I'm dismayed at the responses to the "news" that official membership of the Labour party has been holding back on telling the Prime Minister the truth about victims of sexual abuses that have been suffered.
If this is true, we can only ask, "Why the secrecy which has led to such repercussions?"
Were the alleged perpretators of the violations (presumably mainly male) covering for themselves and their collegues?
And why were the victims hesitant to speak of their experiences to people who would listen?
Jacinda has apologised and promised she will do all she possibly can to find the truth and deal with the situation, and I, and many others I'm sure, believe her.
Diane Percy, Sandringham
Benefits of North Shore airport
In the event of a go-ahead for an airport at Whenuapai it would most likely create 6000 jobs at the airport itself including ancillary staff, caterers, support staff and a further 14,000 jobs indirectly: signwriters, electricians, plumbers, taxis, people movers, construction workers mechanics, delivery staff and when you add in all the service industries, housing of staff required a total of 20,000 jobs.
That is not to mention the hours gained by business people living on the North Shore whose business involves travelling around NZ cities.
It would certainly negate the need for widening the Harbour Bridge. It's a sure winner for those running for mayor, one would have thought, so why are they silent on the issue? One would think there are vested interests going on behind the scenes.
Perhaps Phil Goff could enlighten us. As it stands one could get the impression the candidates for mayor are running scared, which is hardly the quality you want in the commander of New Zealand's largest city, where decisiveness is required.
A referendum on the issue on the North Shore would make interesting reading.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay
Stay out of it
Helen Clark once was prime minister, she is now supposedly retired from politics.
It is wrong of her to comment on political matters. She should pull her head in!
Neville Cameron, Coromandel
Just say no
The medical effects of smoking or taking cannabis (pot) include anxiety, panic attacks, impaired attention, impaired memory and psychomotor performance, high risk of accidents and more so if cannabis is used with alcohol, increased risk of psychotic symptoms, addiction to cannabis and more potent drugs, impairments of attention and memory, increased risk of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus; leukaemia among offspring exposed in utero, impaired educational attainment in adolescents and underachievement in adults, and pregnant women risk having a low-birthweight baby.
People with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, schizophrenia risk their illness being exacerbated. Making cannabis more readily available will stretch hospital resources and cause great harm. Any use must be under a doctor's supervision.
Denis Shuker, pharmacist, Cambridge
