Finance Minister Grant Robertson introducing the income insurance scheme discussion document in February. Photo / Mark Mitchell, File
Shelved insurance scheme
Kate MacNamara’s article (NZ Herald, May 6) on the $21.6 million cost of shelving the Income Insurance Scheme, of which $11.7 million was spent on contractors and consultants, is another example of the Government using taxpayer money irresponsibly. Hipkins has admitted it has bitten off more than it can chew in an election year. Is this an admission the Government would have gone ahead if it was not an election year? He further admits it would be the wrong time for the scheme as it would be at considerable expense to workers and employers and that Cabinet agreed to delay until economic conditions were better. Polling has shown the scheme is widely unpopular and this shows a government that is reactive instead of proactive, governing only in the interests of gaining power. As this scheme disappears on to Hipkins’ policy bonfire one has to wonder what form of kindling is being used to burn these policies. The suspicion is that it is in the form of banknotes, given the disregard with which taxpayer money is spent.
Bernard Walker, Papamoa.
Built problem
One has to wonder if one of the major contributing factors to the flooding hasn’t been exacerbated by the number of, “townhouses/apartments” that councils have given approval to be erected, using up every last cm of green absorbable space! In days gone by our large backyards used to absorb heavy rainfalls. Gone are the green spaces and it appears that the planners/engineers haven’t yet got to grips with the science of what happens when green spaces are filled with concrete or non-absorbable structures. I appreciate there are complex problems to our flooding dilemma but you can’t help thinking all the infill housing hasn’t helped. Obviously, limited maintenance and bare investment to the water infrastructure puts us where we are now, underwater.
Brenda Barnes, St Heliers.
Helping hand
Having watched Christopher Luxon suggesting that the Government “pull finger” and re-establish full access to the Coromandel Peninsula by Christmas, I have a suggestion he may consider. Obviously, he has talents in geophysics, meteorology, engineering, logistics and who knows what else, he’s not sharing with those who need to know. Perhaps if he could “pull finger” and offer his expertise, this project might be achievable sometime before Christmas 2024. Anything sooner will probably require divine intervention. Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Join the dots
One only has to follow pieces in the NZ Herald to realise that, despite knowing that silo-type thinking to solve community problems doesn’t work, we continue to address issues in this way. In the past two days, we have read that the Health and Disability Commissioner has called for a “robust plan” for mental health facilities (NZ Herald, May 8) after a person with serious mental illness waited for 94 hours for a psychiatric bed, that there are a vulnerable group of children who are often “abused, beaten, molested, and neglected” for significant periods of their lives and that we have a “parenting crisis”. According to psychiatrist Sir Peter Gluckman, an international expert on child development, it is known that environmental influences starting from before birth and acting right through childhood have the biggest outcomes for children. Isn’t it time that we joined the dots and invested in our children’s and their whānau’s future, and just maybe we wouldn’t have the need for crisis intervention.
Glennys Adams, Oneroa.
German example
Simon Wilson (NZ Herald, May 9) repeats that if the German tax system was adopted here, our government would have $20 to $30 billion more to spend. What he does not explain is that Germany charges 19 per cent GST instead of our 15 per cent. Germany introduced a Capital Gains Tax in 2009. As the name says, it taxes financial capital only, not assets in general, as is proposed here. The rate is a flat 25 per cent, compared to Mr Parker’s rates of mostly 33 per cent or 39 per cent. To compensate for the new tax, the German government reduced all taxes on dividends and interest down to 25 per cent, compared to Mr. Parker’s mostly 33 per cent or 39 per cent. Just like in any other country with a CGT, the German tax applies only to realised gains. In contrast, a Minister of the Crown - no less - commissions a report using unrealised gains. Then he claims that the wealthy pay only half the tax rate compared to the “honest Kiwi battler”. I am not impressed with him, nor with the claque of journalists serving this up to the public.
K H Peter Kammler, Warkworth.
Price points
Needing new size 13 hearing-aid batteries on May 9, 2023, at New World in Remuera, I paid $8.89 for a packet of four. A five-minute walk away at Hearing Auckland a packet of six − the same size batteries cost $6.50. Compare the price per battery: New World: $2.22 and Hearing Auckland: Just $1.08. Again, I am reminded how a supermarket can jack up the price.
Warren Johns, Remuera.
Spread the word
A recent debate on the pros and cons of refrigerating butter missed the most salient point: The biggest enemy of all dairy products, including butter, is light. If you exclude the light and protect the butter from huge swings in temperature, it will easily keep for a week or two at ambient temperatures. But the damaging effects of light start well before you buy your butter. As with translucent milk containers, translucent butter wrappers allow light through, so a block of butter exposed to supermarket lights for excessive periods might already be turning before you buy it. You might choose foil-wrapped butter as a precaution against poor handling practices by the supermarket. And then comes Le French magie - the centuries-old butter bell. The butter bell has two functions. It excludes the damaging effects of the light, while also providing a moderating effect on ambient temperatures. The water does need to be changed every two to three days. The result is year-round spreadable butter. Hint: when loading the butter bell, first ensure the butter is very soft then push it into the bell, excluding all air pockets. If the butter falls out, revisit this hint.
