I'm not often in agreement with sideline Rattue, however this time he has expressed a view I'm sure many share. It was disappointing that Grant Dalton turned the post-victory media interviews into an aptly described "dirge". We as Kiwis must learn to accept that sometimes the other team might win and acknowledge their effort. On the occasions where we win, be humble and acknowledge the opposition's contribution. Then critique the officiators.
Gordon Jackson, Papakura.
Remarks spoken honestly
Grant Dalton has endured four years of criticism from home and abroad. Backed by loyal sponsors, financial backers and supporters, he has battled on and led Team NZ to a stunning victory. After winning he spoke with honesty and cops more flak. He now needs everyone's support as he strives to put in place the next Cup event and also navigate Team NZ to victory.
Bruce Campbell, Kinloch.
Celebrate the tour
Warren Gatland is a true Waikato Kiwi hero and legend. The Lions come here only every 12 years and should be celebrated by the press. Instead, they are bagged at every turn, for losing, for winning badly, for every comment they make. That draw with the Hurricanes, our top Super side, was a great game yet the press criticised Gats for it. We are the best rugby country on the planet by far, the Lions will struggle here, but let's enjoy and celebrate their footy, win or lose.
S. P. McMonagle, Greenhithe.
Speaker's protection
That Parliament's Speaker has to protect the PM with a lengthy sermon before Question Time makes me wonder why this PM doesn't have the verbal or political skills to state his own case. Is this really the Speaker's role? Sadly the only two orators in the current chamber are Marama Fox and Winston. The rest could bore others senseless for a living.
Barbara Matthews, Onehunga.
Euthanasia case
The case of Tony Nicklinson who suffered from "locked-in syndrome" is a hard case and legislators used to know that hard cases make for bad law. It was a brave decision to starve himself to death, restricting the moral responsibility for his deliberate death to himself. Euthanasia advocates appear to believe moral responsibility can be dissipated into thin air through a parliamentary law, whereas the Nazi jurisdiction, as just one example, shows us responsibility is magnified throughout society. The thoughtless willing killers had to face a wider justice at Nuremburg.
The discomfort of starving oneself to death pales into insignificance next to the unbearable suffering said to be required for euthanasia. Mr Nicklinson is the ideal role model for all who would have others take responsibility for taking their lives.
Tony Molloy, Morrinsville.
Costly roads
The op-ed by academics Chohan, Cheyne and Imran, "Govt Wearing Roads-Tinted Glasses", cites the work of Professor Bent Flyvbjerg and colleagues on "infrastructure megaprojects" which by their very nature seem to end up bedevilled by forecasting failures and cost over-runs. But it is breathtaking that your op-ed writers use this as an argument in favour of public transport megaprojects instead of catch-up in road-infrastructure inadequacies, which is really all the New Zealand Government is doing.
Flyvbjerg's work rests most of its analysis and argument on the fiscally disastrous outcomes of public transport megaprojects all around the world. The main reason for costs and benefits not stacking up for urban road capacity expansion is that there was no planning in the first place of protected corridors to cater for growth.
It would be far cheaper had Auckland built the "major urban arterial" lane-miles of comparable cities such as Indianapolis and Nashville in the first place. It is exponentially more expensive decades later when you need to buy up swathes of houses on expensive sections and demolish them, or tunnel underneath them. Corridor protections would have left green space "ready to go" one day.
Philip G. Hayward, Naenae.
Fulfilling promises?
Scott Brown, the newly appointed United States ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, is quoted as saying, "He [Trump] ran on a platform and he's one of the first elected officials that actually has fulfilled those promises". What promises has Trump fulfilled? After five months in office the only "win" of any significance is the appointment of Neil Gorsuch as a Supreme Court judge.
Major promises made by Trump have been thwarted or will never be realised despite the Republicans having control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The travel ban ("Muslim ban") is still going through the courts, building the "wall" has stalled and will likely never be started, Obamacare hasn't been repealed and the legislation is being consistently opposed by reluctant Republicans.
The infrastructure plan is premised on substantial involvement of the private sector, but analysts claim this is unlikely as many kinds of infrastructure projects will not provide an adequate return on investment. These examples demonstrate that "misstatements" are endemic in the American political scene.
John Renneberg, Puni.
Put up some money
I hope all the businesses crowing about how well they are going to do out of the America's Cup will be as enthusiastic with their financial support for the team. While we are all basking in the reflected glory, now would be a good time for Grant Dalton to start a Givealittle page.
Martin Spinks, Mellons Bay.
Mining opposed
On Sunday, June 11, friends and I headed to Karangahake Mountain to lend support to the locals in their epic struggle against New Talisman Goldmine Limited. We were in full appreciation of the roiling sea of shock and anger churned up by the atrocity of a potential goldmine on conservation land.
This extract from the Project Karangahake newsletter provides some background: "In 2013, New Talisman got consent to 'bulk sample' (in other words mine) 20,000 tonnes of ore from Mt Karangahake over a two-year period. This activity is to take place on prime conservation land and the consent was approved by both DoC and the Hauraki District Council."
The public was at no time notified of the consent application. Despite owning the land, the public was given no say in the matter. Not even in the mire and hellscape of Trump America would the Government attempt to mine the conservation estate without public notification.
Brian Walsh, Whitianga.
Misuse of power
Five homes are to be built on a single Auckland section. Auckland city planners, having got the Unitary Plan changes passed by stealth and against the wishes of Aucklanders, zoned most of Auckland as mixed use urban which allows one house to be removed and replaced by two. An increase of 100 per cent density over most of Auckland. Now they have given themselves the undemocratic right to grant non-notifiable resource consents to increase the density of Auckland 500 per cent plus. When will someone stop this unbridled misuse of planning powers?
Robbie Ancel, Sunnynook.
Sugar tax
Mac Mckenna should read this article on sugar tax headlined, "A sugar tax would provide the most health benefits to low income groups without excessively punishing them in the hip pocket, Australian researchers say." This was published on the Australian 7 News website and to quote, "Anita Lal, a PhD candidate in Deakin's School of Health and Social Development, says the finding debunks one of the major criticisms of a proposed sugar-sweetened beverage tax - that it would unfairly target poorer families. We estimated the increase in annual spending on sugar-sweetened beverages would be an average of $30 per person, or just 60 cents per week, a reasonable cost when the health benefits are taken into account."
Ms Lal says a sugar tax isn't going to solve obesity on its own but it is an important part of the solution.
Ian Williamson, Bucklands Beach.
