Letters: Investigate supermarket price tricks; what’s wrong with cheaper eggs?, select All Blacks abroad

'Supermarket specials cannot be coincidence and deserve serious investigation.'

Supermarkets need serious investigation

Christopher Niesche’s article on Australian supermarkets (NZ Herald, January 15) illustrates the extent of the problem faced here by the grocery commissioner and consumer lobby groups.

We don’t have a significant third player such as Aldi, and Foodstuffs and Woolworths effectively operate closer to a monopoly than a duopoly.

Basic products are either at full price in both chains, or are on special at the same time at identical or similar pricing. This cannot be coincidence and deserves serious investigation.

The commissioner could also look into some of the mark-ups. Branded soft drinks can vary from an “everyday low price” of $4.50 for 1.5 litres to $2.50 or less. This suggests a huge mark-up applies when these products are not on special, and the same pattern can be seen across many non-perishable items that finish up in our trolleys.

The Australian Grocery Code of Conduct review may point to other areas needing attention, given that Woolworths is the most profitable supermarket there and will be looking to replicate that in this country.

Duncan Simpson, Hobsonville Point.

Distasteful egg stance

Eggs are back in the news with The Warehouse offering this important nutritious food at significantly reduced pricing.

This has once again prompted animal rights activists to exercise their self-righteous indignation with their narrow perception of the farming practices behind the product.

People who have the luxury to choose the more expensive option for their own reasons are free to do so. Many households, however, do not have the financial freedom of others and will select what is essentially the same product at a lower price.

Activists appear to have little regard for the needs of others while they pursue their own goal of discrediting any form of farm management they deem to be distasteful.

George Williams, Whangamatā.

Treaty tensions looming

The Herald editorial of January 15 was an extraordinary read. It suggested that Christopher Luxon made a mistake in inviting only NZ First and Act into the governing coalition, and should have invited Te Pāti Māori into the coalition as well despite their obvious contempt for Parliament.

The editorial rightly noted the risk of tension over the next few weeks as we move towards Waitangi Day – tension between those who accept the long-standing view of what the Treaty of Waitangi provided, that all New Zealanders have the same rights and privileges, and those who believe on the contrary that the Treaty provided for different and inherently superior rights to those who chance to have some Māori ancestry.

But that tension is an accurate reflection of where we are as a country: are we all New Zealanders, with equal rights, or are we not? In recent decades, successive governments have tried to dodge answering that question.

The current government appears committed to the view of great Māori leaders such as Sir Apirana Ngata that we have no future as a country, none at all, if we continue pretending that some New Zealanders have superior rights to other New Zealanders.

Don Brash, Tauranga.

Respect te reo

Te reo is not an international language. Even in Aotearoa it might not bestow much advantage to a bilingual user in the workplace.

But knowing and using some te reo is a basic courtesy to our indigenous people and to their culture (our culture!).

It is a language in revival after near-annihilation but now suffering the unnecessary insult of being removed from ministry titles and other public signage. Many non-Māori are taking lessons in te reo - why?

The naysayers are not being forced to use it but merely to tolerate it. Think of how much has been taken from Māori. This is a minor way to give back.

Land settlements and greater equity in public services are the major ones, especially not to be shunned.

Barbara Darragh, Auckland Central.

Select All Blacks abroad

Surely Scott Robertson’s suggestion that overseas players be available to play for the All Blacks is a good one.

New Zealand’s player base is small compared to other countries and is declining so why do we place restrictions on ourselves when other countries don’t?

As All Blacks captain Sam Cane has indicated, the Springboks didn’t seem to suffer from bringing back players from Japan to ultimately win the World Cup. Also, there is a telling precedent in another sport such as soccer where foreign players in the English Premier League are eligible to represent their own countries in international competitions.

Playing in a foreign league does not affect their eligibility to play for their national team.

Bernard Walker, Papamoa.

Holiday traffic

As I returned to work last week, travelling along the Northwestern Motorway, traffic was free-flowing in both directions. And not a congestion charge in sight.

Those who want to introduce such charges, instead of doing so, should be looking at how they can replicate this situation throughout the whole year. But, I’m guessing they’re too busy being on holiday to think about it.

Neil Arnold, Mt Roskill.