Departing director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield delivered his last Covid-19 response update this week at the Ministry of Health in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
If the Government mandates masks (or anything these days), there is a public outcry and protesters come out in thousands, and yet if the Government does not mandate mask wearing for school children, then they are portrayed as irresponsible.
The present Government has supplied millions of child and adult size masks for children and larger ones for youth and teachers, as well as rapid antigen tests, anti-viral medicines, hospitals, MIQ, millions of Covid and flu vaccines and much, much more.
It is now the responsibility of New Zealanders to take all this "free stuff" and protect themselves and each other.
It is a sad society when a Government does the very best it can to protect its citizens and no one ever even acknowledges it with a simple "thank you".
Or are manners not PC?
Braking bad
Audrey Young points out (Weekend Herald, July 23) that, without the "handbrake" of NZ First, Labour should be free to fully implement its promises. But Labour has its own "handbrake" in the form of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Her unilateral declaration of "no wealth taxes while I am Prime Minister" means that Labour does not have the money to fully fund the increase in benefits recommended by their own inquiry, or to finance community housing schemes, pay health workers, firefighters and teachers properly or fund the many other services that the public (and the Opposition) are demanding.
Ardern has either to announce a new position for the next term or to make way for a more realistic leader such as Grant Robertson or a true progressive such as Chloe Swarbrick.
Bob van Ruyssevelt, Glendene.
Central control
An excellent article by Steven Joyce (Weekend Herald, July 23) on the centralisation of the administration for overseeing the running of polytechs. To date, this move seems to have dramatically increased the cost with absolutely no improvement in outcome.
Is this to be a harbinger of things to come with Three Waters and centralised health administration, cost increases and no improvement of services?
Over the years the numbers employed in the DHB's administration have proliferated. How are these people going to be dealt with come the restructuring? Will they be made redundant or redeployed?
The present Government delights in asking the National Party what services would it cut to fund tax cuts.
But the Health Minister's article in a recent Herald, while it claimed great benefits in the outcome as a result of the restructuring, made no mention as to where the money to pay for the re-branding will come from. Are there to be cuts in other services to cover this? Or just more taxes?
Trevor Stevens, Pukekohe.
In the picture
Perplexing that in the middle of an analysis of how Labour has done with their manifesto promises (Weekend Herald, July 23), a photo of ex-National MP Nikki Kaye should appear? It took a bit of searching through the 94 Labour promises, more than 85 per cent of which it has progressed, to find the one manifesto promise which elicited that photo. Labour had the good sense to implement a bill originally introduced by Kaye, but insulting really, as surely any photo should have been of one of the 65 sitting Labour MP's who have worked to get the vast majority of those 94 promises implemented.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
On track
I read with interest the article on Auckland light rail by Simon Wilson (Canvas, July 23).
It was intriguing to see that 27 miles of Auckland's tram track were built in just over a year in the 1920s but, because of the tunnelling, the much shorter $14.6 billion light rail project will take at least 10 years to finish.
I understand that the route for the much cheaper above-ground section of the track is largely finalised and I presume that would pose few major engineering problems. Why not start building this section of the line now and connect it to the Onehunga railway station? This cheapest section of the line could then conceivably be serving the airport and Māngere regions and connecting with the Auckland rail network by the time the city rail link is due to be finished at the end of 2024. The city link tunnellers could then possibly transfer to the second slower and more expensive section of the light rail project.
John Anderson, Pukekohe.
Decency lost
I heartily agree with the "letter of the week" by Eric Mischefski (Weekend Herald, July 23).
I think it is an impossible task now to change the way of thinking with so many of the population wanting handouts for everything.
Crime is rife and the violence that goes with it; shootings almost a daily occurrence. Why are children as young as 11 and 13 participating in ram-raids with stolen cars? Where are the parents?
For too long, people are not held responsible for tossing their rubbish in the street or shops instead of a bin nearby. Respect is missing from a large percentage of the population and it will be a huge task to retrieve what has been lost and to get back to a decent society again.
P. Salvador, Hobsonville.
Given a rocket
In response to Eric Mischefski's letter (Weekend HeralJuly 23), the attempted blowing-up of Parliament was not celebrated. In fact, quite the opposite.
Guy Fawkes was hung, drawn and quartered and his effigy is burnt on bonfires. It stands as a warning to the populace that this is what will happen to you if you try that again.
Pauline Merritt, Frankton.
The Freedom and Rights Coalition would be more believable if they looked for a positive approach rather than pointlessly disrupting the lives of the people they purport to represent. Alan Johnson, Papatoetoe.
Gary Hollis writes: "Just as men shouldn't have a say on a woman's abortion..." Surely he is aware that a man equally shares that situation? S Guinness, Greenlane.
Paul Bowker (WH, July 23) calls attention to tidal power. While it is in its infancy (the first plant is in La Rance, France and the largest is in South Korea), reliability is a huge advantage, so why not discuss its pros and cons? Geoff Barlow, Remuera.
Labour or National should do the right thing, and invite James Shaw into their fold. He is too valuable an asset to lose. Chris Bennett, Kohimarama.
After having watched TV One's weather bulletin, I came away with the feeling - whether or not I wanted it - I had just been given a comprehensive lesson in te reo. Philip Lenton, Somerville.
The job descriptions are so vague that I'm thinking of applying for one of the Three Waters chief executive roles myself. C Tompkins, New Plymouth.
Are people so lazy they can't say "Commonwealth Games"? Now we see in written and spoken the short version of "Comm Games". Linda Beck, West Harbour.
In these non-binary-gender-identifying times, perhaps the Green Party co-leadership requirement should be "two people of differently identifying genders". Liz Davidson, Stanley Pt.
May I suggest Grant Robertson would be better putting his energy into solving the country's financial problems, rather than trying to become a second-rate comedian in the House? Phil Dunbier, Kerikeri.
Christopher Luxon made a rookie error and fluffed a lie when the truth would have served him better. However, a few well-timed "alohas" should have been sufficient punishment. Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
If people don't like Grant Robertson's humour then they should tell the clowns in the political parties on the right to stop giving him such easy targets. John Capener, Kawerau.
Rentals maybe should have WOFs like cars do. But drivers also have to have licences. Stuart Mackenzie Ohura.
I think it is about time all sports and sports clubs stopped putting themselves up on societal pedestals as bastions of inclusivity. J McCormick, Gisborne.
Could the weather gurus please explain to us plebeians how, according to a recent forecast, there will be rain morning/afternoon and showers in between? Norm Greenall, Ōrewa.
The newly upgraded Waitaha Reserve has been officially opened in Welcome Bay, Tauranga.