Waitākere Hospital. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
A hospital visit of two halves
I was admitted to Waitākere Hospital’s Emergency Dept at 8.40am on October 5. While there I saw an institution of contrasts — the disturbing and the remarkable.
The disturbing: After admission, I was directed to a gurney in a corridor, with gurneys ahead of and behind me, all occupied. I was moved to a nearby ante-room for tests and monitoring. Several hours later I made the first of two visits to Radiology, getting a closer look at the overcrowding — my orderly manoeuvring my gurney past others, miscellaneous obstructions, and medical staff attending to patients — all in the corridors. After my return to the side room I was moved to another corridor lined with gurneys — beneath what appeared to have been a nurses’ station, with staff on the other side at work. My wife and I both noted the minimal privacy. We could see unattended personal belongings, and another patient’s monitor readouts — and she perhaps could see mine.
The remarkable: Many hands held my wellbeing close in the nine hours I was in ED. Dr Meghan, nurse Josh, nurse Norika, radiologist Helen, orderly Melissa, and others cared for me with clarity, calmness and humanity, despite the stress and conditions. But I am cross that overwork and overcrowding infest our health system. I fear that breaking points may be surpassed and catastrophe occur. Mr Luxon and Mr Seymour, please talk to frontline hospital staff and find out what they want for themselves and their patients — and fix it.
Peter Grace, Henderson.
Blockage in the pipes
Watercare has announced the completion of the Parnell bypass pipe, to divert eight million litres of raw sewage per day; the equivalent of eight hundred milk-carrying road tankers, per day, spewing directly into the Waitematā harbour.
Now they can get on with the bigger job of replacing the original infrastructure. They stated the job so far, under normal circumstances, would have taken 18 months. It was completed in 21 days.
Why on earth would we ever accept another infrastructure project taking 18 months when, demonstrably, it can be completed in less than 4 per cent of that time?
Nigel Meek, Raglan.
Changing Auckland
Simon Wilson’s article (NZ Herald, October 17) unlocks the changed ethnic heritage of Aucklanders. Are the enclaves of party hierarchies so removed from the electorates they genuinely do not understand the make up of their constituents and their expectations of our government? It seems that all the Labour voters who stayed away in big numbers did understand what they did not like.
The small retailers’ fear of out-of-control crime needs immediate attention from the new Government. The solution must be workable and take into account the family responsibility.
Logic would seem to demand that parents should be required to appear in courts in New Zealand to take responsibility for their minors’ actions, legal fees and fines. The law should have the power to redirect guardianship of minors whose parents do not appear in court, do not take responsibility, or who have otherwise abandoned guardianship.
This solution would go a very long way to effectively manage and reduce youth reoffending and provide guidance for better future opportunities for youth.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Sour grapes
The Rugby World Cup has shown what a magnificent rugby player Antoine Dupont truly is, But his sour grapes after-match comments about referee Ben O’Keefe show he is yet to develop the personal qualities needed to combine with on-field playing ability, in order to constitute greatness. No doubt he and his fellow French players will have reviewed their match with South Africa, and concluded it wasn’t Ben O’Keefe that cost them a place in the semi-final, but themselves. They had enough possession and territory to win the game twice over.
Phil Chitty, Albany.
On the rise
Some disturbing inflation comparisons arise from the latest Stats NZ Consumer Price index (CPI) release.
While the latest 12-month annual figure of 5.6 per cent suggests a reduction in the inflation rate, an analysis of the CPI figures from Stats NZ shows the “three-yearly rate of inflation” is now nearly 19 per cent and has been rising each quarter for the past 13 quarters. This three-year CPI rate over each term of successive governments has been increasing. During the last term of the National Government in 2014-2017 there was an increase of 2.8 per cent. The first term of the Labour Government in 2017-2020 led to an increase of 4.9 per cent, while during the term of the last Government, the CPI over the 3 year period increased by 18.9 per cent.
Taming this inflation beast is going to take a while.
Jeffrey J Hunter, St Heliers.
Survey and quantify
Perhaps the incoming Government might consider the following as a foil for the misinformation, lack of transparency and obfuscation practised by the outgoing lot. For each new or revised policy initiative, adopt the following (using child poverty as an example):
1. Establish and publish how child poverty is to be measured and quantified and the source of the data used,
2. Establish the quantum of the measurement at the time of assuming office,
3. Quantify the objective,
4. Establish the time-frame by when objective is to be achieved,
5. Nominate the spokesperson for the policy and the frequency with which the electorate will achieve updates on progress to the objective.
