Police at the Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Wrong priorities
Two innocent citizens lost their lives this week due to vicious knife attacks; it is appalling,as the incidence of criminal activity escalates. The Government, meanwhile, is preoccupied with visions of dual governance; confiscation of water resources for pecuniary gain under the guise of potable issues; twin healthcare; rewriting our history to be incorporated into school curriculums. The distraction is profound, this as healthcare buckles, education standards plummet, homegrown inflation, worker crisis, increasing state dependency, crime, the list is long. The Government has taken its “eye off the ball” with dire economic and social consequences.
P. J. Edmondson, Tauranga.
Words inaction
Kushlan Sugathapala (NZ Herald, November 23) quoted Gabriela Mistral, a Nobel Prize winner for literature, who said, “Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow, his name is today”. She also said, “We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life”. While these words are so true, they also apply to how we have been and are treating our planet, perhaps the real fountain of life? Perhaps the best quote to describe how we, in New Zealand, are looking after our children and our environment could be described best through the Biblical quote, “the sins of the father shall be visited upon the son”. These are all profound words, but they mean nothing unless we all act upon them. So we should acknowledge our shame and reconsider how we do things.
Niall Robertson, Balmoral.
Spent force
According to the release from the Reserve Bank, “In New Zealand, household spending remains resilient”. Well, Sherlock, is it really any wonder? Households are having to spend more just to put the same amount of food on the table, pay their rent/mortgage, run their cars, and pay their utility bills. Is there not a sound case to be made that when inflation is caused by factors other than high demand (as we have now, with supply chains and food supplies still impacted by Covid, labour shortages, and a seriously senseless war), putting up interest rates will lead to more inflation, not less? That might not be conventional economics – but we are not living in conventional times.
Barrie Graham, Remuera.
Political fortunes
Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr has killed the chance for Jacinda Ardern’s re-election. Labour should be very worried about what is going to happen in the economy in the next 12 months. National Party leader Christopher Luxon should be happy with the increase in his chances.
S Mohanakrishnan, Mt Roskill.
Luxon’s lot
The corrosive effect of rust on metal is well known. So it is in politics. Hugh Webb’s letter (NZ Herald, November 23) sees Christopher Luxon as not meeting the mark as Leader of the Opposition, pointing to Jacinda Ardern’s superior communication skills and National’s embracing of “decomposed policies of yesteryear”. The “boot camp” policy springs to mind. Such sentiments, if they grow, will undoubtedly upend National’s chances of seizing the Treasury benches. Luxon, has not, as yet, judging by his polling, lived up to the high hopes the Opposition had for him, especially after their earlier unseemly parade of failed leaders and unsuitable candidates. Some of his decisions have been ill-thought-out and politically inept. Posing with McDonald’s workers in an attempt to appear as an “everyman” was an example, especially when National has opposed efforts by the Government to increase lowly paid workers’ pay. We had the Te Puke/Hawaii debacle. So even the mere suggestion of a leadership change, as your correspondent did, has a corrosive effect. The “leadership” train has already left the station. Another leader would be a complete disaster.
Diana Walford, Greenlane.
Echoes of history
Good to note “Keith Holyoake’s Electioneering Guide” is being dusted for 2023. Sixty-plus years ago National was going to rid the nation of motorbike cowboys and, like lemmings, we suckers took the bait. These days the Harley losers are sprinkling “pixie-dust”, while the Beehive losers are copying the other bogus Western democracies by printing more cash. Where’s Arnold Nordmeyer when you need ‘im?
Gerry O’Meeghan, Papamoa.
On cyber-crime
Shouldn’t banks be spending more time, effort, and - heaven forbid - money, in a genuine effort to develop their own software to stop the infiltration of customer accounts? Surely they are big enough and wealthy enough to investigate and implement processes to frustrate scammers.
Jackie McCabe, Kaitāia.
