Is Brooke van Velden being performative? Photo / Mark Mitchell
‘High trust’ not a class Act
Audrey Young’s fawning portrayal of Act’s Brooke van Velden sadly reveals a Cabinet minister who regards actually meeting face-to-face with the representatives of people most seriously affected by her coalition’s dire workforce legislations as “performative politics”.
This disdain is further exacerbated by her claims of a “high trust” mode where relevant and important concerns from the workplace are no doubt filtered through “my officials”, selected and instructed to tell her what she wants to hear.
This arrogance and planned ignorance seem to be an ongoing pattern of how this coalition’s ministers make their decisions.
Peter Beyer, Sandringham.
Bring on progressive coalition
Bernard Walker’s alarmist comments about Labour possibly forming a progressive coalition after the next election are telling.
Does he dislike the idea of a Government with a clear goal of reducing inequality and improving the lives of all citizens?
He appears to prefer what we have now: a coalition which ignores the wishes of the people and is controlled by lobbyists; Government by the wealthy for the wealthy.
This current coalition is also undermining our environment and the rights of most workers, in particular women and tangata whenua.
I don’t believe most people want this to continue. I for one would be delighted to see a progressive and enlightened government returned to power next year.
It is likely to be a coalition, but unlike the current one, it won’t be controlled by the minority parties.
Vivien Fergusson, Mt Eden.
Victoria Quarter passed over
As with many journalists Connor Sharp writes about the renewal and upgrading of Auckland City making it a friendly and happy location for people to work, play and shop. Sounds great.
However, as with these articles, they continually omit one of the most densely populated areas of the city: The Victoria Quarter.
If you check out the Auckland City upgrade plan it stops at Wellesley St West, fails to include areas bounded by Hobson, Union and Nelson Streets.
Residents of this area are subject to poor-quality footpaths, street sleepers, lack of any public usable green areas, and public toilets. Property owners in these areas also contribute the Targeted Rate added to their annual rates bill which is meant to be used for spending on upgrade projects.
Some years ago Jan Ghel produced a plan for upgrading Hobson St; which has obviously been forgotten by current city planners.
All the hype is around CRL stations, the International Convention Centre and developments down to the waterfront.
Come on Auckland planners, you can do better if you walk around these areas with your eyes and minds open.
Dick Ayres, Auckland Central.
Come together, right now
What an inspirational opinion by Bruce Cotterill (NZ Herald, October 25) on the need for bipartisan and multi-party agreement on the major issues facing this country:
We should all be encouraging our representatives in Parliament to start addressing these issues in a collective way. Perhaps these issues could be proposed during question time rather than the inane ones currently presented.
The first question I would ask: “Let’s change the way we operate Parliament and address the issues collectively”.
All families and businesses have to address issues the same way – why not Parliament?
David Johnson, Herne Bay.
Save the frogs from progress
The proposed highway route lies on the eastern side of the Brynderwyn hills, home to much native bush, irrevocable QE2 covenants and the principal habitat of the critically endangered Hochstetter’s frog.
Who’s to stand up on behalf of this silent minority in the face of ”progress”?
John Beauregard, Whangārei.
The Chase boycott: Not a fan of Henry
Why do we have to have Paul Henry as the host of the New Zealand version of The Chase? This weekend’s article about him in Canvas described him as witty and other complimentary things.
He was rude and obnoxious to guests as a TV host, when he mocked a female interviewee for her surname, and one because she had facial hair; those rude, cruel, irrelevant comments had nothing whatsoever to do with why they were on his programme.
I, for one, will not be watching The Chase with him in charge. Being arrogant, rude, and obnoxious are not qualities that should endear anyone to the general public.
I know we won’t get anyone of the same skill and personality as Bradley Walsh, but a conceited egotist like Paul Henry is not the answer.
Jason Gunn would be better.
Alan Stacey, Sandringham.