An apple orchard inundated by silt after floodwaters receded in Esk Valley following Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Nick Monro, RNZ, File
Climate taking its toll
How much more must we endure from those who argue that New Zealand should be exempt from attempts to curb our greenhouse gas emissions because they are so tiny? This is disingenuous, small-minded, and foolish. We are very much all in this together. As John Donne wrote 400 years ago: “No man is an island entire of itself”. Yes, our emissions are a tiny fraction of the global total, but if we expect others to do their bit then we must contribute what we can. As James Shaw and others point out we have wasted decades and squandered so many opportunities to tackle our climate footprint, that we must now act with a sense of urgency. Donne’s poem ends by telling us not to ask: “for whom the bell tolls”, because: “it tolls for thee”. That is for all of us, both as individuals as well as nations. It is past time we heeded that alarm.
Graeme Easte, Mt Albert.
Waiting room
With our hospitals “feeling the strain” (NZ Herald, March 8) would now be the time for our Health Minister Alysha Verrall to follow through quickly on her promise (NZ Herald, March 2) and have those discussions with involved parties to increase numbers training to become our future medical professionals? It takes six years to fully train a doctor, and with the new intake just starting their year, actioning this increase as soon possible would be a good start. It would please the Otago and Auckland medical schools too as they have long called for discussions on the lack of medical staff in hospitals around the country. With more than a thousand high achievers cast aside after their first year, the medical schools wish to retain more. So a big call out right now to Alysha Verrall, to follow through quickly and have those discussions.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Sentence discounts
Correspondent David Jones alluded to what the Americans called “plea bargaining”. Is it not better to have the “scumbags” incarcerated than out on bail for years because of our underfunded, broken-down court system, and free to continue to create mayhem? What the taxpayer has to do is withhold large amounts of money from the university law schools that continue to produce a tidal wave of law clerks (conveyancing solicitors). The taxpayers’ money should be directed to providing educated, astute court lawyers, both for the defence and prosecution. Ask any diligent police officer, of any rank, after having done their job well, their frustration comes in our courts.
S. Turner, Greenlane.
Fine China
On the surface, Frank Olsson (NZ Herald, March 7) advocates for nations that take a win-win approach in their relationship with China, stressing the financial value of trade over other geopolitical concerns. Although acting to keep friends close and your enemies closer might work sometimes, it’s not currently the best, right or appropriate strategy for dealing with authoritarians, pariahs, warmongers and mass murderers. There was once a time, for example, when New Zealand was viewed unfavorably for its ongoing sporting contact with the internationally isolated South African regime that continued to follow its apartheid policy. Historically, the geopolitical landscape of South Africa and the world has changed since then, however, people’s fundamental values have not. Whilst the United Nations is not perfect, it goes some way to champion Universal Human Rights. These are the rights Olsson would have us ignore. They are the rights that the Chinese Communist Party and Xi Jinping have sought to redefine, and repeatedly negated, despite China’s role as a charter member of the United Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council. When acknowledged human values, international norms, and laws are violated, we should never turn a blind eye.
N K Pearson, Glenfield.
Grain of truth
Regardless of who and how the request from Ukraine for New Zealand-manufactured grain harvesting equipment was initiated, the fact that the request was declined by our Foreign Ministry is a huge opportunity lost to New Zealand. The provision and gifting of this equipment would not only have greatly assisted Ukraine but also many other impoverished countries that rely on this grain as a basic food source. I know charity begins at home but come on New Zealand, surely from a global humanitarian point of view, this is a wonderful opportunity and so much better than supplying weapons of war?
Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay,
Those savings
Greg Cave (NZ Herald, March 7) cast doubt that the increased assistance for preschoolers that National has proposed can be met from savings from the Government’s consultancy spend. Audrey Young’s brilliantly researched article on the same date identifies that some $1.24 billion has been spent by the Government on consultants in the 2020/2021 year, as advised by the Public Service Commission. This figure does not include any consultancy spend from Waka Kotahi or Kainga Ora, which MP Simeon Brown forecasts will take the total spend to $1.7 billion. That’s a lot of money to pick from to improve assistance to preschoolers. We also know that at least $150 million of consultancy spending has been wasted on the failed cycling bridge over the Auckland Harbour, the failed amalgamation of broadcasting, and the ridiculous light rail to the airport project.
David Hallett, Mt Maunganui.
Light years
News has it that the construction of the underground light rail has commenced with test drilling of foundations. How long will we have to wait for the service to reach the airport and what type of airport will we have by completion of the railway? In 1948, test drilling for another underground railway was commenced in Fort St by G. H. Gilberd Ltd on behalf of the Auckland City Council. Now, after 75 years, this 1948 venture has almost reached Mt Eden. In giving thought to the above questions, it might be appropriate to consider that the distance from Auckland city to the airport is much greater than Fort St to Mt Eden.
Evan Dorrington, Rotorua.
