Whanganui letters: Our young women deserve better

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As a retired health worker and mother, I am horrified to hear of the reluctance of ACC to fund women with perineal tears after being ripped in childbirth.

These are not trivial injuries and can blight lives, often resulting in incontinence. Giving birth is not an adventure sport, yet sportspeople and thrillseekers can come to grief and get amazing care long after the initial injuries – great for physios.

ACC funded $14 million on unnecessary e-scooter rider injuries. These should not be on footpaths endangering walkers, the blind, and disabled people whose only option are their legs.

Young women going through an essential process of giving birth and being injured are left in dire conditions. This is like a Third World horror story. I'm so shocked and we all should be. It is deeply sexist. I'm sure the cost of male sports injuries would far outweigh anything women claim for.

Our young women are getting a bad deal from a government constantly espousing kindness. Poor housing, poor wages, poor post-maternal care.

More women in Parliament than ever and yet at least a third of our young women are hurting, overworked, underpaid and underappreciated. Why? For those of us who have striven for equal rights for decades, this is so disheartening.

ROSEMARY BARAGWANATH
Whanganui

The world needs to change

I have just read letters in today's Chronicle [May 6] ... First we have Rob Thomson suggesting the airport should be closed to get to zero carbon emissions. I assume this means he is happy to walk to town from Parapara.

Second we have David Bennett ONZM hinting but not really saying that the health system does not need reform. My response to this is that if the team he refers to is just coming together after 20 years then it needed reform a long time ago and it will be a huge job to now change its culture, let alone its systems.

Third we have D Partner talking about racial bias. He is obviously unaware of our past, or is quite comfortable being one of the privileged. Māori have been disadvantaged throughout our development and there has been separatism - but the reverse of what D Partner thinks should not now happen.

All three writers need to accept the world needs to change and be positive about it.

MIKE WALKER
Fordell

Yes, PM's feeling the strain

In answer to Rob Rattenbury's two questions (Chronicle, April 19): is our PM feeling the strain? And should our PM have stopped her regular sessions on Hosking's morning radio show?

Yes, to both. Firstly, all world leaders would be feeling the strain coping with Covid-19. A better question would be, how is our PM coping with the strain? Add in the mosque attack, the White Island eruption, and having a baby. Answer? Brilliantly.

New Zealand is better off than almost all countries – both health-wise and economically. Where else are there the freedoms we are experiencing?

Secondly, Mike Hosking's show. In my opinion, Hosking overrates his own importance. Jacinda Ardern more than handles his interviews ... Why would the PM waste her valuable time? She and her ministers have still made themselves available on important issues as they arise. I have always respected Rob's articles and thought the rest of this article was both balanced and appropriate. [Abridged]

KEN CARVELL
Whanganui

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