There have long been calls for MIQ to be moved outside of Auckland. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Why can't cohorts of sportspeople like the Auckland City Football Club, or the Black Caps, or other New Zealand groups who have been solely in each other's company, and regularly tested while away overseas, isolate on their return in temporary MIQs?
Such as motorhomes at the Army base at the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, or an unused ski lodge?
It would take very little time to set up as required as they would be low-risk and, as New Zealand citizens, would appreciate how important their compliance was to New Zealand [rules], unlike non-New Zealand citizens such as highly paid DJs who make a nebulous contribution to the country but receive preference for MIQ places.
To discover that people like these have been given preference three times this year over desperate Kiwis still waiting overseas is gut-wrenching.
Fiona Downes, Hobsonville.
I opened the Herald this morning to another Auckland "victimhood" letter.
Zoe Hawkins complained that the pain of the city's lockdown should have been shared by the rest of the country.
Without in any way minimising the impact of that, one has to ask what else could residents expect?
It is the major travel gateway to the country and Aucklanders take great pride in that but it's where the Covid virus arrived and spread from.
To contain the disease there was sensible but the logic of the argument suggests that perhaps the disease should have been allowed to spread more widely so everyone could share in lockdown pain. Silly, I know, but that's a logical response to the letter writer.
It might pay for those Aucklanders who feel they have been victimised to look past the Bombay Hills and see the problems facing other communities – Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty would be an excellent place to start.
True, there have been no additional lockdowns there but the very serious problems that exist there, many related to the spread of Covid, are not of the residents making so perhaps Auckland might like to share the pain of those too.
Don Hamilton, Rotorua.
Congratulations WA for success with the very challenging problem of gangs. Possibly we've inherited some of their members.
But "rubbing them out" might not be a lasting method here. I suspect our scenario is somewhat different, in terms of the local demographics.
We don't want to end up with a divisive war in our communities, where whānau loyalties then impede police work and even more "enemies" are created.
Constant surveillance, ongoing interventions, disarming them, yes; plus, community workers engaging with the young, job creation, good role modelling, i.e. as much positive action as possible - while weeding out the especially evil ones with urgency.
Top of the cliff stuff, not just the bottom.
B. Darragh, Auckland Central .
Your correspondent Huge Perritt, in yesterday's Herald, described the increasing gang violence perfectly.
This is a huge topic of conversation and causes anxiety among many New Zealanders of all races.
We are not getting any reassurances that the police have a solid plan to bring gang violence under control.
Unfortunately, the Minister of Police is out of her depth, her answer always seems to be, ''I have not got those facts in front of me" and the Police Commissioner always seems to smile like he is in The Sound of Music.
Some of us remember Gideon Tait; now there was a man to fix a problem
Paul Jarvis, Ōrewa.
To the Police Commissioner and his team, I say keep up the good work. I, for one, have got your back.
I know politicians for at least the last half-century have been railing against gangs and suggesting tougher measures, e.g. Norm Kirk threatening to take away the bikes from biker gangs.
I know that police successes get buried a lot of times in inside pages while any problems with criminals get the front page big headlines.
Also, I know that a lot of your and your team's work is done out of the news as you can't be advertising, and therefore forewarning the wrong people about what is in the pipeline.
As for gun violence, you were right last year to point out that a lot of guns are getting into the hands of gangs via unscrupulous gun dealers and self-proclaimed "responsible gun owners" who purchase those weapons on behalf of gangs for a tidy profit.
So Commissioner and your team of men and women out there holding "the thin blue line", thank you.
John Capener, Kawerau.
In recent times our hard-working, financially constrained police force, poorly supported by our new Minister of Police, who when appointed said she did not want that portfolio originally, has been the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.
Each one of us is the problem in our misdemeanours, driving, drinking, just to name a few. We have to correct our behaviour, support our police force, who see so often the bad side of life, as well as so often put their own lives at risk in many dangerous situations - sometimes recognised by awards and people going public thanking them for rescuing them.
