One lane has the capability of moving 2000 cars at 80km/h, while rail can move 60,000 people in a one-lane equivalent in the same time. Photo / Michael Craig.
Rail v roads
John Ford (NZ Herald, July 14) has little understanding of transport and climate change and is nostalgic for an era when motorways were idealised with little thought for safety, greenhouse gases, pollution, equality, movement capacity and congestion. Motorways just steer more vehicles onto already congested roads. One lane has the capability of moving 2000 cars at 80km/h, while rail can move 60,000 people in a one-lane equivalent in the same time. Motorways are notoriously land hungry and cover large tracts of arable land. Road and air transport create greenhouse gases. Aircraft emissions are four times worse than ground level emissions as they go straight into the stratosphere. Road transport also has tyre pollution. Tyres emit tyre dust, which contributes to 40 per cent of the pollution from road vehicles. These particulates are at least 40 per cent of air pollution which relate to 400 deaths in New Zealand annually. Also, microplastics from tyres are the second largest contributor to oceanic microplastic pollution. Rail is fast, potentially at 160km/h. Car travel does not serve 30 per cent of the population including young students, super-annuitants, disabled people and the poor. Rail is equitable and efficient. Cars are polluting, expensive and inefficient.
Niall Robertson, chair of the Public Transport Users Association.
Civilised economy
Kiwis seem to be economic eejits. They want Rolls-Royce social services but think they can have them for a Morris Minor price. The social economy (health, welfare, education) is paid from tax take, which because we no longer have a surfeit of PAYE workers, is dwindling fast through low GST volumes and across the board tax minimisation. Either we tax the rich more, pay more, or we lose the things that mark the difference between a civilised economy and one consisting of animals with guns.
Paul Mack, Manly.
Chris Hipkins
When Chris Hipkins announced he would not support either a ‘Capital Gains Tax’ or ‘Wealth Tax’ he effectively admitted defeat in the upcoming election. Whilst Labour flip flop on policy in a desperate bid to cling on to power, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are sticking to their principles. Both have announced that they will not form a Government with any party unless they adopt policies that would rectify financial inequalities where the super-rich dodge paying their fair share of taxes. With Labour currently polling at around 31 per cent they would need the Greens and maybe Te Pāti Māori as well. So National and Act will form the next Government. Chippy clearly didn’t think through the ramifications. He had the opportunity to do something transformational that could have helped millions of Kiwis but lacked the courage of conviction to follow through. He could have really made a name for himself. But sadly, will only be remembered as a short-term caretaker Prime Minister.
Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
Tax-free thresholds
Labour choosing to abandon its plan to reintroduce a tax-free threshold is disappointing. And Treasury suggesting it is likely to be inflationary shows it fails to comprehend the situation of struggling families. Food banks have never been busier. Australians pay no tax on the first $18,500 earned. We should do the same here. Paying more at subsequent marginal tax rates means more in the pockets of those who need it - without cutting services or changing the total tax take. No extra money in the economy means no additional inflationary pressure. It’s a tax-switch, not a tax cut.
Ian Swney, Morrinsville.
Capital gains
Proponents of a capital gains tax, will state that this will bring in x amount of additional tax. Have they factored in that frequently capital gains are reinvested, thereby producing additional income that will then be taxed? If the capital gain is taxed then there is less amount to be reinvested, thereby reducing the income that can be earned and the tax that will be incurred. This reduction will of course not be one time only as all future tax years will be affected. Tax gained needs to be offset by tax lost in calculating the net amount of additional tax to be collected. In the case of property, it is not a simple case of the capital gain being the difference between the purchase price and the sale price, as the cost of any improvements will have to be taken into account in calculating the capital gain.
Barry Towers, Morrinsville.
Science curriculum
I concur with columnist Dr Andrew Rogers’ concern about lack of specificity in the draft science curriculum (NZ Herald, July 13). When I taught secondary English some time ago reliance on textbooks was derided. This effectively meant that every teacher had to write separate curricula for each level that they taught. It was enormously time-consuming and inefficient. Inevitably, it also made for an avoidable variability in teaching and in student learning and attainment.
