'The measure of our wealth is not house prices, but disposable incomes after housing and food costs.' Photo / Dean Purcell.
House values
I was concerned to read Pattrick Smellie’s comment (NZ Herald, November 14) suggesting that house prices are “the bellwether of Kiwi wealth”. House prices do not represent either wealth or value. The value of a home is that it provides a warm dry place to live and remains unchanged regardless of the price. As prices rise, house buyers are forced to borrow more, eroding their disposable income. Of course, this plays into the hands of banks who, without any effort have ever-increasing mortgage markets and profits. With housing costs rising from 30 per cent in the 1980s to around 60 per cent of gross income today, the amount available to spend with businesses has shrunk by 30 per cent. The measure of our wealth is not house prices, but disposable incomes after housing and food costs. Until this is clearly understood, the banks will continue to profit at our expense. Fiona Jarden, Hamilton.
Expensive electricity
Your article ”Is the electricity market broken?” (NZ Herald, November 14) might be better asking “Can there be a genuine working electricity market?” Electricity is an undistinguishable product - hence wholesale (ie generation) prices will tend to move to the most expensive level. Otherwise, the generator would not be maximising its return and profit. At retail (ie distribution) any cost savings due to efficiencies are soon eaten up by advertising for customers and, dare I say, salaries. It is competition at the fringe only. Already we have seen excess dividends (ie payments to shareholders beyond earnings); government-controlled entities withholding water flow to keep prices high; and failure to provide generation capacity for our future needs. The market was introduced at the high-water mark of far-right economics - in order to obtain capital for the government (by partial privatisations) and income for government and shareholders (via dividends). Prior to the market concept, we had the cheapest electricity in the world after Canada (and the competitive advantage that goes with it). Now we have the 21st most expensive electricity of 147 countries. When the market works, give it its head. When it does not, it is time for review. John Collinge, St Mary’s Bay.
Return to centre
I remember the Laura Fergusson Trust (NZ Herald, November 15), and the brilliant opportunities it offered many disabled people in the past, to socialise, exercise, and have the opportunity to speak to professional health workers about their condition, as well as provide accommodation in a safe environment. It was a unique place, a brilliant alternative, especially for younger people, to be placed in a rest home. It would be a great move if the Government could now step in, and buy this purpose-built facility back for the purpose for which it was intended. Disabled people want to lead useful happy lives like the rest of us. This institution can help with that. I’m sure this move would get great public support. Lucy Lamb, Epsom.
Heist heroes
We know women can do anything, as was proven last Saturday night. To the courageous women who tried to thwart the robbers of the Ellerslie jewellery store (NZ Herald, November 15), you are incredibly brave and are to be congratulated for trying to help. But any thug who would rob a store in broad daylight, would also not hesitate to injure you. I hope you weren’t too badly hurt and I, and I’m sure many other women are as well, very proud of your actions. However, your families need you, so please take care. Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Troubling gap
Joseph Los’e ‘Lift All Boats’ (Herald, November 16) is a long-awaited article covering the “booming: Māori economy. It’s all there showing the success of tribal payouts, a 40 per cent ownership by Māori women and a very pleasing insight into how cleverly Māori invested on behalf of their people. But rushed over and not enlarged on is Willie Jackson’s comments on his concern over a Māori economy worth $70 billion still having the worst statistics in health, education, housing and employment, even though, he continued, best results have come when funding goes directly to iwi and communities. But nothing more on why this happens. It is a head-scratching question many of us ask as we have watched in support over the years as tribal groups rightly received large payouts. Is it that many urban Māori do not know their tribal affiliations? Is this what stands in the way of real progress for their people? Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Tooth or dare
The Salaried Medical Specialists Association has called for universal free dental care, funded by a sugar tax. Two hundred fifty thousand adults in New Zealand have teeth removed yearly, and 40 per cent have unmet dental needs due to cost. A sugar tax will be a win-win, as the experience in the UK introduced a sugar tax on soft drinks in 2018 showed. As soon as the tax was announced, manufacturers reduced the sugar content in their drinks, and consumers shifted to low-sugar beverages, which became cheaper as there was no tax on them. The sugar content in soft drinks dropped by 11 per cent in the first year. Reducing sugar consumption reduces dental problems and other obesity-related health issues like diabetes and heart disease. With a reduction in health issues, health-related costs and tax revenues to cover dental care, what’s there to lose? The Conservative government of Boris Johnson introduced the sugar tax in the UK; why is Labour refusing to consider it here? Kushlan Sugathapala, Epsom
Car carriers
Mayor Wayne Brown doesn’t realise that his plan to shift, initially, the cars to Northport will add a huge number of car transporters on to the Harbour Bridge as there is no other way to get cars down to South Auckland where most of the car importers are. Furthermore, unless heavy rail is implemented to Northport and It is prohibited to truck freight out of the port, the Waitematā Crossing will have to be huge. Andrew Parsons, Mission Bay.
