Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and National leader Christopher Luxon.
Letter of the week: Mary Hearn, Glendowie
Thanks for the comprehensive report on the two Chrises, (Weekend Herald, July 22 & July 29). Interestingly, there are similarities between the two: both grew up in relatively modest homes where achievement was valued, and both genuinely want to make New Zealand a better country. But there the similarities end, with the pragmatic, industrious, “Mr. Fix It” and the capitalist with a conscience taking very divergent paths to arrive at where they are today. The Prime Minister, having cut his teeth in student politics and many years spent inside the Labour machine, knows where the pitfalls are, and because he does, may hesitate to act. Conversely, Christopher Luxon, with no political background, may not know how to avoid those pitfalls. By relying on tax cuts for the country’s highest earners, he negates his assertion that he “understands the world and understands problems”. Luxon the businessman, who spent years studying how to improve performance and outcomes, surely must realise that “trickle-down economics” has had no beneficial effect on real GDP per capita or employment, and further increases inequality. One leader is on a painful treadmill of reacting instead of acting because of an unruly Cabinet, and the other leader is harking back to regressive policies that have had a negligible effect but play well for a weary public. It’s painful to realise that it may come down to New Zealanders choosing who they want least, as opposed to who they want more.
Migrant reality
What a brilliant and insightful piece of writing from Steve Braunias was ‘”Life and Death in the Auckland Shadows” 29/6/23. The haunting and sad reality behind the Albany death of a migrant worker. How many more isolated and unseen workers are there living in tiny basement rooms and working their lives away for the NZ dream? We can do better as a country for our migrant workers, many of whom are doing the dirtiest, least-appreciated, worst-paid jobs to keep our economy ticking. Thank you, Steve, for shedding light on this.
Angela Wallace, Tauranga.
Hard graft
Sensitively written and thought-provoking, Steve Braunias’ article (Weekend Herald, July 29) reporting on the life and death of two Chinese workers (Chao Chen and Lele He) contrasted the difference between our two cultures. The Chinese workers had left poverty in China to seek a better life for their families in New Zealand. To progress in life they were prepared to live alone in substandard accommodation, work hard and long hours to save money. There were no Government handouts for Chen and Lele He. Hard work was the only way to get ahead. Contrast their approach with the entitlement mentality that is drowning so many New Zealanders. What has happened to our “can do” outlook on life? Where has our No. 8 fencing wire mentality gone? Many New Zealanders can learn much from the tragic case of two Chinese workers. Belief in oneself, coupled with a determination to work hard and do well, is an attitude upon which great countries are built.
Patricia Schnauer, Milford.
Private practice
It has become fashionable for people associated with for-profit medicine (Weekend Herald, July 29) to claim that medical practitioners with a private practice somehow add to the quantum of healthcare available. This is not the case. Hospital doctors with practices on the side simply waste valuable time travelling between the hospitals and their rooms.
Mark Nixon, Remuera.
People priority
I read with interest the life story of Christopher Luxon (Weekend Herald, July 31). Let’s hope you are not another businessman who learns the hard way that running a government is nothing like running a business. It is encouraging that he thinks businesses have a role to play in strengthening society. Because it is socially irresponsible business practices that create social ruin in communities through the prevalence of money lenders, scammers, liquor, gambling, and fast food outlets. And environmentally irresponsible business practices that make our communities increasingly unliveable with pollution and waste. Will Luxon change that? No other government has had the political will to do so, in any meaningful way. It is encouraging that he wants communities to fulfil their potential, but you need to start with the people, not the economy. Without people, there is no economy. People need affordable housing, education, and health services, along with a living wage. Wanting to help people solve their problems sounds rather paternal and patronising. Strengthening communities from the ground up (rather than the top down) enables them to solve their own problems.
JL Jones, Devonport.
Raking it in
It seems to me after a life of observing, and hopefully learning, that Western society (though not all) seems to display an anomaly, in that people that I know who deal with people (often who need help) nurses, doctors, social workers, mental health workers, etc, are badly compensated for a job which not only has low financial recompense but can also affect them emotionally. Meanwhile, those who work with numbers and moving money around for other people who have excess money, are the most rewarded with no pressure other than getting their yearly bonus. Why? Maybe part of the reason is that humans got to where we are from being competitive; however the extremes of this “competitiveness” means many drop by the wayside.
