Ross Gosnell's Onehunga home on Alfred St has been flooding for one week after water started flowing from an unknown source beneath his house. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Flooding a wake-up call for all
The recent weather bomb, otherwise termed an “atmospheric river”, that slammed into Auckland and northern NZ has been called a 1-in-100 year weather event. This degree of probability is bollocks and dangerously misleading as evidenced by similar destructive and damaging storms and record-breaking rainfall impacting California and Northern Queensland already this year.
Climate scientists the world over are sending a clear message that with global warming these extreme weather events will become even more amplified, destructive and frequent. In other words the “summer “of 2023, could be just a modest preview of what’s to come and will challenge all vulnerable communities, fragile infrastructures and our way of life.
This sobering reality should serve as a massive and urgent wake-up call to all relevant governing bodies responsible for oversight of civil defence processes, urban planning, consenting and a myriad of other shoddy long-neglected flood prevention activities.
The highly acclaimed book The Water will Come by Jeff Goodell should be mandatory holiday reading for all.
Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.
Keep drains clear of clippings
To help avoid stormwater blockages when one cuts the roadside berms, both contract council workers and home-owners should ensure that they either use a catcher or make sure the clippings don’t end up in the gutter. That’s just laziness. I quite often see piles of “hay” in gutters ready to be washed into drains at the first downpour because someone cannot be bothered sweeping this up or mowing the lawns properly.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
Govt can’t fix everything
Nearly every article in the Herald and stories on evening news demand the Government fix society’s problems with solutions. However there are no empirical solutions. There are only trade-offs. It is clear, from the majority of correspon-dence on social media and opinion letters, that a high proportion of Kiwis have no idea how economics works. History shows education is the key to a prosperous nation. It is time New Zealanders learnt basic economics.
Mark Lewis-Wilson, Mangonui.
Civil defence key
Mayor Wayne Brown made a lot of extravagant statements about what Auckland needed and has since had to take a more realistic view on some of them. It is too early to see how effective he is going to be. But emergency management is the job of what used to be a comprehensive civil defence network and that is what needs to be reviewed in the wake of the recent weather damage. I have never understood the eagerness of the news media to label as “heroes” city leaders such as Rudi Giuliani during the 9/11 attacks or Bob Parker during the Christchurch earth-quakes, just for appearing in public in fluorescent vests and posing for photo ops. I do not believe that gives comfort to those who have lost family members or homes. That is what a well- resourced emergency management team is for.
Bob van Ruyssevelt, Auckland.
Drop tax not RUCs
Road User Charges are to pay for the roads we use. The name says it all. The money has to come from somewhere. It’s disin-genuous to use the cost of living as a justification for continuing the discount. It’s the lowest earners who need most help — reduce the marginal tax rates to zero for the first $20,000. That would truly help. And because it’s the same for everyone, no one will mind. Keep the cost of gas at a level that hurts so we begin to walk to the freaking dairy and kids ride their bikes to school. For crying out loud, we’re drowning out here.
Ian Swney, Morrinsville.
Water reform needed
Always thought Three Waters was a bit muddied but when one considers recent and past catastrophic weather events, the idea does have some value. The general purpose of the strategy is to have reliable, safe drinking water and a better environ-mental performance of wastewater and storm water. There is hardly a city or town that has not been affected by flooding or wind damage. While Three Waters may not be ideal, it is time for a national approach to ensure all New Zealand is prepared for these emergencies. The failed response by Auckland is a clear indication that more expertise and experience is needed, which can only come from a body that deals specifically with these events.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Chinese silence sad
The unity of the West to increase armaments to assist Ukraine is welcome but urgency to cease the hostilities is paramount. The key, China, is the only country which has the influence to condemn the unprovoked invasion and convince Putin to end the carnage. This it fails to do. China should be mindful its future prosperity rests in trade with the affluent democracies in a world of steadily integrating and modernising free markets.
