Letters: National, 100-day lockdown, Groundswell, Māori vaccinations, and the National Party

Judith Collins demoted Simon Bridges on Wednesday night over an inappropriate comment he made five years ago about a colleague. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Opposition implosion
The Leader of the Opposition, in waving her wicked wand of woefully wishful whims over Simon Bridges' head may, or more likely may not, put a minor dent in his career aspirations. It has all but ended hers.
Such acts, digging up perceived offences that were dealt with five years ago, shows desperation.
Bridges may consider himself fortunate he doesn't live in a politically less forgiving country or regime. He would probably have disappeared by now.
As for Collins, all she has achieved is to open the door a bit wider for another pretender to her throne to take the opportunity to depose her.
Arise Mr Luxon, (or whoever else wants the job), your time is nigh.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.

National Party options
If the National Party want to get their act together, I would suggest they select Christopher Luxon as leader and Simon Bridges as deputy Leader.
If one was in business they might make very a good team. They would be good for business but would they be good for anyone else or the planet?
Bridges would be a retread but an experienced one. He might make a very good advisor
But, Luxon just might be a man that does not need any advice.
Gillian Dance, Mt Albert.

City of saviours
I do not think many people outside Auckland realise just how difficult this 100-day lockdown has been for Auckland.
They have suffered, making huge sacrifices just to stop Covid taking over the rest of the country and allowing time to reach 90 per cent vaccine rate in most areas.
You Aucklanders are our heroes, just simply the best to beat Covid and save the rest of New Zealand.
It makes me so proud to be a New Zealander and part of this wonderful country.
Merry Christmas and happy summer holidays.
Stay safe and God bless you all.
Angela Logan-Wyatt, Katikati.

Choked by regulation
Murray Knight (NZ Herald, November 23) divides farmers into convenient groups.
As farmer/growers, we never miss watching Country Calendar and, like Murray, we admire the energy and diversity of ever-improving progressive farming practices by ordinary/extraordinary people.
We joined the Groundswell protest to remind the present Government that co-operation, engagement and science will take this hardworking, productive and practical sector a lot further than choking regulation.
With the structures and tools, we can lead the way.
Kay Carter, Patumāhoe.

Māori vaccinations
Richard Prebble (NZ Herald, November 24) stated that the lower overall vaccination rate of Māori is due to their lower average age.
The vaccination rate of Māori is lower than that of the general population in most of the reported age bands. For example, in the 20 to 34 age group, the Māori rate is only 78 per cent of the non-Māori non-Pacific rate in the same age group. (Source: Ministry of Health)
Prebble is free to offer his opinions of why Māori are so much less likely to be vaccinated than the general population of the same age. These would be interesting, and others would doubtless respond, pointing at alternative explanations. However he should not be free to simply mis-state an easily verifiable fact.
Patrick Baker, St Heliers.

Worthy causes
Whilst the Government seem to spend money willy-nilly in some quarters there are essential areas where Government should be funding 100 per cent, including: St John Ambulance; Surf life saving; Westpac rescue helicopter; Starship Hospital; hospices; and, finally, hospital car parking.
No ifs, no buts.
Bruce Tubb Belmont.

Cap the SUI
Under the Social Unemployment Insurance, if you are on a salary of $1m you will receive $800k. If you are on a salary of $40k you will receive $32k. Yeah, right.
A loaf of bread costs the same no matter how rich or poor you are.
New Zealand is already been torn apart by the disparity in wealth and this just helps it along a bit more.
The scheme has merit but the cap needs to be modest - possibly the average salary.
Mark Brady, Westport.

Build for rates
I am assuming that if the Housing Enabling Bill goes ahead that I will qualify for a rates rebate.
Apparently, Auckland rates are used to make Auckland a great place to live and work.
With the associated negative effects on the environment and wellbeing that will be associated with housing intensification, Aucklanders will need to be compensated.
Perhaps we can use this money to plant our own trees.
Alison Feeney, Remuera.

