Letters to the editor: Housing struggles a sad indictment

The Peeni family is struggling to find a rental. Photo / File

Your article on the Peeni family's difficulties in finding a home is a sad indictment of today's society. There is a shortage of houses partly caused by NZ's liberal immigration policies.

Further, the Labour Government's recent legislation has tipped the scales greatly in tenants' favour. Previously an unsatisfactory tenant could have their tenancy terminated by a reasonable term of notice. Now tenants can virtually stay there forever.

Yes, there is a lengthy judicial process wherein a tenant can simply "behave" for a while, and then revert to poor behaviour.

A natural consequence of the legislation is that landlords will be far more selective and risk-averse. Mrs Peeni understandably regards this as "discrimination".

Landlords can no longer give prospective tenants a fair go knowing that if they later prove unsatisfactory, landlords' valuable asset is then exposed to a bureaucratic process. One only needs to look at the employment process these days and the extent to which a good employer can easily get heavily pinged.

The Peeni family are victims of our socialist MPs and bureaucratic rights commissions who are far more interested in keeping their cushy jobs than caring about all people. Many such people live in an ivory tower, say the right things, believe they care, but in reality only look after number one.

Bill Capamagian
Tauranga

Existing system does not serve the electorate well

The upcoming electoral review, as reported (News, June 23), provides the once in a six year option to consider how we vote in future local body elections.

It has always been my belief that the existing representation system, that prevails in Tauranga, being a mayor and four councillors elected at large and then six elected in wards does not now necessarily serve the electorate well.

Under the current system we are only able to vote for a total of seven of the 11 elected representatives, being the mayor, four at large and two ward councillors and this in my view is a negative, especially if for example the perceived best councillors are standing in, say, the Welcome Bay Ward. I do not reside in that ward so I cannot vote for them.

When elected to council, the first task is to take an oath to represent the best interests of all Tauranga residents and I am not convinced that the ward system necessarily achieves this goal.

My preference would be one Māori Ward, the mayor and 10 councillors with them all elected at large.

Mike Baker
Bethlehem

Vaccination prompt and friendly

I would like to record my appreciation of our DHB's vaccination process. The service was prompt and friendly, plus excellent after-vaccination refreshments.

The vaccine we use has now provided over two billion shots worldwide with few ill effects, so doubters should be reassured. No effects at all for me so far.

My only regret is that the staff were unable to confirm that I had been entered into a multimillion-dollar Lotto draw, like the one my previous overseas jurisdiction has presently on offer.

Fingers crossed it will happen before my booster dose. Go for it!

(Abridged)

Maurice Mckeown
Welcome Bay

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