Secondary teachers protesting at Cable Bay. Photo / Myjanne Jensen
Adding it up
Big news with the Government announcing that secondary teachers have been offered a 14.5 per cent pay rise. Why do they keep doing this? The offer is over the three years of the contract. That is 4.6 per cent per year. Every rate of any significance is given per year. Banks are not allowed to offer 14.5 per cent interest on a term deposit and then mention later in the conversation that the rate is for three years. I applaud a settlement, but worry that the reassurance this will solve our teaching crisis is misplaced. The media recently reported the average wage increase this year is 7 per cent (presumably annual). There are many schools that cannot find qualified teachers to fill vacancies. A wage increase that is below the inflation rate and below the average increase is not going to resolve that.
Shane Isdale, Blockhouse Bay.
Friendly games
It is important that the Victorian government’s withdrawal from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games does not disrupt our decision to bid for the 2034 Games. Our first hosting was in 1950, then again in 1974 in Christchurch, at which we had a team of 142 Kiwi athletes. In 1990 we again hosted, with 224 Kiwi athletes. Last year we sent 234 athletes to Birmingham and returned with 50 medals. Over 2500 Kiwis have represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games since 1990 as both athletes and officials. Canada will host the 2030 Games, the centenary of the first Games held in Hamilton, Ontario in 1930, meaning 2034 gives us at least nine years from being awarded to prepare. Teenage Kiwi athletes will have a real goal to represent their country in front of thousands of friends and family. 2034 will give over 5000 Kiwis the opportunity to volunteer and 200 Kiwis the chance to officiate. Our ability to host is being showcased to the world at this very moment. We must continue our plans to bid and host in 2034 - it is in our DNA.
Stephen Holden, Manurewa.
Cabinet draws
Audrey Young’s potential Cabinet (NZ Herald, August 2) posits David Seymour as Deputy Prime Minister, Andrew Hoggard (Act) as Agriculture Minister, Nicole McKee (Act) as Hunting and Fishing, and Simeon Brown as Transport. So in that world, we would say goodbye to climate change action and hello to no hope of gun registration. Anyone who finds that picture alarming needs to get out there and vote.
Samantha Cunningham, Henderson.
Does not compute
Great article by Don Brash (NZ Herald, August 2) on the complications of removing GST from fruit and veges. Apart from all those he has stated, there is also the computing/technical side at checkout. This will hugely affect small businesses. Computing-wise, all products have to be categorised as GST or non-GST. This then involves GST being applied or not applied, item by item, as 70 per cent of our supermarket shopping would still have GST. This means all software in all shops will need to have this option, which means all software has to be altered - this is a big exercise and another cost to many businesses, especially small dairies. Australia only did this because of a single vote required from a coalition MP, so he alone decided Australia’s nightmare future with this tax. I was working in Australian computing at the time, and even our “sales” had to have this allowance - so the next time you buy apples at Noel Leeming, you’ll know why.
Roger Kenah, Te Atatū South.
GST in time
It has become fashionable for some people to claim that NZ GST is superior to other VAT-type systems because in NZ it is simple and it applies to everything. This is completely untrue. A quick perusal of the IRD website reveals pages and pages of zero-rated and GST-exempt goods and services. Are Don Brash (NZ Herald, August 2) and Eric Crampton confused? Well, Don Brash was on the team that dreamed up the exemptions.
Mark Nixon, Remuera.
Clinical decisions
I joined the senior medical staff of the National Women’s Hospital in 1973. The hospital was managed by long-serving staff; the medical superintendent, matron and manager. The superintendent and matron kept their fingers on the pulse of every aspect of the hospital, visiting every ward each week, speaking with many of the patients, admiring their new babies and discussing issues with the ward sister. They knew what was happening in their hospital. Along came “restructuring” and never-ending reorganisation. The staff were replaced with itinerant managers, some of whom had never visited a hospital. Their ethos was the creation of never-ending change. They rarely visited wards and referred to patients as “bed numbers”. National Women’s disappeared and mothers were often discharged as soon as the cord had been cut. The managers have long since disappeared and the nurses and doctors (or those that are left) are still caring for patients. Surely the patients, nurses and doctors are the heart of the hospital - not managers. Many large hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota require the involvement of medical staff in all important hospital decisions.
Ronald W. Jones, retired obstetrician and gynaecologist, Remuera.
Prescribed knowledge
Having had some professional connections with the country’s hospital services during my career and also having two surgeons in my family, I write with some knowledge of health administration issues. I wish to fully endorse the comments Dr Hylton Le Grice made recently through your columns. Over and above all else, the last sentence in his letter (NZ Herald, August 2) is paramount. “… A system where knowledgeable, medically trained administrators are in charge” is the key to efficient hospital administration.
Allan M. Spence, Waiuku.
