March of ideology
The Prime Minister has performed well on many issues, but the spin and coalition factions are somewhat toxic. Ideology thrives on both sides of our politics.
We desperately need an effective Opposition, but feeble utterances from Christopher Luxon, plus more Friedmanite nonsense from Act do not sit well
with a nation that lost its sovereign assets in the 1980s through IMF leveraged fire sales.
Luxon thinks that public transport can make a profit without subsidies, but most efficient transport systems around the world are subsidised. It is also quite rich for Luxon to overlook the bailouts that Air New Zealand has had. Perhaps he could set an example by selling his investment properties and reinvesting in productive enterprises.
Friedman-inspired "economic shock therapy" fuelled Russian resentment that aided Vladimir Putin's grip on power. When the Soviet Union collapsed, economist Jeffrey Sachs encouraged another aid plan for Russia along the lines of the Marshall Plan for post-war Europe. He was given a cool reception by both the EU and American negotiators. They backed Boris Yeltsin's grabbing of absolute power despite a (9-3) ruling against Yeltsin by Russia's Constitutional Court. They also pushed for him to model his reforms on Chile's Pinochet.
Hugh Webb, Huntington.
Fossil fuel-free
The bickering around oil and gas exploration permits shows how far behind New Zealand is in moving to a green energy future.
In the next 20 years, New Zealand has to at least double the yearly output of green energy. To achieve that, photovoltaic and green hydrogen production will play a significant part.
NZ needs to develop a strong energy strategy with the input of all interested parties and not be primarily driven by ideology or politics.
Other countries have a policy that 60 per cent of the roof area of new buildings has to be covered by solar cells. The expectation is that in the future most houses will produce the energy for the house and the private car. Our Government could use ETS money to give every new house an interest-free loan of $30,000, to install solar panels, to be paid back when the house is sold.
A billion dollars would cover 33,000 houses. However, our power generators would not allow that at present because they would lose control over a very lucrative retail market.
It's time we build the green energy future in a way previous generations built our hydro schemes.
Chris Kaelin, Te Awamutu.
Nato must act
Ukraine surrendered its nuclear arsenal to Russia in a treaty (signed by Russia, UK and US) in 1994 with the assurance that it would be safe from attack. Despite not joining Nato, Ukraine is attacked anyway. The barbarism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the massive loss of life now (noting that 14,000 lives were lost in east Ukraine before this invasion), the destruction of entire cities, the traumatising of the people, and the mounting atrocities, amount to genocide. Nato and the West are now dutybound to intervene. They cannot turn a blind eye; supplying arms to Ukraine and imposing sanctions will not stop Putin's war. Putin must be given an ultimatum now to stop his genocide in Ukraine and Nato must intervene slowly, strategically, and significantly if there is no ceasefire. And the Russian ambassador must be sent home.
Steve Lincoln, Botany Downs.
Nuclear moment
Maybe the Prime Minister was wrong to assume our "nuclear-free" moment has passed.
New Zealand's stance was never just nimby-ism, but a voice against the madness of mutually-assured destruction.
The time has arrived to ban the use of all nuclear weapons, even the "small" ones.
Jon Carapiet, Sandringham.
Russian assurances
The Russians say they will guarantee the safety of any of the Ukranian soldiers from Mariupol who lay down their arms and surrender.
That guarantee needs to be measured against Russia's recent track record guaranteeing they were not massing armaments and personnel on the border with the aim of invading Ukraine; the guarantees that they don't attack non-military targets; and that they are not responsible for booby-trapping vehicles and buildings as they leave areas.
It would be understandable if the Ukrainians have adopted the view "better dead than red" when considering Russia's "guarantee".
Bill Boyle, Ōrewa.
