Letters: Unity, Sweden, Bill Birch, St Cuthbert's, busways and NZTA

Any lack of clarity from leadership has made countries more vulnerable to the Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic. Photo / AP, file

United effort

One takeaway of this viral experience is that the people of each country must genuinely unite in harmony if a pandemic is to be contained or eventually, eliminated.
Countries with confusing messages from above, floundering in indecision and delay have tragically allowed spiralling infection and seen highest death rates.
Blatant dismissal of diagnostic tools, digital and scientific, and tardy uptake of protective systems, have proven disastrous for most of the top powers.
Underestimating the power of a virus, unseen by the naked or the clothed eye, has killed vast numbers of people needlessly.
Sweden, Brazil, UK, USA, France, Italy, Spain .... and China, whose statistics are unreliable and poorly shared, have paid a heavy price for their "dealing with the devil".
Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.

Swedish strategy

Unintentionally, two similar countries have embarked on a controlled experiment on how best to deal with Covid-19.
New Zealand, with its strict lockdown, has virtually eliminated the virus; conceivably, with testing and contact tracing, we might keep Covid-19 so constrained that most aspects of normal life, excluding international tourism but including living grandparents, can return. Whereas, Sweden is allowing the virus a slow community spread, bringing (presumed) herd immunity, but also killing a large number of older and many younger citizens. Pictures from Stockholm misleadingly suggest normal civic activity, but it is very much reduced with many restrictions on assembly and travel.
Sweden has announced a €39 billion economic support package, equivalent in population terms to NZ$35 billion - i.e. Sweden has not avoided the dire economic consequences of Covid-19. Which policy will be best in making the horrible tolerable? We don't know.
If by the year's end an effective vaccine or treatment is likely and if we can actually keep our gains, we will "win", but if not, we may ultimately have to face allowing the virus a controlled but painful percolation into our community; nature could still have the last word here, as in Sweden.
Dr John K Monro, Martinborough.

Birch legacy

John Roughan's review of a biography on former finance minister Bill Birch, (NZ Herald, May 12), revealed an unanswered question for many years: How could a man stand in front of thousands of people and not, at least, listen to their concerns?
Birch did just that with the Employment Contracts Act in the 1990s. People's rights were stripped with no control over wages and conditions.
Was Birch expecting employers to do the honourable thing? Well they didn't and our social structure of care and concern for our people fell by the wayside and suffered considerable harm ever since.
Roughan quotes biographer Brad Tattersfield saying: "Birch got on with the task at hand, not angsting over whether it fitted a particular policy theory or visionary construct".
And from this stoic, unblinking behaviour came not only the degradation of people in the workforce, but also the disastrous energy projects he poured taxpayers' money into, sucking money from hospitals, schools and welfare institutions, all reliant on government input. That was the start of the decline of our beloved egalitarian society.
The sadness of it all is that when the Labour Party finally came to power, Finance Minister Roger Douglas was even more ruthless, weakening an already susceptible nation.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.

St Cuth's subsidy

As an ex-student of St Cuthbert's and a contemporary of Dr Judith Aitken, I was interested and somewhat ashamed to read her letter (NZ Herald, May 12) castigating one of the most privileged schools in New Zealand for taking $1.9m of Covid funding for staff subsidies.
The major point of her letter was unfortunately buried at the end but raises the issue of the broad-brush approach taken by the Government in dispersing these funds.
While Dr Aitken rightly points out the academic success of the school, that should have little relevance in the funding allocation.
My experience at the school was not as stellar as Dr Aitken's. My subsequent careers as a nurse and a social worker have taken me to the other end of the socio-economic strata and made me aware of the needs that exist there.
The money would be better spent helping young women in that sector to attain their academic potential, as they struggle to get an education in schools that have none of the privileged endowments of St Cuthbert's.
I hope they see fit to give it back.
Dr Jill Worrall, MNZM, Windsor Park.

'Free money'

Kia ora, Judith Aitken, for such a fine "insider" response to the greed displayed by St Cuthbert's College, with its recent accessing of $1.9 million in wage subsidies.
There is almost nothing so powerful as someone calling out an institution they currently benefit from or have benefited from in the past.
As an alumni of Mana College, in Porirua, my voice concerning St Cuthbert's is unlikely to have had nearly as much impact.
Based on your very fine model, I now look forward to similar expressions of shame from governors/employees/partners/students/CEOs etc – past and present - of already very wealthy institutions which - arguably unethically - have dipped their hands into "free money" from the taxpayer. You know who you are – large legal firms, other private schools, kiwifruit orchardists, beer barons, the list goes on.
The names of the institutions are on the MSD website. A tautoko to the Government for publishing names - the list is worth browsing and critical reflection will not go amiss.
Vicki Carpenter, Grey Lynn.

