Letters: Climate change, Ukraine, red light, boatbuilding, and kindness

Wind turbines in front of the rising sun in Frankfurt in Germany. Photo / Michael Probst, AP, File

Opinion

Climate inattention
Another day, another authoritative IPCC report (NZ Herald, April 6) warning us of catastrophic climate change without urgent and drastic action.
In a country where climate change gets 90 seconds on TV news twice a week but sport gets 15 minutes every night; where EV sales are increasing only because petrol is getting expensive; where the tourism and airline industries have been clamouring for two years to fill the skies again with aircraft; and where capsicums and zucchini are air-lifted in from overseas just so we can have them out of season; where a grassroots farming group bellows with rage at the suggestion they reduce emissions; where the climate crisis is rubbished by talkback radio hosts and is mostly absent from our daily discourse; where climate activists are reviled; and where the majority of the population plainly does not grasp that they will have to make significant sacrifices if we are to come close to addressing this clear and present threat to the near-term habitability of the planet, this report will be ignored like all its predecessors.
We have been warned - repeatedly. On current form, Kiwis will wake up to the crisis, unfolding already under our noses, when it is too late.
Philip Dashfield, Lower Hutt.

Ork land
Viewing the atrocities committed by the Russian Army in the Ukrainian town of Bucha has raised some concerns for me as to the safety of my Ukrainian cousins trapped in a small town in the Sumy Oblast, nearly surrounded by these invaders.
To date, my contact with them has been intermittent at best, but so far they are relatively safe, as they are fortunate to have a Ukrainian Army detachment defending them successfully.
The Ukrainian news broadcasters, and the average civilian in the street, plus the front-line soldiers now refer to the Russian Army as "Orks". This Ork reference is pertaining to the Russian Army's prowess at looting, raping, and murdering innocent Ukrainian civilians and their inaptitudes on the battlefield.
I'm sure infamous SS formations from the past such as the "Das Reich" division, the butchers of Oradour-sur-Glane in France would proudly accept these Russian Orks to goose-step beside them down the long halls of infamy and notoriety.
This is the so-called Russian peace.
Alec Oleh Krechowec, Glendene.

Wretched irony
Biden wants Putin tried as a war criminal.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) which opened 20 years ago to prosecute the perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity has 123 countries that are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC.
Isn't it ironic that the US, Russia and Ukraine are not members of the court? Other notable absences are China, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, and Libya.
Janfrie Wakim, Epsom.

Scenes of war
If, as Russia claims, not a single Ukrainian civilian has been injured, I would venture to suggest that Ukraine will sweep next year's Oscars: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actors, Best Makeup, Best Set Design, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Dramatic Picture Direction.
And the Razzie ("Toss-ca") Award goes to Russia for Worst Director, Worst Supporting Actors, Worst Excuse For A Horror Movie, Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Property.
Renton Brown, Pukekohe.

Ukraine inaction
The horror of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now into its second month, reached new levels of barbarism in the small town of Bucha just outside the country's capital Kyiv this week.
New Zealand's response to this horror has been, to put it politely, pathetic. We have sent a few second-hand helmets to Ukraine, and a handful of military "advisers" to Europe.
We have allowed the Russian Ambassador to remain in Wellington….and we could have sent the anti-tank weapons we possess. These will never be needed by New Zealand and will expire soon.
As a New Zealand citizen, I feel frustrated that there is nothing I can do but pour the Russian vodka in my cupboard down the drain and throw the empty bottle into the recycling bin!
Perhaps the large liquor chains could show some humanity by not stocking any Russian vodka, and putting up Ukrainian flags in their stores.
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.

Red-light runners
I'm utterly fed up with hearing moans from entertainment venues and hospitality about how badly they have been hit by Covid.
Have they forgotten the 18 months of freedom that we had between the first lockdown and last August's outbreak of Delta? I know that personally, I went to two shows in Auckland last July where there were thousands of people and no one was wearing a mask. The rest of the world was not so lucky.
We, the vaccinated majority, will remember those venues trying to get around the Red Light rules and consequently jeopardising our health for their own profits. In Tauranga, there are cafes which did not require vaccine passes in order to cater to the anti-vaxxers. I have lots of choices and I choose not to patronise them anymore.
Sue Rawson, Pāpāmoa Beach.

Health funding
As an Aucklander who has been repeatedly asked "to "take it on the chin" (Barry Soper, NewstalkZB) for the rest of the country, and am still being asked to, I am aware that many people have missed out on outpatient clinic appointments, affecting the quality of life and in some cases a life cut short.
So where is this money that our Health Minister repeatedly tells us is being spent or prioritised?
It sure isn't on our hospital frontline staff, who are suffering burnout and being offered considerable money just to fill shifts that are vacant, compromising surely their own health needs and increasing the possibility of burnout.
So where has the money gone that Andrew Little repeatedly tells us Labour has prioritised? We desperately need administration or frontline medical staff when we find ourselves hospitalised with Covid.
Robin Harrison, Takapuna.

