Letters: Alison Holst, chief executive salaries, Rod Duke, rent and John Roughan

Cooking royalty Alison Holst, pictured in 2010, entertained and informed New Zealanders as an author, columnist, TV and radio host. Photo / Wayne Drought, File

Letter of the week: Glennys Adams, Oneroa

Those of us of a certain age learnt many of our cooking skills from Alison Holst. It was therefore particularly sad to read of her journey with dementia (Weekend Herald, December 19). As described, dementia develops slowly and although no respector of age, is more prevalent in the older age group.
Brain Research NZ is an organisation looking into the causes and prevention of age-related neurological disorders including dementia. It is particularly galling to learn that their funding from the Tertiary Education Commission has recently been discontinued.
I wonder if is there a link between ageism which, unlike racism and sexism, is the only "ism" apparently considered acceptable and normal in society, and the withdrawal of funds from brain research focusing on older adults.

Eye-watering

I had to chuckle at the Business section headline "Executive exodus raises questions about pay deals" (Weekend Herald, December 19).
Further on, it expressed surprise at a $4m pay drop for the incoming CEO and went on to suggest poor pay deals were the reason "so many" CEO's were quitting.
The reason I chuckled was these are the same people screaming bloody murder every time the government talks about raising the minimum wage by $100 a week.
It seems like these CEO people, on eye-watering remuneration, are paid so much simply to suppress the remuneration of everyone else working under them. Or in the case of Fonterra, the farmers.
It's like – everyone has to take a pay cut so they can be paid more. Now, is that socialism or capitalism?
Paul Cheshire, Maraetai.

Heli-pad contested

In last Saturday's paper (Weekend Herald, December 19) Rod Duke makes light of the opposition to his proposed helicopter landing pad atop of one of his boathouses (he has two) on a local public beach.
Contrary to what he implies there was and continues to be widespread and strong opposition to his plans. That opposition is from locals and from people outside the area who use the beach
None of that opposition see the situation as one where someone who by his own admission is relentlessly competitive should be allowed to bulldoze the local community and beach users to one side so he "wins".
The situation is not one of competition but of the public good and safety continuing to prevail.
John Ray, Herne Bay.

Fixed rents

Susan Grimsdell's idea (Weekend Herald, December 19) that residential rents should be fixed at no more than one third of the tenants income is a wonderful idea.
Of course, the proposal would have to be extended so that supermarkets supplied the tenants food at no more than 10 per cent of their income and suppliers of clothing and shoes would also need similar constraints.
Oh, and I'm sure that if your home was unoccupied on census night because you happened to be in hospital at the time and thus has become listed as a ghost house, then you would welcome paying a tax to the Government as a result.
Peter Lewis, vice-president, Auckland Property Investors Association.

Border dispute

John Roughan's article "Fear and complacency rests on border" (Weekend Herald, December 19) is not worth an epidemiologist's hair follicle.
The truth is our lack of ICU beds, a total shambles of a DHB - now proven without doubt - showed the exponential rate of spread we actually experienced; without enough N95 masks, limited test kits, abysmally slow and limited testing ability, little PPE that still worked, coupled with hopeless track and trace, little digital communication, meant we did exactly the right thing in a hard lockdown.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern uses the expertise of many epidemiologists and overseas experience to make the important decisions. When she needs right-wing world travellers suffering from withdrawal symptoms she will no doubt be in contact.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.

Bubbles welcome

Colin Nicholls (Weekend Herald, December 19) bemoans the Government's apparent parental condescension when warning us to be careful and ensure that we use the Covid app or Bluetooth to record our movements. I don't see it in the same light.
I'd rather be reminded about this and follow the rules than for the country to find itself in a summer lockdown.
Consider Britons who were allowed to mix just three bubbles for Christmas. Fortunately for us, this has a more a pleasant meaning: prosecco, methode traditionelle and sparkling rosé.
Chris Bangs, Hillsborough.

Leave the handle

Those who don't learn from the past are bound to repeat it.
In 1854, the authorities put the handle back on the Broad St pump delivering contaminated water to the people of Soho, because they believed cholera was spread by bad air.
But Dr John Snow was right, and our best epidemiologists follow skilfully in his footsteps.
Dennis N Horne, Howick.

A quick word

How incredible that the Laura Ferguson Centre appears to have closed without a determined attempt from the trust to seek a solution to its financial situation. Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.

Can our shaky-at-best border quarantine facilities protect us from this new mutated threat? Joe O'Brien, New Lynn.

When I began my working life 50 years ago I was told, and much later realised "no one" is indispensable. But I doubt if the Prime Minister would agree with this as, evidently, she still has confidence in Mallard. Neil Jenkins, Mt Eden.

If it was the open season for ducks he would be a roast. Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.

After numerous reviews and promises by the politicians the electricity price gouging continues. Same with the petrol price and don't hold your breath on the promised grocery price review. Pim Venecourt, Pāpāmoa.

We need parks and playing fields. We do not need a Southeast Asian Jungle Track. Gillian Dance, Mt Albert.

The best way to help low wage earners is to reduce taxes. That will help everyone except the IRD and Government who will have to tighten their belts; not something they like or want to do. David de Lacey, Remuera.

We did it in winter - chewing our way through record amounts of kiwifruit, citrus fruits, apples, and green vegetables. Now we can do it all again with summer lines. Time for us to enjoy a cherry Christmas and a Happy New Year, as resilient Kiwiland marches on. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.

Surely it is the right moment for NZTA to declare the entire Penlink Highway a T2 corridor. This would give a very strong signal that the Government is serious about the issue of climate change. Errol Anderson, Ponsonby.

It makes a mockery out of the legal system when Kempson has committed those horrific crimes and has the chance to get out in 17 years' time. Emmett Hussey, St Johns.

To those who wanted to breach name suppression: the last thing Grace's family, the police and the prosecutors needed was for Kempson to be able to slither out of the charges due to it being deemed he didn't get a fair trial. Debi Buxton, Taupō.

To buy a home in China, you have to have worked there for a minimum of one year and the dictum is always the same, one home only. What a shame we don't have such a playing field here. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.

Happy holidays to everyone. But please remember there are many persons out there who are not with their families and will be spending the Christmas/New Year season all alone. We hope that this situation can be rectified early in 2021. Justin Sobion, Mt Eden.