Letters to the editor: Three Waters opposition is not racially motivated, it's about retaining democracy

A reader says opposition to Three Waters reform is not racially motivated, it's about retaining democracy. Photo / NZME

Liz Davies (Opinion, June 15) asks "what is fuelling the racial backlash to co-governance?" The answer is simple. Co-governance is itself racial and undemocratic. It bestows power and control to one section of the population based on race. The opposition to Three Waters is not racial, it is about retaining democracy in this country.

Steve Porter
Welcome Bay

Free up the health system

Putting aside the relatively rare "healthcare" case requiring abortion, which no one would object to, as cited by Sonya Bateson (Opinon, July 1), and putting aside the morality of abortion as happens in the other vast majority of cases, I ask what happens when the average person requires "healthcare?"

They do not receive immediate attention from a surgeon, nurses, receptionist, and a cup of tea. For me it's been over nine months and still no sign of a specialist appointment, and once seen I will be on the never with the continuation of suffering and possibly dying whilst waiting interminably for the operation.

I imagine for the untold numbers like me, who, if a contraceptive pill or an occasional condom prevented our actual "health" condition, we would have taken them, thus freeing up the system for emergency and genuine "healthcare".

G. Nelson
Tauranga

Barge a good housing option

I notice that an ex-naval accommodation barge, located at Tauranga, is advertised for sale under the tender process. Maybe one of the agencies responsible for housing our homeless will put in a tender. It would have to be more cost-effective than motels.

David Lowe
Mount Maunganui

Decision on abortion in US has no bearing on New Zealand

Even in New Zealand, the reaction to the American court decision on abortion rights has been highly emotive, with little regard for the facts. In essence, the Supreme Court said abortion was not mentioned in the US constitution and it was not proper for that court to try and make the law. It said US laws should only be made by the elected representatives of the people and the role of their court is to uphold the law unless there is something in the US constitution that overrides it. Abortion law in New Zealand has been made by Members of Parliament who were elected by the people. Consequently, the decision made by a US court has no bearing on the rights of people within New Zealand.

D A McPherson
Rotorua