Busway to hell

Simeon Brown MP and Christopher Luxon MP-inchoate (NZ Herald, may 123) plead for urgency in building the busway to central Auckland: create jobs and lessen congestion, the area is growing rapidly.
Not one word about climate change. Not a word about overpopulation and Earth's diminishing resources. Make it easier to destroy the planet faster.
We've had one fright pushing against nature - and the world has yet to beat SARS-CoV-2 - but hey, this is no time for abandoning the road to hell, just pave it with good intentions.
Dennis N Horne, Howick.

Pathway options

I trust that Andrew Thackwray's stoic defence of the NZTA ramp design connecting the Northern Pathway to Northcote Pt (NZ Herald, May 12) does not mean he is not open to alternative suggestions. I have made a submission showing how positioning the ramp further north would reduce its length, and thus its cost (because it connects at a lower point) and not impact upon any of the houses.
Thackwray argues that at least four houses will need to be permanently removed for the temporary process of constructing the pathway overhead. Surely it is not beyond the scope of Kiwi ingenuity to devise a means of positioning pre-fabricated modules from above or below without imposing on the house sites. I am certain that could be done for considerably less than the price of the properties that NZTA would have to purchase.
Michael Smythe, Northcote Pt.

Bola recovery

Covid-19 has created unparalleled disruption to our society and economy, but we can still learn from past recovery efforts to rebuild Aotearoa in a sustainable way.
In 1988, Cyclone Bola devastated the crops, pasture slopes and infrastructure of the East Coast region and forced thousands of residents to evacuate. To aid the region's recovery, the government created the East Coast Forestry Project to invest in land restoration and sustainable land use. Since then, more than 40,000ha have been planted or allowed to revert to native bush. It continues to yield environmental and economic benefits over 30 years on.
Much like the Cyclone Bola rebuild, in the coming months and years New Zealand can get economic recovery and environmental sustainability as a two-for-one deal. This can be achieved by investing in accessible and sustainable infrastructure, creating green jobs, and supporting workers to transition into low-carbon industries. This week's Budget is an opportunity to build a resilient economy with social equity and environmental protection at its heart. With only 10 years left to avert 1.5C of global warming, it is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.
Nina Jeffs, Parnell.

Contact tracing

I am stunned to learn that from now on, just to enter some shops or to purchase items, a customer must give their contact details to a stranger for contact tracing, and this could continue for some years.
This could easily be abused and I expect police will have more reports of unknown stalkers in future.
However, when a customer makes a purchase using a bank card the customer's bank records this in its system, and of course it will be also recorded on the vendor's system. The card owner's details will be held by the bank and the bank should be approached to give out details for contact tracing where necessary.
Of course the banks will refuse to give out details because of privacy concerns - but we are in a State of Emergency.
John Robertson, Papamoa Beach.

Short & sweet

On restrictions

What can Kiwi parents say to young kids who are allowed to play contact sports like rugby, but are not allowed to attend grandma's funeral? Is it because it's more dangerous, or less important? Stephen Bayldon, Mt Roskill.

If a church wanted a gathering of more than 10 then they could hire a theatre and show a movie. Singing could become a sport so choirs can meet to practise. Gavin Baker, Glendowie.

On Bridges

If Simon Bridges and his soulmate Mike Hosking were to observe the Prime Minister walking across Waitemata Harbour from the Ferry Building to Devonport, one would assuredly whine and the other, sneer in agreement: "See, I told you Jacinda couldn't swim". Peter Coleman, Sandringham.

On subsidies

I was taught at St Cuthbert's by the same teachers who taught Dr Judith Aitken. We learned good fortune in life brings not entitlement to more, but responsibility to share. What has happened? Penelope Hansen, Remuera.

While we have rising child poverty in New Zealand, we also have millionaire seniors receiving the Winter Energy Payment. How utterly ridiculous. Graham Astley, Epsom.

On eateries

Restaurants seem to be expecting a great rush of customers. Many people out of work and many others on assisted income, where does the custom come from? A J Petersen, Kawerau.

On libraries

Were the library staff and managers not preparing "safe operating plans for reopening" during the six-week lockdown? If not, why not? Don Howarth, Mellons Bay.