Letters: Russia, fuel prices, Michael Barnett, co-governance, and Simon Bridges

A Ukrainian soldier looks through binoculars at a military check point, in Lityn, Ukraine. Photo / Rodrigo Abd, AP

Toothless response
Nato's whimpering approach to Putin's war crimes in Ukraine should draw attention to the squandering of resources on defence systems that Nato is not prepared to use when called to confront Russian aggression.
It is true that sanctions will hurt Russia, but not before they have dismembered Ukraine. No-fly zones over Ukraine are a must, but Britain and the US have refused to establish them.
The US defence budget for 2021 is $771.7 billion, and Congress has approved $778 billion for 2022. In the context of prevarication over no-fly zones, the US would be better to spend most of this on neglected US infrastructure.
It has been reported that there are 25,000 unsafe bridges in the US; all for the want of timely maintenance or replacement. A great deal of their other infrastructure and government services are similarly neglected.
The only people that are conspicuously showing that they have a spine are the Ukrainians. It is time to expel Russia from the Security Council, if not from the UN. The Security Council was doomed to failure from the start when it was established with a power of veto. It would seem that UNO stands for Useless Nations Organisation.
Hugh Webb, Hamilton.

Monster machines
There is a silver lining to high oil prices. It may finally end our ridiculous fascination with gas-guzzling macho utes and SUVs.
The top five selling petrol or diesel vehicles in New Zealand are high fuel consumption utes and big SUVs. How stupid is this when we've known for a generation we have to seriously cut back on burning fossil fuels to prevent dangerous climate change?
But instead of buying petrol-sipping hybrids or even economical salons, chest-beating drivers in NZ opt for the whole macho nonsense of utes. Grunt not reason seems to have taken over the psychology of too many vehicle buyers.
If the reality of climate change still doesn't register, perhaps very high prices for filling up their one-tonne monsters will wake them up. We can only hope.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.

Air conditioned
I'm hopeful that a silver lining to come out of the high petrol prices might be an end to the odious practice of sitting in a car with the engine running.
Top tip: if you're hot, the cheapest and most environmentally friendly thing to do is wind down all the windows - like we did in the "olden days".
Stop polluting my air.
Allison Kelly, Mt Roskill.

Super stasis
Michael Barnett (NZ Herald, March 16) seems to want a model of local government led by Government-appointed commissioners and in bed with the private sector. However, he fails to mention that the Rodney Hide-led restructuring – which ignored a Royal Commission - created a major problem in a mayor elected at large with a well-funded mayoral office which leads policy and spending.
I served with Barnett on the Auckland Regional Council and, despite political differences among the councillors, we came together as a team and made major steps forward for the future of Auckland: we had a regional planning strategy for Auckland that would have built a coherent city rather than the design-bereft housing muddle emerging all over Auckland.
There will be no appetite for a restructure of Auckland by central government so soon after the costly amalgamation, but I don't know why anyone would think a model chosen by Hide would have the welfare of Auckland citizens as its highest priority. Twelve years after amalgamation it is high time there was a review: that at least would identify where Auckland Council is failing and point to a pathway out of the morass.
Sandra Coney, Piha.

Troubled waters
I must applaud Shane Jones's excellent opinion piece (NZ Herald, March 15), wherein he exposes some of the obvious pitfalls of the current Government's agenda - namely the proposed Three Waters legislation, a necessary review of the Waitangi Tribunal, iwi settlements, the proposed Maori Health Authority and, lastly, the Resource Management Act.
His comments should be supported by Members of Parliament who are likewise concerned about the direction this country is heading.
Garry Larsen, St Heliers.

Absolute power
The war in Ukraine is a classic example of the fundamental differences in political ideologies.
On the one hand, there is democracy with its complications in respect of the need for a majority consensus in making critical decisions.
On the other hand is autocracy that rules the population through control of its military, police, judiciary and, most importantly, the media, thus governing what the overwhelming majority of its citizens do, see, hear, say and think.
Government by the people versus government by power and "how power corrupts".
Lloyd McIntosh, West Harbour.

Braking bad
Two words for the road safety advert: Driver training. This shows how much NZTAs advertising department knows about driving or maybe even NZTA because they would have signed off the ad.
To try and dodge a pest on the road is this driver's biggest mistake - he swerves right first (wrong) before overcorrecting and hitting the Armco barriers. Wouldn't it be better not to have that accident at all?
A bit of driver training and he would have known, by looking well ahead, that a possum isn't something you take evasive action for. If you do jump on the brakes, stay in your lane.
Aaron Slight, Masterton.

