Face reality
I imagine it will not be long before some in the Government, and some epidemiologists, will begin celebrating the "achievement" of once more eliminating Covid from our shores.
This is in fact no
Richard Grant says that Covid elimination is 'no achievement at all, any more than eliminating road deaths by banning road transport would be'. Photo / Brett Phibbs
I imagine it will not be long before some in the Government, and some epidemiologists, will begin celebrating the "achievement" of once more eliminating Covid from our shores.
This is in fact no achievement at all, any more than eliminating road deaths by banning road transport would be.
As the Chief Medical Officer of Queensland recently pointed out, we are all going to have to get immunity from Covid, and there are only two ways to do that: vaccination or infection.
Unless New Zealand is to be locked away from the world for ever, at some point we will need to face reality and let the virus in. If not now, then when?
Richard Grant, Ellerslie.
As sensible as a mask is to prevent droplet spread of a virus, it was never cool to be the only person wearing one.
We seem to have evolved over the past year where mask wearing is OK, normal even.
Will we ever be allowed to not wear one? Will it become a societal norm? Certainly if one has a cold or flu-like symptoms, and wishes to venture out it would be more accepted to protect others by doing so.
At some point, however, the restrictions to our lives that we have had to endure by those in government need to diminish so that some self-responsibility can return and we can make our own decisions about how we manage our health, our lives.
John Ford, Napier.
My advice to members of Brian Tamaki's church is to run out of it and join the great majority of people, many churchgoers included, who embrace God-given common sense and expert medical advice.
I too have a Christian faith. It leads me to respect the long and back-breaking research by scientists and doctors that has given us today's wonderful medical and surgical advances, including infant immunisation programmes.
I reject the anti-vaxxers' false and simplistic argument: "You are putting your nasty germs into our pure little children." Remember our smallpox, polio and measles epidemics.
The illogical and irresponsible threatening viewpoint voiced by Tamaki should make all thinking people see through all his arguments.
Dr Harold Coop, Remuera.
Herald feature writer David Schnauer rightly stresses the need to "rebalance the economy", (Herald, Dec 27).
Too much is invested in housing to the detriment of commerce and jobs. This is evidenced by much of the $55 billion Covid Response and Recovery Fund flowing to housing finance.
The 1975 decision to abolish funded superannuation was a monumental blunder, the result was that our commercial sector was deprived of capital, so much now foreign owned and profits repatriated. KiwiSaver 40 years on, a voluntary scheme proves inadequate.
As suggested, make KiwiSaver compulsory with increased contributions and grow our savings pool.
Peter Edmondson, Tauranga.
Carmen Doran (Herald, Dec 29, comment) promotes the budding NZ cannabis industry.
She mentions "patients", "quality", "prescribing" and "medicine" for this "massive opportunity" and she is now peddling cannabis for pets. But what is it good for?
The UK not-for-profit Cochrane database trial review finds there is no benefit over placebo in chronic pain, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, HIV anorexia, MS ataxia, fibromyalgia and dementia. In chemotherapy nausea it worked as poorly as drugs available 40 years ago.
(Ed: British Medical Journal and Karger research reports show some benefit or mixed results.)
Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.
Jason Wells' column "$939m bill for Govt" is a reminder of remediation that is long overdue in central government's use of contractors.
Originally, heads of departments and their senior advisers earned their generous salaries because of their expertise. Now, if they need to hire consultants to advise on matters that should fall within their own areas of expertise, they should take a pay cut.
I recognise that it is not all their fault, in that "sinking lid" policies enforced by politicians, sometimes choked off their manpower resources.
There was some impetus given to the sinking lid by the nature of the public service to grow like topsy; but that is where the State Services Commissioner should be determining where growth is justified.
Some growth may be justified where modern developments make workloads more onerous.
I well remember from my time in Defence Headquarters witnessing a serving senior officer retiring from the service, only to come back the next day as a contractor on four times the remuneration; all because the military manpower establishment prevented any expansion in this era of rapidly developing information technology.
The same review should apply to the country's local bodies.
Hugh Webb, Hamilton.
Auckland trains have closed down for the usual lengthy period over the holidays, the Western line especially, for nearly five weeks.
That leaves no option for public transport other than sitting in a super-heated sardine can which mostly seem to have no functioning air-conditioning.
[On Monday] it was so overheated in the bus I was on, that I seriously wondered if I should disembark before I fainted.
Why is it that these elderly buses are allowed to be used for transporting people in this humidity under these conditions? Mask-wearing makes the situation even more unpleasant.
If getting cars off the road means getting from A to B under these conditions, then it is not going to happen anytime soon.
Linda Lang, Henderson.
It was wonderful to read the article about Papatoetoe (Herald, Dec 28).
Thank you for shining a light on the efforts of the community to fight back and overcome, as far as possible, the difficulties of this past year.
My late parents, Robert (Bob) and Kitty White (mayor and mayoress of Papatoetoe for 21 years from 1965 to 1986), would be so delighted and proud.
