Translating viewpoints into votes
Having watched the interview between minister Willie Jackson and Jack Tame on Q&A on Sunday, I believe Jackson is not representing the co-governance debate vs democracy correctly. The bill Tamati Coffey is sponsoring, the Three Waters government proposal, and the veto powers proposed for the Māori Health
authority are all about stacking votes in favour of a particular group and nothing to do with representation or partnership at all. In all three cases various parties are able to have representatives around the table, however at some point a view will need to be decided upon, in other words, voted upon. At that point it is the majority vote that wins. MMP provides for many points of view to be heard, however in Parliament the Government has the majority of votes and its view will prevail. Elections decide the number of representatives of a particular persuasion. MMP provides for more than just two points of view to be heard, however only one viewpoint will become law. If Jackson is genuine in his desire for minorities to have greater say, perhaps the 'no's should win the debates in Parliament and not the 'aye's. National and Act supporters would be delighted, and even the Greens and the Māori Party may see their views pass into law.
John Riddell, Massey.
Referendum time?
Willie Jackson is quite right to point out that MMP gives minor parties more of a voice and provides greater inclusivity. What he doesn't mention is that MMP was brought in because it got a majority vote in a referendum. When do we get our referendum on co-governance, Willie?
Andrew Tichbon, Green Bay.
Moving on
My husband and I have just spent three weeks in Australia. It seemed like another planet! The country has moved on from Covid as the centrepiece of its existence and like most of the rest of the world, Australia is "living" again. Forget "new normal". "Normal" as we knew it is happening again as people get on with their daily lives with minimal restrictions and barely any reference from government or media to the C-word. We were in Sydney and nearby areas and everywhere we went we saw streets, shops, cafes and beaches crowded, buzzing and full of happy, optimistic people, liberated by their now unthreatened and unrestricted lives. The sky and airport are busy too with large numbers of international airlines flying in and out from around the world. Sydney international airport was packed with people and planes arriving and leaving – a stark comparison to the ghost town we experienced at Auckland International Airport. The Australian Government (whether you like their politics or not) and the Australian media have to be applauded for the part they have played in the rapid transition away from a Covid-dominated life. There is barely a mention of Covid in any media; little or no mention of cases, hospitalisations, deaths or variants; wearing of masks is virtually abolished; there are no daily or weekly government Covid updates to remind the citizens they are living under the control of a traffic light system the government can flick and change as they determine and impact the way its citizens manage their own lives. There are no unrelenting and unasked for "expert" opinions from virologists, epidemiologists and modellers. Australia is indeed a lucky country. It has life very close to what we once knew in New Zealand but that still seems light years away from where we are now or appear to be going in the near future.
A Thomson, Orewa.
Restricted hours
It is understandable why cafes and restaurants have restricted their hours because of Covid but how do they monitor the demand they might have had? Whilst away in the Bay of Plenty over Easter one saw examples of cafes deciding no one drank tea or coffee in the afternoon and restaurants closing their doors on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is not an easy conundrum to solve but it was observed that small takeaways were doing a roaring trade. Somehow businesses have to recover lost ground but customers will only do what you want when you give them what they want.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Looking out
What an uninformed, emotive and baseless letter penned by Jock MacVicar about motorcyclists (NZ Herald, April 25). If MacVicar got off his vitriolic keyboard and did some quick research, he'd be astonished to discover the reason for the current "look again, look again" safety programme. I've been riding and racing motorcycles for 58 years and therefore have an intimate knowledge of the vagaries and stupidity of motorists, many of whom simply fail to see bikes on the road. For example, I assisted at an accident in Auckland where a young car driver failed to give way and hit a couple at an intersection. I clearly remember the driver exclaiming several times "I just didn't see them". I wondered why as I switched the ignition and headlight off on the bike which was literally under the car. So instead of bursting into print Mr MacVicar, may I suggest you examine some statistics about how many times vehicle drivers are at fault for hitting motorcyclists. It has nothing to do with your claim about bikes zooming in and out of traffic and speeding. It's all about looking.
Murray Brown, Hamilton.
