They also spent a lot of our money on expensive consultants to tell them what to do. But nobody was actually doing it.
Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.
Track heat smokescreen
How is it that decades ago, this country ran an infrastructure system that had very few problems and served its people well?
But recently it has fallen to pieces, most likely due to neglect and poor planning. Back in the 1960s we often watched the steam trains whistle across the Canterbury plains during a hot summer without problem.
Personally, I believe the track heat issue is nothing more than a smokescreen for other or ongoing issues.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Away with the ferries
The decision by KiwiRail to renege on their signed contract with the Korean shipyard Hyundai is hard to comprehend.
On the surface at least, it looked like a very good deal for New Zealand and the breaking of this contract will cost an arm and a leg. KiwiRail has not shown how they are going to meet their obligation to provide a reliable transport service between the North and South Islands for freight, local passengers and tourists and New Zealand will suffer as a result.
The company that will almost certainly reap the greatest benefit is that previously headed by the man who decided not to support KiwiRail - Air New Zealand. One might very well think his refusal had some ulterior motive but I could not possibly comment.
However, the question that remains for the Government to answer is: how are the transport needs of both the North and South going to be met for the foreseeable future?
Rod Lyons, Kumeū.
Who defines hate?
Scott Sheeran writes about the need for change to our Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on religious belief, sexual orientation and disability (NZ Herald, February 14).
Consider: Human attributes such as sex, ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability, etc. are attributes you’re born with or acquire and cannot change. Unlike a belief.
Who determines what is a valid religious belief? Are secular beliefs valid? Is that left up to the courts? Do you maintain a register of valid beliefs? Is Jedi-ism a valid belief?
Religious texts such as the Bible, Koran and Talmud incite hate and violence against others, particularly against gay men. How should this be dealt with?
A pastor, iman or rabbi when delivering a sermon or equivalent in their place of worship can incite violence against others. Is that okay because it’s a religious belief?
Bernard Jennings, Wellington.
Recycling wrongs
I think Auckland Council needs to rethink its new strategy on how to combat people putting the wrong things in recycling bins.
On rubbish day this week, I witnessed a council worker check through my neighbour’s recycling bins. After seeing wrong items in the bins, the worker placed a note on some of them and moved them away from the kerb.
A short time later, the neighbour notices what has happened, removes the notes and moves the bins back onto the kerb. So now those bins filled with non-recyclables will go in the truck and contaminate all the recyclables.
Maybe a better way would be to have the council worker check the bins as the recycling truck follows them down the street - not check the bins an hour before the truck comes.
Vanessa Kuran, Kelston.
Hold the phone
After-hours work calls should be banned, as in Australia.
It is my experience that the people who make after-hours business calls are usually disorganised people who mess around during the day doing other matters and have to catch up after-hours.
Many of these people, being senior managers and business owners, don’t keep regular business hours and expect everyone else to accommodate their disorganisation.
I once worked for a person who never turned up until 4.30pm and expected everyone to stay behind and work with him. Needless to say, I didn’t stay long.
After-hours calls place needless stress on employees. If employees were able to charge for after-hours calls they would soon stop.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.
Cathedral timeline
Christchurch Cathedral was severely damaged by earthquakes in late 2010 and early 2011. A decision was made to rebuild it nine years later.
These works are expected to be completed in 2027, a further seven years later. So the total rebuild - earthquake to finished construction - will be 16 years.
Notre Dame was burnt down in April 2019. The decision to rebuild it was made within a week and reconstruction is expected to be completed at the end of this year. Five years after the fire.
Why do we take three times as long? Inefficiency of bureaucracy?
Nick Hamilton, Remuera.
