National's leader Christopher Luxon greets party faithful at the launch of their election campaign. Photo / Alex Burton
Giving the vote to 16-year-olds, without them being taught civics in school first, is like letting kids drive a car without first having to learn the rules of the road.
We make huge mistakes. Like the original, universal take-up of the internet, without any guaranteed security systems in place. Such protections are now proven to be technically impossible to provide.
Now there are reports of us repeating this same mistake. AI - with the same unsolvable security vulnerabilities - is being eagerly taken up by businesses, industries, and services around the world. All driven by fear of becoming “less competitive” and “being left behind”. Scams, hacking, and ransom attacks already account for billions of dollars lost to malware perpetrators. To proceed further into the digital world without guaranteed security protections in place, is completely irresponsible, and socially precarious.
As is giving the vote to 16-year-olds, without teaching them civics first about the systems and practices their voting will provide. And the ideologies of those politicians they vote for which, ultimately, affects the lives and futures of every New Zealand citizen.
These are responsibilities all voters should understand, but so many don’t. Civics in schools would rectify that, across all future generations. It should come before reducing the voting age, not after.
Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
A chaotic time
The current state of our nation is undeniably chaotic and it is imperative for anyone willing to provide an honest evaluation to acknowledge this fact. After six years of uninterrupted governance, the Labour Party now asserts that they hold the solutions to our nation’s problems. However, it’s essential to question the validity of their claims when they’ve had ample time to implement the very measures they now propose, just weeks before an election.
While Chris Hipkins appears to be a competent figure, the same cannot be said in my opinion for many of his fellow MPs. It begs the question: Where has Kelvin Davis been in the past year and beyond? As number two in the party, his absence from constructive dialogue or any substantial contributions is concerning.
It’s clear that the Labour Party has had its opportunity to effect change, and the time has come for a shift in leadership and direction.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
The Aotearoa psyche?
While watching coverage of the National Party’s election campaign launch, I half expected Donald Trump to arrive (pending litigation willing), endorsing Luxon and co as the favourites to win the October showdown.
I viewed it as blatant far-right US Republicanism from start to finish. How does that fit into the Aotearoa New Zealand psyche and why should it, ever? Have we so lost our way and pride in our country that some competitors have to resort to slick shows of alleged competency to attract our votes?
National have yet to tell us how all the pipe dreams they’re selling and promises made, which have no chance of being realised in a constantly changing global environment, are going to be funded. Nicola Willis’ refusal to disclose how costings for these have been reached and if they have been independently reviewed should make all Kiwis think very hard before accepting anything we are being told by an Opposition desperate to gain power, as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Squeezed middle? Squeezed out
In a week when we learn as taxpayers and ratepayers that we have to fork out yet another couple of billion dollars or so to help out people who are the unfortunate victims of climate change, one of our main political parties decides in order to elicit votes it will “rob Peter to pay Paul”. The National Party’s plan to give the “squeezed middle” tax cuts is to be partly financed by taking money out of the Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme.
I believe these are just election bribes to take money out of a fund that should be spent on helping to deal with climate change rather than on tax handouts. It doesn’t seem hard to understand that despite a few extra tax dollars, with what we are seeing with climate change, that the squeezed middle is going to be squeezed out of their homes if they burn down in wild fires, or are wrecked by slips and floods.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
What about NZ’s productivity?
How many $2,000,000-plus properties do we as a country have to sell to gain at least $1 billion, which by the way is a pretty small amount these days in anybody’s economic lexicon? Can anyone do sums? You’d have to sell 3333.3 houses (.3 recurring). Seems a bit pathetic, doesn’t it?
Seriously, does anyone believe New Zealand would be a better place for this? The only reason I could imagine they’d want to come here is to escape a certain Armageddon in the northern hemisphere.
Personally, I’d really like to see some applied economics to the incredible lack of productivity in our country. Not lower taxes or 5 cents off a carrot. We’re 38th in the world for slack productivity of OECD countries: “New Zealand productivity among worst in OECD - Productivity Commission report. New Zealand’s productivity is one of the worst among developed economies and needs serious long-term commitment and investment to turn it around...”
Helen Hickford, Auckland.
Be grateful
Bruce Cotterill’s pride in his country seems to be pegged to its macroeconomic statistics. As a result he finds Equatorial Guinea, Zimbabwe and Venezuela to be useful comparisons to New Zealand’s situation. He would be better off visiting those countries and comparing their residents’ typical living standards to his own. He might then switch from being embarrassed to being grateful.
Rowan Hill, Mt Eden.
