Why is it so hard to get the council to focus on the basic things that councils ought to do? Paying for SailGP is corporate welfare of the most odious kind.
The council will talk about the economic benefit for the city but really, if you are running a lunch bar in Onehunga or working in a garage on Lincoln Rd, what possible benefit is there?
P.J. Houlahan, Titirangi.
E-scooter chaos
Correspondent James Gregory (Jan 14) is 100% correct in describing the enjoyment of many in the pleasantly redeveloped Wynyard Quarter as being totally ruined by the out-of-control use of e-scooters.
He is however not alone when we consider the number of correspondents of recent months complaining about the lack of control and rules regarding the use of e-scooters in Auckland. There is dangerous behaviour all over the city, resulting in pedestrian fear and millions of dollars in ACC claims for injuries.
There are rules for the sensible use of motorbikes and bicycles, so why not the same for e-scooters? It makes no sense at all and is long past the time for adequate control of their use.
Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Turia’s lasting legacy
Although the lives of Dame Tariana Turia and Jimmy Carter were worlds apart, they have left remarkably similar legacies. Both the Kiwi kuia and the Southern Baptist President put personal principles before political expediency.
She fostered dozens of children, while he toiled tirelessly for Habitat for Humanity. Both followed the maxim that societies should be judged by how they treat their weakest members, and individuals by how they treat those who can do nothing for them.
Will the same be said in the eulogies of Messrs Luxon, Peters and Seymour? For example, in the face of mounting evidence that social media is harmful and addictive, will they continue to ignore the issue? Or will they at least consider following Australia in imposing age restrictions similar to those on alcohol? Is anything more serious than soaring rates of youth depression, anxiety and suicide?
Likewise, while European governments withdraw support for puberty blockers due to strong evidence of tragic outcomes, New Zealand usage remains among the world’s highest. Rather than merely expressing assent, will our leaders take decisive action, or will they continue to prioritise more populist political issues?
Stephen Bayldon, Mt Roskill.
Collision course
The letter by James Gregory was spot on and we have the same problem in Tauranga.
When are the powers that be in councils going to wake up and realise that it is wrong on every level having cyclists flying past pedestrians on “shared” footpaths at 40kmh? I don’t want to see a tragic accident before anything is done.
Dave Miller, Tauranga.
Best-laid plans
What bush has correspondent Alan Walker been hiding under (Jan 13)? He proposes that everyone should have the foresight to plan their life so that they won’t ever be poor and needy.
So, when I was a 19-year-old mother, I was supposed to foresee that my husband would turn out to be an alcoholic who would spend all my wages, that he’d end up unemployed in the 1990 recession, that I’d end up as a solo mother working long hours while studying at night to improve my situation? Free school lunches would have been a great help to my family and free childcare would have been heaven.
Viv Allen, Freemans Bay.
Crowd downer
What a stunning day it was in the City of Sails for the cricket on Saturday. But the crowd was disappointing to say the least, with a huge number of empty seats.
I understand people may rather spend their time at other places like the beach when fine weather is around. But this summer there are only a couple of international cricket matches being played in Auckland and you would think more people would attend! Maybe they will when Pakistan arrive.
To me, this further highlights why we don’t need cricket grounds with large capacities but do need grounds that have a smaller capacity and are oval in shape (purpose-built for cricket). The Auckland Domain has the room to create a fantastic cricket ground that people would attend.
Tristan Cullen, Wānaka.
Crap TV
Why do the free to air TV channels play endless “reality” shows all day, then play quality documentaries and dramas late at night?
Rich people arguing, rich people on holiday, border control, police, house renovation, house buying and selling and inane game shows.
Has it occurred to TV programmers that there are a lot of older people who would rather watch Dad’s Army, Hill Street Blues and other classic shows rather than reality crap interspersed with endless funeral insurance ads?
Free to air TV is not dying, it is committing slow seppuku.
CC McDowall, Rotorua.
