Letters: Wrong time to hit small businesses

Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Supplied

Alan McDonald, of the Employers and Manufacturers Association, states (Herald, Oct 20) "you have to be a bloody hero to be in small business at the moment".

Recent and possible changes in this economic cycle appear untimely for small business. Five extra days' sick leave, four weeks' compulsory redundancy, pay parity, Matariki holiday, increased maternity leave, higher minimum wages and likely enactment of Labour's Fair Pay Agreement, payback for union loyalty to Labour's cause, their growing influence imminent.

The complexity and compliance of managing a small business are such that many will capitulate. So much for job creation, why bother? McDonald concludes, "now is not the time to add all these costs".
P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.

Kiwis: Time to step up

The Government can only keep us safe up to a point. The time for the "it's your job to keep us safe" mentality has passed. If you don't want to participate in the team approach my suggestion is pick a country and buy a plane ticket — we will swap you for one of the millions desperate to get here because of what we have achieved.

To NZ business owners, retailers and the hospitality industry — this IS our new normal — instead of suggesting the Government do more when Covid pops up in your area — use your heads — everyone pays for your services so have the app next to your eftpos as well as at your entrance and actively push for scanning as they pay. Yes, it will add a small amount of time but surely it's better than having to close. For gyms or other subscription-like facilities — offer one free class for every patron who scans in for an allocated number of times. Come on Kiwis, it's time to get creative ... and to all consumers out there — let's keep NZ moving — use the app!
Nadine Stalker.

More action, less talk

I agree with Fran O'Sullivan in Saturday's Business section (Herald, October 24) titled "Result gives Ardern mandate to be bold". O'Sullivan shows concern over Jacinda Ardern's call for a need to be consultative. O'Sullivan sees it as a recipe for more talk, more listening and less action.

It will be a pity if this becomes Ardern's priority. She has a massive mandate to make strong, assertive moves on behalf of our country.

The biggest call will always be climate change because, as stated by so many scientists and natural historian David Attenborough, we are running out of time. We have to move to make the changes needed, ones Ardern has already stressed, like cleaner energy sources and transportation, hidden, though, among many other goals. She also needs to move quickly with farmers to action environmental changes and to clean up the fishing industry so sea life and the ocean floor is not abused as it is now.

Cleaner streams, rivers and lakes will help bring native life back and give us all pleasure and pride as it unfolds. She needs to make a firm decision about our decreasing coastline and ensure councils are ready and able to move people to safer venues. She needs to finance support services for readiness, including nurses, doctors, hospitals, ambulances, fire fighters and rescue helicopters.

These are all immediate concerns. After all, being better prepared for what we know is happening and know will worsen, is in all our interest right now and for those following. What a gift to leave a country.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.

Covid complacency

The incident involving The Malt Bar (Greenhithe) on Friday, October 16, is symptomatic of the complacency that has crept into Auckland after moving to Covid level 1.

It turns out the vast majority of patrons at the bar on the Friday night failed to use the Covid Tracer app (or manually register). The rest is history. The bar has to close for 14 days. A further financial loss for the owner just after level 1 allowed a business recovery. A time-consuming effort to trace the majority of patrons potentially exposed.

When will the public recognise how contagious this virus is? How easily it is spread? Why is the use of the QR code waning? Dr Ashley Bloomfield, while imploring us to be diligent at hospitality venues, stops short of supporting mandatory use of the code; a position also held by the Government.

While ensuring every consumer at every retail venue registers attendance is impractical, is it not practical and feasible to use the growing number of unemployed to man entrances at the larger hospitality venues (to which Bloomfield refers), to ensure registration is effected? The cost met by the Government and offset against the unemployment benefit being paid.

If a beneficiary refuses to accept such paid employment, the benefit is withheld.
Des Trigg, Rothesay Bay.

Courier post

Some months ago I sent a package to a friend via Courier Post. I didn't hear anything so assumed (wrongly) that it had arrived safely. It was reasonably well packed for such a short journey, Onehunga to Epsom.

I assumed (again wrongly), that it had arrived in good condition. After about three months I received the package back, damaged, and it looked as if it could have been in damp conditions.

Ironically, it was very well packaged and covered in "fragile" stickers, although it was already broken.
Enclosed were a couple of forms, one a disclaimer for any faults in delivery. (It had been on vacation somewhere for some time!) Was informed that I could do something, make a claim.

I decided against this. Who needs all the hassle that would involve?

The gist of all this was, as far as they were concerned, it was my own fault for using their service.
Barbara Matthews, Onehunga.

Erebus Memorial

I was appalled after reading the article (Herald, October 20) concerning two alternative sites proposed for the Erebus Memorial.

First, I lost both my parents and a sister as a result of the Erebus tragedy.

Secondly, some years ago I lived for periods on both Gladstone Rd and St Stephens Ave and so know the Dove Myer Robinson Park well and concur with the conclusion that it is an eminently appropriate location. I also lived nearby at the time of the accident.

The unfortunate and protracted saga we have experienced relating to the establishment of a fitting memorial has irrefutably gone on for far too long.

Following extensive consultation by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage with the affected families to arrive at a sound consensus for what was desired, the Government has consulted widely with the relevant experts on every aspect. Major public money has already been invested to specifically design a fitting memorial in a public park.

Those presenting themselves as the "Friends of Erebus" Memorial Park are certainly not regarded as friends by me.

It is ludicrous that after so much input and public money has been committed to a project in a public park that we allow a few the time to try and derail it. I urge the Waitematā Board to do what is so obviously right and enable the project to proceed promptly.
David Allan, Auckland.

Ain't my fault

Steve Braunias' Saturday contribution got it right: "It ain't my fault".

There is no doubt that there were a number of factors contributing to National's annus horribilis year. Leadership struggles, resignations, leaks, terrible policies to name but a few.

One would have thought that after being led by charismatic John Key for three terms some would have got the message. But wait, there's more — they also had the opportunity of seeing another leader with even greater charisma pull a party up by its bootstraps into the sunlight. Crusher by name, Crusher by actions — a swipe at anybody that got in the headlights. No chance of any subtlety or sensitivity, more like a bulldozer at a scrap heap.

When the damage is done take the obvious withdrawal strategy and blame everyone and everything but yourself. Farmers voting red strategically is pie in the sky as it's obvious they weren't too happy with their own sitting members either.

The truth of the matter is politics has changed and the first thing National needs to do is accept that and act accordingly.
Reg Dempster, Albany.

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