The Beatles: Get Back is a three-part documentary by Peter Jackson on Disney Plus covering the making of the 1970 album Let It Be. Photo / File
Politicians, whether current or redundant, are noted for claiming credit for the work of others and for selective memory.
Richard Prebble, who falls into the redundant category, reaches a new level of vainglorious revisionist history in his latest Herald column.
Born in 1948, he could hardly have been unaware of how the young pirates of Radio Hauraki in the later 1960s sacrificed finances, relationships and risked their lives over more than three years at sea to overturn the state's stifling broadcasting monopoly and found modern independent radio in New Zealand.
Prebble must have been the only young person in New Zealand to have been unaware of the radio pirates' dramatic exploits and not to have switched on their transistor to listen when Hauraki, having finally won a licence, became in June 1970 the first such pirate station in the world to begin broadcasting legally on land.
He must also have been unaware, when asserting he had a special role in enabling young people to listen to the Beatles, that Hauraki had given a voice in New Zealand many years earlier not just to the Beatles but to pop musicians generally.
Otherwise, he simply has a 20-year hole in his memory. It's interesting that in the same column he takes an unnecessary potshot at another ageing politician, Joe Biden, as exhibiting geriatric behaviour, which stereotypically can include such inexplicable memory loss.
I was the Herald reporter at the time who recorded the whole pirate radio saga. I also later wrote the station's full history, Radio Pirates, now in its fourth edition.
I share the anger of the surviving Hauraki pirates at his gross Prebbleisation of the facts.
Adrian Blackburn, Epsom.
Hi Adrian,
My 800-word article was a review of Peter Jackson's excellent documentary, not a history of radio.
I stand by the accuracy of my column. If you check you will see the Beatles first record did come out in 1962. At that time there was a state monopoly. Radio Hauraki went to sea December 6, 1966.
As you say they broke the state monopoly. Radio Hauraki did not deregulate. That was never the station owners' objective.
The second issue I faced as Minister of Broadcasting was an application by music stations to shift at no cost from AM to FM.
Freeing up of the spectrum enabled the music stations to all shift to FM.
The holders of the few private radio licences in 1987 were totally opposed to the freeing up of the spectrum. They were just as opposed to facing more competition as the state broadcasters had been. They were appalled that they would have to pay for frequencies.
Their position was that the taxpayers should give them spectrum on the FM band and no one else should get a licence to broadcast.
They were very angry with me. Judging from your comments they are still angry.
Richard Prebble.
Chris Bishop thinks I should be surprised that a young professional wanted to go on the town after nine days self-isolating. Not at all – I would be celebrating, as well.
Should we prosecute? No – let's find out why our DJ thought the day nine test was the end of his isolation period.
Let's assume honesty, and remember the rules have changed since his last visit.
We've all been told to wait for test results, but did he understand that? If not, we need to find out why, because that has exposed a hole we can't afford. He could have done us a big favour.
There is a huge difference between leaving self-isolation a day early and jumping an MIQ fence on day one.
Once again, we seem to have been lucky. Let's take the view that disappointing fans is a form of punishment, and replace the opportunity to prosecute with a chance to learn.
That way, we protect the whole team a little better – and that is what has got us this far.
Mike Diggins, Royal Oak.
We all can feel some relief from overseas experts' reports on the diminishing impact of Covid and its iterations and now, leaving to one side the administrative blunders associated with its handling in New Zealand, we should be asking, "What did we learn?"
Science, which long predicted the Christchurch quakes, did the same with the current pandemic.
Further, it promises more of them and more frequently. I think that we would like to hear that contingency plans are being discussed in Wellington that will eliminate most of the dithering and flawed decision-making that has been such a feature of the last two years.
I do not believe that another government would necessarily have had a slicker approach but I do believe that all parties, ministries and bureaucrats now need to focus their future policies on, for example, remote MIQ facilities, ideas for swiftly organised temporary ICUs and the enabling migration of necessary professionals.
And tell us that this is happening. I think we deserve no less.
Penny Raine, Auckland Central.
Simon Wilson is dead right in highlighting the lack of police enforcement as a key driver of the road toll figures.
We can encourage and educate till the cows come home, but nothing really adjusts behaviour like enforcement.