Early lessons
Congratulations to Professor Linda Mitchell for her excellent piece on the funding model in early childhood education (NZ Herald, November 23). She reveals government support for a system of profit-seeking and business partnership models of education, thus an acceptance of neoliberal creep. This approach augments the growth of business moguls and individual financial advancement using the "human resources" of NZ taxpayers, ECE teachers and families.
She has scrutinised the arguments, and documents involved, questioned the political consensus, and is holding power to account, demanding a reversal of this marketisation business model for ECE. She questions the power dynamics, social justice principles, and the money-making impulses of private corporations. By supporting the ECE-as-commodity model, the NZ government nourishes and does nothing to interrupt the acquisitive individual out to make a buck.
If anything, the government becomes an amplifier of corporate company power.
This is, in addition, a gender equity issue as it is generally not in the interests of corporate power to pay women fairly for the work they do in both care and education.
Janet E. Mansfield, Mt Eden

Loss in translation
As the professional body, the New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters (NZSTI) is deeply concerned about any suggestion that a translator or interpreter was not suitably qualified to accurately produce a translation/interpretation, "Concern at Parliament over misleading Chinese translation" (NZ Herald, November 12).
Integrity and competence are the two key pillars of the code of ethics to which all members of NZSTI must adhere. "Minimising or changing the tone of submitters' views" is a clear breach of our code of ethics.
We highlight the importance of always engaging qualified professionals. A professional interpreter/translator is impartial, trained and competent. They also know the limits of their expertise and decline jobs for which they are not qualified, or recommend a competent colleague.
Isabelle Poff-Pencole, president, NZ Society of Translators and Interpreters.

Ashore thing
Letters to the editor and articles by columnists in the Herald especially about Government directions, etc regarding Covid, use words like: should have or could have; we would have; they were wrong; if only they had; etc etc.
In Holland, there is a saying: "De beste stuurman staat aan wall". It means "the best helmsman stands on shore".
That says it all. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Ben Wolters, Wattle Downs.

Short & sweet

On National
Looking at the current and ongoing shambles that is the National Party how can Mike Hosking and his cohorts seriously suggest that they would have done a better job of dealing with the Covid crisis?
Murray Knight, Massey.

There has been plenty aimed at Jacinda Ardern from the likes of Groundswell, Destiny Church and anti-vaxxers. But they can't accuse her of running an unstable government, or party, for that matter. John Capener, Kawerau.

I'm giving up Netflix. The National Party consistently provides the best comedy in town. Roger Laybourn, Claudelands.

The All Blacks and the National Party now have something in common. Both have two years to sort their ship out, starting at the top. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.

National campaigned on having a strong team. Hmmm. Selwyn Irwin, Glen Eden.

On Tamaki
Monty Python had the Ministry of Funny Walks, we have the Ministry of Stern Warnings. I see Brian Tamaki has just had his third one in the last few weeks. Phil Chitty, Albany.

On vax
If boxing, faxing and vexing need only a single x in their spellings, why would the word "vaxing" be XX-rated? Chris Kiwi, Mt Albert.

The Premium Debate

Simon Bridges' demotion

Chris Luxton/Erica Stanford are the obvious choice going forward. New broom and so on. In response to the usual "no experience" routine, one only needs to look at the current PM who spent 10 years in Parliament; lost Auckland Central twice; never initiated any legislation; and during that time was not considered capable of handling even a minor portfolio. Vernon A.

Judith Collins' comment about Siouxsie Wiles being a "big fat hypocrite" was as equally bad if not worse than what Bridges said. Ga C.

This is right up there with a drunk Muldoon calling a snap election as the most stupid move by a politician in the past 50 years. Tim P.

This was a desperate move from Collins as she knew her time as leader was running out fast. In the meantime Labour can sit back and laugh as the more chaos there is in National the better for them. People should just remember this shouldn't take the focus away from the miserable performance by Labour with heaps of things including Covid. I don't think Bridges is the right guy to be the leader of National. They should now carefully consider their options, as their decision will impact a lot on the next election against Labour. Need a strong, honest leader with vision. Francios N.

The five-years-later aspect really shows how Judith has lost the plot, when she ought to be attacking Labour, not her own party. Ray S.

I don't support the National Party - though I have voted for them occasionally in the past - but I most definitely support Collins on this one. Why? Because I personalise it. I ask: how would I feel if Dean was my daughter? The answer: I'd be pretty bloody angry about it. Timothy T.

What an absolute debacle. This can only be viewed by the public as a "hatchet job" by a desperate, unpopular leader to eliminate her opposition. Very reminiscent of "Whale Oil" days. NZ needs a capable conservative opposition to keep a Labour government honest. Can someone please step forward? Peter S.