Letters: Councils need to take climate change seriously

Councils need their own climate change expert, a reader says. Photo / Supplied

The mayor of Nelson is planning to declare this week climate change an emergency.

In my opinion every council in New Zealand should be doing the same. She recognises there is no issue more important, threatening the future of mankind.

Every council should have a fulltime person whose job it is to deal exclusively with climate change. To network with other districts and to research the latest overseas information.

A "young" person would be good, after all, it's about the next generation isn't it?

Come on Lakes Council, surprise me and show initiative. Prove politicians can lead from the front.

Lesley Haddon
Rotorua

Traffic routes

Ryan Gray (Letters, May 10) correctly states that in a planned city a main road would not go through the town centre.

Unfortunately, Rotorua is not a planned city with development dictating changes without considering access and changing commercial pressures.

A few years ago, provision was made for a city bypass but recently the plan was scrapped and Amohau St has been forced to carry town and through traffic.

Until a viable alternative is found leave Amohau St alone, the option down Old Taupo Rd is not practical.

Alan Deverson
Rotorua

Two terms enough

I think it is a great idea for mayors and councillors to only be allowed two terms in office.

They tend to stay in office far too long and then just keep putting their hand up again and again coming up with stale or ludicrous ways of spending.

Fresh faces doesn't mean a lack of experience or knowledge.

More often than not "younger" faces have brighter ideas and this is what we need. Two terms is long enough. In my view, our councillors have been there far too long getting nothing important done yet.

Time for a change. (Abridged)

Viv Radley
Rotorua

Drug-free wish

We in New Zealand are reputedly the softest touch for drug sales.

It is not the fault of the police, they are doing a splendid job of catching drug traffickers, it is the fault of the courts, they are not handing down sufficiently strong penalties to deter users and peddlers of narcotics.

We have to make the penalty so severe for drug users and sellers that they are scared off completely. We need to be a drug-free country - and soon.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

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