Should voting booths be added to the offerings at supermarkets? Photo / Richard Robinson
With the closure of post offices and the removal of Kiwibank outlets from many areas, there are fewer places to post voting papers. Many streetside mailboxes have also been removed.
Many voters - especially older residents - who no longer drive and have limited ability to catch a
bus or walk long distances, would find voting places in supermarkets very convenient. This might encourage people to vote in local body elections as well.
Perhaps candidates could be available to meet voters outside on the street before people go in to shop? It's worth a try.
Gillian Dance, Mt Albert.
Noting that there are already a number of EV-only motorway on-ramp lanes, and Auckland Council now enforce EV-only parking spaces (NZ Herald, June 24), could another shot in the arm to encourage EV adoption be half-price parking on roadside parking meters for EVs in Auckland CBD? Now that a number plate system is used, the vehicle type could be automatically detected.
Mark Brownlee, Te Atatu South.
Electric vehicles use no petrol, and therefore pay no taxes towards road construction and maintenance. As well, regional fuel taxes are paying for improvements to public transport such as electric trains, bus ways and park and rides. As more people convert to EVs who will pay for road and public transport infrastructure? While EVs are environmentally friendly, it is unfair for petrol users to subsidise their travel.
Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
Fritha Parkes engages in Orwellian language advocating tolerance only for speech full of love, compassion, positive kinship and connection, preaching that messages of intolerance, bigotry and hatred will be "shut down" (NZ Herald, June 24).
What a slippery slope to subjective censorship by the state of dialogue, idea sharing and robust debate. The prevailing trendiness of this viewpoint in certain socialist circles is precisely the kind of thing that has led to a generation of young New Zealanders ill-equipped to listen to opinions that confront, challenge them and force them to think laterally about a variety of viewpoints. It has led to the establishment of "trigger warnings", self-censoring academics and strongly rising rates of anxiety and depression since the dawn of the internet, social media and smart phones.
The greatest advances in human history have arisen through passionate political and social argument, the airing of grievances, the facing up to unpalatable truths, and the ability of human beings to debate and challenge prevailing orthodoxies, beliefs, and philosophies of the day. It has often meant nastiness and exposure of ugly side of human nature, but through it all we have made great strides since the enlightenment precisely because of freedom of expression and speech.
Attempt to police my speech at your peril.
Sam Clements, Hauraki.
I would like to see the convenient supermarket plastic bags used again. Those thin bags with the handles do get reused. People just need to not be litter bugs and especially don't throw plastic into the sea. The sustainability consultant behind the Bags Not behaviour change, Nick Morrison, agrees "the plastic bag is a minimal part of the overall plastic pollution crisis". Why cause such an inconvenience then? Simply because "it's a start". Stay with convenience and focus on what really is a big pollution problem, I say.
Researching how plastic can be recycled, made biodegradable or incinerated might be a good way to go.
Plastic is not evil. What matters is what we do with it. It is used to make cars lighter and more fuel efficient, water and gas pipes that don't leak, medical applications that are sterile, it's made into building insulation, composites for renewable energy, and food packaging that keeps food fresher for longer. The massive mass of plastic in oceans is terrible, but that's primarily bad human behaviour.
More than half comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.
Dominic Guzzo, Hauraki.
The owners of the arms prohibited by the recent new law clearly have sufficient disposable income to buy them so are unlikely to suffer hardship if they get less than the original price from the government buy back. Perhaps they could consider the balance of the money in the light of a charitable donation made towards increasing the safety of their fellow New Zealanders.
Karla Rix-Trott, Raglan.
Surely, if all religious comments are disregarded, the RA/Folau situation comes down to an employer/employee employment issue.
If, as has happened, the employee makes comments the employer finds detrimental to their business - both financial and in the public eye - it is entitled to reprimand the employee and warn any continued occurrence will result is dismissal.
This, we understand to be the case, the caution was given and an agreement was agreed on a handshake (to me, a man's handshake is his word). With the agreement broken, termination is the only option.
For the employee (a millionaire) to seek donations to defend his actions after giving his word amounts to the employee living a lie and deserves no help whatsoever.
A more deserving cause to donate to would the SPCA or blind dogs. At least these are tax deductible
Ray Hoy, Riverhead.
The season is upon us again. I had my flu shot last week, it is free when you reach a certain age. This morning I was using one of the computers at the local library. They always look spick and span when the library opens but, after a few hours, who knows what bugs are lurking on their keys?
The man next to me had a somewhat persistent cough, which he dutifully covered with his hand, but I did want to suggest to him that coughing into his shoulder or elbow would be better at preventing or suppressing the spread of bugs.
What do you think?
Margaret Bongard, Grey Lynn.
What an excellent idea Auckland Transport had offering free travel on public transport for a day. It certainly seemed as though there was a big response to the offer. But to have it when there is a measles outbreak, the flu season is upon us and there are all kinds of other winter ills doing the rounds seemed a bit irresponsible. Surely it would have made more sense to delay the offer until a later date.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Brian Tamaki seems horrified that Muslim refugees have come to this country and continue practising their own religion (NZ Herald, June 19). He thinks that our country is Christian, and immigrants should respect our (his) beliefs and forget their own.
When the early missionaries introduced Christianity to the Māori people they were told that the Māori had their own beliefs and the missionaries were free to practise theirs but the Māori should be left alone, as their beliefs met their needs perfectly.
The immigrant missionaries continued their conversion of the first peoples. Two hundred or so years later, we are all New Zealanders with many religious beliefs and our own different ways of life, which all add to the variety of our wonderful country.
If Mr Tamaki is sincere in his values, that immigrants should adhere to the ways of their new country, then he should apologise to our tangata whenua for the intrusion of Christianity and take his congregation to some country where Christianity was the original religion.
Don Sinclair, Warkworth.
On speech
To Fritha Parkes of Māngere: Hear! Hear! Ten out of 10.
Julie Pearce, Matamata.
On gifts
Will Jacinda Ardern gladly accept her gift of a piece of silver (a photo frame) from the Saudi king? She could consider using it for a photograph of the tragically framed journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and returning it to the sender.
Jane Livingstone, Remuera.
On Folau
I am amazed people are taking so much notice of what Israel Folau has said. We all know there are people with extreme views. He doesn't deserve any more headlines.
Selwyn Irwin, Hikurangi.
Win or lose, the right decision was made to get rid of this man. A very big gain for the game of rugby union.
Ivan Priaulx, Remuera.
On EVs
Those who park non electric vehicles in EV charging "spots" are almost certainly from the same fraternity as those who park in disabled parks and parks reserved for "mums with young children".
D B Smith, Napier.
On cancer
The primary care sector is missing cancer and other diagnoses simply because continual professional development protocols are completely futile and, to be frank, many doctors are without curiosity and are lazy.
Andrew Montgomery, Whangārei.
On ANZ
It simply beggars belief that the chairman of the bank, which supposedly is where the buck stops, was unaware of the outrageous perks being dished out to the CEO.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Family say there are two people who may have information but are yet to be located.