Letters: Party affiliations, Peter Ellis appeal, rail upgrade, bureaucrats, and Ukraine

Voters in local body elections are largely in the dark about many candidates and their intentions. Photo / Alex Burton, File

Stated affiliations
The 2022 local body elections slid away much as they arrived. Minimal noise and quickly forgotten. Embarrassingly few troubled themselves with the ballot papers, barely 30 per cent of eligible voters.
While councils have a significant and direct impact on the lives of the public, apathy continued to reign.
Why so little interest? The shrugging of shoulders might reflect confusion as to "who is who".
Dozens of arcane and unfamiliar organisations offer candidates. Skilfully drafted profiles trumpet enthusiasm and experience and carefully obscure reasons to avoid.
It becomes a struggle to establish if candidates are from the "Eat the Rich" or "Grind down the Poor" ends of the political spectrum or somewhere in between.
In the US and UK, local body candidates run under the flags of the major parties.
Why not here? The likely answer is the parties prefer ducking behind proxies to escape association with humiliating defeats.
In a general election, the major parties are everywhere; touting their people, skills and experience. Can they be coaxed out for the same at local body time? This just might help enliven the elections.
Denis Edwards, Pāpāmoa Beach.

Swedish model
The electorate's participation in the recent elections is quite abysmal. In Sweden over the past 50 years, the low point of participation is 80 per cent and the high point is 92 per cent. Elections for all three levels of assemblies, local, regional, and national are all held on the same day. Every voter submits three votes, one for local; one for regional; and one for city/ township. The vast majority of voters support the same party in all three elections but you don't have to. This makes the voting process very efficient and cost-effective. Results for each level are normally known the next day. The extra effort to submit three votes like this at the same time is very marginal. The recent participation rate in local elections in NZ is so low at 31 per cent that it is difficult to say that the people have spoken. It looks like there is room for improvement.
Frank Olsson, Freemans Bay.

Centre-left
That Wellingtonians took a jump to the left in the local body election when the rest of the country took a step to the right shows just how out of touch they are.
These are the people who have been making decisions on our behalf over the past two and a half years with no understanding or care of the consequences for the rest of us.
Sue Mulrennan, Hillsborough.

Decision deplored
Congratulations to Audrey Young (NZ Herald, October 10) for highlighting the arrogance of unelected judicial activists on the Supreme Court, unnecessarily invoking tikanga in the Peter Ellis case.
Their decision to abolish the 1908 test of when tikanga could be considered part of the common law is particularly egregious given that the whole issue of tikanga is currently under scrutiny by the Law Commission - a point made by two dissenting judges on the Supreme Court. Parliament is sovereign.
This intemperate decision is deplorable.
Cam Calder, Devonport.

Progressive approach
A review of the appeal outcome in the Peter Ellis case and the audacious use of the tikanga principle (NZ Herald, October 10) is a breath of fresh progressive air.
As a lawyer from South Africa, currently on leave, I was absorbed in the 152-page decision handed down by the Supreme Court. I had followed the 1993 case from South Africa and found earlier decisions odd considering the nature of the allegation against the now deceased Mr Ellis.
Was justice done by the exoneration of Mr Ellis? No.
Yes, to the demand by counsel for the deceased. There must be a formal commission of inquiry which would be in the interests of justice.
Saber Ahmed Jazbhay, Durban, South Africa.

Making tracks
I read with astonishment of the proposal to virtually shut down Auckland's suburban rail network for the best part of 12 months to simply replace the ballast under the tracks. Overseas, this is done by special automated equipment overnight so the track is ready for normal use the next morning. The machines can replace up to 1.6km of ballast each night.
Only the single track being worked on is affected and freight can continue to utilise the adjacent line to minimise disruption. Why has this option not been considered for Auckland given the enormous disruption to commuter travel that will result from the current plan? The proposal to use buses as a replacement and add yet more congestion to the already overcrowded roads must surely be the most simplistic and short-sighted approach imaginable.
If we want to promote public transport in Auckland as a true alternative to private cars, we need to start catering properly for those using the system and come up with 21st Century solutions as most other developed countries have done.
Richard Dawn, Mt Eden.

Built-in bureaucracy
I built my first house in Whangaparāoa in 1975 and still have all the paperwork approved by Waitematā County Council. The application itself is simply four sides of "legal" sized paper, with the specifications of the house I proposed to build attached. All the building permit fees are listed on the back page. The building permit fee was $53 plus a refundable road crossing damage fee of $40.
I was also allowed to build much of the house myself, apart from that which required qualified tradesmen like plumbing, electricity etc, despite not being a builder.
That fees have grown to an eye-watering $40,000+ in Tauranga proves the truth of Parkinson's Law (1955) - "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion".
I have great sympathy for young couples today whose ambitions to build their own home have been kicked in the teeth by politicians of all persuasions.
If some sanity is to be re-introduced then there will have to be a confrontation with the politicians and the bureaucracy who will defend their empires to the last. Good luck with that.
David Goodyear, Welcome Bay.

