Kane Williamson celebrates his century on day four of the second test against South Africa. Photo / Photosport
NZ housing like a Ponzi scheme
Thursday’s editorial tragically reflected conventional Kiwi wisdom, stating: “It is hard to imagine a booming economy in this country that isn’t underpinned by strong house price growth”.
NZ housing is like a Ponzi scheme, where Kiwis sell other Kiwis increasingly expensive houses and believe their country is thereby progressing.
High house prices have many negatives. Large mortgages compel two-income households. Few can afford one parent at home raising the kids.
They drive financial disparity and higher rents for those unable to afford a home.
They mean Kiwis, after paying enormous mortgages, have minimal amounts to save for retirement. Instead, we expect our homes to appreciate over our working years; sell and downsize when we retire; and live off the remaining nest egg. It’s the Kiwi way of providing for retirement.
If NZ houses cost far less, compulsory Kiwisaver at 12 per cent could force people to save funds they currently pay under mortgages. Fund managers would then invest those saved funds to raise productivity and drive NZ’s economy.
Kiwis saving for retirement would help NZ’s currently unaffordable government superannuation.
The benefits from lower house prices are major, but politicians do nothing because vested interests (especially existing homeowners) want house prices to continue rising.
David Schnauer, Milford.
Stadium user pays
The Weekend Herald editorial on the Auckland stadium debate (Feb 17) states: “At some point - no matter the big corporate branding and venture capital that comes along for the ride - ratepayers and taxpayers will be reaching into their pockets to get this project complete.”
One presumes that the corporations and venture capitalists will expect a return on their investment. Ratepayers and taxpayers not so much.
All the users of the proposed stadium will be professional organisations, whether in sport or entertainment. All who attend events will pay to do so. There is unlikely to be a discount for ratepayers or taxpayers.
When stadia were community facilities in a time of amateur sport it made sense for the community to fund them. I don’t see the benefit to the community in funding facilities for professional organisations now.
John O’Neill, Dargaville.
Not the racecourse
Due to the Avondale Racecourse closure in 2024 it’s the ideal site for a replica of Perth’s Optus Stadium suggested correspondent Murray Hunter (Weekend Herald, Feb 17).
What about West Auckland’s iconic Avondale markets located by the racecourse? They are New Zealand’s biggest‚ longest-running market, attracting up to 20,000 visitors from 5am to 12pm every Sunday.
A treasure trove of produce that many chefs scout, food trucks, bric a brac, car boot sales, clothes, antiques, buskers, the list goes on. The markets are a rich vibrant representation of Auckland’s diversity, they are an experience and have been part of Auckland’s society since the 1970s.
The Avondale markets hold a precious place in history and with many of us trying to make or save a dollar their relevance is very real. Hopefully their future is protected.
Alison Redfern-Daly, Titirangi.
Avondale solution
Yay, someone else is singing from my songbook. Murray Hunter, from Titirangi, he is a genius.
I have written many times to NZ Rugby, NZ Cricket and to mayor Wayne Brown suggesting Avondale Racecourse as a site for a new national stadium. Yes, let’s build a lovely stadium like Perth.
Forget these fancy doo dah waterfront stadiums with all the associated space, water and consent issues.
Avondale is flat and near major transport options. Plenty of room for a multi-storey car park that could be a park-and-ride on weekdays, plenty of room for apartments and room for a dedicated cricket field, which Auckland desperately needs. Being flat, earthworks would be more cost-effective.
Eden Park can then be filled in for residential construction. Let’s not let Kāinga Ora get their hands on this prime piece of land and fill it with flats. Let’s use it wisely.
Fiona Walton, Lynfield.
Pick of the bunch
I have reviewed the four Auckland sports stadium options and can assert that correspondent Murray Hunter’s recommendation for an Optus-like stadium on the old Avondale racecourse tops them all, based on easy building, land area and transport systems. If we get anything else, look to those with vested interests.
Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.
Bumpy ride
How do emergency vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances handle the raised pedestrian crossings now commonplace on our streets in an emergency?
Imagine a critical care victim is in an ambulance being taken to hospital who gets taken over these mountainous humps several times on their way to hospital.
Fire engines will also take a lot longer to actually get to a fire.
Good thinking Auckland Council?
Barry Cairns, Greenlane.
Super Rugby stocks
Gregor Paul’s article (Feb 17) posed an interesting, if predictable question, but failed to address the real elephant in the room.
He eloquently and persuasively argued for the reduction of Australian teams by allowing the Rebels to disappear, but then argued for one further team to be eliminated without suggesting which one that should be.