Hamish Walsh, Devonport.
Go fish
The saying, if you give someone a fish you will feed them for a day. If you teach them how to fish you will feed them for a lifetime. I see beneficiaries each fortnight getting their benefits, which will only feed them for another two weeks. Surely, there is got to be a better way to help them so they can learn to fish and feed themselves. Governments need to control their spending and carefully monitor where every dollar goes and we all know that is not happening. We need more people to start businesses, which will create more jobs and those employees and the company will pay more tax. If we addressed these three issues, we would not need to scour around looking for new ways to tax us more.
Tom Reynolds, St Heliers.
Rave reviews
The reviews of the film Oppenheimer by Zanna Gillespie and Greg Bruce (Weekend Herald, July 29th) were masterly journalism. Oppenheimer was a genius-level physicist, a polymath committed to left-wing principles rather than left-wing fashion, and a man who overcame pervasive anti-Semitism to emerge as one of the 20th century’s greatest scientists. The film presents all these interesting aspects of his character against the literally-explosive arrival of science into the quantum era. But the reviewers were right not to get into all that boring stuff about character and history. They point out that Oppenheimer is really long and you might need to go to the toilet. Imagine the poor blokes who wrote the 700-page biography the film is based on. And then they had to sit through the Pulitzer Prize ceremony, too. They must have been busting. Gillespie includes a nice riff on director Christopher Nolan being an old white man who thinks he has something to say: the mindless, recycled quality of that sentiment draws into perfect focus the depth and gravitas of both the lead character and the film they were ostensibly reviewing. Essential stuff.
Ben Sanders, Hauraki.
It’s sad to see New Zealand not making it to the knockout stage in the Women’s World Cup. But the quality of football they played made all in the Pacific proud. Rajend Naidu, Glenfield.
Reading about Christopher Luxon’s background (WH, Jul 29) I find it puzzling that his Christian values should be considered by some to be a problem. Is he not entitled to his beliefs? I trust that the people who question his right to his opinions are not the same as those who vigorously claim their right to theirs. Anne Martin, Helensville.
Well done Alex Spence for the very well-written article for Election 2023 (WH, Jul 29), “The man who wants to be PM”. I believe Christopher Luxon and the National Party are what this country needs. Carol Turner, Kihikihi.
In the story on Christopher Luxon (WH, Jul 29) it’s reported that while being interviewed he went into a wine bar to take a phone call, didn’t order a drink, but asked them to turn down the music so he could hear better. If it sounds too good to be true maybe that’s because it is. Samantha Cunningham, Henderson.
A British judge sentenced the killer of an NZ-born British policeman to life - no exceptions. In NZ, the judge would have sentenced to life and then discounted for anything you can think of, reducing to home detention. Personal responsibility is a lost concept in NZ. Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.
Ken Taylor (WH, Jul 29) says National is so bereft of policies it has taken to announcing Labour’s. If I were him, I would be more concerned with the fact National can announce Labour policies before Labour can. Mark Young, Ōrewa.
I feel for the Aussie rugby lads; it seems the professional schedule prevents them from a true three-game Bledisloe contest to get it anywhere near their hometown. John Ford, Taradale.
The defiant unions now appear to be grateful for whatever pay increases a more sympathetic Labour government is offering. Time to take what’s on offer before austerity bites with a swing to the right I guess. Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.
Instead of grandstanding over tax David Parker should deliver on his key responsibility of RMA reform. Steve Dransfield, Karori.
How can it possibly take the Government over five months to negotiate what ended, as a 50/50 agreement, following the Hawke’s Bay floods in February. Can it do nothing efficiently? Mike Baker, Tauranga.
Wayne Brown doesn’t have to design a water world, climate change will do it for him. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
“We could be swimming near Queens Wharf and going to concerts on the water before the end of the decade“. Which decade is he referring to, may I ask? Garry Wycherley, Awakino.
With the General Election fast approaching, we are once again having our intellect insulted, and our minds assaulted, by the Electoral Commission’s childish Orange Man adverts. Philip Lenton, Somerville.
Could someone please buy the TV One’s sports presenter a better-fitting sports jacket? Ross Harvey, Remuera.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.