve, not by dumping on others, but by providing the infrastructure in Auckland to grow the ports of Auckland, the beating heart of Auckland and New Zealand. Supporting the rest of the country as it has always done.
Rob Wightman, Rothesay Bay.
Gaza blockade
Your editorial (NZ Herald, May 18) asserted that Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza for 14 years to try to starve Hamas of resources. In a report to the United Nations in September, 2011, Sir Geoffrey Palmer concluded Israel's naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea.
Between 205, when Hamas took control of Gaza, and January 2009, when Israel imposed its blockade, more than 5000 rocket missiles and mortar bombs had been launched from Gaza. Notwithstanding the blockade, Hamas has, in the past week, launched 3000 rockets, killing Israeli citizens including children and damaging buildings. It arsenal of rockets is estimated at 15,000.
In addition, Hamas has built many miles of reinforced concrete tunnels in preparation for its intended attack on Israel. The Hamas Charter, which had the support of a majority of Palestinians in Gaza when Hamas was elected, calls for the annihilation of the State of Israel and threatens Jews all around the world, including New Zealand.
For there to be any chance of peace, Hamas must accept a two-state solution and unequivocally revoke its charter seeking the extermination of the Jews.
Marcus David Robinson, Honorary Consul for Israel, Auckland.
Political solution
As one of more than 2000 who marched up Queen St on Saturday demanding an end to US funding of disproportionate Israeli responses, I also welcome your conclusion (NZ Herald, May 18) for a political solution. Our Government could do more to support this.
As a country that fessed up in the 1980s, and put in place a cross-party return-and-compensation process, we are uniquely placed to challenge our US ally to make aid dependent on subscription to a neutrally-mediated international conference. The Palestinian Authority has been calling for this since last year.
Months of escalating settler violence towards Palestinians plus decades of human rights denials and land grabs are seldom mentioned as provocations to Hamas rocket attacks – even before Sunday's obliteration of Associated Press's Gaza building. Be bolder, Prime Minister: call out disproportionality in US-Israel's "security" response also.
Steve Liddle, Napier.
Vaccine password
I have just booked an appointment for my 87-year-old wife to have a Covid vaccination. Because she is totally computer illiterate, I - only slightly computer literate - have had to struggle through the complicated process of constructing a 10-20 item password with numbers and capitals, symbols, old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Sure, she needs a vaccine but, equally she needs a password/barrier to the process like a hole in the head.
Surely the whole situation is too important to allow bureaucratic dunderheads to put systemic gobbledegook in the path of oldies who are trying to access it.
Richard Smith, Henderson.
Immigrants valued
The term "low-skilled immigrants" is insulting. I associate this group with being motivated and aspirational; reliable; drug-free; positive; compassionate in aged care; prepared to work shifts in hospitality; and having a reasonable level of fitness in horticulture and agriculture.
These are the qualities that make immigrants so respected and employable.
I'm sure New Zealanders who achieve these important life skills are also sought after and valued by employers.
Kay Carter, Patumahoe.
Gallery professionals
As a former member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery representing both the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand Press Association whose picture once hung on interior walls of Parliament Buildings along with those of other members in group photographs, I would like to express my sorrow at the general slur cast on myself and former colleagues in an opinion article published in your on-line edition.
The blanket claim that "the people who adorn these walls were the same people who published some of the most racist rhetoric that has ever been printed" is outrageous in respect of the dozens of professional news and broadcasting media representatives who worked in the gallery during the decades of 1960 through to 1990.
Bruce Kohn, Hataitai.
Short & sweet
On resthomes
Aged care facilities are gold mines for the owners and poverty traps for their workers. The mainly female workforce has been ruthlessly exploited for decades. Time to wean the owners off the economic heroin of foreign labour. C.C. McDowall, Rotorua.
On electricity
John Carnegie (NZ Herald, May 18) correctly identified gas as a key factor in continuing to have an economic and reliable supply of of electricity. It is high time we started a debate on nuclear power. Bryan Leyland, Pt Chevalier.
What a sensible article addressing the need for gas in the future by John Carnegie (NZ Herald, May 18). The Government Energy Minister would do well to give this article some serious practical consideration. Terry Cammell, Silverdale.
On polls
I am puzzled by the continual focus of political pollsters on the standing and perceived security of tenure of the Leader of the Opposition, as opposed to any serious analysis of the accuracy of the Government's current support levels, and what is driving them. Duncan Simpson, Albany.
It is utterly impossible to give any credence what so ever to a political poll that shows the preferred leader for the National Party to be Sir John Key. Once again, clear and positive proof of Sir Winston Churchill's extremely accurate assertion: " The greatest weakness of democracy is the intelligence of the average voter." Philip Lenton, Somerville.
On Travel
At last, a positive view of our city, Auckland, as depicted in your excellent Travel supplement this week. Well done. Rosemary Cobb, Takapuna.
On vaccine
Last year, I wrote to this paper suggesting that Monty Python's Flying Circus was in charge of the MIQ. Now I think they have been transferred to the vaccine rollout team. Paul Jarvis, Ōrewa.