For some reason, our Government has gone soft on criminals, who only respect pack mentality. Our government has to show we are more powerful than the gangs and their illegal financial dealings. So, in conclusion, please support our police force.
Eric Strickett, Henderson.
In my view, deaths on New Zealand roads could be dramatically reduced if sensible changes were made to the speed limits.
We are constantly told to "drive to the conditions" and yet the limits imposed don't reflect that.
I believe people could drive safely at 120 km/h on all motorways and expressways with median barriers preventing head-on collisions.
Conversely, I think 80 km/h on all other single-lane roads throughout the county would be much more appropriate.
Having a car speeding towards a milk tanker or a logging truck at 100 km/h separated only by a strip of white paint is insanity and asking for trouble. Instant death is the only outcome if these vehicles collide.
Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
The road toll makes grim reading and once again Simon Wilson echoes our concerns.
Perhaps because of Simon's profile, the Police Minister will do something about it as there have been reminders by other journalists which seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
It would seem that tourists cause crashes is a myth as little has changed on our highways and byways.
One would have thought that with Auckland under Covid restrictions for nearly four months fatalities would be drastically reduced but not so.
The reason for this is simple: the same idiots are still behind the wheel.
Like Covid, there will always be a minority that won't stick to the rules so that is why we have MIQ and other enforceable restrictions.
The figures are stark for 2021; Covid deaths 25, road 319.
Simon Wilson is right the police need to step up their surveillance and policing on our streets roads and highways.
A harsher points system with miscreants losing their licences sooner rather than later might slow down their thought processes, if they have any, and hopefully thereby reduce rash decisions.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
By mid-year 2022 all district health boards will have amalgamated into one central controlling body ruled from Wellington, where zero Covid patients were admitted to hospital last year.
What madness is this, to amalgamate the health system into one central body during a pandemic, when hospitals are short-staffed, ICU beds are at a premium, and the backlog of patients denied care is at an all-time high.
What happens to all that experience gained by our Auckland district health boards and staff, who dealt with multiple Covid patients, kept us safe and prevented large numbers of Covid deaths, Will those same people be made redundant along with the knowledge they have gained?
What guarantee do we have that our medical records will be readily available and major electronic hiccups will not occur, as was the case with the amalgamation of ACC, the vaccine rollout booking system, and downloading of vaccine passports?
If last year is anything to go by, this amalgamation will continue to be pushed through without due consultation. There are no guarantees it will work, and we would be mad to expect anything else but a sense of madness to prevail.
Robin Harrison, Takapuna.
Well done New Zealand Herald for the headline "NFTs – WTF?
I've read part one and part two of Jane Phare's series on cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens and my brain is totally and utterly scrambled. I bravely reread the series and once again fried my brain.
I'm now a firm believer in the astrophysical concept of parallel universes, except the parallel universes exist in an earthly dimension.
After digesting what I could of the series, all I could think was WTF?
Dear editor, a most apt headline, a perfect fit.
Heather Mackay, Kerikeri.
Our Auckland port is threatened by the council, the environmentalists, and those who don't like the view. It's a new year, and time for some mature thinking.
The council is crippling the port by refusing to allow proper use of its current space, and putting in the modern technology that major ports worldwide have had for years.
The environmentalists need to remind themselves that the ships using the port are far more environmentally positive than their predecessors, simply because one ship now carries four to five times the cargo. So fewer ships to blame for any pollution.
Those who don't like the view must remember that without a modern port in the CBD, we all will be paying vastly more for our "cars and carrots", no matter how cheap they are to produce.
Progress takes time and effort, something the silent majority are very good at. They just get with it.
Rob Wightman, Rothesay Bay.
On vaccinations
I wonder if the 5 per cent appreciate what the 95 per cent have done to minimise their chances of catching Covid-19.
Alan Ramsay, Marton.
