Does New Zealand need a 'flying squad' to urgently tackle problems with water? Photo / 123rf, File
Water troubles
In the small town of Ngatea on the Hauraki Plains in 1955, an epidemic of yellow jaundice broke out. Eventually, a month later, a health authority from the government turned up to discover an ageing septic tank on the school grounds had ruptured. Because of its close proximity to the school’s similarly ageing water tank supply, it had managed to seep some of its toxic content into the school’s tap water and the epidemic spread from there. Three people died and over a thousand people - of which I was one - became seriously ill, many being hospitalised. The point being the time it took for the health authority to take action was critical in saving lives and the spread of the epidemic and that was back in a time when the bureaucracy was relatively small. Can you imagine, with the Three Waters bureaucracy on top of bureaucracy and many consultancies with local iwi, how much longer the process of taking action will eventuate? What is needed at enormously far less cost to taxpayers is a fast-track team of professionals with all the necessary equipment to be immediately dispatched to any water-infected trouble spot from the very moment it is detected.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Failed model
While the water reforms appear complicated and confusing, it does not mean that we need to consider making changes, whatever that may be. To date, water has been revenue for councils and they have not invested in the infrastructure to maintain and grow supply for our growing population. Watercare came under fire a few years ago because maintaining water supply was not part of their requirements and Auckland was left to negotiate drawing more water from the Waikato river. Wellington has had burst mains and Dunedin also has ancient piping. We have also forgotten the 5000 people who became ill after the water was contaminated by sheep waste. Whatever the opinions are out there, we cannot afford to stick with the status quo.
K. S. Agar, Onehunga.
Break camp
How many of us would place our spare cash into an investment that was likely to have a 15 per cent success rate? National’s proposal of boot camps for youth offenders, promises such a return. Overseas experience and National’s brief flirtation with them years ago tells us that. These military-style camps are simply a bone of retribution thrown at those who seek easy answers to a complex problem. The proposal smacks of having been hastily cobbled together. Good law is always based on timely research and evidence and easy, Lazy ideas such as these should be shunned. Apparently, most youth offenders go on to re-offend from these camps and some even become hardened criminals. The problem certainly and urgently merits our attention but not in this populist vote-catching way. Any criticism of boot camps is swiftly denounced as hand-wringing. No, a civilised society should always demand answers, ones that encompass the idea of rehabilitation, especially where young people are concerned, with a better than 15 per cent return rate.
Diana Walford, Greenlane.
Embracing change
A reader suggested this week (NZ Herald, November 21) that Christopher Luxon’s “boot camp” solution was preferable to what they suggested was Labour’s possible solution of giving young offenders a hug. A hug is probably just what they need. For many of these offenders there seems to have been precious little of any sort of affection and love in their short lives.
Teresa Graham, Warkworth.
Little interest
I could count on one hand the number of 16-year-olds who have a burning desire to aid in democracy by voting in a general election. Those championing this cause currently are a minority group who have an idealistic view of the world. Many 16-year-olds still grunt, or hiss, at their parents and think they know everything anyway. The only democracy they care about is whether their parents will let them out on a Friday night. If that is a no, they retreat to their rooms until it is time to eat.
John Ford, Taradale.
Right to choose
I am surprised that the Act Party is against lowering the voting age. Libertarians believe that it is usually better to give people more free choice. Why not 16-year-olds? The average 16-year-old is far better educated than my generation was. They stay at school longer and are more aware than previous generations of what is happening in the world. It is their future and they should have a say in it.
Joan Caulfield, Parnell.
Everyone votes
Congratulations to the Make It 16 advocacy group who argued voting laws are discriminatory on the basis of age discrimination. The Supreme Court has declared it is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act 1990 to prevent 16- and 17-year-olds from voting. National and Act are opposed and echo arguments from the 1890s when extending the vote to women was proposed. The next step is to make votes possible for all citizens, however young. Parents should get a proxy vote for each child under the age of 16 years. That would recognise the true value of raising the next generation and attract all sorts of promises from politicians eager to enlist parents’ support.
Janfrie Wakim, Epsom.
Stamford potential
If the National Party want a perfect challenger to Jacinda Ardern, they should adopt Erica Stamford as their leader. She has shown an ability to debate issues in a calm and reasonable manner and can cope with issues as they arise in debate. Her communication skills are as good as the Prime Minister’s and she could do just as well representing our nation in other countries. Christopher Luxon may think that he is “keeping his powder dry” for late 2023, but this powder rather resembles the dust of decomposed policies of yesteryear. He needs some highway median barriers to discourage his U-turns.
Hugh Webb, Huntington.
Road to ruin
So, Transmission Gully is rife with potholes already. Just like most Auckland main roads; potholes everywhere, many that were resurfaced in the last two years (SH16, Massey Rd in Mangere, Mt Wellington Highway, etc). We have a fraction of the traffic of most cities in the world, and having just driven 1600km in the UK without a pothole in sight, it proves that NZTA and Auckland Council are nothing short of incompetent. Forget bus lanes and cycleways with pretty paint, fix our roads so that they last for 10 years for the little traffic that they endure. Put the money where we want it and need it.
