Letters: Ratepayers shouldn't be propping up airport

Rotorua Airport. Photo / File

Airport share value rises (Local News, January 4). Why is this article deemed of interest to Rotorua citizens?

It is only book value and doesn't mean squat.

As a ratepayer I'm only interested in if the airport company is making a profit year after year so we (ratepayers) don't have to prop them up once again.

It sounds all good and dandy this forward planning but if you don't get the customers you're up a creek with out a paddle.

While I'm at it, I would like to know if all this money the airport is spending came out of profit or the ratepayers of Rotorua.

Gavin Muir
Rotorua

Te reo not diatribe

My heart sank when I read te reo Māori being described as a "diatribe" (Letters, January 4).

When people feel entitled to describe the original language as "diatribe" it is actually saying a lot about them.

A N Christie would do well to understand why English became so prevalent here in Aotearoa, and the journey Māori has had to survive.

English will never be in danger of being forgotten or anyone being beaten for speaking it. Te reo Māori is an official language protected by statute since 1987 and has waited patiently to be embraced.

I am truly thankful for the dedicated people who worked tirelessly to enable New Zealand to embrace a revitalisation of its indigenous language so that my tamariki can use it as an everyday language.

The revitalisation has never excluded anyone, free lessons have been available for all adults for over a decade (which I have taken), and I encourage people to do so because rather than "diatribe", the beauty and depth is without limit.

I hope 2019 brings tolerance and understanding to A N Christie. It has filled my heart with joy hearing te reo Māori being increasingly used and pronounced correctly over my 11 years living in Aotearoa (and English hasn't disappeared at all either) and I thank the council for its role in this in Rotorua.

S White
Rotorua

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