As well as for a real-estate expert to recently state the suburb is one of his choices of the 10 best Auckland suburbs to buy and live in.
Graham White, Papatoetoe.
I absolutely agree with Peter Burn's letter (Herald, Dec 28) regarding the visions of those
who planned and developed Auckland's many beautiful parks.
I am reminded of the 'Father of Auckland', Sir John Logan Campbell, and his very early vision in gifting Cornwall Park to the people of New Zealand.
He not only gave the land, but he also left a significant income earning trust to ensure that the park would be well-maintained in perpetuity.
We visited Cornwall Park last weekend and it was wonderful to see the uses so many
Aucklanders are making of this spectacular asset.
Rhys Morgan, Northcote.
Rick Martin (Letters, Dec 28) claims "Jacinda did nothing while Australia put out the trash".
I suspect Rick already knows that it was, in fact, John Key who did nothing while Australia "put out the trash".
The spreading of disinformation is now a defining characteristic of right-wing politics.
Ken Taylor, Māngere.
Any small business owner-operator will know that when they apply for bank funding they will be asked what real estate security can they provide to secure the loan. No bank will lend on the security of their business alone. Somehow, this does not seem to be the case in other countries. Until this changes, business people will be incentivised to invest in property, not in business ventures.
Peter Lewis, Forrest Hill
On health workers
My New Zealanders of the Year are all our short-staffed and underfunded health workers from the doctors and nurses in our hospitals to those who took swabs, analysed the results in the laboratory, and contact-traced for seven days a week, sometimes up to 12 hours a day.
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
On frontline pay
Why have we not doubled the salaries of the front line medical and isolation staff? They really do deserve it.
Stan Jones, Hamilton.
On swimming
Was anyone else disturbed by the front-page image [on Tuesday], of large numbers of swimmers wearing T-shirts? Not ideal clothing if you get into trouble in the water.
Fiona McAllister, Mount Maunganui.
On Christmas
David Bennett is quite right (Letters, Dec 28) in my view. Christmas is no more Xmas than Christchurch is Xchurch.
Dean Donoghue, Papamoa Beach.
On Covid-19
While the letter by Rob Elliott expresses the lack of stoicism in Auckland and that is news, it doesn't help New Zealand fight this virus that doesn't know or care where you live - it's just statistics and that is how New Zealand is fighting it with some success compared with other countries.
Peter Hulme, Taupo.
On gangs
The gangs in Auckland are totally out of control and need to be crushed. Bring back Judith. The namby-pamby Labour Government approach will never work.
Graham Fleetwood, Botany Downs.
On speeding
I must have missed the memo ... the one that gave speed exemptions to the SUVs, utes, Jags, Audis and all motorcycles, travelling at up to 130kph on our nation's highways.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
On freedom of speech
It certainly seems necessary to have freedom of speech so we know who the idiots are.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
Aucklanders fleeing lockdown add to pressure on Bay of Plenty rental market
NZ currently has about 90,000 citizens per annum reaching the age of 65 and who qualify for a pension and are looking for a better quality balance in lifestyle. There are numbers out there to suggest that we may have a change of generational demographics under way. Before the next election in 2023 there will be about 180,000 Kiwis who will reach the age of 65. Have a wee think about it. Steve T.
Inept government creating unintended consequences on people's lives. Paul G.
The government was warned not to remove the tax deductibility from rental properties but they did. This is the result. Increased costs which are market wide will always result in increased rents. This government's housing policies have been an absolute disaster much like everything else they meddle with. Richard T.
The consequence of running a country with social media soundbites. It reminds me of the recent movie Don't Look Up where the world ends unnecessarily because the president takes advice from a social media company. AJ.
Can already hear the list of excuses for not solving the housing crisis. Blaming everything and everybody but themselves. But with a 100% expectation to be re-elected in 2023. Pim V.
As hard as it is for many to understand the difference between cashflow, revenue, profit and unrealised capital gain, the fact is that the returns are no longer there in rental property (in most parts of the country). That means landlords have to subsidise in hope for a capital gain at some time but with returns at 3-4% that's a lot of subsidy. The smaller landlords will not be joining the market, whether that's good or not is a whole separate thing. The government can't afford to accommodate everyone who needs a home. The government really doesn't understand the consequences of their policies. Sudhir M.
There was a stage when we had plenty of rental properties thanks to mum and dad investors … Most of us have sold up due to this wonderful government's policies.
The ones that stayed need to be very careful who they put in a property - gone are the days when you could feel sorry for a family and give them a chance - if they don't pass with flying colours - they will be waiting for the government to house them. Pip W.
It's going to be interesting to see what happens when the borders open. And those who want to leave can. I know of three who are just waiting it out. Anaru B.
Australia removed negative gearing and in two years rents skyrocketed about 30 per cent in three capital cities before they realised it was a mistake. Expect the same in NZ, the result of ill-thought-out tax law by the current government. Completely predictable. Simon A.
Work to bring the section up to 110km/h standard continues.