Letters: We need to spend on basic infrastructure

Ross Fallen (left) and Sam Mordey are concerned about the state of the Aramoho Rail Bridge. Photo / file.

We need to spend on basic infrastructure
The "Business Desk" report in the December 12 Chronicle scolded the supposed pinko "political commentariat", who would certainly criticise Labour's infrastructure budget proposal for being too little. In fact, it was the opposite. The real commentariat slammed the Government for "playing cynical games with the Budget".
For them, Labour will spend too much, placing the government deficit out of control. Most commentary followed suit.
This defect phobia among New Zealand pundits is just a bit out of touch with reality. We, in fact, have one of the lowest public debt to GDP ratios in the developed world.
Additionally, in spite of declining health and education outputs and rampant homelessness after the Nats' selling of state homes, we are among the lowest-spending nations (third lowest in the OECD).
And, thanks primarily to previous National governments, we have a low regressive government tax intake - with a high GST that hit the poor, but among the lowest tax thresholds for the wealthy who make out like bandits.
The economists of Business and Economic Research (BERL) recently stated that "of the OECD countries only Estonia, Chile, Turkey and Luxembourg had lower levels of government debt (than NZ) when expressed as a percentage of their countries' GDP."
Our is debt is only 21.7 per cent of GDP. To put that in perspective, Switzerland (the paradigm of responsibly) has a debt 27.7 per cent of GDP. The economic giant Germany is at 61.90 per cent of GDP. France, under the fiscal conservative Macron, is at 98.40 per cent of GDP. The US, under the thumb of the economically conservative Trump Republicans is at 106.10 per cent of GDP.
It's time to get a grip. We certainly have ample room to manoeuvre marginally upwards at the very least. We certainly can afford the basic spending on the infrastructure that National let crumble.
BRIT BUNKLEY
Whanganui

Salute to Snell
We have certainly lost an iconic Kiwi following the passing of Sir Peter Snell. Memory takes me back to an event at Wanganui High School, a couple of years after Snell's 1962 Cooks Gardens performance.
Peter Snell, Murray Halberg and Don Clarke, sponsored by Rothmans, were special guests on the day. The whole school along with many parents flocked around the running track that afternoon and witnessed an exhibition gallop by Halberg and Snell.
My mother, an avid supporter, was there with her 8mm movie camera and captured Snell and Halberg at the welcoming presentation and also some great shots of the runners around the athletic circuit.
I still have that clip today more recently transferred on to CD along with countless hours of weddings and family excursions throughout the 50s and 60s. I intend to sell the Snell/Halberg clip to Sir Peter Jackson when he gets around to making the movie.
ROSS NOBLE
Wellington

Peter Snell

Symbolic waka
Seeing the image of the stunning waka to replace the original one honouring Pura McGregor at Virginia Lake (Chronicle, December 5) brought back memories of having suggested publicly more than 15 years ago that we might consider with iwi siting such a waka on the Victoria Avenue/ Maria Place roundabout on the edge of Majestic Square.
Not only would it be a stunning landmark in the heart of the city, it would also return some mana to the central city which is lacking identification/names of Whanganui's Maori origin and heritage.
MICHAEL PAYNE
Otamatea

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