Tighter lending criteria
High house prices divert resources away from productive parts of the New Zealand economy. They impede young people acquiring houses. The Government was right to enact tighter lending criteria, as part of its moves to cool the housing market.
Naturally, tighter lending leads to less business for mortgage
brokers. Unsurprisingly, they have begun a campaign to have the lending criteria relaxed again. The Government has said it will reconsider the position.
At last there are meaningful signs that our housing market is slowing. It would be unfortunate indeed for the Government to lose its nerve at this point. The new restrictions are working. They need to remain in place.
David Schnauer, Milford.
Russian motives
The current stand-off between Nato and Russia is ominous. While it is on the other side of the world, NZ has been tragically involved in such conflicts before.
It seems the US has fairly clear principles: that sovereign nations have the right to select their alliances and to place their military power as they choose.
Russia, however, has a much stronger sense of the relationships, with a long history of its security being assured by its neighbours. It remembers the promises given to Gorbachev by European and US leaders that Nato expansion would not happen. Over the last decades Russia feels its security has been eroded by the gradual extension of Nato power nearer its borders and feels the time has come to put a stake in the ground at the Ukraine.
We need to recognise the complexity of this situation and avoid identifying friends and enemies. The current commitment to fixed positions need to move to flexibility to develop win-win agreements. This may involve outside parties, and organisations such as the OSCE (Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe), of which all relevant nations are members, should be involved. New Zealand should be seeking its participation.
Gray Southon, Tauranga.
Footpath takeover
I noted recent correspondence (NZ Herald, January 13) on the appropriation of public walkways by motorised vehicles of all descriptions, and their risk to pedestrians.
Living Streets Aotearoa is appealing the decision to allow e-scooters and the like on footpaths: I'm left wondering how far the profit motive affected the decision in favour of Auckland Council.
Also, what about making it a human rights issue, analogous to excluding the disabled and elderly from full access to public amenities like transport and buildings?
Ellie Carruthers, Eden Terrace.
Stinging rates
Auckland councillor Greg Sayers (NZ Herald, January 14) is to be commended for exposing the truth behind the horrendous rates rises inflicted through a series of targeted add-ons to our steadily increasing annual rates demands.
I cringe every time mayor Phil Goff claims no more than an "average" rise of 3.5 per cent will be imposed knowing full well that based on the capital value of a property it means compounded on top of my already 70 per cent rise sting from his first mayoral term.
Talk of him being the next ambassador to the US gladdens my heart. It can't come soon enough. He has failed to get Auckland Council's finances and staffing extravagances under control. Queen St's makeover is a prime example of wasted money with purpose obscure.
If Greg Sayers has the courage to stand for the mayoralty this year, he will have my vote.
Coralie van Camp, Remuera.
Inventive charges
I couldn't agree more with Greg Sayers comments on the troubling trends at Auckland Council (NZ Herald, January 14). It seems like Auckland Council feels it has an endless amount of money - just increase the rates, make the residents pay for their rubbish to be collected, put a levy on petrol, charge for water separately.
The council must have a large team dreaming up new ways to charge the people of Auckland in new inventive ways. It really is time for the Auckland Council to get back to its core values.
I am still waiting for the day when making Auckland a Super City will, if ever, save money; it should in theory but it appears to have had the opposite effect.
Geoffrey Slack, Silverdale.