Repeated dose
Ana Samways' account of the discovery of penicillin (NZ Herald, 16 March) repeats the common myth that penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming. In fact, the most that can be claimed for Fleming is that he rediscovered it. The credit should really go to Ernest Duchesne, a young medical officer in the French army. The story of how Captain Duchesne discovered penicillin at the end of the 19th century is every bit as extraordinary as that of Fleming.
Tragically and ironically, Duchesne died of TB before he could explore its therapeutic potential. Had he been able to, the death toll in World War I and the succeeding Spanish flu pandemic would inevitably have been much lower.
Whether Fleming knew of Duchesne's research is uncertain. However, there was no mention of it when Fleming reported his findings in his 1929 paper on the antibiotic action of penicillin.
Nigel Shaw, Clover Park.

Creature comforts
As a result of what he witnessed as a Crown Prosecutor, Simon Bridges understood that animal cruelty is so closely linked to human cruelty and he worked hard to push through legislation whereby there would be very tough penalties for animal cruelty. What a marvelous legacy.
On behalf of those who care about the neglect and mistreatment of animals in this country, I say Simon Bridges, you are a very special man and Parliament is poorer with our departure.
Judy Morley-Hall, Remuera.

Calculated risk
My guess is that Simon Bridges, as the National spokesperson on finance who would be charged with selling Christopher Luxon's precious tax cuts, ran the figures through his calculator and, on seeing the number of government services he would have to drop to make it work, threw his hands in the air and said: "that's it, I'm outta here."
John Capener, Kawerau.

Stop the chop
I agree with recent letters regarding tree felling on Auckland's volcanic cones.
The results on Pigeon Mountain, Mt Wellington, and Mangere Mountain are a sad sight, following the felling of hundreds of mature shady trees, costing ratepayers $2M.
Thousands of newly planted shrubs, grasses and flaxes have died in the exposed scoria.
The felling of 345 non-native trees on Ōwairaka/ Mt Albert was thwarted by years of protest. A court case by an Auckland couple has halted the process for now.
In March, the Appeals Court found that the co-governance authority who manage the mountains, and Auckland Council, had acted unlawfully – the former by withholding information of intent to fell the trees, the latter by issuing a non-notified resource consent.
The cost of felling on Ōwairaka was projected at $1.17 million – with one giant macrocarpa alone costing $30,000. These trees are still at risk. Submissions to Auckland Council and Tūpuna Maunga Authority close on March 28.
In a time of climate crisis and the tightening of belts - chopping down thousands of trees across these public reserves makes no sense.
This destructive and divisive process needs to stop.
John Clark, Glen Eden.

Drawn in
In your inside page quick crossword yesterday (NZ Herald, March 17) the clue to 5 down was "Blood-sucking insects", seven letters.
I got "L-e-h-s" but initially refused to put leeches because they're not insects.
In the end, though, I succumbed. I guess I just had to suck it up.
Sorry, I couldn't resist it.
Tony Potter, Remuera.

Short & sweet

On polls
How eager we are to condemn Labour now that the initial threat of Covid is subsiding... memories can be remarkably short, it seems. Lois McGough, Orewa.

On co-governance
Shane Jones (NZH, Mar.15) articulated the forebodings many of us have but are reluctant to express. By actioning more co-governance legislation our current government is fostering division within the nation which may never be remedied. Kay Hook, Royal Oak.

On Russia
Why are Putin's diplomats still enjoying immunity here in sunny, safe New Zealand with impunity? Mary Tallon, Little Huia.

On tax
Why can't we have a lower rate of GST for essential items and a higher rate for non-essential ones? Paul Blakeney, Waihi.

In New Zealand, we seem to be taxed on everything and in some cases are double-taxed.
The Greens want a fart tax on sheep and cattle. Next, it will be us. Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.

On Bridges
Over the years, the media had very little good to say about Simon Bridges. The minute he resigns, it's "what a great loss to National and Parliament". S P McMonagle, Greenhithe.

MP's who are actually voted in for a three-year period and then, out the blue, suddenly decide to leave should at least stay till the next election. Irene Townsend, Papakura.

The Premium Debate

Luke Dallow quits hospitality

I hate the very overused term "heartbreaking", but in this case it really applies. I have felt the whole of the last two years the Government could have worked much harder at finding ways to allow hospitality and many other businesses to keep revenue moving.
The fortress approach and lazy bureaucratic approach to everything from vaccine ordering to RATs & MIQ, basically strangled these guys. When the borders open again to tourists, they will see a lot of boarded-up windows - not the vibrancy that was there before. Richard W.

The fact is that hospitality is a luxury, superfluous industry. Essential services must come first. Jamie G.

Essential services are funded by the taxes that come from businesses, and the people they employ. It is not a choice between one or the other. Anna M.

Expect more of this, as owners of hospitality and tourism businesses that have held on for a return to "normal" realise that normal is not going to get them out of the hole that the last two years has created. Ralph S.

I worked as a tradie on multiple bars in the past and Luke Dallow always stood out as one of the best operators in the business. If he's out then watch the rest follow. No doubt he will succeed elsewhere. All the best, Luke. Adam B.