Letters to the editor: Why the focus on women on boards?

Focus on women unnecessary

I question why the percentage of women on boards receives so much comment and press (Business, September 12).

The average person does not relate to the heady heights of corporate management.

I note the Bay of Plenty Times article predominantly featured a photo of a young attractive female; this reinforces sexism, the very reason this article is presumably against.

Perhaps a more relevant article for most could be to investigate why a significant number of primary and now secondary schools have few if no male teachers.

The only male, ironically, being the caretaker.

Grant Nelson
Matua

Ode to the SH2 dead

They Will Die

The investigation, consultation, and discussion about the state of SH2 and a Katikati bypass continues.

And while it continues, accidents will happen and people will die.

And the people who will die are living amongst us now.

And in five or so years the toll might read like this:

Shane: 38, packhouse worker

Anthony: 27, retail assistant

Frances: 54, secretary

Joanne: 48, housewife

David: 72, retired farmer

Anaru: 12, student

Beverley: 61, seamstress

Michael: 43, accountant

William: 46, painter

Susanne: 39, stylist

Rudra: 29, driver

Lionel: 47, contractor

Gwendoline: 2 months

Raria: 23, receptionist

Mohi: 24, cook

Gregory: 68, clerk

Margaret: 51, student

Manish: 44, retailer

Dominic: 48, vicar

Walter: 57, journalist

Carol: 34, assistant manager

Trevor Boyle
Katikati

Suicide a male problem

Good on you Peter Williams for challenging us to refer to suicide honestly rather than through euphemism (Opinion, September 1).

However, why do you think it is that your column, like nearly all others about suicide, studiously avoids the honesty of referring to the extent to which suicide is a male problem?

Why is that your column, which actually considers yet another male suicide, failed to mention the 3:1 gender difference?

Why do you think it is that our Ministry of Health in its Suicide Prevention Plan includes specific sections on reducing Māori suicide, LGBT suicide, youth suicide and self-harm behaviour (committed more by women) but includes absolutely no specific mention of reducing specifically male suicide even though the gender difference is far greater than any other demographic difference?

It may be of interest to the public to be reminded that each year in NZ more men commit suicide than the total male and female road and homicide tolls combined.

But where is the concern about this, and where are the resources to address the male suicide toll compared, for example, with the billions announced to reduce the road toll?

Hans Laven
Tauranga

Fatal crash sadness

I read with sadness of the fatal crash on SH2 on Monday, September 10, and again on September 12 on the Kaimai. We were travelling from Matamata at the time, noting your comments that … "traffic was brought to a standstill … including lots of trucks travelling to the Waikato" …. Like many motorists we were diverted to Tauranga via Rotorua.

While individual truck drivers indicate when entering and leaving a passing lane frustration has been observed among car drivers when trying to overtake a convoy of articulated trucks, a situation where potentially fatal choices can be made. With increasing numbers of cars and trucks on the roads these accidents will only increase.

Perhaps it is time for transport authorities to dust the rust off the railway tracks and get goods and freight on to trains again – minimising trucks on our roads.

Meg Butler
Welcome Bay