Roger Clarke, Pirongia
Drawn to comment
Cartoonist Guy Body shows exactly where he is coming from with regard to his depicture of King Charles seated on the Coronation throne. The lack of any respect for the King is plainly obvious. In today’s world, it is this showing little or no respect for others that ends up regressing humanity. It is exactly this that King Charles III is the antithesis of.
Alan Samuels, Onehunga.
Plain English
This week is Sign Language Week, an appropriate focus on one of our two official languages. No, we don’t have three. Strange as it may seem, English is not an official gazetted language of New Zealand and hasn’t been since 1987, despite attempts since to have it recognised and protected by law alongside te reo and sign language. Although unlikely, what happens if (for example) there is a move to insist that all government and court business is henceforth to be carried out in one of the official languages? Chaos would follow. More relevantly, prospective migrants might be confused to learn that a language they are required to have proficiency in to gain residency here does not have official status. We can speculate on the reasons for the lack of enthusiasm to give English the same status as sign and te reo, but surely it is time this ridiculous anomaly is dealt with and corrected.
Duncan Simpson, Hobsonville Pt.
Democratic rule
Now that Charles has been crowned as King, many people in New Zealand, including the Prime Minister, are stating that New Zealand should become a republic at some stage. These republic supporters seem to be indicating that changing to a republic would mean an increase in the level of democracy. However, the 2022 Economist Democracy Index shows that 60 per cent of the top five most democratic countries in the world, which includes New Zealand but no other Commonwealth countries, are constitutional monarchies. This shows that constitutional democracies are still more democratic than republics, and New Zealand should retain its constitutional monarchy form of government.
David Mairs, Glendowie.
Tackling bias
Former head of refereeing for the National Rugby League Bill Harrigan has brushed aside recent controversy over Australian referee bias when adjudicating New Zealand Warriors games. Tell him “he’s dreamin” because, from this side of the Tasman, we are in no doubt that the evidence of bias from our own eyes can be relied upon. Instead of Harrigan trading insults and issuing threats of defamation, he should be promoting an independent professional opinion on the bias claims. Such is the angst of Warriors fans that it could reach a point where the Warriors just take their ball and go home.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Kiwi calls
Congratulations to the Waikato Kōhanga Kiwi breeding programme, managed by Save the Kiwi, for its success in breeding North Island Brown Kiwi. That by the end of next week 50 kiwi will have been released into the hills of Wellington is wonderful. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
On wages
How does the Defence Force get pay equity announced, yet health workers, nurses, still battle on with a delayed and protected response? John Ford, Taradale.
On Te Pāti
Does their being thrown out of the house give anyone confidence that they are capable of being fair and reasonable about the many issues facing this and other parties? Ian MacGregor, Greenhithe.
On league
The Australian NRL chief says Kiwis questioning Australian NRL referees’ bias toward Australian teams is questioning the integrity of the whole administration of the Australian NRL. Correct. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
On emissions
How ironic that the CO2 shortage in the beverage industry is causing concern while an over-abundance of the stuff in the atmosphere is the biggest threat to the planet’s future. John Hampson, Meadowbank.
On health
Yes, we are seriously short of purpose-built mental health care facilities. May I suggest that the Beehive in Wellington should be considered? It has a long history of caring for such needy people. Garry Wycherley, Awakino.
On traffic
At a Service of Celebration of the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Sunday, the band Base Auckland Brass played a piece entitled “Mid all the traffic”. How appropriate for an Auckland event. Jeanette de Heer, Remuera.
Shelved income insurance scheme cost $21m-plus
I never understood why this proposed scheme was necessary. We have a welfare system. You lose your job you can apply for the unemployment benefit. Why was this extra scheme deemed necessary? It never made sense to me (and from 51 to 65 I was frequently on the unemployment benefit). Paul C.
To those Labour supporters who continue ad nauseam about the “waste” for the flag referendum, why are you so quiet now? At least we had a vote and an outcome regarding the flag. With the bike bridge, the income insurance, the media merger, and many more wasted millions, your silence is deafening. Rob K.
Looking forward to a referendum on “Aotearoa”, and the relevancy of the Maori seats. Patrick F.
What keeps you up at night about Aotearoa and the Māori seats, Patrick? Dan M.
Not sure about Patrick but, for me, it is not having a say in the issue. I believe we deserve to have our say. Storm R.
The flag referendum was a vanity project conjured up by John Key to give himself a legacy. Kate M.
The TVNZ/RNZ media merger, the biofuels mandate, the Auckland cycle bridge, Kiwibuild, tax on utes, subsidising Teslas, the jobs tax (social insurance scheme) is just being delayed, hate speech legislation is out for more consultation and Three Waters is still happening. Parker’s tax the rich, co-governance, child poverty, the Unitec merger, light rail in Auckland, Ardern leaving when her polling tanked, massive divisions now created, an MP leaving without any grace, And so what’s the last six years been all about? Maree D.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.