Refloating production
Ninety per cent of all pleasure boats over 10m sold in New Zealand are imported.
Millions of dollars are spent each year importing these boats from overseas manufacturers yet we are recognised as having some of the best builders in the industry.
However, we do not have a production boat manufacturing industry for these most valuable craft. Yet we have all the technology and skills as displayed by our individual builders.
Australia, France, Germany, USA, etc, all have major plants employing thousands of workers and exporting to the world.
Our industry was decimated by the 1988 sharemarket crash and the lack of foresight by our banks. We have never recovered, In spite of holding the America's Cup. Mostly, our boat maintenance facilities have benefited from the Cup location.
Now is the time to rebuild this industry, supply much of our local requirements and again develop the export industry available to us with the obvious benefits.
Let's show the world we not only race boats but build the best also.
James Lawry, Rotorua.

Direct kindness
I recently needed to make an unfamiliar trip into the central city to visit my dentist. I managed to get lost both coming and going on foot but was impressed by the kindness of strangers. Several people went significantly out of their way to assist me to find my destination. Maybe the grey hair and the stick helped but it has restored my faith in human nature.
Peter Clapshaw, Remuera.

Cultural richness
David Seymour (NZ Herald, April 5) misses the fundamental fact that Aotearoa New Zealand is the only home of Māori. It is neither responsible nor sensible to dilute this living, growing culture by chucking it into a multi-ethnic melting pot and saying "She's right mate – we're all Kiwis, eh!" The Brash/Seymour insistence on a beige blancmange is boring.
As a septuagenarian Pakeha, I feel enriched by the increasingly confident emergence of te ao Māori as the unique element in how we collectively take care of this land and each other. It distinguishes us as a nation.
Sixty-two years ago, the Hunn Report advocated integration (Māori culture remains distinct but fits well with Pakeha culture) rather than assimilation or segregation. Co-governance is a long-overdue way of putting integration into practice. Those who fearmonger that this will make Māori dominant wilfully ignore the meaning of "co".
Michael Smythe, Northcote Pt.

Loss in translation
In a letter titled "Treaty law" (NZ Herald, April 5) the writer pointed out that British Parliamentary papers in 1841 recognised that the Treaty of Waitangi was written in Māori and the English version was a translation.
If the Treaty was originally written in English and then translated into Māori – would this have made any difference to the current debate about co-governance?
Co-governance with a non-elected group with powers of veto would indicate that New Zealand would no longer be a democratic country.
D. Macculloch, Remuera.

Short & sweet

On hands
Kudos to Gary Hollis for his conclusion regarding men's handwashing (NZH, April 5). Hollis frequently adds value to the NZ Herald. Ian Brady, Titirangi.

On daylight
The solution to a stable body clock and better work health and safety is to adjust the clocks so sunrise is always 6.30am. Randel Case, Buckland Beach.

On study
A highly educated population is to everyone's advantage so I wonder why the persistence with a cap on earnings for those on student allowances? Samantha Cunningham, Henderson.

On red light
The hospitality industry, et al, are being held ransom to an unrelated sub-standard health system. Beth O'Loughlin, Parnell.

So, Auckland can be thrown into level 4 lockdown for the good of the rest of the country, but cannot move to the orange traffic light setting, out of fairness to the rest of the country? Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.

On crime
Labour MP Helen White's call (NZH, April 1) for the reinstatement of an Auckland city centre police station highlights the fact that nothing cuts crime like proactive community policing. Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.

On water
Auckland water rates are rising by a massive 7 per cent in July. It is only fair that the CEO of Watercare should have his salary reduced by 7 per cent. Cheryl Taylor, Balmoral.

The Premium Debate

Only one brother funded for medicine

Gut-wrenching story on Troy and Ashley. The priorities of spending of this Labour Government make me numb. Aborted cycle bridge, lunches in schools, socialist reforms every which way, surely the number one priority of this or any government must be to look after our own in the form of decent medical treatment. What could be more important? Paul C.

Well put, Nothing is more important than this. If you don't have your health you have nothing. Marlene H.

Not enough people are working to afford this. The tax burden on the workers is already huge compared with Europeans. My relatives are shocked at what the government takes out of our wages. We need to be in a country with lots of people and get the lazy ones here moving. My healthy uncle sat on his butt for 67 years and got paid for it, a healthy man, incredible. Tina W.

New Zealand is a great place to live - until you get sick. When it happens, you realise there are very limited options for health and cure in New Zealand. So sorry all the sufferers of cystic fibrosis. Thanks for being brave to share your story. This needs attention. Kate N.

We shut down the country with one Covid case - the excuse was even one death is too many. I hope everyone with this condition gets the drugs they need, along with the cancer treatments available in other countries but not classed as enough people dying from it here to care. New Zealand is turning into a Third World country. But you never hear any of the political parties saying they are going to do anything about it - Pharmac has far too much power. Pip W.