On masks
Regarding your correspondent Sandra Clancey. Vaccination is not a given on trains or in malls or shops. It is a requirement in cafes where seated. Hence the rules allow masks to be removed while eating. This gave food establishments more freedom to make money from those who used their freedom to decide to get vaccinated. I would have thought this a fairly apparent example of calculated risk with benefits to business and society.
Samantha Cunningham, Henderson.
Sandra Clancey of Epsom wonders if she is the only one who sees the ridiculousness of mask-wearing. Of course not – Apostle Tamaki is right there behind you. And who could forget (ex) President Trump? The fact that America is approaching one million dead from Covid, however, does give pause for thought, and Omicron – hmm, nah – I'm going to keep wearing mine, triple-vaxxed though I am.
Paul Cheshire, Maraetai.
On Aucklanders
By, in the main, confining the spread of Covid within their boundaries, and with recent figures now confirming full vaccination, Aucklanders by being well-disciplined, social distancing and wearing masks are winning the battle against Covid. On their return to the provinces to spend their well-earned savings they should be treated as conquering heroes or heroines, not the opposite.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
On Christopher Luxon
A Herald correspondent has claimed that Jacinda Ardern's worst day in 2021 was when Luxon was appointed National Party leader. In actual fact, Luxon struggled through his first week as leader, when he was watched on TV by thousands as he completely fumbled his opening address in Parliament as Opposition leader, and he was gone by the second week when people stopped even commentating on his lack of performance.
David Mairs, Glendowie.
On comparisons
On Sunday, January 2, Australia had twice as many new daily Covid cases as New Zealand has had in total over almost two years. There are two important reasons for this. Leadership and management. Can we stop the grizzling please and give credit where it is due.
Murray Reid, Cambridge.
On city streets
At this time of year, Auckland can enjoy its break from being the City of Red Cones. On the other hand, we still retain the world record for the ratio of depressed manhole covers per kilometre as we judder our way around our constantly resealed streets.
Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.
Road deaths jumped when police cut back on breath tests, speed cameras
Really? How does a person who is going off to the pub know that the police are not going to be overly active in their area? Speed cameras were intended to deter and not be the end-all of policing. Neville W.
It would be interesting to know if these deaths on the roads have been alcohol-related, speed-related or just the fact that due to four months of lockdowns more people are going away, hence a higher number of accidents. Paula C.
The police decision not to chase fleeing offenders, to monitor and not arrest bikers or any groups who decide to use the road as they see fit (Covid protesters, cyclist protesters who rode over the harbour bridge) means we have little respect for the police and our fellow road users. I understand that police resources are stretched with Covid roadblocks and babysitting duties at MIQ and maybe the Government is saying we can tolerate more road deaths as long as Covid deaths remain low. Unintended consequences are something this Government has never understood. Glenn H.
Instead of lambasting the police force why don't you direct your complaints to the inept Police Minister who lunches with gangs. The police force is underfunded, undermanned, underpaid and subject to ever more dangerous criminals who won't hesitate to pull the trigger. And with the thousands manning border controls and operating in MIQ facilities, their manpower is stretched beyond the limit. Would you be a policeman? I doubt it. Keith M.
You are absolutely right Keith. In December, when the Government passed legislation under urgency allowing concerned citizens to be on road checkpoints, the police had to scramble 600 police to Northland over the holiday period, to co-police checkpoints there.
A complete lack of leadership by this Government and Minister Poto Williams David S.
Just a few comments. Firstly, it's about focus. Government policy focus and police on the ground focus. Police have spent a lot of time policing Covid and have been diverted from other duties. We also need more police visibility. Add to this lack of government focus on new roading and upgrading existing roading and you have a large part of the issue. Forget about the frilly stuff like cycle lanes and get on with what we really need. I would also point out that while there is a lot of attention given to the holiday road toll, the fact is the numbers are pretty consistent all year round. Ian U.
Mayor Wayne Brown unveils the driver safety screens being rolled out on Auckland buses. Video / Carson Bluck