NZCTU not helping itself
Interesting to see the NZCTU “Advertisement” on the front page of this morning’s Herald with probably the worst photo I have seen of Christopher Luxon. Really? Slanderous, in my opinion. You’re doing your organisation no favours NZCTU!
A J Dickason, East Tamaki Heights.
Pull together for NZ’s good
What a brilliant editorial last Thursday! If only! If only political parties would pull together for the good of the country and its residents instead of spending their time baiting each other. Surely with the recent unprecedented difficulties some modification of the traditional competitive form of government could be considered? Or is it naive to think public welfare should take precedence over personal popularity and power?
Anne Martin, Helensville.
Promote tolerance, please
Your editorial (August 29) posited that some voters are swayed by values and identity rather than policies. This at a time when one group of society seems to consistently be pitted against another. However, now when our country has never been more divided, if we are to have any hope for the future we need to collectively decide what a decent society looks like. The onus is on each of us to promote a culture of tolerance whether, for example, it is age versus youth, free speech versus hate speech, rural versus urban, biculturalism versus multiculturalism. As commentator Fran O’Sullivan predicted (March 25), “culture wars are likely to be the not-so-soft underbelly of the 2023 election”.
Glennys Adams, Ōneroa.
‘Race to the bottom’
Reducing our tax take at a time of such dire need seems irresponsible to me. There seems to be a competition to entice voters by putting a few more dollars in everyone’s pockets, but at what price?
It will mean less money for our already underfunded public services. Less money for our broken infrastructure. Less money for our public amenities which are enjoyed by so many. For what?
Our politicians are letting us down with their irresponsible race to the bottom, where dislike of taxation is used to manipulate voters.
What should really terrify them is the lack of support when they really need it, with pandemics and climate disasters waiting in the wings to make life much more difficult. Governments must have the resources to create a secure and healthy population, and taxation is the only way they can do this. The only way to do this fairly is to introduce a wealth tax or a capital gains tax - we need more revenue, not less. And those with more money than they need should be prepared to contribute their fair share, which they don’t do at the moment.
V M Fergusson, Mt Eden.
The binning of democracy?
What has happened to democracy in New Zealand? We’re under the illusion that we live in a democratic country - apparently not so much anymore.
Auckland City Council has forced upon us their new food scraps recycling bins which, after several phone calls and letters to the council explaining that I did not want or need this bin, I have ended up with it. I am sure other people who feel the same way will agree.
We are a small household of two people and all food scraps go into our compost. Most weeks I am unable to completely fill my rubbish bin or the recycling bin as there just isn’t enough rubbish. I was told by the very helpful customer services lady at the council that we will still be charged $77 for this unwanted bin, regardless of whether we use it.
Wouldn’t it be better that if people choose to have this service it be implemented on a user-pays basis rather than forcing it on us?
As a long-time resident and ratepayer of Auckland, my rates are quite high anyway and it is another added expense for a pensioner.
Katie S Gabrich, Pt Chevalier.
SHORT N SWEET
On seasons
Surely we can’t call the 1st of September spring any more, when the weather last week leads us into a false sense of security like this. There is not even any fresh asparagus to be had yet. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
On dental care
I am curious about the Government’s puzzling promise of free dental care if re-elected. I don’t believe for one moment that the dentists will treat children for free and I do not believe that the Labour Party ministers will pay for the dental care despite their rather large salaries and so there is only one group left to pay in my opinion. That is the poor heavily laden and burdened taxpayer who will have to carry the extra load. Dr D M de Lacey, Newmarket.
To any fan of Dental as Anything, the Prime Minster’s announcement was music to the ears and a victory for the gum lobby. Dean Donoghue, Pāpāmoa Beach.
Perhaps the PM could give a free toothbrush and toothpaste to those aged under 16 as opposed to free dental care to under 30s. That is classic ambulance at the bottom of the cliff strategy. The huge savings could go into the pothole fund, training more carpenters, police recruits, nurses and paying down debt. Dave Miller, Tauranga.
On campaign
With the starter’s pistol echoing in our ears, we’re off on the race to the 2023 election! To paraphrase Bette Davis (All About Eve): “Fasten your seat belts; it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” Jim Flewitt, Warkworth.
On pledges
Does Christopher Luxon also guarantee to the country’s voters that he will resign from politics if he fails to achieve his personal promises set out in the pledge card? Of course it doesn’t, and all we will be hearing are his excuses as to why he hasn’t been able to achieve his promises to the voters of New Zealand. David Mairs, Glendowie.
He was caught trying to trade gift vouchers for sex with a 14yo, police say.