Having no truck
I am overwhelmed with disappointment at National’s transport plans. We need to get heavy transport trucks off the road, so why is there no policy to build up the railway infrastructure? On the one hand, we want tourists, but New Zealand is no longer an enjoyable country to visit because of the number of large trucks on our roads which make driving dangerous. We are an island nation, not a continent. This brings particular problems to our infrastructure. Have a plan to build back the railways, National.
J.P. Caulfield, Parnell.
Respect welcome
Wesley Parish likes the new sex-ed guide for teenagers, Welcome to Sex, as it “teaches respect along with the mechanical details” (NZ Herald, August 2). The original article tells us “the marketing blurb says it will make sex fun” (NZ Herald, July 31). Respect is essential in all we do with each other, but it is an appreciation of the whole person, not just the fun bits. It is also respect for what is happening. Sex is not only consensual fun: it is the action by which humanity sustains itself, the epic magic by which two human beings combine to produce another, and we are fortunate that it is also fabulous. To fail to teach this is to mislead. It is not so much “disgusting” (a common criticism) as false, and it encourages small-mindedness.
Gavan O’Farrell, Naenae.
Local voices
While one can agree that Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is certainly doing a good job shaking up the establishment, one thing he needs to be questioned on is his view (NZ Herald, August 3) that we have too much democracy. Auckland Council was formed in 2010, and since that time the number of residents has increased, meaning that in proportion to the population, we have fewer, not more, elected representatives. We should have more local boards and, at the very least, create smaller local boards that are more representative of their local community. Those of us that vote need to ensure the elected members we vote for actually know what they are doing and are able to achieve the resources required to enhance their community, do the basics right, repair the potholes and mow the grass in the parks, rather than create more cycle lanes, paint dotted yellow lines and restrict us from driving the kids to sports events on a Saturday morning at speeds over 30km/h, or enjoying the waterfront in Auckland.
John Riddell, Massey.
Films pulled
The Herald didn’t background it, but Jane Campion and five other international directors who requested their films be withdrawn from the Jerusalem Film Festival did so after renowned social issues filmmaker Ken Loach urged participants to respect “the nonviolent Palestinian picket line”. In calling for solidarity, Palestinian filmmakers and actors had argued Israel’s government, through its cultural ministry, routinely uses art and culture to “whitewash crimes against Palestinians”. While the internal contradictions of Israeli society are becoming increasingly obvious, our “independent foreign policy” response to the reported huge increase in ongoing settler impunity has been muted, cliched or absent. We who resolved sport/religion/art and politics shouldn’t mix morality - by arguing that when they already have been, we must act to counter injustices this separation permits - surely have an especial responsibility to speak out. And to call out well-documented rogue state inactions.
Steve Liddle, Napier.
Food scrap
So, to question the need for green food scrap bins is being “peevish and querulous” (NZ Herald, August 2). Oh, hurtful criticism. I raised the issue simply because Auckland Council had not consulted us first, and my wife and I have very happily been composting the very limited food scraps we make in our large compost bin for years. Why should we pay for something we don’t need? What do I do with this piece of green plastic? Perhaps someone would like a second green bin and will pay us for it?
Mike Jarman, One Tree Hill.
On election
I get the feeling it’s going to be one of those “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t” type of elections.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
On Eden Park
One word for the Eden Park management, in having locked exits during a fire alarm, false or real, thereby risking a stampede, and their self-serving justification afterwards that things had gone as intended: Hillsborough.
Raewyn Maybury, Tauranga.
On teachers
While supporting the proposed teachers’ salary settlement, I find it almost unbelievable that $374 million in underspent spending has been located from the current budget to assist in paying for this. How can this be, and who is now missing out?
Mike Baker, Tauranga.
On roads
Why not introduce carless days again, instead of spending billions on roads? It would reduce congestion and help reduce global warming.
Jean Jones, Hamilton.
On potholes
Why not chop surplus road cones into small pieces and put the pieces into the potholes?
Ian Fraser, Castor Bay.
On GST
The mandarins advise keeping GST on mandarins.
Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.
Air NZ seeks airports to trial new generation of aircraft.
At what altitude will these aircraft operate? I assume that it will be the lowest possible in order to conserve storage in the batteries. How will that equate to passenger comfort and safety?
Gary W.
It will mean you will be able to wave to friends and family while in the air. A huge benefit, surely?
Stephen H.
Interesting to see, as per usual, Air New Zealand is expecting the airports to come to the party and spend what will be ratepayers’ money to install what Air NZ wants. If Air NZ wants it, then it should pay for it. It continues to think that because it is an icon in the country, it should be exempt from having to spend its own money to achieve the outcome it desires.
Robyn M.
If they hadn’t shut down all the regional airports, they would have had a great countrywide network.
Alan P.
Air NZ is going the wrong way. First, pay your debts, increase the value of your share price and pay dividends. Then experiment with all these expensive gadgets.
Joshua A.
Perhaps they could first give some relief to travellers and lower their over-priced airfares.
David J.
No way I would fly in these experimental planes - at least jet and propellor propulsion engines have been proven.
Mark I.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.