Letters: Foreign students, productivity, gun owners, gender equality and AT

Outspoken NZ First MP Shane Jones remains unrepentant about his comments on foreign students. File photo / Michael Cunningham

Letter of the week: Merilyn McAuslin, Mt Eden

A person with experience teaching foreign students in Private Training Establishments (PTEs) shouldn't be diminished by commentators like Lizzie Marvelly (Weekend Herald, March 7) stating their opinions as facts.
Having managed PTE qualifications for over 400 Indian students each semester for years, I am obliged to speak. My experience is not some xenophobic reaction.
For most, qualifications had little to do with learning; it was considered a guaranteed pathway to work and reside in New Zealand. I actually heard many agents sell residency and not education.
In respect of New Zealand's education system, I established quality assurance processes. I was constantly challenged by owners and recruitment agents alike.
Assessments didn't meet the levels required by NZQA framework. Exam questions were reused. When I instructed that at least one assessment for each paper be an individual assignment, the pass rate plummeted. The Indian agents concerned complained and one came from India to complain about me face-to-face.
I have experience, in a PTE that taught mostly Chinese, that quality was also anathema to owners. For example, when I arrived, cheat notes were permitted in exams and students could pop out to photocopy notes.
This was the reality of many teachers in many, not all, of these schools.
I am not normally a Shane Jones supporter.

Hard workers

Correspondent John Gascoigne (Weekend Herald, March 7) is right in that New Zealand farmers are among the most productive in the world, and in that with the same capital equipment NZ industrial sector workers would easily match any foreign counterpart.
Does that not prove that the crucial factor for raising productivity and resulting prosperity is in raising - i.e. saving, owning and investing or employing more capital per head of citizen?
Jens Meder, Pt Chevalier.

Shot in the foot

In reply to John Roughan (Weekend Herald, March 7), may I say that legal gun-owners are some of the most responsible people in New Zealand. The fact that we have a firearms licence says so, the vetting system makes sure that we are "fit and proper" people to have guns.
He goes on to say that gun-owners don't want gun registration, don't want this and don't want that. He also says that the websites are "onerous". The fact is gun registration will not work as guns in the hands of miscreants will never be registered, only the lawful gun-owners will be compliant therefore making the "registration process" useless as only a few guns will be on the register.
If the Government or police think that all criminals will rush in to register their guns then they must believe in the Tooth Fairy.
Police already can check to see if a firearm is with anybody or in any premises by the FAL details they already have, as a result of issuing a licence in the first place.
It will be a hugely costly exercise for what? Nothing.
Lawful gun-owners have already handed in many of their guns during the buy-back. Gun-owners of this country are not "radicals". They are the average, hard-working members of society - all they want is to be treated fair and reasonably.
Tony Back, Hastings.

Women first

Wendy Clark in her interview (Weekend Herald, March 7) is totally disingenuous; the only reason she refuses to consider a man is feminist solidarity.
The fact that she talks about gender equality proves this, and will disadvantage her company. Selecting by gender loses focus on quality.
It appears she would prefer a mediocre woman to an exceptional man.
Any person running a business has an obligation to employ the best person for the job irrespective of sex or sexuality.
Neville Cameron, Coromandel.

Transport options

Blinded by ideology, Auckland Council would justify that its ballooning expenditure on public transportation projects is warranted. Campaigning to get people out of their cars and end their love affair with motor vehicles, they are captivated by a utopian vision of congestion-free roads. But they are to be disappointed if they believe this vision equates to a double-figure percentage of commuters travelling by bus or train. Notwithstanding that its bus and train networks were established decades ago, several of the UK cities the size of Auckland, according to official sources, record barely 10 per cent commuting by either train or bus. Auckland Council ought to realise that its own citizens - and those of successful cities - have a love affair, not with private motor vehicles, but with efficiency.
Peter Webster, Beachlands.

