We must learn from past tragedies and ensure that athletes like Fisher receive the care and understanding they need, so they can continue to excel without being overwhelmed by their setbacks.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
Olympic tonic
Congratulations to all the medal winners and those who put their best foot forward at the Games. One can only imagine the hours of toil that have been necessary to even achieve selection.
All medals are extremely hard to win, with gold the pinnacle. For New Zealand to finish 11th on the table is something that didn’t look likely after the first few days of the Games. Special mention must be made of Lisa Carrington as she was the driving force for others to achieve on the water.
It would be remiss not to acknowledge that our women contributed beyond expectations and for that we are very grateful. Winning isn’t everything, nor is it the only thing but it’s certainly a tonic to the mood of a country.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Capital disease
The Labour Government wanted to control Auckland’s hospitals, polytechnics and water management from Wellington, and now Simeon Brown is talking about controlling Auckland’s transport from Wellington (NZ Herald, August 13).
Power begets this “capital disease.” Perhaps Auckland needs to become a separate state within the federation of New Zealand, like Brussels is in Belgium.
Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.
Benefit sanctions
Finally, a Government that has the courage to tackle the few who abuse the taxpayers’ gift called benefits. Those that don’t have anything to worry about.
Hopefully, a national ID card linking all government departments and agencies is next to close the net even further. What the Labour and the Greens forget is the less money wasted means more money for those genuinely in need.
Keith Moran, Stonefields.
Shots fired
I am shocked that our PM has supported the actions of a Cabinet minister who has excluded the Police Association from having an input into the new legislation which will control gun laws (NZ Herald, Aug 12).
Most people who can read will remember that the minister used to lobby for gun sellers. She entered politics so that she could oppose the tough new laws relating to guns after the events in Christchurch when a terrorist murdered many innocent victims.
Surely in New Zealand we must have taken on board the terrible lesson from the USA where countless innocent people have been murdered by those unhinged people who have been able to purchase multiple guns. Here in New Zealand, we need to toughen our gun laws.
Why should we make it easy for criminals to shoot police and innocent victims?
Johann Nordberg, Paeroa.
Nursing a grievance
Can the Government please make up its mind on what is happening in the health system.
One minute we are being told there is an acute shortage of doctors and nurses, and the next, nurses who have just graduated after training for three to four years because they understood there was a severe shortage of staff are being told there are no jobs for them.
I think Shane Reti needs to buck up and get his story straight. Do we need staff or not and if not, then why are the waiting lists so long? To lead these young people to apply for nursing courses at great expense because they were told there was a shortage of nurses is cruel and misleading.
It is about time the real value of our nurses was recognised by getting rid of student loan fees for nurses, they are learning their trade for the benefit of the community, not personal gain and should not be charged to do it. At least doctors earn high salaries when they graduate.
Tom O’Toole, Taumarunui.
