Currently the majority of the population is probably against opening the borders, says on reader. Photo / Jason Oxenham
There is an increasing clamour from some politicians and some business people for New Zealand to open up its borders with Australia. This will enable transtasman travellers to do so without any quarantine on departure or arrival.
New Zealand has now gone more than two weeks without any new cases. We aimed to eliminate the virus here, and it looks as though we have done so.
Australia has not tried to do this, officially they are suppressing the virus, and the low number of new daily cases there reflect that. If the situation doesn't change, opening our borders with Australia will lead to the possibility of new cases of Covid-19 occurring here.
While there is an undoubted wish to support tourism, and while we could probably cope with the occasional small outbreak of the virus here, it is important that such an opening of our borders take place after considerable informed debate. Currently the majority of the population is probably against such a risk.
To quote the Prime Minister, no one wants to go back to level 4. I believe now is not the time for a border opening.
John Potter, Takapuna
I am in Queen St most days and am yet to see any pedestrian using the extra width coned off on the roadway to keep people apart during Covid-19 level 2. This appears to be another foolish waste of time and money by Auckland Transport and a major disruption to the already difficult traffic flow in this area.
Helen Webber, Auckland Central.
All arrivals to New Zealand should be tested for Covid-19 when they arrive, one week later and again after two weeks to minimise or eliminate new outbreaks. The cost is irrelevant as it will be far more expensive if one or more cases slip through and undoes all the good work.
Alexander Wiegerinck, New Plymouth.
The Provincial Growth Fund initiative to plant one billion trees is commendable. A recent Herald feature however outlined the plight of many local wood processors struggling to compete with state subsidised timber mills worldwide. The result, " dumping" of wood products into international markets.
To counter this and the likely threat of a slow down in home building, a greater use of competitively costed cross-laminated timber in local commercial structures should be favoured, commencing with a much-needed government initiative that would maximise timber use in the design of all government buildings and in the process boost the case for for a zero-carbon construction procurement policy.
It is virtuous to grow a billion trees and help meet NZ's emissions targets but greater value must be extracted from logs that will ensure job creation, the very intent of the PGF.
P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.
Once a huge rugby union fan, I have now lost interest as it starts again. On the other hand, we are two weeks in on eight great games each weekend in the Australian NRL.
The NRL seems quicker, as tough as ever, with many young stars from around the world playing in it. In RU we will probably be subjected to more of the same — familiar faces, and slow rugby.
Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
The battle to capture the hearts and minds of the New Zealand public has ramped up with the upcoming cannabis control referendum. The NZ Drug Foundation is spending huge amounts of money in the media to tell us to vote yes.
I will be voting no. The only beneficiaries of legalising cannabis will be big business and gangs. I want to know who funds the NZ Drug Foundation propaganda machine.
Steve Horne, Raglan.
With water shortage issues, and given our clean green environmental reputation, why is no encouragement given by authorities towards supplemental roof collection of rainwater for domestic use in the same way solar energy is encouraged?
Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.
Experiencing the lockdown has helped me to understand, for the first time, why solitary confinement is used as a punishment.
H Robertson, St Heliers.
Auckland Council's publication, Our Auckland, proudly reports that by the end of June 2020 around $1.2m will have been invested through the Rodney Local Board's Healthy Harbours and Waterways Fund to restore waterways, wetlands and Māori land, primarily focusing on initiatives in the Kaipara, Mahurangi and Makarau catchments. It is bewildering that this same council has permitted a massive landfill at Dome Valley.
J. Leighton, Devonport.
Tourism is not going to be the big cash cow it was prior to Covid-19. You can throw money at it until the cows come home. Tourism Industry Aotearoa needs to get real and realise that if they want to entice Kiwis to see New Zealand they are going to have to adjust to a very changing world. Kiwis would love to see their own country, but not at international rip- off prices. Hotels and motels need to realise this or they will never recover.
As for opening the borders, they must be dreaming. We are not the only country effected by Covid-19.
Trevor Tofts, Wellington.
Is it against company policy for Herald cartoonists to ever lampoon Labour or Jacinda? Colin Nicholls, Mt Eden.
Simon Collins wrote on June 4: "New Zealand's Covid-19 death rate is second-lowest among developed countries — beaten only by Australia".
He, like our senior health officials and politicians, ignore the success of Taiwan, which with a population of 23.8 million, had just 443 cases and seven deaths.
Although in close proximity to the initial outbreak, they were very early and hard with their response.
Two other factors also assisted — their people were very disciplined without being asked to be "kind", and their tracing was also very early and effective.
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
In Fran O'Sullivan's latest column (June 6) there is an anomaly. While she points out the positive things the German Government is doing for their economy post Covid lockdown, she gives them praise for introducing an electric vehicle subsidy and questions why New Zealand doesn't appear to be giving similar post Covid economic aid. The Government some months ago introduced a similar electric vehicle subsidy only to have the plug pulled (pun intended) by coalition partner, New Zealand First.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
If the Government was serious about climate change they would build a railway from just south of Te Puke to Taupō via Rotorua. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of logs, forestry products, dairy and other products could be taken off the road and railed to Tauranga for export.
Geothermal developments around Taupō could be used to make hydrogen to replace diesel burning road vehicles and locomotives, and hydrogen could also be railed out for national distribution. This would also put Rotorua and Taupō back on the rail tourism market. A further link from near Mangapehi on the main trunk of about 90km to Kinleith would also provide a quicker link from the Taranaki to Tauranga Port and from Rotorua to southern destinations. It is time to complete the rail network and reduce emissions.
Niall Robertson, Auckland.
Fran O'Sullivan (June 6) compares us unfavourably to Germany and the massive environmental fiscal stimulus behind projects that will transform Germany and calls out Jacinda Ardern for paying too much attention to ridding the country of the coronavirus.
She then castigates Ardern for taking no notice of Winston Peters' call to move immediately to level 1, allowing the country to open up. Peters leads a party that stubbornly refuses to acknowledge climate change. He has stopped sound, practical environmental changes wanted by Labour and the Greens, and refuses to allow any progress in this field at all.
The latest findings by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration record a high heat-trapping carbon dioxide level once again being dispersed into the atmosphere. So shouldn't we all be calling for stimulating businesses with financial incentives to restart with the environment first and foremost in mind and to call out Peters for his lack of care?
NOAA senior scientist Pieter Tans states (June 6) "it's a huge job to bring emissions down. We are committing the Earth to a huge amount of warming for a very large time".
No wonder our young are so worried when the actions don't speak louder than visions of the future.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
William Seddon had a collection of child abuse images, said to have led to the assaults.