Peter Stanley PhD, Tauranga.
Trusting politicians
John Howe (NZ Herald, July 14) says John Key wouldn’t raise GST but did and Jacinda Ardern wouldn’t introduce a CGT and didn’t, implying Ardern was trustworthy and Key wasn’t. What he fails to mention is that Key also lowered taxes when increasing GST whilst Ardern introduced many new ones after campaigning on ‘No new taxes’ in the 2020 election. After the shambles of the last six years, I think we all know who we can and cannot trust.
Mark Young, Orewa
Matariki
like to think I am a moderately educated New Zealander, but through my ignorance, I initially thought celebrating Matariki was a complete and utter waste of time and money. But having watched the wonderful speeches by both women and men, and singing on television this morning, I have done a 360-degree turn. I will now celebrate and embrace it. I hope you will to.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport.
Civic responsibility
If the function of the Judiciary is to mete out effective justice, then the purpose is not achieved by constantly again and yet again being reminded of that grossly understated failure. War heroes of yesteryear, if still around, would be incredulous at how we disrespect their legacy of a safe country with seeming indifference to protecting the enterprise of shop owners and others’ lives constantly at risk. At the forthcoming National elections, no major party will get my vote until they can satisfy me that they have a real and early solution to lawlessness including ram-raiding and vicious assault. No cheap politicking using mere words. We have had a national Census. Despite childish bribing to nudge stragglers from a state of inertia, it has not worked. Some would argue this has invalidated the entire Census at a cost of millions of dollars. Make non-voting an offense on the way to sound Government.
David Stevenson, Howick.
Rich and poor
Considering the UK has one of the worst poverty gaps between rich and poor of all countries in Europe, showcasing extreme opulence to the rest the world as royalty exemplifies must be the grandest display of hypocrisy by governments the world has evidenced in recent history, rivalled only by US delusion that Donald Trump is trustworthy.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Campaign tune
If National or Labour are looking for a campaign song, they may wish to consider one by Australian musician Tim Minchin. It’s called “F**k the Poor”. I imagine Minchin would be happy to forgo royalties for any party honest enough to adopt it.
Peter Calder, Westmere.
Bypassing Christchurch
Why was Christchurch (NZ’s second biggest city) passed over for Fifa games? At a population of 377,000 it has almost 200,000 more people than Hamilton and its stadium capacity at 18,000 holds approximately 2000 more people than the Waikato stadium. Holding the only South Island games in Dunedin (population 102,000) and then wondering why there is a slow uptake on tickets shows the organisers haven’t done their research.
Clive Weston, Christchurch.
SHORT AND SWEET
On lunches
If David Seymour thinks kids’ lunches are a waste of taxpayers’ money, what does he think of Bellamy’s: a politician’s free lunch, dinner and booze on the taxpayer?
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
On Labour
Labour has got it sorted somehow. Wages are rising and house prices are falling. What great news for our rangitahi/young people. Now they just have to register to vote. And do so.
Juliet Leigh, Pt Chevalier.
On Chris
All I want for Christmas is neither Chris-mess thank you. Time for a complete wake-up call.
Glenn Forsyth, Taupo.
On farmers
The latest Tui’s billboard is amusing. “Of course the farmers will vote Labour again”, yeah right.
Dave Miller, Tauranga.
On sentences
No wonder our maths stats are so poor when 14 months’ imprisonment somehow equals seven months’ home detention.
Fiona McAllister, Mount Maunganui.
On World Cup tickets
How do people who purchased tickets to World Cup football games feel now the organisers have decided to issue free tickets to some games? Are these people entitled to a refund?
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
Could the solution to the Women’s World Cup low ticket sales be to put a KFC cart inside each venue? This Government could provide KFC vouchers at venues.
Bernard Jennings, Island Bay.
Police say they were called to the Ninth Ave at 10.22pm last night.