China should join with the West and much of the world and oppose Putin for his actions. Instead if it chooses to ride with the outlaws and insulate itself from reality. Its own future may be in jeopardy.
P.J.Edmondson, Tauranga.
Build higher
Clearly the existing allowable floor level height in newly-built homes isn’t practical in flood-prone regions. It shouldn’t be too difficult to assess safety heights above flood levels by taking the average water levels reached at the height of the storm in Auckland’s western suburbs and make that the new legal height of floors in flood-prone regions.Those existing homes below the new legal height should either be raised or at the very least have timber flooring built over exiting flooring, making the removal of mud quicker and easier if such a flood should occur again.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Motorsport doomed?
We hear that the Ford Motor Company intends to return to motorsport within the next couple of years. No mention made as to the cars’ means of propulsion, ie fossil fuels or some alternative. As someone who still needs to drive, I confess I still contribute my own small share of CO2 until I can afford an electric car.
However, I have to wonder how long motorsport itself can be allowed to continue unless it is restricted to electric cars (nowhere near as exciting!). In fact, Ferrari is now designing a system to make their electric cars produce the sound of high-revving petrol engines, by the way. I am no unrealistic Greenie, but I do take seriously the slogan “There is no Planet B”. Long may our faithful old Earth keep rotating.
John Hampson, Meadowbank.
Don’t bash Brown
Re: Fran O’Sullivan and Bruce Cotterill’s (Herald Saturday Feb 4) commentaries on Wayne Brown. Hallelujah. Common sense, non-partisan, non-drongo opinion pieces at last. Beautifully worded and accurate. How refreshing and one would hope a lesson to those in the journalism/media game to try looking out of both eyes at the same time.
Bary Williams, Sunnyhills.
Don’t bash landlords
I see the Greens and Labour are once more on the trail to hit landlords. Because of the recent flooding in Auckland, they fear a decrease of supply of rental property will cause an increase in rental charges. They propose a rent freeze but have never seemed to see both sides of this story.
A property damaged by flooding will cost the landlord a large amount of money to fix and also involve considerable loss of rental income. I own four rental properties. Since the arrival of Covid in March 2020 I have not increased any rental prices because I feel everyone needs a bit of a break. Most landlords are not greedy people and only ask for a reasonable rental price. For that a tenant can expect a good service from a landlord, without interference from government.
Michael Walker, Blockhouse Bay.
Lower speed limits
A plea to the Government: please do not appeal to populist policy and remove the plan to reduce speed limits. The only people this helps are drivers and, in particular, car drivers. Most speed reductions are around schools and areas where people could or would walk/cycle etc if they felt safer. If there is one thing we know it is that less people driving, and more people using alternative transport, the better. Come on people, don’t just be selfish drivers. Support kids feeling safe walking to school, and applaud anyone who is walking or cycling instead of clogging your road lane.
Samantha Cunningham, Henderson.
On buses
After Auckland Transport buses pushed through the stormwater, I have an idea for AT and Mayor Wayne Brown. Could we modify and future-proof the buses with paddle wheels?
Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay.
On voting
For those getting stuck into Auckland’s powers that be over the state of emergency — there was a very low turnout at the mayoral election. Did you vote?
Janet Boyle, Orewa.
On governance
Who do I ring when Rangitoto blows? Chris, Chris, Wayne, or the new Minister of Auckland? I just love this new governance thingy.
Ralph Williams, Pahi.
On cones
One good thing about the Auckland floods is that they took away all the orange cones with it.
Glenn Forsyth, Rangatira Park.
On co-governance
The PM should dispel what co-governance means by asking its proponents to “lay their cards on the table”. Sound governance is measured by clarity of intent.
Kenneth Lees, Whāngārei.
On mayor
I agree with Fran O’Sullivan, (Herald, Feb 4) that we should cut Mayor Brown some slack. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Glennys Adams, Oneroa.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.