A Fullers360 ferry.
Privatised public transport
The closure of ferry routes and now the Waiheke fare price hikes are further proof of the sheer folly of privatising public transport. As with NZ Bus, overseas owners were never going to be good for local customers or services. Fullers, now owned by wealthy British entrepreneur Brian Souter, is only concerned with squeezing out more and more profits. So Fullers are cancelling the less profitable routes and hitting the more popular routes with higher fares. Overseas investors aren’t interested in the needs of local customers, only their bottom line. Public transport services should be owned by those they serve or the city itself. This mania for privatising public services has been a debacle from the outset. That’s why we mustn’t allow the privatisation of water supplies next. It never works for the common good.
Jeff Hayward, Central Auckland.
Motorway tolls
I can agree with your correspondent Niall Robertson, chairman of the Public Transport Users’ Association, that cars are “polluting, expensive and inefficient”. But, in their choice of polluting, expensive and inefficient activities, people seem to value their use of cars very highly. To assume that motorways are not the answer is a fundamental flaw in logic. In fact, a well-designed motorway system is one of the finest achievements of Western civilisation in the way it minimises the detrimental effects of people’s desire for freedom and mobility. The failure is not the investment in the roading system, but rather the failure to charge for the value of its use at peak periods of demand. A comprehensive time-based tolling system on the motorways, and on those arterial roads with a good public transport system, using satellites and transponders, would give Auckland an efficacious total transport system. It could be achieved in less than 10 years.
John Strevens, former chairman of the Auckland Council’s Traffic and Road Safety Committee.
One direction
Niall Robertson’s letter (July 17) in support of train travel over cars conveniently avoids one important consideration – a single train travels only on a single track in a single direction. In a country with as small a population as New Zealand, a train’s ability to carry 60,000 in a single direction is not helpful to the vast majority of people, who use cars and buses daily to get to thousands of different destinations in hundreds of different directions, generally travelling only short distances each time and enjoying the convenience and flexibility only road-based transport provides. Trains work really well in London, with a population density of around 15,000 residents per square mile, but they are still supplemented by large numbers of road-clogging vehicles. By comparison, Auckland - our most densely populated city - has less than 4000 residents per square mile. Yes, cars do pollute, but cleaner engines and EVs are reducing those effects, and further investment in clean buses and improving the current substandard road surfaces will further reduce these negative effects while catering for future growth. In the urban areas of New Zealand, trains cannot provide commuters with the same levels of convenience provided by a fleet of environmentally friendly, privately owned cars and road-based public transport and so will never attract the numbers of users they need in order to operate efficiently.
Al Corkin, Mangawhai.
The letter by the chairman of the Public Transport Users’ Association, Niall Robertson, is full of assertions and unattributed figures supporting his stance against car travel. The final paragraph, which states “Car travel does not serve 30 per cent of the population including ... superannuitants” really grated. I’m a superannuitant and I am not adequately served by public transport, particularly rail, which he favours. I must rely on a car to do my shopping, visit friends, go to appointments and so on. If one day I’m not able to drive myself, I’ll be relying on taxis and other road-based services to get around. Such glib, unsupported statements do not serve your argument, Niall. In fact, they destroy the credibility of the rest of your case.
Valerie Green-Moss, Onerahi.
Food safety
Now Britain has joined the CPTPP trade deal (NZ Herald, July 17), New Zealand exporters must ensure we maintain our world-class standards for food safety and traceability. The history of food scares in the UK has driven many consumers to want to know where products come from and how they are made. This remains the case for products of gene editing, with 80 per cent of people wanting safety regulation and labelling of food produced from new breeding techniques. Unfortunately, the UK government disagrees. The National Party’s proposal to exempt some gene-edited products from regulation and labelling goes against what most consumers want, which is the right to know. New Zealand has an advantage in maintaining our standards, especially when trading partners are diluting theirs. It is a point of difference that consumers value.
Jon Carapiet, Sandringham.
Beach driving
On Friday, dozens and dozens of 4WD vehicles arrived on the Pouto Peninsula for a weekend of hooning. Ripiro Beach has become a destination for such vehicles due to the closure of West Coast beaches further south. Some drivers came from as far away as Palmerston North. The beach became a no-go area for other users due to the excessive speed and ignorance of beach driving rules from these, predominantly, young men. There was a time when the greatest hazard on that coast was the sea. Now it is two and four-wheeled vehicles ridden and driven irresponsibly on the beach and in the dunes. Local police are sympathetic to the very real safety concerns held by bach owners and residents. However, as this beach is considered a “road”, the police regional roading strategy and the Kaipara District Council urgently need to address this issue.
Matt Elliott, Birkdale.
Work from home
I’ve never worked in an office environment, couldn’t think of anything worse. However, the brief Covid experiment of working from home has not lasted, and was never going to be a starter for 10. All those who thought it was the new revolution were proved so wrong. We need social interaction outside the home. Work gives us that, in whatever form rocks your boat. We need balance in our social space, and that is the main reason we work, aside from the remuneration to allow us to function in society.