Have a say
David Morris (NZ Herald, November 15) is roundly critical of Auckland Transport. Lest any reader should think his criticism unfair, please let me tell you of a document, marked, with rich irony, “Have Your Say”, which arrived in my mailbox about two weeks ago. In full (and expensive) colour it described eight proposed “traffic safety Improvements” for central Takapuna. The proposals consisted of pedestrian crossings, speed restrictions and “traffic calming” humps. Comment was invited. Bearing in mind that there were eight proposals, there were provided for comments 16 lines, each 85mm long. Very encouraging. Two public meetings were scheduled, neither of them at a time which would have allowed an employed person to attend. Of the eight proposed sites, I walk past three at least five times a week. I drive through another three at least once a fortnight. As a local resident for over 50 years, I am very familiar with all of them. If I could have been bothered to waste ink on a response, which would have been ignored, I would not have found the tiny space provided for comment at all inconvenient. I could have responded “yes” to two proposals, “pointless” to another three and “absolutely absurd” to three. Peter Newfield, Takapuna.
Comments welcomed
I have always enjoyed and mostly agree with Chris Rattue’s comments/opinions. None more so than (NZ Herald, November 15) when one of his “winners” was Kane Hames who was a comments person for the All Blacks versus Scotland game. I thought he was brilliant too. He was articulate, knowledgeable and a joy to listen to. Why can’t we hear him comment regularly on rugby games? Kay Wheeler, Huapai.
Push off
I’m in my eighties and I love watching sport but, oh, those boring pushover mauls are ruining the spectacle which should be a good open rugby game. Perhaps once the ball gets 10 metres from the line, it must be freed and played by the attacking team so that a more fair opportunity is given to the defending side, or can the rules gurus come up with some other good idea that will stop people turning off rugby. Yvonne Flynn, Ōrewa.
Pooled talent
The remarkable success of our now beloved Black Ferns signifies a remarkable synergy of diverse talent. The joy and pure energy of our wahine toa, their Pacifica and Pākehā sisters under their wise coach inspired the whole nation. The pooling of diverse talents is a superb example of co-governance, Roger Laybourn, Hamilton.
On crossing
It’s nice that Aucklanders are being consulted about what sort of new Waitematā Harbour crossing we would like but, if it takes as long to build as big infrastructure projects usually do in New Zealand, there’s no point asking anyone over the age of 10. Richard Irwin, Te Atatu South.
On roads
I get the distinct impression when watching the “road to zero” TV advertisements, that the people who are driving this campaign are the same people who are appearing in the TV advertisements. John Robertson, Papamoa Beach.
Do the people at Waka Kotahi who are intent on reducing speed limits instead of maintaining and upgrading roads, ever talk to the people at Treasury who bemoan our appallingly low national productivity? Ernie Newman, Cambridge.
On costs
David Morris (NZH, Nov. 15) claims that he can fill the $270m budget “hole” easily by focusing on the endless wasteful spending by Auckland Transport and offers his consultancy for a mere $100,00 fee. In the interests of finding even further savings, I offer my services for $50,000. Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
On substances
If alcohol and drug sales are stopped, maybe there will be no job-seekers, homelessness, poverty and emergency housing in motels. Nishi Fahmy, Avondale.
On song
Having read the translation (NZH, Nov. 16), Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi could be our national anthem. The melody is rousing but not warlike like all other anthems. Bernard Jennings, Wellington.
On trees
Not unlike the RMA, the replacement draft Natural and Built Environments Act legislation doesn’t mention urban trees or do anything to protect this dwindling resource and, in doing so, ignores the well-being of the inhabitants of our cities. Mark Lockhart, Ponsonby.
PM’s Vietnam trip opens doors to more limes
This has got to be an election winner. Dimitar K.
This sort of pithy, off-the-cuff statement is an embarrassment. That she cannot even comprehend the optics before uttering these absurdities is worrying. This country is in deep, deep trouble and the vast majority of the responsibility can be directly laid at the feet of this Government. So many pressing issues that need attention and this is what we get. Tony M.
Lime for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. That’ll help the kids. Maybe we can run our cars on it too? Richard Y.
Good grief. This is like something out of a Flight Of The Conchords. Great work Murray! NZ’s PM doing amazing things on the world stage once again. Phiphi P.
The vast majority of my friends have a plethora of limes in their own gardens. We actually have to give most of ours away. We face a rise in crime, a decline in health care, truancy and education standards, inflation and a cost of living crisis, and the best our PM can come up with is “those who have lime in their Corona will be very happy”. Perhaps she needs to realise that many can’t afford to pay their bills, let alone buy Corona. Patrick F.
Who eats lime in bulk? Unless this is something new, lime on fish and chips instead of a slice of lemon? Steve K.
The winning tickets were sold in Auckland and on MyLotto to a Waikato player.