Mandate muddle
Last November, the Government imposed mandatory vaccination for all staff working on-site in early childhood centres. Based on public health advice and in the interests of the 100 per cent unvaccinated children who attend ECE services, these primarily small business owners implemented the mandate at significant cost.
On March 23,
the Prime Minister announced the mandate would be lifted at midnight on April 4. Legislation and promised guidance would follow shortly to support affected businesses to implement the shift.
Here we are, two working days out from this significant change. The health order rescinding mandatory vaccination, the updated risk assessment guidance from MBIE, and the updated public health guidance for early childhood from Ministry of Health have not been published.
When the vaccine mandates were introduced, it should have been clear to the Government and officials, that at some stage they would be lifted. Why was the work not done on how businesses would transition to a non-government mandated world?
ECE services, through no fault of their own, are now stuck between parent demands for ongoing vaccination requirements, and exposure to an employment case from staff who oppose vaccination.
Sue Kurtovich, Tauranga.
Inclusive nation
Gary A. Glover's historically accurate letter (NZ Herald, March 30) mentioned in the first sentence the wording "our inclusive, bicultural democracy".
It is my understanding that today, New Zealand/Aotearoa is a multi-cultural democracy and that it could well be in the best interests of multi-ethnic equality that discussions on "co-governance" give priority to "inclusive equality" for each and every one of us.
Many aspects, even provisions, of The Treaty of Waitangi of 1840 must be close to, or have passed, their use-by-date.
It is 2022. Equal rights should be established along with the encouragement, opportunity and ability to come together as one people: New Zealanders.
Richard Ward, Remuera.
Let's talk
The media asked the National Party leader if he would entertain the idea of David Seymour's call for a referendum on co-governance. Christopher Luxon said, "Look I'm not interested in that conversation at this point."
Mr Luxon, you may not be interested in hard conversations but those you hope to represent might be.
I, for one, would like a better understanding of what co-governance entails and what democratic rights we may be losing.
Let's have that national conversation now; no pun intended.
Wendy Clark, Pukekohe.
Food for thought
Good nutrition doesn't just lead to better learning. Learning can not take place when mood is unpredictable. Good mental health begins at the dinner table.
Health dollars would make more impact when the nutritional status is initially assessed. Simple blood tests can be taken for coeliac disease and intolerances.
New Zealand needs an effective provocative neutralising allergy clinic such as those available in London now dealing with long Covid. Vaccines are used with less scepticism.
Schools and prisons could reintroduce cooking lessons.
It's not all in the mind.
Julienne S. Law, Snells Beach.
Power shock
I have just received my new electricity rates from Mercury and I am flabbergasted.
My daily rate has increased from 33.33 cents a day to 66.66 cents a day, a whopping 100 per cent increase. How can it possibly justify such a huge increase?
If I sign up for a year Mercury will give me a $5 discount but that still equates to a 50 per cent increase. No doubt all the electricity companies will be slamming their customers with similar increases. Is this what is referred to as price gouging?
Surely this huge increase warrants an investigation by the Commerce Commission?
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
