This will sort out the good employers from the bad ones.
Francois Sauvageot, Newmarket.
Family plans
To all those spinning out over Mark Richardson's "sexism" towards Jacinda Ardern , please read Dr Jarrod Gilbert's interview with her in the Herald on Sunday of August 28, 2016. Children and "having a life" feature prominently, along with no desire to be Labour leader nor Prime Minister because of the huge changes these positions bring to one's private life.
Emmerson's cartoon showing him eating humble pie in front of Mark Richardson will be a good start.
Fiona Allen, Papatoetoe.
Personality contest
Here I was thinking the upcoming election would be contested between those parties offering a wide range of sound policies that would result in a government elected by the majority, to ensure that New Zealand would continue to be a great country to live in. It was obviously not going to be a battle of leadership as there were no particularly crowd-pleasing leaders on offer.
Now, however, the media has a new piece of meat to sink its fangs into, which will switch the voting public from making informed logical decisions to making choices between who is the best-looking and brightest leader.
Dick Ayres, Auckland Central.
Economy at risk
It is amazing Glen Stanton would change his vote on the basis of charisma and a sparkling smile when this country's economy is the envy of others with its low unemployment, growing surpluses and jobs.
The Labour policies haven't changed: higher taxes, more handouts, industry wage setting ... The caucus line-up is still the same, including the lack of quality and experience in potential Labour/Green cabinet ministers.
K. Graham, Epsom.
Dubious claim
In the lead-up to a general election many politically motivated correspondents roll out the age old, cliched nonsense that fools no one.
The classic goes something like, "I have been a National party voter all my life but first the first time ever I've decided to cast my vote elsewhere". Yeah right.
Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.
Heated bedrooms
Never in my life as a child or adult (I am in my 60s) have I slept in a heated bedroom. None of the homes I have lived in, including my current weatherboard house, have had insulation. My house is not damp, mouldy or cold, condensation does not drip from my windows. A heat pump is my sole source of heating and is not turned on regularly. I do not get colds or the flu.
Open some windows and doors for ventilation, pull back drapes or blinds to let the sun in and wear some warm clothes, preferably wool or cotton next to your skin. Insulation is not the total solution to a dry and warm home.
Dennise Cook, Torbay.
Six solutions
Here are six cheap and easy things to do to speed up Auckland's traffic flow, ease congestion and save fuel.
1. Make a red traffic light on a left turn equal to a stop sign.
2. Remove speed humps from heavily used roads.
3. Change the 80km/h speed limit through Spaghetti Junction and the Northwestern Motorway back to 100km/h.
4. Change the default city speed limit to 60 km/h.
5. Replace the dumb traffic lights littering the city with smart lights starting with Mt Wellington Highway.
6. Allow T2 or T3 cars on the northern busway.
Scott Rabone, Kohimarama.
Childcare space
The Early Childhood Council disagrees with the opinions of Susan Bates about space allocation in early childhood centres. Comments such as "packing children in" to "receive more funding and fees" are misleading. The Education Act and the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 set the standards licensed services must meet, including the maximum number of children per staff member, according to age bands.
The Government does not limit the size of different age groups within early childhood centres, but centres do tend to maintain group size, in accordance with good practice and available research.
There is little evidence that regulating group size is the appropriate way to go.
Changes in 2008 to regulations around space allocation did not reduce space as she claims, but removed some layers of bureaucracy the sector faces. Until that point, if a centre had more than 50 children, they had to have more than one licence. This led to duplicate reporting, ERO reviews, and expense.
We encourage parents to explore the ERO reports for the centres they are considering and to visit and make informed choices.
Peter Reynolds, chief executive, Early Childhood Council.
Frisking illegal
The body searches of anyone, especially children at the Little Mix concert, were illegal and parents whose children were subject to this should complain to the police. Even in prisons only female officers can search female prisoners.
Many security companies do not have the legal right or powers to do this and can be classed as assault on a child 16 or under. I would suggest in future patrons film the action and call the police.
Little Mix or any other group performing cannot instruct agents to breach privacy laws.
The same can be said if you are in a store or supermarket. Staff can ask you to open your bag and they can look inside but they cannot personally touch or remove any item from your bag. They can ask you to do so but this is to protect staff from false accusations of stealing from your bag.
Geoffrey Strickland, Thames.
Food the likely target
The controversial frisking of children at the Little Mix concert would not have been done for security reasons.
As usual at Auckland venues, it would have been done by under-trained, part-time security staff who have been instructed by venue management to confiscate any food or drink that might possibly cause a loss of income to the catering contractor.
The same scenario blights all Auckland venues, and the unwelcoming atmosphere it creates is the fault of grasping venue management who charge extortionate licence fees to catering contractors.
Tony Waring, Grey Lynn.
Cat control
Your editorial supporting Gareth Morgan's conservation plan stands on feet of clay. Morgan's ideas found only a 51-49 per cent support at the Local Government NZ conference. Crucial information had been suppressed and the promised consultation and collaboration with interested groups has never happened.
Moreover the vision of a predator-free NZ by 2050, including the programme of domestic cats being eradicated shows how short-sighted and devoid of any scientifically based arguments those fanatic Morganites are. Cats play an essential role in maintaining our natural balance.
Klaus Kurz, Russell.
Refugee quota
A. N. Christie urges us to ignore the plight of 65 million refugees and resist increasing our modest annual intake by 500. He has little understanding of who refugees are. The majority who have settled here have moved on to become New Zealand citizens and they and their children have made significant contributions to this country.
New Zealand could double the current quota with no great long-term cost. We have much to gain in the long term from their contribution here. Above all, it is the right thing to do as a global citizen in these turbulent times.
Chris Hawley, Glendowie.
