The answer, my friend
How much wind power is squandered each and every day across New Zealand as we continue importing expensive, volatile and climate-unfriendly fossil fuels that Kiwis are addicted to and uncontrollably?
Watching those America's Cup yachts get up on foils and "flit like butterflies as they sting like porpoises" shows the tremendous power we watch go west or south every day, unharnessed and unutilised by us supposedly smart cookies.
Mr Goff, what about putting a giant, modern windmill right where that ghastly fossil fuel Tank Farm was to harvest sustainably from nature and power Auckland in front of our very eyes?
Mr Shaw, this may be more productive than you and your staff flying all that way to Paris and back in that kerosene-powered plane along with all those other talkfesters - few of whom will ever give up their countries' economic advantages, even if we all continue on the inevitable path to becoming a global sausage sizzle.
Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.
Kashmir abuses
Your item on the Delhi protests (NZ Herald, December 18) highlights the systematic suppression of human rights in India, the world's largest "democracy". In Kashmir, this has been happening for decades. The unconstitutional scrapping of the last bastion of Kashmir's autonomy occurred on August 5. The internet and communications blackout that followed is now in its 135th day.
A symposium to raise awareness of these issues in the halls of our own parliament was denied. The discussion was relocated to a central Wellington church, after the Speaker retracted his permission to hold the meeting in Parliament's buildings. MFAT advised MPs that it would be viewed as siding with Pakistan. A bad look for New Zealand that could upset current trade negotiations with India.
It was never about India-Pakistan relations, to which often the issues in Kashmir are relegated. It was arranged to discuss how the international community could address the on-going abuses in Kashmir. Kashmir is the most militarised region in the world with one soldier stationed there for every 10 Kashmiris. Why is that? We must also ask why our government puts trade before human rights and why open discussion by New Zealand citizens in its own seat of governance was refused.
Suzanne Weld, St Heliers.
Lease land
John Roughan's article "Own a home, lease the land" (NZ Herald, December 14) deserves serious consideration.
It's in our national interest to get people into their own homes and as early as possible. When people don't own their own home by retirement, the taxpayer pays for their accommodation or benefit supplements since the pension is insufficient.
The sooner they take on the 25- or 30-year mortgage, the more time they will have without rent or mortgage outgoings at the other end, to put some serious effort into financially preparing for retirement.
We shouldn't be playing Lotto with some hitting the KiwiBuild jackpot and others missing out. Everyone is paying taxes and fair and equal advantages in purchasing a first home should be available to everyone.
When purchasing privately, the first-home buyer could opt to own the house and at least 10 per cent of the land with the Crown owning the balance. A newly requested rates valuation would determine the land value. Every time a new rates valuation is released, the home owner increases the principal of their mortgage and purchases an increased percentage of the land they own.
Jen McKeown, Red Beach.
Pumping profit
Despite the ongoing flurry over petrol prices, the gouging continues unabated. How does the Birkenhead BP station justify selling standard grade at $2.24 but super costing $2.67?
If the companies argue that it costs too much to put up an advertising sign with both prices, they could all adopt a policy limiting the differential between the two grades to a set margin of say 10 or 12 cents – not cynically blowing out to 25, 30 or even 43 cents. Simple and cheap, and a condition smart regulators should impose.
Petrus van der Schaaf, Te Arai Point.
Pike re-entry
The barrier in the Pike River Mine shaft has now been reached. The question has to be asked: If the barrier was built in 2011 by the New Zealand Mines Rescue Service, why has it taken years of planning, intervention/involvement by many MPs, countless paid overseas experts, and many millions of dollars to achieve an entry at an incredibly slow pace as each metre of shaft was examined by all manner of experts to arrive at the same spot erected by the team eight years ago who walked in, erected the barrier and left?
Safety is one thing and the need to be careful is understood but the time and expense surely needs to be explained.
Ray Hoy, Riverhead.
Tough talk
It's not really being tough when you go after the most vulnerable in society. I might be a little more impressed if National said it was going to be tough on tax evaders and multi-nationals that pay next to no tax in this country, and others that dictate some of our laws, like the multi-nationals which run our liquor industry. But that's when the National Party wimps out.
Niall Robertson, Balmoral.
Plastic service
In a five-star Auckland hotel recently, ordering room service was meant to be a treat - but the accompanying five separate servings of single-use plastics instead put me off my breakfast.
This is too high a price to pay for an omelette, coffee and juice.
Five-star hotels are enclaves of wealth and privilege, and they do have full kitchens. They can offer juice in a glass, coffee in a cup and sauce in a dish. I cannot understand why they need to offer single-serve plastics of anything.
Juliet Golightly, Whangārei.
Short & sweet
On C02
Human beings are unique in that we are creative. We have created the current critical situation and we can create the means to fix it. All it takes is the will to do so. Brian Alderson, Glen Eden.
On Christmas
It is incredible the amount of people who claim to not believe in God and yet celebrate Christmas to the hilt. Carl Rosel, Freemans Bay.
Thank you Smith & Caughey, your Christmas windows are very much appreciated. Melanie Corbett, Westmere.
I am no Christian but, to the best of my knowledge, there is zero reference in the Bible that calls for an extravagant over-spend on gifts for December 25. Brian Cox, Pakuranga.
On Trump
He came to power vowing to "drain the swamp" and now the so-called swamp is full to overflowing with the indictment of his cronies. Diana Walford, Greenlane.
On drugs
Drug-impaired drivers will face fines and minimum of 12 hours suspension from driving? Should that not be 12 months or, better still, 12 years? Bob Wichman, Botany.
On Smith
I know I should never attack the messenger but why do contributors like Leighton Smith provide such large and inviting targets? David Reid, Cockle Bay.
On Hosking
If David Seymour is politician of the year, Mike Hosking must be Tusitala of the decade. Reg Dempster, Albany.
