One writer says the age-old housing shortage is here to stay and the availability of cheap money will continue to push up prices. Photo / Dean Purcell.
The 40 years of rising house prices (NZ Herald, April 30) shows a very large increase since 2016. The Government has introduced measures to try and slow down these increases but it is obvious that it might deter some investors but these will be
replaced by the true home buyer.
The one and only Mike Hosking has pointed out similar restrictions have been introduced in Australia but house prices continue to soar. His conclusion - and he is absolutely right - is cheap money.
The housing shortage is here to stay and the availability of cheap money will continue to push up prices.
The Reserve Bank and the Government seem able to adjust all other monetary decisions, why not interest rates?
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Regarding your article (NZ Herald, April 30) the growth in house prices for Auckland and New Zealand over the years 1981 to 2021. While the graphs look spectacular, the reality is that the returns for Auckland equate to compound growth rate of about 8.5 per cent per annum and New Zealand 7.9 per cent before inflation over this period. While these returns are attractive, there are other asset classes that are similar or better. Further, these percentages exclude the impact of gearing and the fact that many residential property investors have negative yields on their properties, i.e., the net rental is negative.
As a country, we need to wake up to the fact that the billions of dollars being pumped into residential property investment do little for the productive sector and create zero export receipts. Further, the massive societal inequality which cannot be measured in dollar terms only by this madness cannot be ignored.
Jeremy King, Taupō
The article (NZ Herald, April 29) by Richie Hardcore regarding alcohol abuse is compelling reading. Thirty-thousand brain-damaged children born in a decade with fetal alcohol syndrome. Richie states, "The stats around alcohol's contribution to cancer are out-the-gate." The proliferation of liquor outlets tells the tale, a stain on the nation's image. Reform of the liquor industry is long overdue - yet our politicians remain silent, mindful of the tax revenue sourced. Yet this sum is eclipsed by the increasing cost incurred confronting the fallout caused by alcohol-related issues.
A contradiction exists: the liquor lobby, a major sponsor of sport and favoured with privileged advertising rights.
P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.
In response to Allan Matson (NZ Herald, April 30) I have been slowly removing the exotic trees on our property and replacing them with natives.
The exotics planted by previous owners are of no value to birds. They are deciduous, so clog the ground and waterways with unsightly rotting leaves. The trees I am currently planting provide either nectar, berries or shelter for the birds. I also plant to encourage insects because grey warblers and fantails eat only insects.
On a recent trip to Hamilton, I was impressed with the wonderful corridors of native planting. Auckland lags behind in this regard, clinging to exotic ornamental trees. To improve biodiversity and create areas for birds to flourish, you need to plant suitable trees. It takes time for them to grow.
There will be short-term pain from the removal of exotics, but long-term gain from planting to encourage our native wildlife.
S. Hansen, Hastings.
Queen St in Onehunga today still has a line of crucifixes - the steel poles with arms that once carried electric power over all the main streets of the city - as a memorial to a failed transport system that should not be resurrected.
To have steel rails - a hazard to pedestrians, cyclists, etc - as a permanent threat in the road and reducing the space available to other users of motorways and major roads is a lesson we should have learned.
Advocates must know that we will soon have an electric rail line from Mt Eden to Britomart beneath Albert St. Why duplicate it 100m away on Queen? The condition of the "golden mile" is of great concern today it will not be improved by light rail.
Contact with the airport should be by real rail twin coaches to the nearest major transport exchange, i.e. Newmarket, not Ōtāhuhu. There, transfers can be made to city-wide bus and rail services and the new main line rail services to Hamilton - not available at Britomart. It would also be available to move air freight to Port Wiri.
Our city planners should reconsider - we do not need another line of crucifixes in the CBD.
J. Binsley, Parnell.
Tactical urbanism may have a fancy name but it still fails to achieve practical solutions to the real problems faced by users of the council's pie-in-the-sky projects. Queen St is a prime example. Another is in my local area, with the enlarged pedestrianisation of Highbury Shopping centre in Birkenhead.
