Letters: James Cook, power bill, cycling and pension

Captain James Cook, painted by by Nathaniel Dance.

We are on the eve of Tuia 250 and the commemoration of Captain James Cook's first landfall in 1769 on one of the islands that made up what eventually came to be called New Zealand, and already there is widespread misinformation about the subject. Ginny Fisher in her article on the exhibition at the Auckland Museum promotes the calumny that Cook was a "coloniser". All New Zealanders should know — and be taught — that essentially Cook's mission was scientific and his voyage wasn't even on behalf of the British Government. So how he could be referred to as a "coloniser" beats me.

Christopher Johnstone, Grey Lynn

Remove GST

Heather du Plessis-Allan's column "Power reforms a cruel joke" (October 6) is certainly no joke.

The retail generators will continue to laugh their way to the bank as basically nothing has changed. If this Government was serious it would consider removing the GST paid on power.

Wind farms are creating hyper-inflationary moves that supply no intrinsic value to any NZ citizen.

The Hornsea Blackout is my evidence of where NZ energy programmes will lead us, but there is much more.

What Heather alluded to should expose the largest and widest scam and corruption operation in NZ.

Bill Harding, Taupo

Wrong bill message

In a country where the mindset is on not paying your bills on time the abolishing of the prompt payment discount is sending the wrong message.

The New Zealand electricity market has a number of critical design failures. When the market was liberated the big generators (Meridian, Contact, Mercury, Genesis) were allowed to have generating assets for free. They were also allowed to set up retailing arms, which is fundamentally flawed. In times of high power prices the generating arm will compensate the retail arm losses.

For times of low power prices it happens vice versa. This allows the big generators to set their bidding prices for generation at a higher level than if they were not participating in the retail market.

This means small independent retailers cannot compete with the retail arms of the big generators and hence higher retail prices.

Peter Minten, Whakatane

Recouping discount

I have always mailed off my cheque for my power bill the day after it arrives. Does this new government rule mean I can pay it three months later with no penalty?

As I lose my discount for early payment that is what I will do to help offset in part the $40 discount every month. I will instead invest the payment for three months to offset the early payment discount we deserve after tax on interest gained. Win/win. But not for Mercury, etc.

Murray Hunter, Titirangi

Want versus need

Martin Ball's letter regarding bicycle panniers and shopping (Letters, October 6) reminds me of the halcyon days when my family cycled from Ellerslie to 3 Guys in Glen Innes to get our weekly groceries.

Our (very sturdy) German-made panniers would be stuffed full, but the whole exercise was a great lesson in terms of differentiating want versus need.

If you can't carry it, don't buy it.

Lucy Dunningham, Mission Bay

Lift the pension

NZ Super is not just a universal "grant" but actual monies owned by and owed to those qualifying. Some folk have paid in, via PAYE etc, for more than 50 years of working life.

To introduce a special increased tax rate on any section of this valued part of NZ community, is theft.

Stop bashing our elderly and those that have made/making something of their lives.

It is not the way ahead for NZ.

Between the present minimum wage of $17.70 p/hr and the envisaged "living wage" of $22 an hour, superannuitants should be confident in expecting a sizeable increase in their fortnightly payout as from April 1, 2020.

Boasting a $7.5 billion surplus should reinforce this expectation.

Terry Leonard, Pukekohe