John Ford, Napier.
Wealth tax
What our country needs is to attract hard-working, competent and talented people, including those in the fields of business, health, IT and education, and to retain those we already have. A growing economy is crucial to address the challenges we face, such as the costs of dealing with the effects of climate change, our ageing population and the consequences of international disasters outside our control – economic, health and the like. That is not going to be achieved by having the second-highest corporate income tax rate in the OECD. The introduction of a wealth tax will discourage newcomers and chase away many of our well-to-do individuals, with their capital. There are very few countries that they need to avoid, such as Norway (which is apparently paying the price by losing many of those they want to tax) and France (which has now repealed parts of its wealth tax laws). These people, who are often disciplined savers hoping to build up estates for a comfortable retirement and help their families, are already required to pay income tax at higher rates and in greater amounts. Appreciate them. Don’t punish them. We need to restore our rockstar economy, not to head towards a rock-bottom economy.
Peter van Blerk, Parnell.
Fifa tickets
For nearly eight decades, I have witnessed/worked for women’s fight for equality in all spheres. Now young women are showing their sporting prowess so successfully, I’d love to attend Fifa games, but my attempts to obtain tickets are so obfuscated, I give up. The pity is that we oldies have plenty of enthusiasm, time and cash in hand, as well as excellent wet-weather gear.
Juliet Leigh, Pt Chevalier.
Tax bands
What’s “In It For You”? A catchy slogan, but for the majority of the country, the answer is: “Sod all.” I cannot understand why neither major party is proposing a tax-free threshold for all taxpayers. Even one of, say, $5000 would benefit every taxpayer by exactly the same amount of $750, which the government, of whichever shade, would get back 15 per cent GST as the majority would immediately spend it. More importantly, it would be absolutely fair, a life-saver for lower-income earners and a nice-to-have for others. Difficult to implement? Simply the stroke of a pen to change the tax bands, which is essentially what National is proposing for some. Inflationary? Possibly, but it would give the economy a much-needed boost - and anyway, who would notice it in the current environment?
Rod Lyons, Kumeū.
On Matariki
Bonfires burning beach driftwood literally can light up Matariki celebrations. Families and friends gathering with marshmallows, snarlers and potatoes all make for an affordable celebration in a distinctly Kiwi way. Local authorities should permit, encourage and facilitate a giant New Zealand-wide heartwarming Matariki Beach party.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Your correspondent Bruce Tubb (NZ Herald, July 17), should understand that doing a 360-degree turn on his attitude towards Matariki means that he now has the same viewpoint as he held in the first place. Maybe he should unwind 180 degrees.
David Bevan, Howick.
On slogans
“In It For You” - it’s something a cheeky Cockney sparrow might have come up with, innit?
Kjell Yri, Matamata.
Labour seems to have adopted Estuary English with its “Innit for you?” slogan. They just need to add “Know wo’ I mean?” Some might say, “That’s pafetic.”
Ross Weenink, Karori
Shouldn’t Labour’s slogan be “what’s” in it for you?
Ross Allen, Rotorua
After nearly six years of economic mismanagement, Labour’s election slogan “In It For You” is not far off the mark and only needs a small tweak: “We got you into it, Chippy will get you out of it.”
Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.
On potholes
There has been instant criticism of National for announcing their pothole repair programme. Critics say National should be concentrating on road safety issues, e.g. speed bumps, at an exorbitant cost each. It must be understood that the pothole problem is part of road safety. It is not a separate issue.
Janet Boyle, Orewa.
On capital gains
We all pay an invisible capital gains tax to the owners of capital. Some people buy up more and more property, and then other people have to pay rent for more and more years.
Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.
On text scams
I propose implementing a mandatory holding period for funds transferred through platforms like Wise to address the rising issue of text scams. This would allow victims and banks more time to detect and recover fraudulent transfers. By striking a balance between efficiency and security, we can create a safer financial environment.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
Anybody else reeling from jump in their house insurance premium? Mine is up 30 per cent on last year for a house in a “safe” suburb. No claims for the 13 years I’ve lived here. I imagine I’m subsidising the hand-outs that the Government has given to uninsured homeowners.
Sally H.
Don’t see how an easing in new construction costs helps the average Kiwi family. Food, mortgage and rent are the main concerns, and they are going to be for some time.
Colin B.
If it falls significantly, what will the Nats have to complain about!! Oh, wait, the top end of the scale will still need tax cuts.
Mahayla D.
There is only one clear and concise fact: there has not been a bank economist who has got anything right over the past 18 months, and for them to predict that interest rates will fall by May 2024 is not only a misconception, it is blatant disregard for people struggling and pinning their hopes on a rate fall to survive!
Becky H.
Inflation dropping is not the same as monthly costs dropping. Rent will not drop, insurance will not drop, council rates will not drop, power will not drop, and grocery bills will not drop to where they were.
Dan R.
How a resilient Kiwi village hopes to bounce back from a big drop in visitors.