Letter of the week
Hey cray, I’ll pay, and you swim away
Charlotte Cairncross buying a live crayfish from a Kaikoura fish’n’chip shop and releasing it back into the sea is undoubtedly a feel-good story. But the reality is that removal from the sea and being subjected to direct sunlight probably rendered the crustacean blind. I don’t know how well a blind crayfish will survive back in the wild?
The lesson for divers removing crays is to measure them quickly once they are out of the water and return the undersized immediately to the sea.
Quentin Miller, Te Atatu Sth
Lose the signs, be responsible
Queenstown’s cryptosporidium crisis isn’t caused by the prolific erection of anti-Three Waters signs throughout Southland but that is a symptom of ignorance and denial. As a frequent visitor, I expect this wealthy region to desist in this rhetoric and ensure their councils provide first world water quality — the basic expectation of any council. Ratepayers and hospitality in Queenstown shouldn’t be surprised; just take your Three Waters signs down and take responsibility. Cryptosporidium in water originates in farming effluent and they should start taking responsibility for the source of pollution to public water supplies, too.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest
Election bribes
It’s election time, when, once again, politicians insult us by suggesting we fall for bribes in exchange for votes. Personally, my vote goes to the party that will govern on behalf of all Team NZ, whatever its denomination. So, for example, I find it difficult to be attracted to a party that openly admits that it would have ended the Covid lockdown earlier, putting business interests before human lives, and has as its key policy a high-risk strategy that, if it fails, as many believe it will, will be disastrous for us all. Perhaps we would be wise to vote for the government that will do the least harm.
Gerald Payman, Mt Albert
Luxon must give answers
Shaneel Lal (Herald on Sunday, September 17) highlights what I consider to be two major issues with National and their tax policy. Firstly, as Lal rightly states, the numbers simply don’t stack up and there is a huge risk in missing revenue targets required to fund tax cuts. The last government this reckless with a nation’s finances was Britain’s Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng. I’d prefer if our economy did not tank because of irresponsible economic management, thanks very much. Secondly, I am becoming increasingly concerned at Christopher Luxon’s contempt for answering questions and denying further information to journalists, which is highly relevant and certainly in the public interest. It reeks of arrogance and it has no place in New Zealand politics. If Luxon wants to be Prime Minister he has to realise he’s not a CEO anymore, and he answers to us.
John Deyell, Ellerslie
NZ already in trouble
Shaneel Lal’s piece makes some salient points regarding National’s policy of a $14.6 billion tax cut over four years. In part, however, they said: “National will lead us into economic trouble.” To be fair, New Zealand is already in economic trouble and a different approach can only be be beneficial for our country.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth
Winnie’s all right
Winston Peters deserves a fair go from the media because he has a real and practical interest in the welfare of pensioners.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport
Politicians are all liars
Not being “in the know”, I usually have no idea who is being shamed for their bad behaviour in the Guess Who? gossip column. This week I think I got one. The answer to the query, “Which leading politician has been telling porkies to media?”, surely must be “all of them”.
Doug Hannan, Mount Maunganui
Cuts okay, wealth tax not
While both Shaneel Lal and Shane Te Pou (September 17) are correct that National may need other sources of funding for their tax cuts, the real point is that as a Government with Act, they can find the funds, as suggested, maybe with large cuts to the public service numbers. It is hard to believe that those that are in the left-leaning group of journalists and media are helping National promote their tax cuts so breathlessly — enormous publicity!
While Labour’s promises are far more modest as they know the kitty is empty, the Greens make up for that with their daylight robbery or “wealth tax”, as they call it. It is so silly that even the right-leaning journalists, media and opinion commentators aren’t bothered about the left’s funding sources as they know the left is wedded to increasing taxes on everything that moves and borrowing when that isn’t enough.
And the headlines are about a half-billion-dollar tax hole each year for National, compared to the $60 billion borrowing over the last six years by Labour? Really?
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour
On Posie Parker
I understand Posie Parker has cancelled her visit, citing concerns about her safety. What has happened to New Zealand when mob rule, sanctioned by Michael Woods of Labour and Marama Davidson of the Greens, has taken away Posie’s right to speak, and my right to listen to what she has to say?
Michael Walker, Blockhouse Bay
Infrastructure ripoffs
KiwiRail announces it has plans to build a short rail line from Southdown to Avondale and it is to cost $6 billion (read $12b, going on all past projects).
Engineers in the rest of the world will be laughing at the ridiculous cost and long timeframe. It is no wonder New Zealand can’t build a viable transport infrastructure when everything is so ridiculously expensive . So much for the savings if National cancels the Auckland light rail project. We need to get overseas companies to do the jobs.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki
Dodgy calls at Cup
So France hit the head and yellow card confirmed and ABs hit the shoulder, virtually identical, and it’s red. So where is the consistency? Challenge this. Either both are red or both are yellow.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest
The participant's death was unrelated to the pilot, according to Oranga Tamariki.