Letters: Voter backlash, letterboxes, oligarchs, support for Ukraine, rip-off prices, Auckland Transport

Opinion

Leaders fear voter backlash
Politicians should address serious issues other than Covid. The barrier to action is their fear of voter backlash. Smoking, alcohol, food, and gang issues abound.
Smoking should be banned unless these addicts sign away their rights to free medical care for smoke-triggered illness. Gang violence has been exacerbated by Australia's expulsions, and our police have limited search powers without warrant. We must tell Australia we will tolerate no more deportations of people who have spent most of their lives in Australia and become criminals there.
We need regulations to suspend their New Zealand residency/citizenship before they are stripped of Australian residency. It will upset UN watchdogs, but they have their own housework to do.
Doctors advise that no level of alcohol consumption is safe, but binge drinking is the undeniable threat. Politicians shy away from comprehensive food and beverage labelling, or banning American-style junk food and sweet, carbonated, and caffeinated drinks. Firm regulation is 50 years overdue.
Hugh Webb, Hamilton.

Letterboxes targets
We live in an apartment in Newmarket, and our letterboxes are being broken into about twice a week, using a screwdriver. It is happening all along our street with impunity. Photos of the offenders and car registrations have been sent to police and you can imagine the priority it is given. We have a planned upgrade of our entry and speaking with one letterbox supplier in Mt Maunganui, he advised that this crime is rampant in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington and has increased three-fold in the last year. In the past six months, he has quoted on the letterboxes for 1000 apartments subjected to this crime.
He said it is about identity theft, but I know of a couple situations where people have left keys to their apartments in unlocked letterboxes for tradesmen, so the key gets stolen, giving these low-lifes access to the building.
Crime is out of control. We need a justice system and police force with a zero tolerance for crime.
John Oliver, Remuera.

Tough love needed
I ran a childcare centre many years ago when the community policeman came around on a regular basis to talk and engage with the children. It was a good time.
I agree with Paula Bennett's column (Herald on Sunday, April 10) on police dedication and commitment but the need for strong leadership.
To turn the page and read the way youths are putting images of their crimes online to show off is a very sad reality of the lack of accountability these days. Tough love has never been so needed as it is today.
Joy Jensen, Swanson.

Hit oligarchs hard
The seizure of assets owned by Putin's henchmen, businessmen granted his favour in return for guarding Russia's wealth for themselves, may need ratcheting up. Oligarchs, too, must be deemed culpable for financing the unspeakable violations in Ukraine, and arrest warrants issued for them if caught in any of the 140 UN countries that condemn Russian aggression.
A healthy bounty on every oligarch being arrested will add impetus to the noose-tightening exercise that can eventually bring them to a court of human rights along with their protectors, rulers and generals.
Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.

NZ must truly support
Here are the names of some Ukrainian towns and cities the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs might care to ponder and then tell New Zealand why the Government is unwilling to provide effective support to Ukraine against Putin's murderous armed forces: Kyiv, Irpin, Lviv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Zabuchchya, Mariupol, Hosomel, Bucha, Kramatorsk.
Lethal arms support to Ukraine in its battle against the might of Russian forces is required, Ms Ardern. Provision of supplies that do not directly enhance Ukraine's ability to defend itself and to take the attack to the invaders is not effective assistance . It is window-dressing.
A Prime Minister who exhorted Kiwis to "be kind" to their fellows during the Covid battle should apply the same attitude towards Ukrainians fighting for survival. New Zealand must stand and be counted with others that provide Ukraine with the effective means of combating this aggression. History may not judge us kindly if NZ fails to act.
Anthony Mercer, Howick.

Putin scares world
While we read the West is "outraged and appalled" by the bombing of Ukraine and the targeting of civilians and residential areas, what is being done to help a nation at the mercy of a monster? They seem to be just empty words. They appear to be scared of Putin and what he is capable of doing, and I'm sure he is very aware of this, so continues doing everything to obliterate Ukraine.
G. Prestidge, New Plymouth.

Kiwis ripped off
No doubt we have watched or heard of TV's The Great British Bake Off. We should start a series called The Great New Zealand Rip Off.
Many retailers are inflating prices beyond what is reasonable. Examples are fuel prices with as much as 40 cents a litre difference between companies and supermarkets, where you are paying 15 to 20 per cent more than last year. Cafes, where a piece of cake that was $5 is now $8, and don't mention the price of a coffee. Vehicle fitness checks have gone up 25 per cent. You name it and the price has taken off. These retailers have used the current climate under the guise of inflation and shortages to rip off the user. Initially, one felt sorry for these businesses because of Covid-related losses but this is price gouging.
Reg Dempster, Albany.

