Tonnes of crops were washed out of fields during the storm in Pukekohe, with onions littering the roadsides. Photo / John Weekes
Produce the goods
It’s always those on the bottom rungs of the socio-economic ladder who suffer most during recessions and disasters. If you think fruit and veges are expensive, wait until after the floods. I can’t begin to imagine how people who were already struggling under the weight of rising debt from mortgage and rent increases are going to be able to afford to feed their families. Removing GST from fruit and veges would be a quick and popular win for the Government amongst their primary voting constituency and help those who need help the most.
Boris Sokratov, Campbells Bay.
On edge
Following Friday’s deluge, there are at least six major slips and a minor one along the St Mary’s Bay cliff face, all of which appear to threaten substantial dwellings - mostly of two storeys. And yet Auckland Council has zoned sections along and immediately adjoining the cliff face for six-storey apartment buildings without resource consent. Surely there is a case for balancing intensification policy with consideration of other factors such as safety, heritage and visual amenity. It seems that I may have the mayor’s support - he is reported as saying that people should not have built homes on susceptible cliff faces anyway.
John Collinge, St Mary’s Bay.
News updates
Last evening, I switched on the tele to see the main 6pm news report on the catastrophic flooding and was disappointed to initially just receive the “interruption due to atmospheric conditions” ie rain fade. That ceased and on came a very personal story of a sportsperson’s “coming out,” a term that previously referred to young lady debutantes. While accepting that this might be news that he should share with his family, friends and, perhaps, the All Blacks - it certainly does not belong on mainstream prime-time news in the middle of a situation of extreme emergency. Then there was some more rain fade and then later that same issue was repeated on the sports news and advertised to be on Seven Sharp. By then it had become “ad nauseum”. Then it was back to rain fade and so I switched the good old-fashioned radio for some real news of the flooding situation and a weather report that managed to transmit through without rain fade or alternative irrelevant “news”. I’m very thankful for my Herald.
Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.
Terminal problems
Clearly, the runways were not flooded as they drain straight into the Manukau Harbour so it has only been the airport building including the check-in areas which have been affected. You would have thought Auckland Airport would have learnt from the last flood back in July and purchased an adequate number of high-capacity pumps to keep critical areas free of water? Perhaps the new Minister for Auckland might have foreseen this problem but as he was the one proposing an $800 million walkway for the Waitemata harbour bridge I am not so sure.
Rod Lyons, Kumeu.
Rain and rates
Richard Prebble (NZ Herald, February 1) states, in connection with Auckland Council’s flooding response, that “lower property values mean [that] to raise the same income, the council will have to increase rates”. This is a common misconception. Any change in property values does not automatically affect the rates to be paid. The proof is that, if property values were constant, rates are still able to increase or decrease as it is the rate in the dollar linked to the property value that shifts the rates collected. It is likely that in response to the flood damage, rates will increase but they will increase for the reason that the property rate in the dollar is moved.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Putting it right
On Friday, as I watched the rain pour off the tar seal car parks surrounding the Royal Oak shopping mall, and the water pouring over the concrete footpaths and flooding the gutters and across the street, I wondered why we have allowed such poor planning to allow these things to occur. How is it that we are unable to soak up or contain these flood waters? And as for cleaning out our drains and cess pits, leaves and debris were being swept up into a heap and left in a pile in the gutters on Pt Chevalier Rd. Clearing the gratings and leaving the pile of rubbish waiting for the next rain to wash it back seems to be what we get since amalgamation. Once upon a time, council workers did the job and they did it well. I think it’s time we brought back some of the old systems. Local people doing local jobs. Quality. Not cheap and nasty workmanship. So let’s be grateful that a person with the skills that Mayor Wayne Brown offers is now available to help Auckland sort out its problems. Then we may find that our beaches can be swum in and rates are spent on what we need for the city to function.
Gillian Dance, Mt Albert.
Duly elected
Regarding a petition being raised to remove Wayne Brown from the Auckland mayoralty. Last I read, we were still a democracy? Perhaps all those anti-democratic people signing the petition could relocate to North Korea, China or Russia. I’m not saying Wayne’s brilliant at emergency responses or talking to media and he’s not going to wrap you in cotton wool like Jacinda, but the majority voted on bigger issues and Aucklanders have proven they are not sheep waiting for Wayne’s words before getting their act together.
Randel Case, Bucklands Beach.
