An early morning walker strolls past a misty Auckland Harbour Bridge on a cold morning. Photo / File
Hello and welcome to New Zealand's Herald: Let's Talk, the feature on the Herald site which offers you the chance to comment on today's news and views.
We want to hear your opinions - and help answer your questions - on anything from the big issues of the day.
Today, columnist David Cormack says the government better step up.
"This Government had better start getting progressive soon. There'd better be more than meets the eye," he writes.
Sir Michael Cullen says 'vested interests' sank the Capital Gains Tax proposal.
Councillor Mike Lee is taking aim at Auckland Transport's plan to reduce speeds on Auckland's roads in this column.
What about other matters of politics? Business? Sport? We're happy to let you debate them all. All you have to do to offer a comment is to click into the live blog immediately below and follow the prompts. Alternatively, you can email letters@nzherald.co.nz
Security overkill
I was on duty at church on Easter Sunday and apparently we had received orders from the police to have our back entrance locked and someone on duty on the front door all the time. If you will excuse the pun, it seemed like overkill.
How long are all these emergency measures going to be kept in place? I thought there was a lot of talk of New Zealand carrying on as normal.
Mind you, if another terrorist tried to attack a mainstream Protestant church, s/he, and the Minister, would be lucky to find 50 worshippers inside anyway.
David Speary, Northcote.
Easter cartoon
I have long admired Rod Emmerson, he is a brilliant cartoonist. Disappointing, then to see the Weekend Herald cartoon lampooning two of the most sacred tenets of Christianity, particularly when Christians solemnly commemorate those central events.
A practitioner of Emmerson's talents could have found another way of making his entirely valid point about New Zealand First. Nor is it an answer or an excuse to reference the final scene of the film, The Life of Brian that at least had a context. I doubt that the Herald would print a similar depiction of a sacred tenet of Islam or Judaism.
It is sad that a newspaper with such a proud tradition should succumb to the zeitgeist — that Christianity is fair game, no matter how offensive the comment.
Anne McAloon, Claudelands, Hamilton.
Folau's folly
Israel Folau makes his ridiculous assertions about the rules for entering and avoiding hell as though they are facts. Quoting from the Bible does not make a quote factual, any more than quoting from the book Dianetics makes Scientology factual.
There is no hard, independently verified evidence that gods, devils, heaven, hell or any other god magic are real. Folau seems unable to distinguish between faith and fact.
Andrew Tichbon, Green Bay.
Preserving nature
It was with heavy heart that I realised New Zealand was not serious about "pure and green". In England I saw the natural environment and "greenbelt" give way to an outdated paradigm that embraces development over the natural world.
In rural Vermont, USA I saw sad scenes of development inconsiderate of nature. The stream coming down the mountain behind my house was wrecked by power lines and erosion. How could this be supported by Vermont's goal, "design with nature"?
New Zealand must move away from demanding development at the expense of our unpolluted, iconic natural world. In my backyard there are usually five kereru eating guavas, who come later to feed off the kowhai. This year, there are none.
New Zealand could be an example for the world instead of following the same disastrous path of water pollution, animal extinction and degradation of the natural world.
I hope those with power will listen to Forest & Bird's Kevin Hague's call for a political game-changer to support a healthy environment.
Caroline Mabry, Glen Eden.
Offensive advertising
So some of your readers were offended by a cartoon "lampooning the crucifixion".
How about those tasteful people at MTV? They had an Easter Sunday programme they were mighty proud about. To quote from their internet plug: "It's the long weekend so MTV Music are bringing you 300 Easter Eargasams to make the long weekend last that little bit longer."
Quite why Easter has to be linked to a sexual act is beyond me, but obviously I've led a much more sheltered life than the musical experts at MTV.
Tony Potter, Remuera.
House building burden
So, Phil Twyford has built 300 houses in 19 months. He should be pleased.
Given the current state of disorganised, disconnected, understaffed, over-regulated and overcautious consenting authorities, who are made to carry too much risk and then to deal with an unstructured, understaffed, underskilled and stretched building industry, he is lucky he's got any houses built at all.
A serious look at our Building Act, and at restructuring bureaucracy to make it integrated and user-friendly, and be one which apportions risk appropriately, is a good place to start to achieve both promptness and achievability.
Malcolm Walker, Grey Lynn.
It is a little premature to crow over a projected re-entry to the Pike River Mine, as Marie Kaire's letter did.
Those of us with memories will remember that the entry was an election promise by the current Government that was scheduled for March 2018, with the added incentive proviso by Winston Peters "and I'll lead the way".
Of course this promise, along with many others, was later renamed an "aspiration".
After having been called to account over their wayward promises, the Government now tries to fix this one, albeit more than a year later than originally slated.
The National Party had already thoroughly investigated a re-entry and received expert advice that it was deemed extremely unsafe. The decision was also out of respect to those families of the victims who wished their loved ones to remain entombed and undisturbed.
Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.
Lost appetite for CGT
It is strange to read Fran O'Sullivan, with her strong allegiance to the business sector, criticising Labour for not trying harder to sell a CGT — which of course is universally opposed by business and farming communities. Why is she attacking Jacinda for "a failure of leadership", for not "rallying" the troops? Is it because this CGT backdown is likely to guarantee her re-election next year?
New Zealand is very different from 10 years ago. The population is more multicultural. The rampage on the property market is largely contained (thanks to banning overseas buyers and extending the bright line test).
Employment structures are very much changed, with many more workers self-employed. The appetite for a CGT is simply not there among ordinary New Zealanders. A new way to fight tax inequality is needed.
B. Darragh, Auckland Central.
Like Helen Clark, Jacinda Ardern seems destined for a glittering role on the international stage. Once, managing domestic policy was a key function of the government of the day.
I'm hoping reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act, aimed at improving tenant security, will not be rejected as firmly as far-reaching tax on property ownership.
Ellie Carruthers, Eden Terrace.
Wealth inequality
I'm somewhat bemused at recent correspondence about the gap between the so-called rich and poor and some wanting a redistribution of wealth.
If we ignore parental contributions from a financial perspective, there is very little real inequality. We all get the same free basic education. Combine that with parental/family guidance , then what happens is very much up to the individual.
Many go through the various ups and downs of life — financial, emotional or health. Making wise choices has a lot to do with ultimate success and combining it with a good work ethic, has a lot to do with whether or not we are in one camp or the other — or somewhere between.
The biggest bar to ultimate financial stability appears to be having children and denying them the love, wise council or the means to support their financial and emotional demands. Expecting acceptance of penalising those who have made wise choices or worked hard, to redistribute their wealth to those who have always made poor choices or haven't worked, is never going be a vote catcher.
Ray Green, Birkenhead.
Former Act president's lawyer claims sentence was too harsh, calls for home detention.