Emergency departments are where many people are ending up as the cost of appointments with general practitioners has risen. Photo / Andrew Testa, The New York Times, File
Regime in decline
Hospital emergency departments are becoming overloaded and overcrowded. The situation is getting worse year-on-year. In 1938, the new Labour Government introduced universal healthcare. Free family doctor visits gave access to the health system where people had access to a full range of quality healthcare. In the 1950s, GP visits had increased to 7 shillings and sixpence. It stayed like that for a number of years. Now, the cost has escalated, being more expensive in wealthy areas and subsidised in poorer areas. This does not help access for poorer people living in wealthy areas. However, for an increased number of the population what should be GP services occur at the emergency department because of the cost. We are losing more newly trained doctors because of poor remuneration. Increased stress, compliance costs, and complaints processes add to this. Income is double in Australia and up to 300 per cent in the Outback. We will continue to lose more New Zealand-trained doctors. Nurses will replace doctors and have been doing so for 10-plus years. It is not what the country can do for you. It is what it can afford.
Dr R. Ian Symes, Devonport.
Prescribed learning
I read with interest that the Government wants to add core teaching requirements to the national curriculum under the Education and Training Act 2020. To quote the minister: “We have great teachers, but historically the curriculum hasn’t always been clear about how core subjects should be taught, and it’s meant there are wide variations of teaching” (NZ Herald, August 21). Can someone please explain why we can’t do this for all subjects? Why is the Ministry of Education so against learning objectives in science where it is needed? In the case of external assessments, what is wrong with teachers knowing what should be taught? The Ministry of Education has overseen 20 years of declining results and refuses to acknowledge that the current ideology has not worked- too much has been left to chance and it has been the students who have suffered the consequences. Science teachers need clear guidelines of what to teach and well-defined learning objectives is international best practice. Or do they want us to teach to the exam?
Andrew Rogers, HOD Chemistry, St Peter’s College.
Cyclic lurch
When are our politicians going to grow up? Listening to the tit-for-tat is illustrative of the lack of depth in debate. Soundbites simply reflect the fact that politicians, of any party, think that by such behaviour they might be elected. Their central premise appears to be to get into/stay in power. Whose needs are actually been met? Long-term planning is the only way to move forward yet we continue to lurch in small cycles: three years where the first year is spent bedding in, the second year perhaps achieving something for the people of Aotearoa, the third year making false promises in order to meet their own needs.
Liz Schollum, Leamington.
Therapists, too
Great article on the terrible dental problems our children suffer (NZ Herald, August 21) . However, no mention of the workforce that deals with almost all childhood dentistry in Aotearoa - dental and oral health therapists. Like the dentists mentioned, we too are frustrated, deflated and tired. We too are very understaffed. We are registered health professionals, with an active association. But apparently invisible.
Deirdre Nieuwland, Hawke’s Bay.
Work opportunities
I have just read the appalling article on immigrants (NZ Herald, August 22) who were promised jobs only to get here and no work. This after reading how we are having to train people to work on the ferries. So why not train these immigrants to work on ferries, buses and in other industries that we keep being told there are labour shortages?
Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa.
In sink
Collecting food waste in green bins, with the cost of maintaining these bins in hygienic condition, then trucking the waste serval hundred kilometres, processing this food waste into fertiliser that has negligible value has a considerably more polluting effect on our environment than the food waste itself. Surprisingly, in all the articles about green bins, none have mentioned the benefit of waste disposers. Waste disposers have multiple benefits; improved hygiene in the home, reduced landfill waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, decreased water consumption and nutrient recycling. Most wastewater treatment plants capture the methane gas and use it to generate electricity. The remaining nitrogen and other nutrients are used for fertiliser. Presumable owners of waste disposers, over 40 per cent of homes, will never even start using their green bins. Why do they still have to pay?
Murray Higgs, Parnell.
Gauging demand
I wholeheartedly agree with Katie Sabine (NZ Herald, August 21) with regard to the food scrap bins being forced on us by Auckland Council. A user-pays model would surely gauge the true level of demand and save unnecessary money for both the council and ratepayers.
A J Dickason, East Tamaki Heights.