Measuring success
Auckland is a commercial city and has been so since colonisation. Yes, we need to take care of commerce/business but we also need to take care of the people who work in those businesses. To be successful commercially, labour and capital must work together fairly. Will the climate change-generated events of this past week, affecting so many people, be enough to make us stop and think about how we need to do things differently for a successful and fair future for Auckland?
Erin Tipping-Clatworthy, Parnell.
Skill set
I do not live in Auckland so have no understanding of why the knives are out for the new mayor. However, everybody needs time and a chance to show their strengths. A smooth talker may be a requisite for the mayor’s job but I would have thought that intelligent people would prefer someone with real-life practical skills. Personally, I would put up with a crusty, grumpy old man, if he actually knows how to solve Auckland’s ageing infrastructure problems. Problems inherited from previous smooth-talking politicians. With climate change upon us, we need the best “brains” in the business.
J. Hansen, Hastings.
Chippy’s chance
I have just finished reading The Premium Debate (NZ Herald, February 1) and Pim V declares that “nothing has changed, just check your food bills” and Kathy A states that “nothing is changing”. Do people expect immediate change? Give the man a break. We are also in the middle of a natural emergency which is not helping. I really don’t understand some people’s expectations.
Julie Pearce, Matamata.
Utter consistency
I don’t understand why there’s such a fuss about Wayne Brown’s poor response to Auckland’s weather emergency. His behaviour on Friday and the subsequent defence thereof were consistent with the glib, irritable persona he has presented since before his election. The fault lies with those who supported his candidacy and gave him their vote.
Andrea Dawe, Sandringham.
Duping dozen
A wonderful piece in Sideswipe (NZ Herald, February 1) informs us that only 12 people are responsible for most of the anti-vaccine hoaxes found on social media. Anyone interested in finding out how those anti-vaccine hoaxes first got started should read “The Doctor Who Fooled the World” by Brian Deer. The book is a biography of a struck-off UK doctor whose faked research falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism. The research has since been debunked but the misinformation lives on.
John Caldwell, Howick.
On leaders
Chippy or Luxon, jeepers, are these our best shots? Welcome to a new New Zealand all right; we hope you enjoy your sentence. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
I hope Chippy takes up Simon Wilson’s suggestion (NZH, Jan 31) of a capital gains tax. David Brown, Waiuku.
On tax
Can anyone tell me why governments insist on hammering the productive people in society and then giving their assets and hard earnings (by way of taxes) to the non-productive? Is this fair? Ian Doube, Rotorua.
On slogans
Year of delivery, no new taxes, New Zealand’s most transparent government and “tackle bread and butter issues”. Uttering fine words is Labour’s best attribute. S. Palmer, Mt Albert.
On flights
Everyone thought I was daft back in the day when I warned TEAL, later Air New Zealand, not to scrap its flying boats. Not so daft now, is it, all you clever clogs? Dean Donoghue, Pāpāmoa Beach.
On flooding
From now on then will Aucklanders have to build on stilts? I am not joking. Angela Soutar, Mairangi Bay.
As a father giving advice to my kids when they were having their worst experiences, I always used to say, it could be worse, the sky could be falling. In Auckland it just has. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Claire Trevett: Chris Hipkins’ re-shuffle
I find it hard to think that, just one month ago, Chris Hipkins stood behind and supported everything that Jacinda Ardern said and did. One month later when she has quit and he is in charge, he wants to change everything. Roy H.
This comment sums up the I’ll complain about anything if it is connected to Labour approach of many commenters on here perfectly. Jeremy C.
You didn’t like where we were heading before, and now you don’t like it that Hipkins is changing tack. It’s almost like you’d never be happy, Roy? Dan M.
Maybe it’s past time Nanaia Mahuta resigned. Foreign Affairs is important and she doesn’t seem at all comfortable in that role. Mike C.
The appointment of a Minister for Auckland looks like a cynical piece of firefighting to appease the huge snit that the region has been in for at least the last two years. Richard Prebble’s comment about the “poverty effect” that will be felt because of inflation and slumping property prices will be more of a game-changer than Michael Wood popping into his Mt Roskill office from time to time in the next eight months. Still, as a former Christmas tree salesman, it would be wrong to accuse him of never having had a real job. John K R.
The leading actress has walked out but the script is still the same. The show must go on? Ian P.
Get a coffee for a can at Scope and donate to the Ngongotahā Fire Brigade this week.