Police at the scene of a homicide investigation at Gull Raumanga in Whangārei. Photo / Brodie Stone
Trouble with men
The tragic news of two food outlet workers being stabbed in Takanini and a young Samaritan being stabbed to death in Raumanga, Northland, is indicative of the slide of our country into increasing mindless male violence. I note social commentators calling out housing and employment and pushing the issues away into general social oblivion. Undoubtedly, there are complex social and economic intersections contributing to the situation, but this is not a third-world country, this is not New York. There is another critical element that needs to be called out for what it is: violence in Aotearoa-New Zealand is perpetrated mostly by men acting out a particular masculinity. Over 90 per cent of those in prison are male. We need education and awareness-raising campaigns. Encouragement of our men towards open communication and emotional expression as a plus, not a negative or a sign of weakness. We need support to challenge and unlearn harmful behaviours and beliefs and encourage men to take responsibility for their actions and hold each other accountable. Primarily, the notion of one idealised masculinity against others as weak needs to be attacked for what it is: a lie.
Russell Hoban, Ponsonby.
Violent paths
Not a weekend goes by that we are not being informed of yet another senseless violent killing. The victims are so often young men aged 18 to 30, who are in their prime. The cause can be anything from a verbal altercation to a coward’s punch or even bravado with a weapon. Why has New Zealand society altered so much in the space of a quarter century to be so casual about the deaths of our young? It seems almost inevitable that road accidents will claim dozens of these young people but to lose them entirely unnecessarily to violence is too much to cope with. We cannot lay the blame with the police, who have an unenviable role and are unable to be everywhere at once, but it is time that something was done to protect these kids of ours from serious harm or worse.
Bruce Kay, Hillsborough.
Inaction stations
I find it just so demoralising to continue to hear “now is not the time” from Christopher Luxon in response to climate change action, or see Wayne Brown proposing a budget that cuts public transport by 1000 buses a day permanently. Given it is climate change disasters adding fire to the “cost of living crisis”, if not now then when? Is their answer to have a submarine in the back yard and scuba gear in our grab bags?
Samantha Cunningham, Henderson.
Healthy democracy
Correspondent B. Darragh makes a very good point about opposition to the water reforms that the Government is planning. Wealthy, vested interests and those who are used to being in control of local government dislike this change, as it dilutes their privileged positions. Democracy is not simply about voting, it’s about inclusion. Partnership must be recognised in the water reforms. Consulting mana whenua does not make it undemocratic. Because our country was established by depriving the Māori inhabitants of their land, our democracy must acknowledge this. The water reforms are a good example of one way to restore and repair our democracy. As Rod Oram has shown, consulting tangata whenua is good for the environment, and this water reform ensures that local iwi and knowledge are taken into account. Water is the basis of life, not a commodity to be traded by those with the most money. Unregulated market forces and weak local government have produced poor results, with polluted waterways and inadequate controls over commercial exploitation. Accepting the legitimate interest of mana whenua will produce a more enduring and sustainable system of water regulation. Surely this is what we want in a healthy democracy.
V M Fergusson, Mt Eden.
Driving change
There is a limit to how much cars and roading any city can sustain. No matter how many roads you build, when all want to use them at the same time you get congestion, especially when there is one person in every car. Traffic needs to be spread better over the day and we need more people in every vehicle, whether buses or cars. A well-tried concept to achieve this is road pricing. With a well-designed road-pricing system you can not only save the $15 billion cost of a new connection, you can actually generate income. Electronic road pricing, modelled after the system in Singapore, would do the job very smoothly and effectively. To start with, there could be a fee of $5-$10 for anyone passing the bridge from the north to the south between 6.30am and 9.30am. This would be deducted from the traveller’s pre-paid account with no action required by the driver. Buses and taxis and cars with three or four people in them would pay no fee. In this system, everyone looks like a winner. The city doesn’t need a $15b investment and instead generates more income. People who need to can get to work and pay the fee, which would always be far less than the cost caused by time wastage and congestion. It would also reduce traffic and therefore emissions. Why has this option not been considered or tested?