Turn it down
I was saddened to see that the only candidate for the central city ward who identified noise pollution as a problem failed to get elected in the recent elections. How Auckland Council can allow buskers in the central city to use loudspeakers so they can be heard several blocks away from where they are standing mystifies me.
I also fail to understand why the Police allow motor vehicles and motorbikes with "souped up" exhaust systems to range the streets with impunity when the noise they make is clearly audible several streets away.
Perhaps someone who was elected to the council could make it their mission to crack on noise pollution right across the region.
Charles Fraser, Freemans Bay.

Powerless poor
Simon Watts (NZ Herald, October 11), on the dismal turnout at the local body elections, lays the blame squarely on central government.
I hope he includes his own party in his scathing criticism, because this rot has been happening for decades, long before the term of this present Government.
Too much power is in the hands of CEOs and mayors, making councillors almost powerless to do anything.
Also a new way of funding needs to be found before ratepayers are bankrupted by constantly rising rates that cannot keep up with mounting infrastructure costs.
Rosemary MacKenzie, Rotorua.

Stand with Ukraine
Estonia's Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, is an inspiration to us all (NZ Herald, October 10).
This extremely brave woman has resolutely stood up to Putin, not just in words but in substance.
She has materially supported Ukraine by supplying more military equipment as a proportion of GDP per capita than any other nation.
She has called for more sanctions against Russia. I would like to think that this is a request the New Zealand Government can meet.
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.

Happy Diwali
What a pleasure it was to experience the vibrant Diwali festival in Auckland's city centre on the weekend.
What a welcome rebuke it was to all the moaning by disgruntled detractors of our changing city centre. It was a most enjoyable colourful event which positively highlighted the diverse nature of the city's population.
With part of Queen St closed off, adjacent to Aotea Square, it made for a very people-friendly space which attracted big crowds to the sounds and foods of India.
All of this happened in a very friendly environment that did the city proud.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.

Short & sweet

On Russia
Putin says destroying the bridge linking Russia to annexed Crimea is an act of terrorism by Ukraine. What would Putin call the immense destruction by Russia to Ukraine since February? Friendly fire? Joyce Morton, Mt Roskill.

With his allegations of terrorism against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin must surely qualify for honorary life membership of the International Comedy Club. Phil Chitty, Albany.

On voting
Value democracy or find yourself living in a totalitarian state. We are almost there already. Euan Macduff, Titirangi.

No wonder voting turnout is poor. In Auckland we've lost the connection we had with our smaller local councils. We no longer know the people up for election, or feel our opinions matter. Valerie Elms, Red Beach.

On tikanga
The Government is said to be working on introducing the concept of tikanga into the justice system but the Supreme Court has done the job for them. This precedent will change NZ justice forever. June Kearney, West Harbour.

On golf
The 2023 NZ Golf Open at Millbrook on March 2-5 clashes with the US Players Championship in Florida on March 7-12. With the prize pool at the Players of NZ $44m and the NZ Golf Open circa $1.5m the chances of attracting Kim, Herbert and Fox are sadly akin to a "snowball's chance in hell". Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.

The Premium Debate

Who could lead the merged RNZ and TVNZ?

I can tell you a fact, it will not be the person who has experience in running a similar entity as there has not been a similar beast in NZ before. It will be the person who fits the right 'profile' decided on by the minister in charge. Steven D.

With respect, isn't the $1 million question, why on earth is this merger happening without clear, logical reasoning and an actual business case? Of course, it's more accurately the $100 or so million question of however much has been spent. Jonathan F.

The real question is, who would want the job? Given that it will probably only last until the next election, certainly not a private sector executive with any ambition. So that suggests a career civil servant in a caretaker role. But hang on a moment. Whoever gets the job is going to have to innovative and creative. And that's something civil servants aren't well known for. Oh well, I dare say there will be a few Labour politicians looking for a job after the next election. Plenty of creativity there. So perhaps Willie Jackson would be interested since he clearly knows all he needs to know about TVNZ. Colin J.

Which one of these could actually improve content to stop the flight to other online options, before the whole thing dies? Michael R.

Whoever wins, can something be done to allow Kiwis abroad to have live streaming please? William G.

It seems somewhat unbelievable that the media guru Willie Jackson is having a bigger impact on this proposal than the rest of the media heads who seem to be against the idea. Why doesn't the minister present the business case and cost-benefit table that has been put up to support the merger? To me, it seems a foolish idea as it looks like putting oil and water together, and we know what happens there. Storm R.

Because there isn't one. He knew that would have shown how costly it is for an ideological change. Stephen H.