Get onboard
I live near several bus lines including the Outerlink which should in theory offer me plenty of options to make it to work on time each morning in the CBD. Not so - it is nearly impossible to catch the bus to work with any regularity. Five mornings in a row now I have had to head back home to fetch my car after buses either never showed up (once I waited nearly 40 minutes for the Outerlink, which is supposed to come every 15 minutes) or came past absolutely full. This is a total joke. I want to catch the bus. I want to do my bit for the climate. I don’t want to sit in traffic surrounded by other single-occupant vehicles spending money on petrol and parking when I could spend my commute on the bus reading my book for a fraction of the price. Auckland is this country’s biggest city, our commuters deserve a public transport system that actually functions. Pay drivers more, offer better conditions, and put proper resources into services as a priority for getting the city moving. People want to use public transport, but they have to know they can rely on it to get them where they need to go on time.
Tess Nichol, Sandringham.
Waste not
One of the amusing statements about economists is that they have predicted seven of the past three recessions. More seriously though, I guess an economist would describe the recent mayhem caused by forestry slash as a “negative externality” - where an activity results in a negative effect on parties outside of that activity and is not accounted for as a cost of that activity. Rather than join those wishing to bash the slash generators my proposition is that this represents an opportunity. In nature there is no such thing as waste, and in human society, I view waste as stuff we haven’t found a use for yet. Forest slash contains energy, and we just need to find economically viable ways of making use of it. Sure, grinding it into mulch could enable further use, but I imagine the energy costs of doing the grinding as well as transporting the product would be quite limiting. We need research into other options - for example what about finding practical ways to convert the hydrocarbons in wood into green energy, or into biochar which can sequester carbon and improve soil health? Disposal of a by-product of production forestry could then transform from a waste stream to an income stream.
Mark Vincent, Paparoa.
Car is king
Well said Peter Webster (NZ Herald, March 8). Why let facts get in the way of a well-dug-in ideology? Public transport will only be the preferred choice if private cars are totally banned. Let’s plan for the reality, not the unachievable dream of a few ideologues.
James Archibald, Birkenhead.
Shaggy Peter
It’s always good to know when you’ve dodged a bullet. My siblings and I were brought up on the Brothers Grimm, well known for gruesome stories guaranteed to give children nightmares. Lesser known, but more graphic, are the works of Hilaire Belloc and Der Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffmann, which include tales of child mutilation, racism, arson, and terror. Somehow, we managed to survive childhood relatively mentally unscarred, and none of us has turned out to be mass murderers or terrorists. If parents really want to shield their children from Roald Dahl, make sure they don’t read these stories. Now there’s some seriously scary stuff.
Rebecca Glover, Waiuku.
On infrastructure
Is it time to bring back the Ministry of Works and consultants? Ross Patterson, Albany.
On Savea
The question no one has yet answered is what was said to Ardie Savea, normally a model of self-control, to inflame him so. Colin Nicholls, Mt Eden.
On oceans
Will New Zealand have the gall to ratify the new UN High Seas Treaty, which aims to have protected areas on 30 per cent of non-territorial oceans, when its current record on territorial waters is less than 1 per cent protected? Garry Law, East Tamaki Heights.
On emissions
The “ute mentality” means we shall go out, not with a bang but with a Ranger, or some other similar, unnecessarily fuel-guzzling monster. Stan Jones, Hamilton.
On investments
For cryptocurrency read tulip bulb. Gary Andrews, Mt Maunganui.
On Robertson
Scott Robertson won’t get the ABs coaching job. He is too smart for NZ Rugby’s liking. Tiong Ang, Mt Roskill.
Grant Robertson has never admitted that NZ’s inflation is homegrown. He always blamed external factors, like Ukraine, oil, etc. The majority of economists have always stated that the homegrown part of inflation is larger than the imported one, about 60 per cent to 40 per cent. The homegrown part bites us and will continue to do so. And Labour sees no end to its causes, continuing wage rises and excessive, unproductive spending and debt. Super-inflation and government debt are killing off households, businesses, and a former much more healthy economy. Thank you, Labour, well done. I cannot wait for a change in government, with responsible spending. Though it will take a generation to get back to levels from before 2017. Alexander G.
The price of crude oil is only a very small fraction more expensive now, than before the Ukraine conflict, that is January 2022. Taking into consideration New Zealand no longer imports and refines fuel, New Zealand is at the mercy of the petrol importers to set their price. Steven D.
With the cost of living still heading upward and Michael Wood agreeing that the minimum wage needs to increase to keep up with rising costs I don’t see inflation dropping anytime soon. Being the second-highest printer of money per population behind only the US during Covid has left us with too much debt to pay. Being able to pay the interest on borrowings alone is becoming a major hurdle and the Government still has to find an $8 billion payment to the reserve bank it guaranteed. David S.
Basically, if it doesn’t rain it will be a nice day. They should interview me because I am right more often than not. Roy H.
It’s also a nice day when it rains. Kathy A.
The road is closed, and motorists should follow diversions.