Frank Olsson, Freemans Bay.
Well read
Unlike correspondent Phil Rich (NZ Herald, April 17) I look forward to reading Bruce Cotterill’s articles. Some recent topics covered include: that government spending needs to shift to a productive economy; that a workable education policy is a good start; that arguments should be won or lost on facts rather than by who shouts the loudest; the lack of true consultation on Three Waters and the 10 vital ingredients of a better nation. Worn-out ideas? I don’t think so.
Glennys Adams, Ōneroa.
Being ready
Recent storm events have shown a lack of readiness and response by some local emergency management teams and officials, despite these being two of the core functions. Several reasons for this have been offered in their defence. The term “unprecedented”, though, has become an increasingly-popular justification for poor performance. Emergency management officials have a responsibility to anticipate and prepare for potential crises, regardless of how unprecedented they are. Framing an event as unprecedented only serves to attempt to shift blame away from their own lack of preparation. A recent comment from an Australian official was they had “many things to consider that you don’t plan for”. However, that is why emergency management agencies have both intelligence and planning sections; so that the unexpected can be anticipated and planned for. A common trap is where planning results in minute detail of how to manage situations rather than focusing on the overall event, and when the situation does not conform to that plan, the response falters. What is needed is a response plan that focuses on structures that put officials, sections, agencies, etc, in place so that all facets of the emergency management responsibility are activated.
Bruce MacDonald, Ngātea.
Speaking freely
I entirely agree with Michael Dixon (NZ Herald, April 17), and many others, in their concern that freedom of speech has come to mean freedom to agree with the loudest pressure group. Let us not forget the part played in the latest example by the Prime Minister and the leader of the Greens (a party formerly concerned with the environment, but now with social engineering). Before the arrival of that speaker, these men, instead of calling for calm and reminding people of their duty to allow the speaker to be heard, encouraged the mob by saying that they greatly wished she could be kept out and applying to her various offensive epithets. The police sat in their car and told those who asked for help that if they did not like it, they were free to leave. Very helpful. Those who would call themselves our leaders had decided in advance that freedom of speech did not mean what it says. In any free society, people are free to hurt our feelings, but we are not free to silence them.
R. Porteous, Balmoral.
Makers of menace
Reading the Jarrod Gilbert column about Thomas Midgley (NZ Herald, April 17) - another scientifically clever man inventing solutions for car problems of the day, but instead ending up poisoning the Earth’s air with CFCs and lead - outlines one of the many disasters over the centuries of how brilliance has placed our Earth in a last-gasp situation. Without, it seems, the ability to look ahead at consequences, inventors throughout time have moved through developing grotesque forms of armouring, those cruelly designed to kill in the most inhumane way possible, to highly-designed weaponry that takes fighting out of the field and onto the world stage. Splitting the atom in the 1930s was quickly secured by the military. Scientists realised too late its terrible consequences and pleaded for its peaceful use. We have today brilliant young minds developing humanoid robots, which could be useful to some, but scary for many more. It seems the excitement of the discovery overtakes the thought of how it will implicate the people and the planet in the future. Perhaps their clever young minds could spend more time on how to clean up our planet. What a life-saving gift that would be.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Taiwan support
Matthew Hooton (NZ Herald, April 14) gives a thoughtful and challenging background to the Two China debate and suggests we stand firm with Taiwan. Much depends on Xi Jinping, president for life (not a reassuring title for those who believe in democracy). We have benefited tremendously from Chinese immigration and have no wish to antagonise China, but liberal-minded Taiwan deserves our support. We must diversify in trade and also advise China to show its strength by accepting the Two China policy. President Xi would gain immense kudos for that. China is already big enough. To seek territorial and personal aggrandisement at the expense of Taiwan - with its accompanying bloodbath - would make Xi a well-deserved pariah. The CCP has never governed Taiwan, which has been effectively independent since the expulsion of Japan in 1945.