Till then
An easy way for Countdown, and other supermarkets, to prevent loss at self-service checkouts (NZ Herald, August 21) would be to get rid of them altogether. Adding a few more checkouts for customers with a limited number of items, manned by an operator would mean everything would be scanned correctly. We all managed before self-service was introduced and I’m sure we’d all manage again.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Won over
I’m not a sports follower and found the Women’s World Cup final by accident while sort of browsing. I had no intention of watching it, but was captivated by the passion of the players, the intensity, and the drama, and was there to the end. While Espana won against England, in my opinion, there were no losers.
Tony Goodwin, Pt Chevalier.
Just a game
The Spanish played beautifully. I wish General Franco could have seen them. They gave great joy to the Spanish-speaking people in New Zealand. They made Palmerston North world famous, even if it is not true. They left the English in tears. They avenged the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Why do we get so emotional about only a game?
Keith Duggan, Browns Bay.
Unbridled growth
The very well-written letter by Paul Hickford (NZ Herald, August 21) describes the lack of any progress to provide infrastructure for West Aucklanders perfectly. What will it take for something to actually be done regarding the traffic hold-ups on SH16 coming in and out of Kumeu/Huapai and further north? It seems nothing, as more building in the area is consented to by the “powers that be”.
Kay Wheeler, Huapai.
Rugby lapse
As a rugby fan all my life I read with sadness the article on the inside and back page (NZ Herald, August 21) which covered the demise of the NPC competition. Kris Shannon attended a game between Auckland and North Harbour. On the same ground in 1994 the same two teams played in front of a huge crowd. Thirty years later, hardly a thousand people watched the same two teams battle it out. One large omission in his article was that, in 1996, Super Rugby started which slowly lead to the demise of the NPC. What is scary to me is if the NPC competition falls over, Super Rugby players would have to be picked from club rugby. What a massive step that would be. I don’t know what the answer is.
Bruce Turner, Cambridge.
On schooling
The Government started taking an interest in the teaching of literacy and arithmetic only after extensive articles had appeared in the NZ Herald. Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.
Surely they can’t keep adding things into the school curriculum, like financial literacy, without taking things out. Unless of course, they are looking at extending school days? Mike Baker, Tauranga.
Attempts to inculcate financial literacy in the young are very welcome, however there is a level of irony given the profligacy of those proposing this policy. Chris Chrystall, Epsom.
On China
The Chinese economy is obviously collapsing and the diehard Communist government is playing at capitalism: what could possibly go wrong? Martin Adlington, Browns Bay.
On Vatuvei
Manu Vatuvei, working with the outstanding Dave Letele and the BBM, shows a way (NZH, Aug. 21) for young folk who are floundering with no direction to know there is a positive way of life. Rosemary Cobb, Takapuna.
Nowhere in the article was there any thought for the fates of the victims of Vatuvei’s odious criminal importations. Peter Beyer, Sandringham.
On elections
The two months leading up to an election are the most entertaining and humorous for a cynic. Pity it only occurs every three years. Ian Doube, Rotorua.
Wynyard Quarter apartment owners’ fight for views
Orams are continuing to use the land for the same purpose since it was reclaimed in the early 1900s. If you buy a house near the zoo you may hear the lions roar. Duncan M.
The monoliths are an eyesore. There’s been no effort at all to make them anything other than massive ugly concrete blocks. No mural or other art, sculpture, trees. Designers, architects, the council, and the owners should be very ashamed about what they have just plonked there. Joe G.
What a mess. Neither the developer nor Orams have done wrong. The council contracts out to a “specialist” to manage it, who it seems to have made a huge error that has affected apartment owners. He should be held to account in my opinion. Adrian G.
I agree the specialist screwed up. However, how would hold the “specialist” accountable? What is the penalty? John H.
I question why the decision was contracted out? Don’t we have a planning department to manage such applications.
I agree with others on this thread that the structure is a blight on Wynyard Quarter, an area that has been developed to a high standard for apartment owners/dwellers and the general public to enjoy the wonderful amenities in the area. Allan C.
All this rampant development has ruined Auckland. What was once quite a beautiful city is fast turning into slums. Many parts of Auckland I once knew so well are now completely unrecognisable. And to think in Europe there are historic parts of cities virtually unchanged in centuries with strict planning laws. I’m not saying we should be stuck in a time warp but things have got out of control. Robert H.
This particular area is one of the most pleasant-looking newly developed areas in the city. Shame it’s all leasehold. But who can blame residents for not digging a seven-storey concrete wall in the way of your harbour view? Ray S.
They allege the Crown ignored Treaty obligations by not engaging with them.