If police enforced the rules around mobile phone usage in cars and installed red-light cameras at all major intersections, this would go some way to bringing our road toll under 300 or so per year.
When you combine our soft approach to driving crimes and the madcap way Kiwis drive it is actually a surprise there are not more accidents and deaths per year.
PJ Houlahan, Titirangi.
Why is there any surprise with the road death numbers? In the ME ME society that we live in now, what would you expect?
The mantra goes, why do I have to obey speed limits, not drink and drive, not be bombed out on meth, overtake on yellow lines, ad nauseam, after all, you are infringing on my rights to do as I like.
Then the powder puff judicial system comes into play.
If the person has been caught five times for drunk driving let's increase the disqualification for one year. For any serious offence, the licence should be cancelled and a new test would have to be sat, which would slow people up.
I would hate to lose my licence, mind you, I would advise young people to get law degrees; there would be plenty of work defending the idiots.
John Davison, Manurewa.
Now that the summer holiday season has drawn to a close, the Ministry of Transport must reflect on the fact that the ridiculous TV road safety advertisements have done absolutely nothing to reduce the road toll.
Forget vehicles with five-star safety features – we need five-star safe drivers.
Don't hammer speed ad infinitum. This deviates attention from the real problem. Speed is determined from assessment, assessment, assessment – depending on the environment.
Having driven for more than 67 years I can confirm that there are no dangerous roads in New Zealand – but there are thousands of dangerous drivers who don't know how to use the roads.
A total administrative rectification in approach is necessary. Firstly, fines should be abolished – they do nothing to improve driver skills.
Any and all driving infringements must attract a mandatory advanced driving course, with an emphasis on the infringement. In conclusion, a learner licence is issued with all incumbent restrictions.
Only then will the real problem be targeted and safety on our roads improve. There is no need – apart from mechanical failure – for accidents to occur. Our present unacceptable road toll is the direct result of lack of driver skills, inattention and stupidity.
Robert Hoyle, Whanganui.
On a recent 2km trip to the supermarket, I saw three motorists using their cellphones while driving. This practice is still rampant yet nothing effective is being done to deter it.
It astounds me that the most effective penalty, one which will stop most of this practice within a very short time, is not being used - i.e. impoundment or permanent forfeiture of the phone.
Modern cellphones hold a wealth of data - personal and business contacts, photos, text and messages, the loss of which would distress the owner more than somewhat.
Anyone knows that those who lose or damage their phones become extremely frustrated and quite unstable until the situation is corrected so it follows that the risk of being deprived of the phone would act as an effective deterrent.
Instead of a paltry fine, for a first offence, impound the phone for say seven days and until the (substantial) fine is paid. For subsequent offences, permanent forfeiture of the phone plus double fine.
Enforcement must be strict and penalties a deterrent. Anything else will cause people to thumb their noses and ignore the ban and more accidents will happen.
Robin McGrath, Birkenhead.
What Robin Harrison of Takapuna has to keep in context is that the district health board model is a big machine.
To coordinate this machine seamlessly all the time is a huge task.
Having been part of the DHB machine for nigh on 34 years, I can tell you that the machine, is in the most part, a very good one; but we cannot sustain 20 individual groups trying to run their own entity, duplicating everything 20 times, that's just mad.
Auckland, with three DHB entities within their isthmus, is a very good case in point.
Our nation is still small enough that we should be able to centralise our delivery of healthcare and make it more efficient.
The most important thing to remember is this; when there is a life-threatening event needing immediate care such as the Christchurch mosque shooting, the White Island disaster and let's not forget pandemics, the health system is exemplary in its delivery, and for that, we must be thankful.
John Ford, Napier.
The recent and dramatic improvements in quitting cigarettes by people from all walks of life, all ages and ethnic groups are heartening (Robert Beaglehole, Herald, Dec 30).
But like the 90% Project for Covid-19 vaccination, it will be essential to ensure that no group is left behind in the critical public health goal of 95 per cent of New Zealanders being smoke-free by 2025.
The New Zealand Health Survey suggests that Asian people have already reached the 95 per cent goal, non-Māori are close at nearly 92 per cent, but only around 84 per cent of Pacific people and not quite 78 per cent of Māori are smoke-free. The latter group has been boosted by excellent Māori-run and Māori-led programmes such as Vape to Save.