Times of conflict
When I read correspondent Patricia Watkins’ “War footing” letter, I chuckled. Recalling older West End mates’ stories of London childhoods during The Blitz. Tales of foraging as they sought out loot; breaking into bombed-out houses, drinking whiskey, and smoking cigars amidst the rubble. Their mothers were all engaged in the war effort and consequently, many kids ran wild. In times of war or plague, this is a common occurrence and ever was it so. Instead of pontificating about the good old days, she should reflect. Love, not war, will see these troubled children through this time of dislocation. It will take patience and a community to get them back to school and it will take time.
John Fenton, Waitakere.
Well aware
I feel John Ford needs to interact more with younger people as his views on 16-year-olds sound a little outdated. My 16-year-old son and his friends are all politically engaged and, given the state of the world, should be and have a right to be. Given the ageing demographic of New Zealand, it makes sense to lower the voting age to provide more balance. Global research shows 16-17-year-old voter turnout is often higher than older demographics.
Paul Kenny, Ponsonby.
Too old
We all know why National and Act oppose giving the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds. They’re much too liable to be concerned about the future and want action on climate change and economic fairness. Hardly fertile ground for the right. Perhaps to balance the books we should remove voting rights to all those over 80. If we’re not going to give a voice to youthful optimism, let’s remove some ageing disgruntlement to counterbalance.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.
Got my vote
If the Herald ran a letter of the month competition, the award this month would surely go to John Ford of Taradale (NZ Herald, November 23). It brought tears of laughter to me eyes, with his description of the average 16-year-old teenager’s interest in anything other than themself.
Nevile Chalke, Glen Innes.
On recession
How long until we hear someone repeating Paul Keating, “this is the recession we had to have”? Huw Dann, Mt Eden.
On Qatar
If armbands spelling out “love” along with the kaleidoscopic half-circle, associated with LGBTQ, are both banned from the World Cup, can all rainbows celestially-created over the Qatar stadium by the Divine Choreographer be banned too? Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.
On electricity
At 7.30pm on Thursday, November 23, our national electricity grid was powering on at 99 per cent renewables. No coal, no gas burn. Is this a record? Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.
On diversity
Dare to be different! I... haven’t got a tattoo. Bill Fletcher, New Lynn.
On phones
In Queensland, Australia, one is fined over $1000 for phone use while driving. In New Zealand, it is a meagre $150. This needs to be increased to at least that of Queensland to help stop the carnage. Ross Thomas, Te Awamutu.
On youth
I’m pretty sure that the people who think boot camps for dysfunctional youth don’t work have never experienced one. Kerry Wickman, Kawakawa.
Bootcamp? Nah, put them on Campbell Island for a few weeks. See what the recidivism rate is. C. C. McDowall, Rotorua.
Labour’s chance of winning election takes a beating
Thank the heavens. Crime, health, economic uncertainty, and poverty, are all worse than ever as I can recall. And it does not matter what other countries are going through or not going through, all that matters is this has been the most incompetent government we have had the misfortune to have been burdened with. Chris K.
Good analysis and context around Grant Robertson’s performance in the House and Adrian Orr at the press conference. Very telling and insightful observations. NZ is heading into a very bleak economic period, a time when strong economic managers who can maximise value, not ideological decision-makers led by their social media feed rather than what the masses want and need. Jim J.
I think the writing has been on the wall for quite some time for this Government. But we need to get everyone out there to vote them out. That is the only way things will change in this country. Candy B.
Thomas Coughlan writes Robertson is “...easily one of the best performers in the House”. I would prefer he starts performing as a competent Minister of Finance. Pim V.
Well put, Thomas. “Jokes and put-downs are cheap, regardless of the cost of credit” and millions of us are funding this Government’s incompetence. I’m surprised Grant Robertson didn’t continue his charade from the House a few weeks ago calling Luxon, “Liz” and “Ms Truss”. These Government ministers continue to use name-calling in Parliament. Interesting when they claimed name-calling from Beehive protesters was sacrilege and disrespectful to New Zealanders. New Zealand cannot afford another term of a Labour government. Demonstrate some respect. Mark W.
OPINION: New Zealander reflects on delivering speech at St James' Palace.