Whanganui's NZ International Commercial Pilot Academy should raise concerns about the city's part in air pollution and climate change, says Les Wright.
Whanganui's NZ International Commercial Pilot Academy should raise concerns about the city's part in air pollution and climate change, says Les Wright.
Reading the Chronicle over recent weeks, there has been a great deal said about the urgency of a climate change strategy.
Mayor Hamish cited it as a reason for him standing again, as he saw it as unfinished business. David Bennett, in reply to readers, is willing to shift hisbusiness out of town if it is considered a pollutant to this district.
However, ratepayers in Wanganui have unwittingly contributed to the ongoing worldwide pollution with the purchase, by Whanganui and Partners (council business ) the NZ International Commercial Pilot Academy, using ratepayer funding. .
As an economic scheme, it is probably a great idea (if we were told what the return was to the ratepayers), but as an industry incurring worldwide pollution, now and in the future, it is up there with mining coal, and shipping it around the world to contribute to many airlines polluting the atmosphere.
We have now gone deeper into debt with a joint venture to house the students, future polluters (not their fault). What will this do for an urgent strategy?
Commercial aircraft have been identified as a major contributor to climate change.
Mayor Hamish, forget the urgency of CCS and give the ratepayers non-restrictive wider roads, roundabouts and repair many of our city and suburban streets urgently — before we have difficulty moving across town.
•Send your letters to: Letters, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500 or email letters@wanganuichronicle.co.nz
Beauty overlooked
It is fantastic to see Whanganui is a finalist in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards. There certainly has been fabulous beautification and environmental work happening in recent years, thanks to positive people with innovative, creative ideas and passion for our town.
I know it is unreasonable to expect every factor contributing to Whanganui's beauty to be mentioned but when I read the 10 reasons someone has written as to why Whanganui is New Zealand's most beautiful town, I was struck by the eurocentric nature of these, by the invisibility of the contribution of tangata whenua to the beauty of Whanganui. Some that immediately come to mind are the cherished historic marae lining the River Rd, the stunning St Paul's Church at Putiki and the revered Putiki Wharanui Pa.
LOUISE BARNICOAT Whanganui
Where is Fonterra outrage?
Re the Chronicle Opinion page, August 15.: Barry Soper's piece and Emmerson's View were spot on. Emmerson's cartoon with Fonterra spelt with just an "f" , long gap , then the "a" was a perfect illustration and compliment to Soper's editorial.
Why do I get the feeling that these views will fall on deaf ears and blinkered eyes? Some time ago, when we found out about Fonterra's financial position and the exorbitant salaries, I asked a person who was familiar with both Fonterra and farmers' positions on the subject, how come a co-operative company can get away with paying its executives such obscene salaries, when the same company is in such dire straits?
His answer: It was based on the year before. No matter that the year before had also been so badly managed. On another occasion, I commented to an Aucklander that it was an absolute waste of $7 million to shift the head office from Te Rapa to Queen St , Auckland. Her reply: It was closer to the Auckland ports.
I suggested that it was more likely to be a bit of snobbery and the $24.1 million-a-year managers, wanted to be nearer the flash golf courses and flash schools.
Milk powder may go out of Auckland port, but they won't be the only port handling milk powder.
Another thing that has me wondering: Where are the farmers' voices in this financial debacle?
I presume that, as a co-operative, they vote on the directors, and yet there is no outrage from the farmers who voted the directors on to a board, to look after their interests. Or have I got this all wrong?
Never mind, help may be at hand. Generally on TV when a map of the world is shown it is pretty much the same. Whether it be a crime show, news or whatever, NZ is always in the bottom, right-hand corner, if it hasn't been left off altogether. Twice recently, on TV news items coming out of China, a map on the wall in the background has shown guess what in the middle of this map. No, not China, New Zealand. Slightly larger in proportion but right slap-bang in the middle of their area of interest.