David Howard, Pakuranga.
Hope springs
I nominate Matt Heath (NZ Herald, April 17) for president of something, anything. Maybe a special secondment to Parliament as a “person in charge of hopefulness”. There is a tsunami out there of negativity and dour thinking, so much so that our future generations struggle to find anything hopeful to look forward to. Heath is spot on. The social media crazies are propagating like Triffids, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult not to get sucked down into the black hole. But here’s the corollary to that black hole. Pay attention and you’ll find people all around you doing good things every day. Sincere compliments are free and easy; studies have found that negative emotions can weaken the immune response and being positive can create better overall wellbeing. So Matt, I’m getting that buzz you mentioned and sending you a well-deserved compliment. To paraphrase my well-worn generation: ”Don’t be a downer, get in the groove”.
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Vive la France
It’s impressive to see how well the restoration of Notre Dame is proceeding - ahead of schedule even. It’s good news for Parisians, and France. On completion of that task in 2024, I wonder if their management team might be available to assist us with some of our biggest projects? They sound like consultants actually worth paying for. B. Watkin, Devonport.
On insurance
Insurers have declined a claim for tornado damage to apple orchards. When the going gets tough, the tough insurance companies get out the fine print. David Hopkins, Remuera.
On imports
So, we are importing more goods than exporting. Is that because a lot of NZ manufacturing companies have moved their manufacturing businesses overseas? Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa.
On teachers
So Labour aims to reduce class sizes by one in years 4 to 8. There’s a teacher shortage now, so how is Labour planning to recruit hundreds more? Perhaps with better pay and conditions? Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Jan Tinetti’s endeavour to reduce class sizes for primary and intermediate by a ratio of one teacher to 28 students, down from one to 29, is not only aspirational but could be one of the few goals the Government will achieve. She has no doubt been advised that it looks like truancy rates are going to continue to rise and that this new ratio will be surpassed well before the next election. Bernard Walker, Pāpāmoa.
On actions
I’m looking forward to the day when we all come to our senses and embrace people for not who they are but what they can do. Peter Mayall, Tamahere.
On Census
This year’s Census seems to have a very elastic deadline, judging by ongoing ads saying “there’s still time”, many weeks after the official day. Perhaps the Department of Statistics is just putting off the moment when it has to come clean on this? Duncan Simpson, Hobsonville Pt.
On coronation
Please, may I be included in the Prime Minister’s delegation for travel to the United Kingdom? Tiong Ang, Mt Roskill.
Food prices jump again, what’s biting into our wallets?
If fruit and vege prices increase by 22 per cent per annum, they will double in price in just over three years compounded. I was wondering how long it would take Labour to stuff the country and they have exceeded all expectations. Simon A.
I don’t know where you can get a dozen eggs for $8, all the ones at New World are like $14 for $18 at best and some boutique brands are like $11 or $13 a dozen - and now they are not even dozens anymore but packets of 10. Talk about shrinkflation. The Green Party bans plastic bags, increasing egg prices to save the Earth but bully to the working class. Don’t vote for these people - they do nothing good or useful for the workers. Lawrence W.
What has banning plastic bags got to do with the price of eggs? Kevin J.
If Countdown and New World want to price-gouge it isn’t the fault of any New Zealand government. Let’s remember that National and Act are in favour of more freedoms for business, fewer restrictions, price-gouge anytime. That’s the core of capitalism. Philip H.
Tax. Interestingly, the average person paying tax is only a recent invention. The ancient Greeks only taxed the wealthy, which was voluntary, which is how they funded bridges and buildings and roads and ships, etc. In the USA, tax for ordinary people only started in 1942, to support the war effort, and in the UK in WWI for the same reason. So, the idea of higher tax for the wealthy is not new, and a tax-free threshold for the ordinary person should be implemented. Kathy A.
How a resilient Kiwi village hopes to bounce back from a big drop in visitors.