Letters to the editor: Justice not being served by Tauranga Police in lockdown

A man accompanied by children spat on one security guard and swung a scooter at another during a central city lockdown confrontation in Tauranga during lockdown. Photo / Getty Images

Why are situations in Willow St, such as that described on the front page of Thursday's Bay of Plenty Times, still occurring after months of similar problems in downtown Tauranga?

For goodness sake, the police station is in the same street, some 300m away from the reported incident and police should have a plan in place to patrol the area so these situations do not arise.

Police being visual is far better than being invisible.

In my view, Tauranga's residents deserve a superior service from the police than what is being shown downtown.

If it is fundamentally a homelessness problem that results in these types of incidents frequently occurring, then step up the effort to house these unfortunate people in motels paid for by the Government.

Grahame Benvie
Tauranga

Hospital admissions should be key focus

I refer to the letter of Pietro E. (Premium online comments, republished in print August 20) whereby they ask for the Covid-19 focus to be on hospital admissions rather than cases.

I agree.

Even hardliner Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has recently stated that although case numbers are important, they are not the whole story.

He proposed a major shift in approach from cases stating "a one-eyed focus on just case numbers overlooks the fact that less people are getting seriously ill, let alone dying".

Ian Lucas
Welcome Bay

Economy mirage

The Government tells us the economy is going gangbusters. Well, of course, it is.

Eighteen months ago, the Labour Government gave itself the ability to borrow (print) $100 billion.

It actually borrowed (printed) $60 billion of which it spent $54 billion. The remaining $6 billion will soon vanish.

Any economy that has $60 billion thrust in to it in one year is surely going gangbusters.

Age-wise, I have run my race, but I feel sorry for my grandchildren and their children because they are the ones who are going to have to pay back the debt in the years to come.

Maureen J. Anderson
Pyes Pa

How a few minutes could save your life

Listen up, people who don't want to get the jab, what is your problem?

Do you want to die from a fear of a needle? That is what may happen if you don't get vaccinated.

The vaccination is not having the coronavirus pumped into your body, it is something that will trigger your own immune system into fighting off something that may otherwise kill you - painfully, alone, and in a fight you could lose. Is this what you want?

I gave blood - 75 pints. And every month for the last nine years I have had injections into my eye.

The vaccination is painless, and, once it is done, you then have a damn good chance of surviving, not only that but you will have made those you care about safer.

Go for it. A couple of minutes that may save your life!

Jim Adams

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms de plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz