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Letter of the week: Mind your language
I arranged to rendezvous with friends for dinner. I arrived at the restaurant early, hoping it wasn’t a smorgasbord, so I could check the menu. I fancied a kebab as an entree; I deliberated over ciabatta versus a baguette, then selected a chorizo pizza main, and a banana mousse for dessert. My friend, a mortgage guru, and his fiancee, a kindergarten teacher, arrived late as debris from roadworks forced them to detour down an unfamiliar avenue, but a wrong turn led to a cul de sac. They started with an aperitif, then a frittata for his entree and a chowder for her, followed by risotto and lamb ragu. They shared a delicious lemon meringue to finish the meal. We enjoyed a chardonnay and pinot gris and ended up having a cappuccino at the neighbouring cafe. We spent the evening hotly discussing how we were being inveigled into accepting so many Māori words into our everyday communication: and agreed we were too old to start learning a “foreign” language. They headed off to the ballet, I went to a karaoke session, then off to a cabaret.
John Walsh, Green Bay.
On the button
Am I alone in missing the days when a simple call to a company meant speaking to a real person? The present digital age, while efficient, often leaves me longing for that human connection. Navigating through layers of automated menus is a time-consuming endeavour. The promise of convenience turns into frustration as I press button after button, hoping for a genuine interaction. The bygone era, where direct conversations led to swift solutions, holds a certain appeal.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
Health and safety
How shocking to read that senior doctors have been forced to demand full time security in every emergency department because of increasing assaults. As emergency care specialist Dr Kate Allen, says, they are not responsible for a shortage of medical and nursing staff; they are under immense stress with this shortage. One way to abolish this behaviour is to place large easily read notices that abusive verbal or physical behaviour will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will be subject to arrest and probable jail time.
Dr Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Kind regards
It is disappointing to see how quickly the legacy of kindness evaporated from Labour. The huge majority they enjoyed at the last election was partly due to a response to decency. It may have simply been great oratory skills with no substance, but people wanted to believe. Jacinda brought out the best in people. Dropping back into the dirtiest campaign I have ever seen will guarantee the flight of those who responded to decency.
S. Hansen, Hastings.
Threat to humanity
News that scientists have created a “human-like” embryo from stem cells without using sperm or an egg should raise alarm bells and underscores the urgent, long overdue need for legislation regulating scientific developments. Scientists claim the embryo will increase our understanding of how life begins and assist with IVF treatment. However, it also has potentially calamitous consequences. Embryos created from stem cells, presumably from just one donor, should hasten prohibitions on the uses, whether innocent or unscrupulous, of scientific developments.
Raewyn Maybury, Tauranga.
Abuse of care
What is wrong with this country when we allow our frontline medical staff to be assaulted and abused? Anyone who has experienced our public health system even for a short visit, will attest to the caring and professional treatment received from our doctors and nurses. Under-resourced and under stress, the last straw for hospital staff is to be threatened and attacked by patients unable to adapt to a dysfunctional health system and lashing out. While the two major parties dangle GST-free fruit and vegetables and questionable tax cuts, they should take time to hang their heads in shame at the systematic degradation of our health system over the past 20 years. No immediate remedy may be possible, but is it time to look at the public/private partnership model Australia operates? They provide tax rebates for private health insurance participation depending on age and income, and an income tax surcharge is levied to partially fund their Medicare model. Means testing allows exemptions for low-income earners, and a maximum 3.5 per cent levy of taxable income is applied for higher income earners who don’t have private insurance. No public healthcare model is foolproof, but which political party has the courage to look at new ways of solving the parlous state of our current healthcare system?
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Crime-free
I note with the recent release of the Green Party’s 42-page manifesto there is no mention of youth crime, ram raids and shop theft. [These] are not a result of poverty, its more a product of the TikTok society and criminal notoriety when the offending youth know that the police are powerless to detain and prosecute the offenders. Shame on the Green Party for not publicly addressing this insidious problem.
Ross Harvey, Remuera.
Springing a leak
Chris Watson (NZ Herald letters, September 7) gives us a list of social and economic disruptions to remember, from a 1996 Herald — virtually identical to today’s equally disruptive conditions. However, it’s worth remembering also, that 1996 was half-way through National’s decade-long reign during which time, that government introduced the legislative “reforms” which brought us leaky homes. This mistake is now once again being proposed by Chris Bishop, if National are re-elected: new systems, to be introduced unchecked, because they’ve been approved overseas (not in NZ, under our specific conditions). Ideological, “less-regulation” policy which will bring “leaky homes” potential, and its resultant crippling financial hardship to home-buyers.
Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
National is promising to lift the embargo on live animal export. This is a clear indication they are bereft of new ideas to increase overseas income and are grasping at straws. We can not allow this cruel practice to re-commence. Joan Inglis, Tauranga.
Not just a wealth tax, but intelligence, talent and physical attractiveness taxes that are required to level out some of life’s other glaring inequalities. Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.
Thanks to Emmerson we now know why Winston’s horse went “Whinny”. Chris Kiwi, Mt Albert.
National is promising to increase tourist numbers to above those before the pandemic. If my memory serves me correctly, in 2019 there were concerns at the number of tourists and people were looking seriously at reducing the numbers. Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
Has anyone else noticed the Rolling Stones’ new song sounds suspiciously like The Clash’s Should I Stay Or Should I Go? C.C. McDowall, Rotorua.
Now election campaigns have begun, here are some phrases for candidates to avoid: “you know” — if we know why are you telling us? “Look” — especially unsuitable for radio interviews; “that’s a good question” — too patronising and implies other questions were naive at best; “exponentially increasing” — almost always wrong in the mathematical sense; and “So” — an answer to a difficult question almost always starts with “So” and what follows is endless prevarication. Jeff Tallon, Hauraki.
Willie Jackson is quick to oppose any view other than his own. Apart from a failed media merger (costing millions) and continual criticism of other parties policies, what exactly has he achieved in the past six years to benefit all New Zealanders? I would opine that that is “dangerous”. Ian Doube, Rotorua.
Politicians on the right seem to employ the same tactics the world over. Clues are in their slogans: Let’s get back to ... , Make ... great again, Get back on track. First you circulate the trope that the country has lost it’s way/gone to the dogs/mired in crime, then posit yourself as it’s saviour. Sally Baughn, Hamilton.
Given we have MMP it is bemusing to see political parties ruling each other in and out as though it didn’t exist. June Kearney, Orewa.
Christopher Luxon thinks he can get cut through with his message of blind confidence in his economic ability, by refusing to answer a every question on TV’s Breakfast on costings for his “rock solid” tax scheme. Those in the squeezed middle could save far more than $50 a fortnight by cost cutting, like buying less meat, cheese and milk and more lentils and chickpeas as Mike Van de Elzen advocates. If the $50 is spent inflation will keep pressure on the Reserve Bank to keep interest rates higher for longer, negating any savings. Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
Police are appealing for more information.