Glenn J Pacey, Glendowie.
Needed nurses
Today I visited a local clinic for a dressing change and met a delightful Filipino nurse, and discussed with her the trials and tribulations she went through to get into nursing here. She was required to, of course, provide, and have double-checked by three different authorities, details of her qualifications. She also had to do a “bridging course” in Christchurch for six weeks, costing over $11,000, as well as an English-speaking course (she speaks better English than me) at additional cost, let alone the return flights to Christchurch, before flying up to Auckland, and having to find accommodation in a tight market with very high rents. Embarrassingly, to this born and bred NZer, she has waited over a year for her residency, and because of this cannot return home to her family for a holiday. Nothing is more important than the health of a country’s people, and our Government has got to take some responsibility, by opening the border to appropriately qualified, English-speaking nurses. Their country has already proved that their medical degree is equal to ours. Have people died because of these shortages? I think we all know the answer to this.
Andrew Harford, St Heliers.
Privet pollen
The Auckland Council website lists Chinese privet as a pest plant and advises property owners to eradicate it. So guess where it grows the most prolifically? Yep, council land. Take a drive out to Whenuapai for instance. There are not just privet bushes, but privet trees along Brigham Creek Rd, Kauri Rd, and surrounding roads. For anyone that suffers from hay fever, asthma etc, causing eye irritation, sneezing, headaches, this plant is a big problem. Every year this is left to grow, the bigger the problem, and even more health problems.
Margaret Dagger, Whenuapai.
On voting
Vote 16 is a public-interest issue, a bit like euthanasia and cannabis were, so like those matters there should be a referendum where we all get a say. It is not an appropriate issue for self-interested politicians to vote amongst themselves on. Jeremy Hall, Hauraki.
The Supreme Court predictably ruled that the voting age of 18 was discriminatory. If a similar case was taken to the Court regarding a voting age of 16 it would also find it discriminatory. It’s the law, stupid. Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.
Common sense suggests that, if this is how the Supreme Court sees it, then it’s the Bill of Rights Act that is in need of amendment. John Olesen, St Heliers Bay.
Before consideration of lowering the voting age, the Government should make it law that all registered voters are duty-bound to vote or receive a fine. Maybe we would have a better turnout for less cost. Susan Schultz, Red Beach.
Yet young criminal offenders up to 18 years of age are often referred to the Youth Court as their brains are not mature enough to understand their actions. Adrian Wilson, Northcote.
On sale
I see that retailers are now having their Black Friday sales on a Thursday. Does that mean that next year we will have Easter Monday on a Tuesday? Gerald Payman, Mt Albert.
On rugby
To concede 19 points in the last nine minutes is less a coaching failure and more a player failure. I trust each player has apologised to the coaching team. M. Boardman, Dunedin.
On intervention
Prime Minister: I understand inflation is caused by greedy people who keep putting their prices up and that you can’t do anything about that. But, can you please stop the incessant rain in the Auckland area? It’s really annoying. Thanks. P K Ellwood, Beach Haven.
Twelve-month extension to Healthy Homes compliance
This announcement delivered nothing that will address housing availability or costs. The extension to the healthy homes compliance is only to cover Government’s failure to deliver what it demanded the private sector do in the same environment it failed to deliver in. The regulation of property managers will only increase costs further, reducing supply and increasing rents. In turn, this will increase the demand for state support, increasing costs on the taxpayer further. The meth standards are only an attack on the property rights of owners, who should be able to evict for any trace of meth. Instead, they will now have limited recourse against users who will be protected by a soft on crime, support the perpetrators, not the victims. Govt intent on making rental ownership as unattractive as possible. I guess we should no longer be surprised that we get undelivered promises, higher costs, dependency, and protection of criminals. It’s all they seem able to deliver. Darren W.
I’m guessing it will be the landlords who do the least possible on their properties that are the ones who haven’t updated them, and they are now getting more time while the tenants suffer. Louise C.
Like the biggest landlord - the Government? Peter L.
I’m guessing that will be Kāinga Ora. Anna S.
Private landlords have had huge fines held over their heads to become Healthy Homes compliant but the state provider, Kāinga Ora has had a free pass. Plus Kāinga Ora can claim the cost of interest on money borrowed to remedy its houses to Healthy Homes standards as a deduction against revenue, private landlords cannot but are still expected to meet the costs to comply. Just another example of this Government’s dual standards. Richard C.
This won’t change the fact that domestically driven inflation has cranked up the costs of building supplies to record levels, making these changes unaffordable. With the present Labour Government’s immigration policies, we have a shortage of tradies, not to mention interest rates. Covid is becoming the “go-to excuse” for this Government but, as we see, the deadlines for Labour Party dreams seem to be very flexible. Flip-flopping is becoming the norm. Mark W.
OPINION: New Zealander reflects on delivering speech at St James' Palace.