A message for Russia
Years ago, I stood in awe in St Petersburg, which Peter the Great founded to create a new Europe-facing Russia. Later renamed Leningrad, it withstood Nazi siege for over two years, giving the world a new legend in civic heroism.
We now watch aghast as one of its
sons, Vladimir Putin, directs a genocidal assault on its neighbour Ukraine. Through modern media, we witness in real time a barbaric attempt to subjugate a people using methods fit for a Genghis Khan or Adolf Hitler.
Although many Russians oppose his actions and pay for their heroism, like Alexey Navalny with his extended prison sentence, it will take time for Russian and world opinion to alter Russia's regime.
In the meantime, it seems Wellington must continue to host a Russian Embassy, which doubtless reads this newspaper and possibly relays local attitudes amongst other intelligence.
To these officials enjoying life in our beautiful capital, I add my voice to our Government's
condemnation: tell your masters that Putin has disgraced a great people. No power seems enough for him, and no punishment will be enough.
Peter Black, Newton.
Auckland constrained
Why cannot the Auckland region, which has passed its Omicron peak and has 97 per cent of the over 12 population double-vaccinated, be moved into the orange light setting now?
The Government has been only too happy to have the rest of the country move to lesser restrictions ahead of those of us in the north.
While we were locked down for 107 days last year, those south of Taupō went about their daily lives almost unhindered. These decisions, being made by well-paid, Wellington-focused MPs and civil servants on the advice of officials who are guaranteed their generous salaries and have very little disruption to their lives, take no heed of what it is like on the ground in the commercial heart of the country.
More importantly, are the lives of those small business people who can not extend the mortgage on their house to support their staff anymore.
We did the hard mahi, reward us by taking the bold step, move us to amber.
Sue Mulrennan, Hillsborough.
Primacy baggage
Sir Peter Gluckman (NZ Herald, March 23) bemoans Auckland's failure to become a "primate city", like London and Paris, each of which economically outperforms the rest of their countries.
But we should consider the implications of this. If Professor Gluckman's figures are correct, then were Auckland's situation the same as London's, average incomes in Auckland would be more than twice average incomes in the rest of our country.
Is this really what we want, with its apparently inevitable - given the experience of Britain and France – consequence of vast regional disparities in wages, unemployment, and public services?
Instead, if you take out the high-paid CBD workforce, we just about have income parity between the rest of Auckland and the rest of the country, notwithstanding pockets of regional economic distress, such as the far North.
We may indeed be unique in the world in having to be able to support the development of a major city - with all the cultural and other benefits - without the baggage of crushing regional inequalities.
Tim Hazledine, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Auckland.
Counter counsel
This Government has access to the best advice available, both locally and internationally, and public health advice that is unbiased and uncluttered by economic and political consideration.
Decisions made have always had the health of our nation as a primary requirement.
I would like to know whose advice both National and Act are relying upon that enables them to present such polarised views.
Peter Huggard, Ostend.
Open slather
The recent demands from the likes of Christopher Luxon, Chris Bishop, Mark Mitchell, and David Seymour to scrap vaccine mandates, vaccine passes, MIQ, et al, while numbers of Omicron are still so high and with an alarming number of deaths, gives us a clear insight into what would probably have happened, had a centre-right government been in power when Covid struck. Tens of thousands of Kiwis would probably be dead by now.
I'm sure that the Prime Minister is very reluctant to ease measures just now, but she is under unbearable political pressure to do so. I only hope that it doesn't all turn to custard, but I really fear it might.
Peter Brooks, Mairangi Bay.
