Letters: National’s ferry proposal is way off track; mystery of the mammoth rates bill

Just one of Interislander's three Cook Strait ferries – the Aratere – is currently rail-enabled. Photo / Simon Baker

Rail-enabled ferries a no-brainer

I am wondering if the Government is aware of some basic facts regarding freight carriage across Cook Strait. It seems simple to me that it is easier, and cheaper, to be able to carry freight on a train, which is then loaded on to a ferry, sailed across the strait, unloaded, and continued on its journey, rather than unloading the train on one side, putting the freight on the ferry, sailing it across the strait and then loading it on to another train to continue the journey.

I realise that the National Party has the support of the Road Transport Association, but their proposal to buy non-rail-capable ferries for Cook Strait is nonsensical. If that proposal goes ahead, it will, in all probability, kill rail freight in the South Island. Imagine how many huge trucks will be needed to carry the freight from Picton to Christchurch.

I sincerely hope that sense prevails and that any new ferries will be rail-enabled.

Derek Mills, Waihī.

Rates failure

I was astonished to read your article about Dilip Rupa’s rates bill of $876,623 (NZ Herald, September 30). I am a retired English solicitor. I asked myself how this could have happened. The answer seems to be that the council takes legal proceedings only as a last resort.

In my experience, this is entirely the wrong approach. If a debtor refuses to pay as a matter of principle, rather than because he is poor, the dispute should be resolved as quickly as possible, by litigation if necessary. Delay hurts both parties. In the case of Auckland Council, it does not have the funds for its services it ought to have. Mr Rupa, on the other hand, is faced with rapidly mounting liabilities which the council knows he will eventually pay because it knows Mr Rupa is legally in the wrong.

What has happened here is that Mr Rupa has, in effect, borrowed a large sum he can’t afford and doesn’t need. In the consumer credit world, this is called irresponsible lending, and it should not have happened.

Robert Morfee, Maraetai.

School comparisons

David Seymour states that with 80% of British schools now being charter schools, “Anything the Brits can do, we can do”.

Well, British schools languish a good six places below New Zealand schools in the OECD school rankings, whilst we now know that the last batch of local charter schools cost a whopping six times more money per student than our successful state schools. That is hardly a testament to the so-called fiscal brilliance of the private sector.

Apparently, times are hard and we all have to tighten our belts. This Government is making cuts galore. Yet there appears to be money available for large bonuses to charter school owners. No wonder so many companies fancy taking on these schools.

Stuart Gibbs, Auckland Central.

Where’s Chippy?

As Simon Wilson says, “C’mon Chippy” (NZ Herald, October 1). It’s not as though there is a lack of issues to take to the current Government.

One of the main issues is the shortfall of nearly $4 billion a year in revenue due to the tax relief package and landlords being able to write off their mortgage interest. Not even savage cuts to the public service will make up that deficit. What’s happened to the plan to replace the Cook Strait ferries, and will Auckland’s and other cities’ transport woes remain? Can’t wait to rev up the Ferrari and scream around the country faster than ever, as that will certainly help me pay my ever-increasing bills.

It’s time for Chippy to either get stuck in or pass the baton on.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Groceries v moats

Unfortunately, correspondent Glen Stanton has the incorrect reasons for The Warehouse Group’s poor performance (NZ Herald, September 30). Food is both a perishable and low-margin product. The Warehouse Group (TWG) would have to sell enormous amounts to make much profit.

Economists refer to a “moat”, or unique selling point, as a measure of success. Rod Duke said within a year of owning Briscoes, he found its moat in small homewares and has tightly defended it, then found an unoccupied moated island on which he built Rebel Sport.

TWG’s stores have a very wide but typically shallow range of products. All their ranges have moated competitors, thus its profits will flow with the tide.

Andrew Parsons, Orakei.

O’Connor must go

Today, I am ashamed to call myself a Kiwi.

How any MP, let alone a senior member of the Labour Party, can repost a video that supports the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7 is unfathomable.

It is now up to leader Chris Hipkins to show some leadership and throw Damien O’Connor out of the party.

Let’s not forget that a number of the Jewish community here are relatives of Holocaust survivors and this is extremely painful for them to read.

Dr Alan Papert, Queenstown.