Letters: Selling off state assets is not the answer; does New Zealand need a new Thanksgiving Day holiday?

Thousands gathered at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds for the dawn service this year. Photo / Dean Purcell

Letters to the Editor

Bonds the answer, not asset sales

I have nothing against talking about privatisation, as David Seymour suggests. I may not have anything against actual privatisation, depending on what is proposed.

But what I do object to is a discussion on privatisation with a false premise: that we don’t have enough money, therefore we must sell off some assets so we can purchase others.

That is plain wrong. It is false scarcity.

As a sovereign country with its own currency, we can and should use direct monetary financing (DMF) to fund desperately needed infrastructure, whereby the Reserve Bank buys very low-interest infrastructure bonds from Treasury. This can be done without causing inflation.

We don’t need to sell assets to afford others. We don’t need to borrow money from banks or foreigners. Other countries use DMF successfully, why not us?

Christopher Luxon, Nicola Willis and David Seymour, please swot up on the monetary system and take the inexpensive option that is best for New Zealand: please use our own Reserve Bank.

Cliff Hall, Blockhouse Bay.

Boosting productivity

In the quest for greater productivity, the solutions offered appear to be more overseas investment, a cut to company tax and deregulation.

Deregulation seems to be like cutting wasteful government spending. Obviously a good idea but you have to find the actual wasteful spending and the actual bad regulations before you can make a meaningful difference.

So instead of investigating regulations around hairdressing and early childhood learning, David Seymour could send his very well-paid bureaucrats out on a simple mission. Go to our construction and farming industries and find the five most hated regulations.

Yes, talk to the big players but also to individual builders and farmers. Once you have your list, investigate why the regulations were imposed and whether they can be improved or simply removed. Get rid of one or two of the worst regulations in each industry and you have instantly improved our productivity.

John O’Neill, Dargaville.

New holiday

If the media coverage of Waitangi Day celebrations accurately captured the mood of the Treaty ground proceedings, there was still once again heightened political tensions manifested by theatrics and bad behaviour.

The deeply polarising impacts of the Treaty Principles Bill cast a shadow over what should be a celebration of nationhood, unity and racial harmony. Some 185 years on from the signing of the Treaty, Waitangi weekend continues to deliver disappointing outcomes and images of disunity fuelled by actual or perceived grievances and anger.

New Zealanders have much to be proud of and thankful for. Our overall quality and balance of life, standard of living and collective shared values are among the best in the world. We have good reason to have pride in our common bonds and aspirations and focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

As an antidote for the embedded negativity of Waitangi Day and in recognition of all that is good about New Zealand so as to provide much-needed optimism and hope, especially for young people, our political leaders should enact our own version of a “Thanksgiving Day” or a day of “National Unity”.

Given the country cannot afford an additional statutory holiday, there must be an opportunity to think outside the square and rename an existing holiday of limited or expired significance.

Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.

Flying a flag

Looking at the different flags flying at Waitangi, the tino rangatiratanga stands out as a beautiful and simple design, like the Canadian maple leaf, and would have represented our country well on the world stage.

It’s a pity it has become a symbol of protest. Perhaps we could add a small Union Jack or the four stars to the top right-hand corner to represent compromise and moving on together. However this may detract from its design simplicity.

As a fifth-generation New Zealander, I feel it is way past time differences were settled on a togetherness basis. Adopting this flag as our national flag could help this process. Perhaps make Aotearoa the official name of our country at the same time.

David Little, Whangārei.

False economy

The latest Transport Minister is following his predecessor’s claim that increased speed limits will benefit the economy. Neither Chris Bishop nor Simeon Brown has produced the slightest amount of evidence to back this up.

One minor crash can hold up the traffic for a considerable amount of time – a serious crash will close roads for many hours. While I have no evidence, common sense would tell me that a highway closed for several hours won’t help the economy one iota.

Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.

Haka politics

Your editorial was right, New Zealand Rugby doesn’t own the haka (Feb 8). But neither does TJ Perenara. It is an honour and privilege to play for your country at the highest level, even more so to be given the mantle to lead the haka. Using that platform to espouse personal political views is wrong on every front, a view supported by an expert on haka, the great Sir Wayne “Buck” Shelford.

Laurence Mallon, Te Atatū.