Meanwhile, we are the victims of this Government’s dogma-based policies, as expertise is rejected on a daily basis. It could take decades to undo the damage.
Vivien Fergusson, Mount Eden.
Do the math
The PM insists he wants to make NZ a more productive economy. One of the reasons we’re unproductive is that so much capital and energy goes into building and investing in housing.
This keeps New Zealand closer to the bottom of the OECD league tables for both productivity and growth. A capital gains tax would be one step towards discouraging money from going into houses and instead into productive endeavours.
Perhaps our poor performance in maths extends to the top level, as the PM’s fierce opposition to a CGT suggests he is unable to add two and two together and get the right answer.
Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.
Fix drivers, not speeds
The recent article by Simon Wilson is written to make the point that speed causes accidents (NZ Herald, Sept 24).
However, saying that “speed kills” over and over again, is no basis for a sound road safety policy any more than saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” should be the basis for our health system.
Comparing the death and injuries in Australia with those in New Zealand, he says the NZ rate is twice that of Australia. He believes that the speeds in NZ should be reduced but takes no notice that the speed limits in Australia are generally the same or higher than those in NZ.
Many other overseas countries also use higher speeds but have better safety records. Wilson should have told us if the sections of roads posted at 110km/h have more or less road toll than similar sections of motorway road posted at 80km/h or 100km/h.
The “speed kills” mantra destroys rational analysis. Factors that impact on road safety in NZ are being ignored. In comparison with Australia, we have more driving by people impaired by alcohol and drugs, a much higher level of repeat offenders, higher cellphone use and more distracted and poor driving.
Absent is any sign of effort or programmes to improve driver performance.
Roger Russell, Whangaparāoa.
Beauty myth
Niki Bezzant’s piece in which she writes of Pauline Hanna’s life makes sad reading (NZ Herald, Sept 25).
As she posits, Pauline Hanna has also been on trial. Unfortunately, many women could in various ways relate to aspects of Hanna’s life including the dieting and the efforts to stay attractive as the media, especially social media, and popular culture serve up distorted views of womanhood.
Barbie, the world’s favourite disproportionate doll, promoted a way of defining girls and women by how they looked. Moreover, how women relate sexually is not only a way to keep them in their place but a way women keep themselves there.
In the 1990s Naomi Wolf wrote of the Beauty Myth, in which she said that although women have more money and legal recognition than ever before, in terms of how women feel about themselves they may be worse off than their liberated grandmothers.
Glennys Adams, Waiheke Island.
Tougher sentences
Law professor Kris Gledhill tells us that judges will rightfully find creative ways around the sentencing reform bill to reduce their ability to discount and reduce sentences (NZ Herald, Sept 26).
The public has democratically elected a government that campaigned on this issue. We are sick of the short and non-custodial punishments handed out to criminals, and even more sick of law professors that attempt to justify them.
Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.
Two birds, one stone
The sugar tax suggested by Ryan Bridge could go towards the construction of a new crossing for Auckland Harbour (NZ Herald, Sept 25). If located near the existing bridge in the form of a causeway similar to the existing Waterview to Te Atatū causeway it would then impede the delivery of more that 250,000 tonnes of raw sugar destined for the Chelsea refinery and cost less than a bridge or tunnel.
Dick Ayres, Auckland Central.