I imagine the Crusaders and Chiefs are safe, but a case could be made to remove one of the Highlanders, Hurricanes, Blues, Fijian Drua or Moana Pasifika.
Super Rugby Pacific is unlikely to get rid of either of the last two, having gone to great lengths to introduce them two years ago. I wouldn’t think any of the New Zealand franchises would welcome being axed, nor should they be, but Paul really should avoid proposing only a partial solution.
It just shows how hard it is to come up with any workable compromise.
Allan Barber, Point Wells.
Food hygiene
I have long found some cafe attitudes to hygiene and food safety rather cavalier. Over several visits to an “upmarket” cafe where uncovered food was displayed at face level where customers placed their order and paid, I contacted the council. No one else ever seemed concerned.
After complaints by me and several visits from Auckland Council, the cafe was fined and then complied. Why would you think it was okay to have doughnuts containing fresh cream out in the open for hours on a summer day to be breathed on by all and sundry, I don’t know.
And why wasn’t supermarket deli food contaminated by a mouse immediately thrown out and the area deep cleaned, I don’t know. Go figure what it must be like behind the scenes.
Jen Wallis, Blockhouse Bay.
Golden Kane
All New Zealanders can be proud of cricketer Kane Williamson - not just of his batting prowess, but of the man himself. For him, none of the showy histrionics of some other century makers who shall remain nameless, but who gallop off on a victory lap around the pitch leaping with arms, bat, and helmet raised high.
No, for Kane a gentle smile is enough, a polite acknowledgement of the applause with the bat and perhaps a wave, and an embrace for the other batter - no histrionics, just humility. Pure gold.
Renton Brown, Pukekohe.
A SOTP (STOP) sign painted on an Auckland road is totally consistent with a dysfunctional roading network that is incapable of handling peak traffic volumes. Add to this, cycleways that throttle and constrict suburban shopping areas and numerous pedestrian crossings and low speed zones, all of which combine to create an Auckland regional motorist’s nightmare. Aucklanders wish that this omnishambles would just ... SOTP
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
The National Government is cracking down on beneficiaries. I wonder how long it will be before we hear good policy announcements on being hard on tax avoiders. Or is tax avoidance part of their “incentive package for businesses”? Our country misses out on billions of dollars through tax avoidance which would easily pay for better education and health systems. Yet, National, Act and NZ First have nothing to say on this issue.
Maureen Mildon, Hamilton.
Saying Ginny Andersen “went too far” doesn’t cut it Chris Hipkins! Put your big boy pants on and discipline your politicians.
Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.
Did Ginny Andersen keep a tally of the people she bullied in her office?
Mark Young, Orewa.
I think Ginny Andersen should be made to resign for her accusation that Mark Mitchell shot and killed people in the Middle East. That is an awful accusation. Unless of course she has proof. We do not need this sort of unsubstantiated gutter politics.
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
I hope the colonial oppressors at Auckland Museum plan to repatriate some of the taonga they’ve extorted from Aucklanders in the form of rates over the years.
Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.
I see we have a falling birth rate in NZ. Maybe if we had followed Chippy’s advice in 2019 to “spread your legs” this could have been alleviated?
John Macfarlane, Bucklands Beach.
The bleeding hearts are at it again complaining that the new speed cameras are there to collect revenue. Are these people so stupid that they haven’t realised that if all motorists, including themselves, didn’t exceed the speed limit, the revenue collected would be $0. Get a life and respect the laws of the land.
Ian Grant, Matamata.
I am so tired of the PM continually slandering Grant Robertson while totally ignoring the impact of the pandemic. Every country struggled and economists worldwide highly rated Robertson’s handling of the pandemic. Time for Christopher Luxon to stop whinging and move forward, not backwards.
Cheryl Taylor, Mt Eden.
Inflation is now a treasured part of Kiwi culture, like gumboots and No 8 wire. If you’re not raising your charges, you’re dead in the water. My New Lynn Borough Council used to trim my gum tree, fix my drive drain, all part of the service. Creating a mega-council inspired megalomaniacs to create myriad six-figure-salary armchair managers with fatuous titles like head of communications.
Jim Carlyle, Te Atatu
I note Christopher Luxon is classed as an evangelical Christian. It seems the notion of charity and loving your fellow man wasn’t in his version of the Bible.
Rex Fausett, Auckland Central.
What qualifications does Grant Robertson have to be the vice chancellor of Otago University? If it was not so serious it could be considered a joke. Is this a case of jobs for the old boys?
Arthur Moore, Pakuranga.
Is there any truth to the rumour that with Razor now in charge, the All Blacks will perform a breakdance instead of a haka before international rugby games?
Maxine Samson, Whakatāne.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.