Legislation threat
Labour's proposed Fair Pay Agreement, being debated in Parliament is intended to address a low-wage economy, no reference to increasing productivity and wealth creation, the eternal solution to improving incomes.
Have we learnt nothing from the past, when collective agreements spanning multiple industries led to confrontation, disputes, rolling stoppages and strike action, paralysing commerce and trade? Individual workplace contracts have served us well since 1987 but are threatened by this legislation.
P.J.Edmondson, Tauranga.

AT in a muddle
Auckland Transport running out of money (Weekend Herald, April 9) is another example of AT's left hand not knowing what the right is doing. At least the Eastern busway hopefully won't proceed — $2 billion-plus saved from going down the drain. And hopefully the futile and dangerous raised pedestrian crossings will get the axe as well.
The city rail may also come to a halt. The cost has already doubled. My idea of a train terminus for the southern and western line at Newmarket with a continuous shuttle to Britomart made more sense, and would have cost a great big zero. Platforms and tracks are already in place.
Bob Wichman, Botany.

Taxis beat buses
I am a senior citizen, and like many other seniors in Auckland there is no way that I can totter to a bus stop. Instead of providing bus services with large buses during the day, non-peak hours could be serviced with an on-call taxi service provided by AT. Maybe to the nearest rail station if the destination was an exceptional distance away? Large buses could be used in peak times and for special events. Families with toddlers and babies, complete with all the paraphernalia such as strollers, would also find it impossible to use buses.
Tanya Fitzpatrick, Mt Wellington.

Buses beat trains
It is proven the planet is warming due to CO2 and sea levels are rising faster. However, the answer is to address this using reason and logic and not hysteria like the Government has.
There is not room to give many examples but I will focus on the Te Huia train between Hamilton and Auckland. Not only is the train a heavily subsidised financial disaster but it will have to increase the number of paying passengers substantially to emit less CO2 than cars.
There is more than one existing bus service between the two cities on weekdays that could take those using the train. A bus would use 25 to 30 litres/100km and the train would use 300 litres/100km.
Chuck Bird, Ngaruawahia.

Short & Sweet

On Dan Carter
What an exemplary young man — always smiling and pleasant and so supportive and encouraging of young people. His caring and unselfish attitude is evident in the successful kickathon raising money for Unesco. Thank you Dan for being such a wonderful role model.
Shirley Kittelty, Te Atatū South.

On exports
Europe has become totally reliant on Russia for its energy supply of gas and oil. This supply depends on the whim of one man, a dictator whose mental state is seriously in question. Are we in the same situation with the lack of diversification of our exports and dependant on one country or one man, also a dictator.
Vince West, Milford.

On animals
How often do we see " like an animal" used for something unpleasant such as the barbaric behaviour by the Russian soldiers in the Ukraine? To stop insulting animals we need a more appropriate phrase such as subhuman.
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.

On Russia
Why does the world's largest democracy fail to support or endorse the democratic state of Ukraine in its defence against the aggressor — Russia? So far it has abstained five times from condemning Russia's action at the United Nations. India should be ashamed.
Nigel Jimenez, Auckland.

The Premium Debate

Security camera surveillance: Does home CCTV stop crime, theft, break-ins?

I've set up half a dozen cameras around the outside of our house. It's amazing what people get up to on your property after hours. Mostly low-lifes looking for easy pickings. If we'd put fences up it would be different, but we don't want to go down that route.
Clark M.

Anything from 20 minutes to an hour waiting for someone to answer 105, and then no idea whether or not there has actually been any follow-up or whether it has resulted in a positive outcome. 105 is seen by many people to be a joke.
Patrick R.

Nine times out of 10 the cameras don't help, even though you can see someone on the camera committing a crime, if you cannot positively identify them the police can't do anything. Basically it just shows your insurance company a crime was committed.
Matthew K.

Hey Poto Williams — what would really help us all is more police patrolling shopping areas and arresting and prosecuting offenders.
David H.

Be fair to the police and the Minister. When you know how much resource has been expended covering MIQ, check points, protests, increased family violence and general policing due to Covid is it surprising that police are under the pump.
Christine W.