This would satisfy the fundamental principles of What, When and Who, that underpins many successful businesses.
Mike Donovan, Remuera.
Wealth tax
Some people have the perception the so called “wealthy” were desperate to get rid of Labour as it was harming their pockets. Not true. The gap between the wealthy and the poorer sections of our society only got wider under the former Labour Government. Not the wealthy’s fault — many understand we already have a capital gains tax in the form of the financial arrangement rules and the property tax provisions.
Jillian Lawry, Remuera.
Ballooning costs
Congratulations to the Greens. Are they our only party concerned about the environment? Party headquarters were bedecked in green plants. National Party celebrations were festooned with blue balloons. Are the National Party not aware balloons are environmentally unfriendly?
Labour were probably so deflated from lack of recognition for keeping us alive during the pandemic they forgot about balloons. People quickly forget.
Thanks Labour. I am grateful to be alive. National and partners — show us that you really care about the planet and people.
Sandy Garman, Algies Bay.
Green divide
Another election is over and I look forward to a positive change in direction from the new administration.
However, I am disappointed James Shaw cannot be part of it. He has been a level-headed dedicated advocate for minimising the influence of climate change and is largely respected by most, irrespective of political bias.
The Green Party is now a combination of two parts — the “true” Greens, and those whose priority is a social agenda appealing to the left. It is time “the greens” became the Green Party and the social agenda section peeled off to become say, the Social Justice Party.
The “new” Green party should then be a comfortable coalition partner with either the “left” or the “right” as they could be seen as largely apolitical with climate as their only concern.
Warwick Maxwell, Remuera.
Out of touch
When one looks at the plans of the incoming National Government one wonders.
Mr Reti wants to replace Health Star food ratings with ... he doesn’t know what. Auckland’s much needed Light Rail scheme is to be scrapped and replaced by more congested roads and motorways.
With RMA, basically the plan is to make it quicker and easier to rip out our historical housing and replace it with monstrosity apartment boxes usually with no parking, which begs the question: why replace light rail with motorways?
The big one is Luxon’s $60 per week grocery bills. If only! We see how out of touch this incoming government is.
Kevin Menzies, Onehunga.
On left and right
Maybe the media got it wrong, presenting National’s win as a lurch from the left. What if it is a balancing of the country’s social fabric, as it does every two elections? Maybe we are 90 per cent centrist in our society and that explains the shift. I think Chippy called it correctly when he shifted from his predecessor’s socially-progressive agenda. It will surely swing left, in time, so don’t get too excited!
Dean Emmerson, Mt Wellington.
On Cup, Foster and loyalty
If the ABs win the World Cup, I believe it will be because of the players’ loyalty to their coach Ian Foster, not because of the Cup. Relationship is at the core of loyalty, especially for Pasifika players, not an objective goal.
Cabrini Makasiale, Māngere Bridge.
On Nats and their cuts
The Herald’s heinous catalogue of expectations (hopes?) for Labour policies to be axed by the new Government is for the most part a salutary reading list of what Labour was trying to do to help people. Peter Beyer, Sandringham.
On a cool cat
The heartwarming, but tinged with sadness, story about the ginger cat in Ponsonby with many names, showed a cat’s nature to perfection (NZ Herald, October 17). He had everyone wrapped around his ginger paw and was the epitome of coolness. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
What gets axed under the National-led government?
Pleased with about 95 per cent of the items on this list getting cut — time to stop the wastage and get our taxes being used effectively. John P.
All excellent. As a Wellingtonian, I have to say that goes double for scrapping Let’s Get Wellington Moving. It is a complete dog’s breakfast and a total waste of ratepayers’ and taxpayers’ money. The sooner it is gone the better. Sarah W
“National promised to scrap free prescriptions and restore the $5 prescription fee, a policy that has only been in effect since July 1.” This makes me so mad ... making sick people pay a prescription fee. How low can you go, especially so when we are supposed to be a free health country. Janet H.
Respectfully Janet, those on Super or those with Community Service cards will still have free prescriptions under this change. Personally I would prefer to pay the levy if I knew someone might qualify to get the help with subsidised cancer treatments that National are now looking into. Keith T.
National is proposing increased greenfield housing. This may be useful in some areas but is crazy for Auckland where the ever-extending suburbs simply add to Auckland’s traffic woes. New suburbs north, south and west are being built without any thought about public transport which should be put in place at the start of any new development. Derek P.
Rain started falling at the top of the country before dawn.