Railroaded

The recent revelation that the Auckland light rail project proposals have now morphed into a driverless metro line to the airport which could cost taxpayers up to $20 billion, should have alarm bells ringing with voters.
The horrific cost of building this one line, which will be of little use to most people, begs the question of why the Minister of Transport is not seriously considering the more commonsense option of expanding the existing heavy rail network to Auckland Airport.
Heavy rail currently serves a much greater area of the city and for far less than $20 billion could be significantly improved with express lines, extensions to the airport, North Shore, Helensville, Waiuku and Tauranga, for not only carrying people, but freight as well.
R Anderson, Pukekohe.

Confiscate phones

The cellphone "talking or texting whilst driving" issue prevails and still nothing effective is being done to stop it.
It belies belief that the most effective penalty, one which will stop most of this practice within a very short time - i.e. impoundment or permanent forfeiture of the phone - is not being used.
Modern cellphones hold a wealth of data - personal and business contacts, photos, text and messages, the loss of which would distress the owner more than somewhat.
Anyone knows that those who lose or damage their phones become extremely frustrated and quite unstable until the situation is corrected so it follows that the risk of being deprived of the phone for a significant period would act as an effective deterrent.
If people are caught using their cellphone while driving, instead of a paltry fine, for a first offence impound the phone for say seven days and until the (substantial) fine is paid. For subsequent offences, permanent forfeiture of the phone plus double fine.
Enforcement must be strict and penalties deterrent. Anything else will cause people to thumb their noses and ignore the ban and more accidents will happen.
Robin McGrath, Forrest Hill.

A quick word

Globally, influenza causes the death of 3 per cent of those infected and according to Tedros in the Washington Post, the coronavirus kills fewer than 1 per cent. Certainly, figures to keep an eye on. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.

If not done already, all racing club land should be classified as recreation reserves and protected as public open space in perpetuity, for present and future generations to enjoy. Bruce Tubb, Belmont.

I was wrong. Our Prime Minister's pontificating did more than get a smirk from Scott Morrison. It has earned even tougher conditions for law-breaking Kiwis in Australia. A J Petersen, Kawerau.

It is ironic that AT plans to penalise private companies while its own projects are years behind schedule and causing mass congestion. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.

It is now 31 years since the first international climate change conference was held. Apart from words, what have the numerous meetings held since achieved? Tony Sullivan, St Heliers.

Jeanette Fitzsimons: the antithesis of Simon Bridges. Dave Matthews, Hamilton.

Other cities can do it, why not us? Free public transport. A dollar on the price of petrol would pay for it. Phil Skipworth, St Johns.

Not sure what I'm missing with all these e-bikes but when does footpath mean anything other than footpath. Nigel Bufton, Pauanui.

It is pretty odd to see people fighting over toilet paper as there are other ways to clean up - what happened to the number 8 wire creativity in NZ? I am not suggesting people use it as a substitute for toilet paper, but you get the idea. Andrew Montgomery, Warren, NSW.

To professionals, with generous sick leave, a two-week stand-down is nothing. To a worker on the legal minimum of five days, it is a week without pay. That is a lot to ask of someone already on a meagre income. R Porteous, Balmoral.

China used its state control of people to put draconian, yet efficient, virus containment in place. Our parliamentary system, by necessity, has lots of talk before the walk, and time passes that exacerbates problems that need nipping in the bud. Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.

A $150 fine for driving in a bus lane, even when there are no buses using the lane, and no risk to anybody. Then, $80 for using a mobile while driving, risking an accident and possibly killing someone? Bob Wichman, Botany.

As China started this whole disaster, will the WHO seek compensation? Also, some assurance as to their live animal markets needs to be addressed. V Hall, Whangaparāoa.

With Auckland and Hamilton about to be connected by an uninterrupted four-lane expressway, and commuter rail services about to begin, perhaps it is time to think about upgrading Hamilton Airport as the emergency alternative to Auckland Airport? Tony Molloy, Morrinsville.