The removal of the left-turn lane at the top of Hinemoa St leads to very long queues every night, a roundabout that buses struggle to get round, some having to do three-point turns to manage it, footpaths of tiles that are slippery when wet and blinding in sunlight and street lights so weak you can barely see where you are going at night.
Blind adherence to the council planners' mantra of "we know best" has landed Aucklanders with local and city centre disasters that the long-suffering ratepayers not only have to pay for but live with. It may look good on the planners' computer screens but in practice they are often just expensive follies.
Maybe the planning geniuses should be made to live and work in the areas they muck up and get stuck in the traffic jams they create. I imagine if they had to live or work in Queen St, things might be different.
James Archibald, Birkenhead.
In an article (NZ Herald, April 27), Lane Nichols mentions $42,077 for four Mandarin/Cantonese interpreters at a three-week high court trial in Auckland in 2019.
A closer look at the figures reveals an hourly rate of less than $60 and this does not include preparation time, sick days, holiday pay, work equipment, etc.
To dispel a common myth, knowing two languages alone does not qualify a person to be an interpreter or a translator. Court interpreters are highly trained and qualified professionals, like all other professionals working in a court setting.
Without court interpreters, many legal proceedings in New Zealand could not take place. Everyone in New Zealand has the right to be heard and understood. Professional interpreters and translators are entitled to receive a fair rate for their services.
Isabelle Poff-Pencole, President, New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters.
A correspondent (NZ Herald, April 30) wrote last week how Brisbane had more trees than Auckland.
When I lived in Brisbane, you were not allowed to fell any tree with a trunk diameter of 50mm or larger without a permit from the council. Heavy fines were the order of the day for offenders.
Therefore, every tree in Brisbane was protected without having a outdated register of protected trees as exists in Auckland.
Much more simple and clearly it is successful.
Gordon Walker, Piopio.
My blood boils when today's teachers are blamed for the state of maths learning in New Zealand schools.
Results were better in the past because the syllabus was clear and appropriate texts were provided. Teachers knew what they had to do and they did it. Sometimes it was fun and sometimes it wasn't but teachers worked with clear objectives in mind.
Teachers today are presented with a mish-mash of airy-fairy ideas to select from and told to make sure the children enjoy it. "Woohoo, maths is gonna be fun!"
It is the ministry that is to blame for today's under-performance. When teachers are once again presented with clear objectives and maths is recognised as having a serious face as well as a jolly one, standards will rise again.
Richard Smith, Henderson.
On inequity
I find Debbie Ngarewa-Packer's quote (NZ Herald, April 29) that refers to "Judith ... playing to the white supremacists ..." incredibly insulting. As an ageing and proud New Zealander, I am extremely concerned about the path to separatism that our country appears to be heading down. Brian Milestone, New Plymouth.
On camera
Those upset by a security guard taking pictures of people at train stations seem to forget the CCTV cameras doing the same thing all day, every day. Chris Kiwi, Mt Albert.
On EVs
Gary Hollis (NZ Herald, May 3) believes EVs will be like cell phones - people will send them to the tip after five years. Oh, I do hope so. I'll offer a free pick-up service. Dennis N. Horne, Howick.
In reply to the letter on dumping used electric vehicle batteries after several years of use being worn out. There is a growing secondary market for those batteries, to be used as storage batteries for solar voltaic panels as storage units. Eric Strickett, Henderson.
On Hipkins
Ross Neilsen writes (NZ Herald, May 3) that Chris Hipkins should resign on account of NZ's abysmal performance in containing Covid. With only 2600 cases and 26 deaths, it has been hailed as one of the best responders – perhaps Ross would like to live in US, Brazil, India, France et al? Tony Sullivan, St Heliers.
On charity
The $1 million from shamed Ron Brierley (NZ Herald, May 3), sitting in a cricket charity's bank account, would go a long way towards providing those extra beds needed at Starship children's hospital. Coralie van Camp, Remuera.
On speeding
When motorcyclists or drivers or any other vehicle are caught driving at ludicrous speeds, impound the vehicles and do not give them back. Marie Kaire, Whāngārei.
Regarding the TV ad telling us to slow down, just who is "grubby Aaron" and why would people rather not get into a car with him? James Davidson, Birkenhead.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.