However, the bulk of the remaining cigarette smokers are those who live in the most deprived socioeconomic circumstances, where only 77 per cent are smoke-free.
One suggestion not yet considered would be to target all current smokers who have a community services card and offer them a free trial of e-cigarettes – vaping - a much safer, healthier, and cheaper option. The same could happen at the hospital level, offering all smokers support with a free trial on discharge.
That would be a win-win situation for all: achieving the goal, reducing the burden on health services and contributing towards reducing one preventable cause of poverty among cigarette smokers.
Ruth Bonita, Devonport.
Kim Knight (Herald, Jan 3) refers to Pelorus Cake and asks "Has anyone in the world ever eaten a Pelorus Cake?"
The answer is yes. It was a fruit cake that I recall my mother baking in the late 1950s and 1960s.
One year when finances were tight it was the family Christmas cake. It used only three eggs compared to other recipes that needed between six and 10.
It also required only three varieties of dried fruit and no almonds. Warm water replaced the brandy, sherry or wine of traditional Christmas cake recipes.
It was also a useful fruit cake recipe in winter when eggs were in short supply. We had to rely on those preserved in a time of plenty in a very smelly egg preserver.
I trust that answers Kim's question...
Vivienne Hill, Glenfield.
On road safety
New Zealand's road toll statistics are indeed shocking. However, it is wrong to focus solely on road deaths. There are many more who suffer permanent debilitating physical and/or mental impairment. There is indeed a fate worse than death!
Ray Gilbert, Papamoa Beach.
On cycling
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents of Dornwell Rd, Mt Roskill, for coming to help me in a terrible and painful bicycle accident on December 10, 2021. I was coming downhill from Three Kings and hit the road bump and was thrown off the bicycle and landed heavily on the tar road. The road bump was not adequately coloured with white or yellow markings and the signpost was hidden by the tree branches. I sustained two fractured ribs and fractured right shoulder blade together with numerous bruises, cuts and grazes on my hands and legs.
Tiong Ang, Mt Roskill.
On DJ visit
Perhaps DJ Dimension (Robert Etheridge) could make a sizeable donation to a worthwhile cause or do some community work for all the trouble he has caused for his contacts who have had to isolate and for the authorities in charge of Covid suppression.
Danna Glendining, Taupō.
On Luxon
David Mairs ( Letters, Jan 4) obviously has a beacon of light for our Prime Minister and disdain for [Chris] Luxon. With the PM's soft approach to the growing number of gang members, violence, gun use, and burglaries in our city he may yet get to admire Luxon's approach to the crackdown on crime.
Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.
On Covid
Gautam S (Premium Debate, Jan 3) made an unfortunate goof when he made the comment about the Government failing in doing something useful that matters. I would suggest that he is ALIVE and is currently Covid-free? Need I say more, eh!
Alan Hobbs, Whakatane.
On weather
I suggest the wrangle between MetService and Niwa could be resolved quickly, cheaply and with more interest by appointing Ken Ring as Weather Commissioner and supplying each household annually with his almanac.
Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.
Crypto craze: NFTs invade the Kiwi digi-market
I'm glad that the artists get royalties in perpetuity with NFTs. But some unscrupulous ppl are copying original art and flogging it as their own NFTs. Best to do a thorough Google image search before forking out your hard-earned crypto. Scammers gonna scam... Heather A.
Not sure if the mention of celebrities in this context should be seen as a recommendation or as a red flag. Emile B.
Exactly - remember Dan Carter's Gas Clothing stores. Mark W.
Check out gambling apes. The world of NFTs is promising for those that understand their potential. Jordan C.
So to be clear, they are asking US$16,000 for a copy of a Rita Angus painting that will be the home screen on a computer? I'm sure I could do that myself for free, along with the mood music… Greg M.
It's the ownership rights though. You can take a picture of Mona Lisa and have it on your computer screen but saying you actually own it means more. And the blockchain verifies that ownership absolutely. Chris T.
Um, so what? It's like claiming ownership rights on the air you breathe in. Yep, it's yours, but there's plenty more like it. It's a picture of a picture, which could have other pictures taken of it too, multiple times. Collectables as investment need rarity value to be of any worth. Ray S.
A Mongrel Mob hat and T-shirt have been seized in Wairoa, with two people arrested.